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Esoteric K01: What are the best settings for CD?

The Esoteric K01 has several up-conversion and filter options for CD play-back. Unfortunately, each up-conversion option and each filter option requires approximately 500 hours of 'break-in' to sound it's best. I have owned the Esoteric K01 since it's release. It is a superb SACD and CD player. I have 'broken in' some but not all filter and up-conversion settings. I am still unable to decide which combination I like best. I am currently using S_DLY1 (for digital filter) and 2Fs (for up conversion). I would like to know what settings other Esoteric K01 owners like best. It would be helpful if If you can explain why those settings sound better to you than other combinations. I wonder which settings the experts at Esoteric/Teac would recommend?
matjet
jon2020's avatar
jon2020
986 posts
 
PhillyB,

Your experience very much mirrors my own. I tried the various permutations and combinations initially and found that DSD uosampling with filter OFF was preferred for my system. But one day I just happened to try out ORG with filter OFF and Wow! Yes, as a Sinatra fan myself, the Chairman never sounded better spinning in the K-01. So, I settled on this combination.

Lately, I have moved on and am now using the K-01 only as a cd transport driving a new hi-res dac. Time marches on and so does digital tech in audio.
Still, I am glad you are enjoying the ORG/OFF settings, which I did very much for some time.

Cheers! J.
dgarretson
2,597 posts
 
I do like the unfiltered PCM setting on the K-01X-- a vivid and open sound. However with some CDs or after extended listening this setting becomes fatiguing. The unfiltered noise products get under the skin.
phillyb's avatar
phillyb
401 posts
 
The recording should make or break the sound quality. Always been that way, nice thing is you can use FIR or sdly 1 setting to smooth things out. I never leave Org. though.

No different than a phono cartridge, some are vivid and in your face, others laid back and warm. Anyone who thinks your hearing what was in the studio is only fooling themselves and taken the fun out of this hobby. Like a good cook, a steak can taste a certain way, or many, many other ways. In the end it is our own preferences. Enjoy the music and not the gear. Marketing will always have something new.
phillyb's avatar
phillyb
401 posts
 
Dgarreston. Use a Harmonic Technology Magic power cord that filters all 3 areas of AC, you won't feel the same. I have 2 of them, thought of selling them, tried several others, pulled my ad and I am keeping the HT cords. There is no equal for front end gear.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Jon2020 has reported significantly enhanced DAC performance on K-01 by installing the new USB drivers... Suspects that fixpack might include updated DAC firmware. See:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ddgtl&1412493000&openusid&zzGuidocorona&4&&
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