New Esoteric players (K-01, K-03): anyone has seen or heard? - Page 6

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ellipsis 

is k01 better than p03/d03 combo?

This question probably isn't for me because I've never heard the P03/D03, but before I got the K-01 I did have an Esoteric x-03se and the K-01 makes the x-03se sound like I got from a lucky bag. until March I'm only using with the K-01 my Shure se535's + Pico Slim and the amount of SQ I'm getting from those is unreal.

Been reading up on the K-01.  To confirm, you can use the K-01 as a CD/SACD player, as well as a D/A for computer audio?  Is there any advantage to the D-01, or has the K-01 obsolesced the D-01?

A new Esoteric SACD player, the K-05 SACD. Price ¥550,000, approximately US$7,000.00. More pics and info (in Japanese) at http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/20111104_488714.html.

Exciting and informative thread.

"until March I'm only using with the K-01 my Shure se535's + Pico Slim and the amount of SQ I'm getting from those is unreal."

A $20,000 CD Player to use with a Shure SE535? Wow... talk about taking that IEM to the best possible potential. And I use my Shure 530 with my iphone, when I'm out and about... or running on my treadmill. Man you're a high roller, haha. You could have bought 2 SR009s and 2 Blue Hawaii SE. I envy your disposable income...

Fwiw, most high-end audio gear isn't sold at MSRP unless you don't mind funding the college fund of your dealer's kids.  This excludes some smaller, specialty shops.

Quote:

Originally Posted by M-13 

"until March I'm only using with the K-01 my Shure se535's + Pico Slim and the amount of SQ I'm getting from those is unreal."

 

A $20,000 CD Player to use with a Shure SE535? Wow... talk about taking that IEM to the best possible potential. And I use my Shure 530 with my iphone, when I'm out and about... or running on my treadmill. Man you're a high roller, haha. You could have bought 2 SR009s and 2 Blue Hawaii SE. I envy your disposable income...

 

Hi M-13,

l only had the money to buy the K-01 because l made a profit selling my house, after first hearing it l knew l just had to have it before anything. regarding the BHSE, l placed an order for one in March but l've emailed Justin explaining that l wouldn't be able to make the final payments until next March. Same with the SR-009's, l'm getting a pair the same time l get the BHSE. That's the reason why at the moment l'm only using the K-01 with my Shures + Pico Slim because l haven't got the money for the other two. Some may think l'm going OTT when it comes to the headphone system l'm getting, but listening to music via headphones has become a very big part of my life, some thing l enjoy immensely.

                                                             David.

P.S. Please look at some of my posts and it'll tell all this. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by M-13 

"until March I'm only using with the K-01 my Shure se535's + Pico Slim and the amount of SQ I'm getting from those is unreal."

 

A $20,000 CD Player to use with a Shure SE535? Wow... talk about taking that IEM to the best possible potential. And I use my Shure 530 with my iphone, when I'm out and about... or running on my treadmill. Man you're a high roller, haha. You could have bought 2 SR009s and 2 Blue Hawaii SE. I envy your disposable income...

 

And pair them with an iPhone as a source?  Amps and ear speakers like that deserve the best possible source money can buy. It's unfortunate that for most, these are cost-prohibitive because the SQ difference over the average "audiophile" quality sources are simply stunning.

It actually makes a lot of sense to build a system from the source instead of the reverse, which is the most common practice on this forum.

Quote:

Originally Posted by warp08 

And pair them with an iPhone as a source?  Amps and ear speakers like that deserve the best possible source money can buy. It's unfortunate that for most, these are cost-prohibitive because the SQ difference over the average "audiophile" quality sources are simply stunning.

 

It actually makes a lot of sense to build a system from the source instead of the reverse, which is the most common practice on this forum.

Hi warp08,

As l mentioned in one of my earlier posts, in order to help get the K-01 l part exchanged most of my audio equipment, in fact all apart from my se535's + Pico Slim + ipod. Three of those items were Esoteric x-03se + SR-007mk1's + SRM-007t aswell as some other items. And as l said in one of the posts, l didn't and still don't regret it one bit.
 

My apologies. I'm not here to tell you how to spend your money, but It was more a reaction to how awesome your source is. I LOVE my Shure SE 530, in fact for me everything about audio started in 2006 when I walked into a Audio Shop and was able to DEMO the SE530. I HAD to have it immediately. I was taken to another world. I'm sure you understand. I purchased my Fiance the SE535 (Bronze) when it came out and also own the Triple-Fi 10 and had the Westone 3s when they were SUPER popular at one point. These days I muse about getting the JH16 or 13.

