what are the Best Direct to amps Digital Players ?

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.

@ Denon1, This is why I started this thread!, To get a better source!, I apoligize for the dac mistake I thought was in the k-01,k-03,,, Your description of the sound stage has my attention!, One thing I can disagree with you on is the cables, years ago I took a $300.00 yamaha cd-player with tara the one model cables and extreamly imbarresed a spectral digital unit that was thousands of dollars, I am sorry, I agree that the source is very, very important, no where near as important as cables by a long shot!, The spectral digital had mit top tier cables on it to boot, thousands of dollars more!, I have done these test many times to bewilder people for kicks and grins!,, eany way, lets get to source talking, First, I was hopeing you could answer all my questions I had in my last post?,, I appreciate your help, I want to go and audition a k-03 now!,, Have you listened to a k-03?,,this is important!,thankyou Denon1.

Audiolabyrinth,
yes I did, and to me it is about 80-90% of K-01,
I think K-03 is currently represent a sweet spot in esoteric line. You will happy with it and yes the digital volume control on K-03 has the same implementation as on K-01, it is just driven by a lesser number of DACs (4 on each side instead of 8) but still will provide with great sound using your krell. If you get to audition K-03 make sure that the filter and upsampling combo well burn as well as the digital volume control option (ATTN on) with at least 400-500 hours.

@ denon1, Thankyou for the info, I have to admit thou, your k-01 is very appealing to me!, $20,000 is alot of money!, Denon1, In your opinion, do you feel the k-03 is better than the Ayon 5s?, they both are in the same ball park at the price point,That is suppriseing that you said the k-03 is 80-90% of the k-01!, Alot of people have said to me that the k-03 is not in the same league as the k-01!, I trust your opinion on the 80 -90% LOL!, because you have good tast in amplification, Krell!,, How long have you had your k-01 to get the 700 to 750 hours you have?,, BTW, who makes the dacs for esoteric k-01, k-03?,, Thankyou Denon1, I am happy to learn all this from you!, cheers to you!

@ Denon1, I just read a old forum where you owned the k-03!, now you have the k-01, If eanybody would know the % difference in sound, that would be you!, LOL!, you lived with both players, to me, thats way better than just mere listening to the players!,Congrats on your k-01!, Man, you got me really interested in the K-03 player, I have seen some here on the used market, with-in my range to get sooner than later versus a new player!, cheers!