what are the Best Direct to amps Digital Players ?

@ Denon1, Didn't you own a Ayon player before?,, can you describe the sound of thr K-01?, does the k-03 have volume control?, cheers!

Hi Audiolabyrinth,
Yes I did own ayon 5s with upgraded tubes and did run it direct to krell. The overall sound threw huge soundstage but has been missing some focus and refinement and also had some noise because of its high gain on the output.
I hate to say it, but ayon 2s not on par with ayon cd 5s and not even close to esoteric k-01 and K-03. You are for sure missing what your krell can do. The reason I sold ayon 5s is because of looking for the more long term front end solution and more universal player (ability to play SCAD and better DAC) which esoteric K-01 and K-03 is perfectly represent.
Yes K-03 has volume control.
I love what esoteric K-01 can extract from cd/scad and its overall sound that after 700 hours of burning became liquid but so resolving with no digital artifacts. Plus its USB input and its DAC and volume control make it truly outstanding device. I would say the same about K-03 just in a little smaller scale.

The key here is the volume control technology. There are only three that compete with the very best preamps:
1) DACs that control volume by adjusting the reference voltage
2) Transformer-based line-stages added to DACs, such as this one:
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/solid-state-music-first-classic-silver-cryoed-transformer-line-stage-2013-06-29-preamplifiers-97759-black-butte-ranc-or

3) Line-out of a high-drive output DAC to amps directly and use digital volume control - least attractive and most dangerous.

All of these require that the output stage of the DAC be as good as the very best preamps on the market, including drive strength, output impedance and power delivery.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

@ Denon1, Hi, Did the Ayon 5s have a bigger, better sound stage than the k-01?, Have you listened to the k-03?, I believe you have burr-brown 1792 dacs in the esoteric players, I owned the 1792 dacs in a cary player and thought they were analitical on the player, they did not sound natural, very lean in the bass,They had resolution,and refinement, unless esoteric found a way to use these 1792 dacs, they did not sound musical at all to me, alot of hi-fi fire works, but not realistic sounding compaired to live music!,, You are right about the Ayon 2s player, I had mine less than 90 days and it blew some tubes, infant tube failure, or something else all together!, It arrives at usa tubes today for repair!, I do not like usa tubes, poor service communications after the sale!, we basically cussed each other out!, I will never buy nothing from them again!,,The ayon 2s soundstage is small, and is not deep enough for me, and forward sounding without the tubes in the power supply to color the sound to have a bigger sound stage like the Ayon 5s player, I do like the treble of Ayon and the 1704 dacs, the best I have heard, extreamly detailed and smooth and refined, the mid range I hate, and the player sounds lean compaired to other players I have owned, Alot of money for the Ayon 2s to sound like this!, In the old days you got alot better sound for a whole lot less money!, The Ayon players are beutiful units, some of the best chasiss I have seen with Digital!, LOL!, I do not want a looker in my room, its all about the sound for me!, How would you copaire the 5s to the k-01?, I know its more refined and more resolving,How would you compaire the sound stages?,, Denon1, I allready have extreme resolving power and focus on my system,My cables do miracles!, I own the Taralabs The Zero Gold I/Cs and Taralabs cobalt power cord, Taralabs omega gold speaker cables!, the cables cost so much, I do not want to buy more I/Cs!, LOL!, Thats one of the reasons I run direct to amps!, I agree with you whole heartly!, I do need alot better digital player for my cables and my amp!, Denon1,, I have only been tring to build this system since april 2012!, the Ayon 2s that I still own is my 3rd player!, I will sell my ayon and try to get into a musical top notch digital direct to amp player, thus this thread,I love the sound of some tubes, they just seem like they have way to many problems!, I have listened to years ago solid state digital players that put tube players to shame in every aspect of the sound comeing out of speakers!,The sad thing here is I have to make long road trips to audition players, BTW, I have not done!, after going thru this many players, LOL!, Its high time I audition before I buy!,, your Krell is 100kohms?,, I enjoy talking to you, by having or had similar equipment this helps!,, cheers!

Audiolabyrinth
First of all esoteric k-01 as well as K-03 uses katest AKM 4399 32 bit DACs - more advanced than burr-brown 1792 . K-01 uses 8 dacs per side and K-03 4 dacs per side. Comparing K-01 with ayon cd5s, I heard taller and deeper sounstage from K-01 with better imaging, and of caurse details. I understand that you using cables to get focus and resilution, but if source cant extract more details in the first place - no cables will resolve this issue down the chain. Both K-01 and K-03 when propelry burned are better sounding players (to me and in my system) than ayon cd 5s and your ayon cd 2s way below all of them. Your cables and amplifier on a higher level than your source. Please dont underestimate the importance of the great source.