I do use my SE530 with my Fiio E7 Dac/Amp. I know it's only a cheap $90 "junk" but I notice huge improvements from it (funny that...) When I tried moving to a better source (DACport LX), it did absolutely nothing. It changed the tone/frequency a bit, but did not add more transparency, speed, or any other technical superiority, so I returned it fast. Next my list is the Bifrost... but for me, getting the right AMP and Tubes made the HUGE difference I was looking for.

I'm sure by March your rig will be GODLY. Congrats the first step to that goal. Enjoy your music

Quote:

Originally Posted by David1961 

Hi M-13,

l only had the money to buy the K-01 because l made a profit selling my house, after first hearing it l knew l just had to have it before anything. regarding the BHSE, l placed an order for one in March but l've emailed Justin explaining that l wouldn't be able to make the final payments until next March. Same with the SR-009's, l'm getting a pair the same time l get the BHSE. That's the reason why at the moment l'm only using the K-01 with my Shures + Pico Slim because l haven't got the money for the other two. Some may think l'm going OTT when it comes to the headphone system l'm getting, but listening to music via headphones has become a very big part of my life, some thing l enjoy immensely.

 

                                                             David.

 

P.S. Please look at some of my posts and it'll tell all this. 

 

 

I agree, would the Fiio E7 be considered "average" audiophile quality with its Wolfson 8470? Or is that just junk? I consider it a huge improvement over onboard sound cards. Did not notice a huge gap between it as a dac from the MS+ or DACport LX. I do only listen to lossless along with the E7 when I can, and that whole iphone comment was one of convinience and not preference. I hardly touch IEMs when I'm home. I'm too busy listening on headphones, like the most of us. The Shure SE530/535 sound acceptible out of an Iphone at least for me. I can increase my joy by using the E7 as an AMP using the LOD, and I'm sure it's even better with CLAS + SR71B, but I don't expect it to perform like my HE-500 when I'm out and about.

And what's wrong with building a system backwards? Like you say it's common on this forum and end the end, it's the same result. Don't you think David would have had more enjoyment if he had the JH16 instead of the Esoteric K-01 until March? If he was my neighbor/friend that's what I would tell him. I would tell him to upgrade that source when He had the Blue Hawaii and SR009, which would actually reveal the true beauty of it.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by warp08 

And pair them with an iPhone as a source?  Amps and ear speakers like that deserve the best possible source money can buy. It's unfortunate that for most, these are cost-prohibitive because the SQ difference over the average "audiophile" quality sources are simply stunning.

 

It actually makes a lot of sense to build a system from the source instead of the reverse, which is the most common practice on this forum.

No offense, but Fiio and audiophile don't really belong in the same sentence.

The chip isn't as important as the actual implementation in the D/A.

I know, the same WM8740 chip can be made to sound much better. I'm telling you that it's a huge improvement over the average soundcard people use, so should not be ridiculed by the audiophile community. It actually serves it's purpose at that price point. So what is the average audiophile DAC in your opinion? anything under a $1000? I would love to try it to compare to my E7. Oh I also matched it against the NuForce HDP, DAC section only, (another cheapo non-audiophile product... I know...) but yeah so far anything under $500 hasn't made much of a difference as a DAC. As for Amping it made a huge difference, same for Tubes. I think Googleli was right when he said Headphones are not the best instruments to judge a source and that moving up to speakers would make it more obvious.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elysian 

No offense, but Fiio and audiophile don't really belong in the same sentence.

 

The chip isn't as important as the actual implementation in the D/A.

Well, if you're using integrated mobo sound as your mean, then I'd agree that the Fiio line is an improvement over what most people hear.  Based on my experience with the better ($100-200) consumer PCI sound cards, it's more of a toss-up once you're in that range.

I'm not ridiculing the device, but when I think audiophile category (in my personal taxonomy), the Fiio E7 and similarly performing devices are one or two standard deviations away from the boundary.

The great thing about DACs is that the price-performance ratio has become significantly skewed in favor of the customer.  In my ears, and some of my friends, the gamma2 outperformed retail external DACs close to the $1000 category.  The $750-2000 has amazing bang-for-buck performance these days, and that's not getting into DIY models like the Buffalo, which I recently heard and was pretty impressed by its musicality.

I agree that the differences are easier heard on speakers in most cases, but I've found the higher-end Staxes to be pretty honest about the quality of specific components.

Headphone amps are those funny things, where, based on what I've heard, the first tier levels out around $900, then it's relatively flat until you get into Balancing Act territory.  I've heard a bunch of headphone amps in the $900-1500 range, and none of them stood out to me (in a positive or negative way).  I'd love to hear the Dark Star and Liquid Fire, more expensive headphone amps people rave about, to see if they are significantly better than the mid-range I've heard.  Other people may disagree, but I've heard definite tiers carved out.  Ofc, transport, tubes, software, etc., also all make a difference.