K01X vs D02/P02 combo
 

Greetings everyone , new subscriber and new poster here.
I have had a good look through the threads here and strongly suspect that someone will have the knowledge to help. my question pertains to relative comparisons in the 2 units as in the thread title.
I have just finished ripping 3000 CD's to an Aurender W20. Currently I use the DAC in a Meridian 808.3 ( rest of system ARC ref level). But as you know the 808.3 doesn't do DSD ( nor AFAIK will it play 192 files.)SACD isn't a consideration for me.
So Esoteric has long piqued my interest.
I have read the spec sheets for both the K01X and the D02 / P02 combo.
I think I have three options;keep the Meridian for redbook and get a D02 DAC , change the Meridian for the one box unit or go the whole way for the 2 box unit.
Home demos will not be possible; I may be able to get to hear a K01x at a dealers in my country but not certain.
I guess it boils down to this- is there anyone who is lucky enough to have heard both the one and 2 box options and is able to proffer comment on relative strengths and weaknesses
Many thanks for your time ; I would be very grateful for any insights.
Regards
Kevin

Kevin, welcome!

Welcome Kevin, my only input is that the K03 I have does redbook better than anything I have ever heard, and I am sure that the K01(s) are a notch better yet if that is possible given the limits of redbook.

PS Welcome to the site your banner looks great ! :)

Kevin, welcome!
I see you are a jazz lover.
Please share your favourites in the jazz thread.

Hey Jazzluva, I owned the K-01 and currently own the. D-02/P-02. I have not heard the K-01x, but based on my history of Esoteric rigs, and the upgraded or Special Edition versions of the same chassis, e.i. X-01 & X-01/D2, the voicing in these rigs is always very similar and the reason for the changes are usually for ancillary features or connectivity through new inputs and outputs. In the case of the K-01 & K-01x, the differences are obviously Esoterics reach at the DSD/USB market. As for the DAC upgrade, the difference in the AK4399 & new AK's in the "X" are more for processing power needed for the new features and the 35 bit processing, which is a little gimmicky, and of course the DSD 5.6 .
As for advantages of each set-up, the K-01 has everything in one chassis, so no further cabling, power cords or space is needed to get everything it has to offer. As for the D-02/P-02, there is a potential to get better sound quality due to separate chassis, multiple power supplies and most importantly, isolation & separation of important circuitry and power supplies, allowed by two chassis. Why are mono blocks typically better sounding than their stereo versions. Obviously, great cabling, 2 power cords and extra space on your eq. rack is needed.
As for my experience, the K-01 was great, and the D-02/P-02 has been exceptional, awesome! Though the G-01 clock brought there sound closer, the D-02/P-02 has been as good as I have heard by Esoteric.
Hope this helps.
Tom

Awesome , thanks Tom. Just the type of feedback I was after.:thumbsup:
Kevin

Get the D02 dac, since you have a W20 and wont really be into cd software any longer. If the W20 doesnt live up, get a p02 and test if you really need it. Make do with the Merdian used as a transport in the meantime.

I am too surprised a well setup sonos connect streamer, with heavily modified seperate power supplies through a w4s remedy reclocker streaming spotify comes very close comparing the cd on the k01x, and this was with average digital coax to the k01x.

I am still need to test network streaming, starting from a usb drive.

Your W20 should be very , very good playing ethier into a k01x or D02.

What about using a k03 to play into a d 02? What is the retail price for the d 02?

Yikes, Ok I looked it up and for that price, I may as well sell my k03 and get a k01x. But I'll hold off.

This is more of an analogy than a direct answer to your K-01X vs. P-02/D-02 question, but so far, in comparing the P-03/D-03 to the K-03X, I find the former more dynamic with more articulate LF, but the latter more delicate and refined in the HF.This is without using an outboard master clock with either set-up. And perhaps even more alarming—and to me puzzling—so far I prefer the P-03 driving my old Universal Audio 2192 ADC/DAC/clock to either of the other two. FWIW, the UA 2192 uses the AKM 4396 chip and a discrete analogue output stage that runs as hot as a 50-watt pure class A power amp. Comparative listening, nevertheless, is ongoing.