Esoteric K03XD SE
Esoteric audiophile CD/SACD player with VRDS-ATLAS transport and discrete Master Sound DAC, designed for high-precision sound reproduction.
Description
The K-03XD SE is a high-end CD and SACD player from Esoteric, designed as a reference digital source for a demanding hi-fi system. It is built around a dedicated Super Audio CD transport mechanism and an in-house developed digital-to-analogue converter, with the whole design aimed at reading optical media and external digital streams as faithfully as possible.
The VRDS-ATLAS (ATLAS 03) transport uses an 18 mm turntable designed to mechanically stabilise the disc during playback. The converter, named Master Sound Discrete DAC, is an in-house developed ladder DAC paired with a proprietary FPGA and a 64-bit/512 Hz Delta-Sigma modulator; its board was revised with higher-grade components for this SE version. The unit also incorporates an in-house discrete clock module, the Master Sound Discrete Clock, two independent toroidal transformers to separate the digital and analogue power supplies, and 26 EDLC supercapacitors totalling 0.65 F of capacitance, intended to stabilise the power supply. The Esoteric-HCLD high-current line driver offers a slew rate of 2,000 V/µs, and the ES-Link Analog output transmits the signal as current rather than voltage. In terms of measurements, the K-03XD SE offers a frequency response of 5 Hz to 70 kHz, a signal-to-noise ratio of 110 dB and total harmonic distortion of 0.0007% at 1 kHz, values measured at the XLR output.
The unit offers adjustable upsampling up to 768 kHz and PCM to DSD conversion at 22.5 MHz, as well as a USB Type-B port supporting DSD 22.5 MHz via asynchronous transmission, allowing it to serve as a USB DAC for a computer source in addition to disc playback.
This player is aimed at a user who already owns a high-end system and is looking for a digital source capable of making the most of demanding amplifiers and speakers. The 10 MHz clock input on BNC also allows it to be paired with an external clock, such as the optional Esoteric G-05, for the most advanced setups. The double-sided RC-1333 remote control can also be used to operate certain Esoteric amplifiers.
Technical specifications
| Frequency response | 5 Hz – 70 kHz (–3 dB) |
| Signal to noise ratio | 110 dB (IHF-A) |
| Total harmonic distortion | 0.0007% (1 kHz) |
| Analogue outputs | 1 x RCA pair, 1 x XLR pair |
| Digital outputs | 1 x Coaxial, 1 x AES/EBU |
| Digital inputs | 1 x USB, 1 x Coaxial, 1 x Optical, 1 x 10 MHz clock input on BNC |
| Dimensions (W × H × D) | 445 × 162 × 438 mm |
| Weight | 28 kg |
What to check before buying used
When buying used, it is worth checking that the tray and VRDS-ATLAS transport mechanism operate correctly, as this is a mechanical part sensitive to wear and to shocks during transport. It is also useful to check that SACD and CD playback is free of errors or skips, to test the various analogue and digital outputs as well as the USB port in asynchronous DSD mode, and to check the condition of the power supply's supercapacitors, components that can lose capacitance over time on a unit of this age.
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