Esoteric x series as transports

I have an X-03SE and a Berkeley Dac. I've used it as a transport, and its great. I think I prefer the x-03 by itself rather than through the berkeley (though the esoteric doesn't do hdcd but the berkeley does and the sound is absolutely stunning). I think it has more air and detail. It is a great transport but it will cost you alot of money to get a better dac thank whats inside already, plus, you need an excellent cable (I used the tara labs the one digidal).

Agree.

When you already have a high end player with quality dacs why would you want to alter the designer's intended sound?

i believe its called the never ending pursuit of perfection...;)! to be fair, i think the x5 is an excellent piece of equipment, and while there probably are DACs icorem might prefer...they will be expensive and require an expensive digicable as well.

I am coming at this question from the opposite side of the equation. I have an Audio Note Dac3.1x being fed by a Mac Mini. I have a 100 or so SACD's gathering dust (but seemingly gaining in value)

I have been oscillating between staying with the "organic flow" presentation of a CEC/Forsell type transport which seems to be the natural partner with the non-upsampeling Audio Note philosophy and the Esoteric X series transports where I get an SACD player thrown in.

Sure would like to spend a few nights experimenting but I live in an audiophile desert. Anybody in North Georgia with an x-05?