Any downside to Esoteric K-03 as a CD transport?

[jdandy]

budt.......Wow! Get ready to be floored. The Esoteric K-03 is an exceptional SACD/CD/DAC player. Mine thrills me every time I turn it on. Congratulations.

[budt]

Thank you and thanks for the warm welcome...
I will be running it with the latest B&W 800 diamonds and bryston 7bsst2 mono blocks.

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by budt

Thank you and thanks for the warm welcome...
I will be running it with the latest B&W 800 diamonds and bryston 7bsst2 mono blocks.

budt.......That will be a sweet sound system. You will be able to wring every ounce of performance from the K-03 with that gear. Is you plan to use the K-03 direct to the 7BSST2 amplifiers?

[budt]

I have a bryston bp26 so I will try it with and without. I am also going to try a good tube preamp in time and will decide based on the results.

[djwhog]

Just to chime in on this thread too. As a new K-03 owner you are going to love this thing. it does it all, and better than anything I have every heard.

it wont disappoint. and the red book stuff I swear is better than most do on a sacd
.... it is that good!

congrats!

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by djwhog

Just to chime in on this thread too. As a new K-03 owner you are going to love this thing. it does it all, and better than anything I have every heard.

it wont disappoint. and the red book stuff I swear is better than most do on a sacd
.... it is that good!

congrats!

Dave.......I take it from your comments, your K-03 break-in is going well.

[jameslrock]

My just about finished being burned in K-03 is an amazing SACD player but as a bonus my CDs sound better than ever and as if that was not enough I even get the added bonus of MOG through SONOS sounding astounding through the WireWorld silver coax cable to the coax in. I can't imagine anything better no matter the media.

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by jameslrock

My just about finished being burned in K-03 is an amazing SACD player but as a bonus my CDs sound better than ever and as if that was not enough I even get the added bonus of MOG through SONOS sounding astounding through the WireWorld silver coax cable to the coax in. I can't imagine anything better no matter the media.

[UK Paul]

Originally Posted by AMP

I'm in the market for a CD transport and am currently using a Wadia 571 which is on loan from my dealer. It's performing admirably and I have no complaints.


When I started thinking about the cost of the 571 I realized that for a few dollars more I could get an Esoteric K-03 and use its digital output to my DAC for CDs while at the same time gaining SACD playback.

I understand that as an SACD player the K-03 is outstanding, but I've read some comments that its redbook performance isn't on the same level. I vaguely remember reading a comment or review in which someone tested the K-03's digital output when playing a CD and ended up with performance similar to playback through the unit's internal DAC. Any truth to this or am I imagining it

In other words is there a fundamental problem with the transport and supporting circuitry in the K-03 when it comes to redbook performance? Any potential issues with using the K-03 primarily as a transport?

Amp, Greetings..

Have you told us what DAC you are using at present? This will determine whether it is worth using the K-03 as transport.

FWIW, I have been running K-03 as transport for a short while, I'm not committed to it, though it is good so far. I'm still searching though, and will test K-01. (P-02 also, P-01/ P-0 probably too scarce). However, with K-03, my external Concert Fidelity DAC040/BD is in another league to the K-03 (cd) DAC, even SACD on K-03 is marginally less analogue sounding than CF though still very enjoyable, dynamic with serious weight yet detailed. But, this does not mean K-03 (cd) is average, it is not, it is very capable indeed, but is a complex dac and that effects the sonic output slightly compared to the ultra purist CF.

[UK Paul]

Just as an update to above, I did not keep K-03, as nice as it was, it was not actually as good as the MBL in certain areas, mainly bass definition and musicality/performance recreation. This is all as a transport only btw.. The search continues!