When I purchased an Esoteric K-03 player a year ago, I was thrilled with the improvement in detail, transparency and dynamics over my MCD500 and considered it a first purchase towards my, as yet, undetermined new audio system.
Fast forward nine months and what seemed like a great idea then suddenly looks like a hasty move... The K-03 was an excellent match with my previous system - B&W/McIntosh, and so good that it didn't occur to me at the time that I might want/need more! But my new system had (fortunately) evolved into more that I could have imagined at that time - Q3/Spectral/MIT, and seemed to call for more detail and refinement - in short, the K-01!
More research and a phone call to Ivan followed. Ivan made it happen, and a BIG THANKS for that!
Suddenly I was the owner of a new K-03 and K-01 players! The system was delivered shortly before the holidays and breakin began. Now that the holidays are over and my system fully run in, something has occurred to me - my system is completely new and I have lost all points of reference I once had! So, instead of the review of the K-01 I had planned, what follows is a comparison of listening impressions of the K-01 and K-03 players.
Fanfare For The Common Man/Copeland - Mata/Dallas SO - Angel 1986 Red Book
A stunning recording made in a church in San Antonio.
K-03 - Spacious, liquid brass. Bass drum and tympani are distinct from one another. Sounds wonderful.
K-01 - There is more air around the flutes (melody) as well as all instruments. More harmonic detail is present throughout, the bows across the bass strings as well as the actual notes are audible, brass is richer, there is a greater sense of the performance space.
Stolen Moments/Blues and The Abstract Truth - Oliver Nelson - Impulse 1961 Red Book
An all time favorite recording of mine - love the music and the honest production, for the era
K-03 - Bass clean, clear - center stage. Piano distinct in background. Horns never harsh. Excellent separation and imaging.
K-01 - More immediacy, life to horns with more audible reverb. Baritone sax enters with more distinct "aura", more air around it. Piano in background has more detail - attacks more distinct. Sax sings with more "bell" in its sound.
Bach D Minor Concerto for Two Violins, 2nd Movement/Bach Concertos - Julia Fisher, ASM of F - Decca, 2009, Red Book
K-03 - Strings detailed, sweet distinct. Balance great top to bottom. Basso continuo lines with harpsichord tuneful and clear in lower registers.
K-01 - Strings have more sheen, refinement. Performance space more audible - overall sound less dry than with K-03. Lead violins more prominent, sweeter-sounding.
The Real Blues - Ray Brown Trio, Concord Jazz, 1988 SACD
Another favorite , recorded live.
K-03 - Bass finger work very clean, well balanced top to bottom, prominent slaps, piano tonally rich and present, audience in the room!
K-01 - more air, overall more open. Bass attacks more distinct, cymbal work more audible.
Overall, his was one of the closest-sounding cuts between the K-01 and K-03.
Dvorak/Symphony No 7/1st Movement - Ivan fisher, BFO - Channel Classics 2010 SACD
K-03 - Expansive sound stage. Huge dynamics. Individual instruments sound sweet. Loud ensemble passages a little congested. lots of ambience.
K-01 - More detail in double bass tone. More air , more open. Individual instruments have more character, string sections more sheen, orchestra more distinct in loud passages. More performance space ambience.
No Moon At All - Karrin Allison, Concord Jazz, 1993 SACD
K-03 - Karrin's voice, not easy to record due her soft, reserved, (yes, sexy..) tone is a little indistinct at times with some mid range overhang on my system.
K-01 - Karrin's voice is balanced and she is coherent throughout with no mids overhang.
Invitation/Blue Moon - Amad Jamal, Jazz Book Records, 2012 Red Book
Excellent modern Red Book recording with fantastic piano sounds
K-03 - delivered a somewhat dry, distinct percussive sound with lots of piano harmonics.
K-01 - More air. Piano more lively sounding, percussion instruments more detailed with stronger impacts.
Conclusion
The K-01 is undeniably more resolving. Its as if the K-03 had a sheer scrim hanging between the speakers and the listener. But it should go without saying that both players are world class; the K-03 - possibly the best value in high end players and the K-01 - perhaps the best one - box digital player/dac available today. I look forward to auditioning the G-01 clock. I am sure that will make a worthy upgrade!
Note: Both the K-03 and K-01 decks were connected to MIT Shotgun/Ztrap power cords and MIT Oracle Matrix 50 interconnects, and connected to my Spectral 30SS Series 2 preamp for playback. Also, both players were set to my preferred filters; x4 fs and S_DLY2. Ted.