Just bought me one of these, a model X03-SE, obviously second hand. Wow, wow, wow!
I got it as a transport for my red book CD's (not bothered by SACD) and can confirm that all transports definitely do not sound the same. Esoteric employ their own VRDS-Neo V transport system, which is electronically/mechanically quite different from anything else, and so is the sound.
http://www.esoteric.jp/technology/vrdsneo/indexe.html
The results are extraordinary. For years I have shyed away from using cliches such as "a veil has been lifted" and "night and day differences" to describe hifi, but in this instance I have no qualms whatsoever in using them. This thing is amazing and smashes my Bel Canto spinner with its Phillips CD Pro2 transport out of the park. The Esoteric is blessed with such clarity, such a low noise floor, such separation between instruments, sublime vocals, so much detail. Simply amazing.
If you are in the £2K market for a new CDP then I implore you to try one of these second hand beasties before defaulting to a new, middle of the road spinner with an OEM transport at its heart.
I got it as a transport for my red book CD's (not bothered by SACD) and can confirm that all transports definitely do not sound the same. Esoteric employ their own VRDS-Neo V transport system, which is electronically/mechanically quite different from anything else, and so is the sound.
http://www.esoteric.jp/technology/vrdsneo/indexe.html
The results are extraordinary. For years I have shyed away from using cliches such as "a veil has been lifted" and "night and day differences" to describe hifi, but in this instance I have no qualms whatsoever in using them. This thing is amazing and smashes my Bel Canto spinner with its Phillips CD Pro2 transport out of the park. The Esoteric is blessed with such clarity, such a low noise floor, such separation between instruments, sublime vocals, so much detail. Simply amazing.
If you are in the £2K market for a new CDP then I implore you to try one of these second hand beasties before defaulting to a new, middle of the road spinner with an OEM transport at its heart.