My Esoteric based APL NWO-M has a bunch of the latest AKM DAC chips in it. Although the machine sounded very good new, after about 359 hours, each format sounded significantly better to me.
In addition, there was no difference using my Esoteric G-os rubidium clock with the NWO-M, however when I used the clock with the UX-1 Ltd as transport only with another DAC, the clock DID make things sound noticeably better. I was not in the Esoteric room when the clock was A-B'd with the K-01 at RMAF. I now wish I had been Based upon my limited rubidium clock experience, I would agree with Matjet as to the clock's best use.
If indeed the clock made the K-01 sound better than just the K-01 by itself, as my friend Guido witnessed at RMAF, it totally calls into question the quality of the K-01's internal clock(s), I would think. Not sure how you can really AVOID such a conclusion. Again, I would want to hear the A-B myself, in my own system, before I can draw any conclusions about the K-01.
In addition, there was no difference using my Esoteric G-os rubidium clock with the NWO-M, however when I used the clock with the UX-1 Ltd as transport only with another DAC, the clock DID make things sound noticeably better. I was not in the Esoteric room when the clock was A-B'd with the K-01 at RMAF. I now wish I had been Based upon my limited rubidium clock experience, I would agree with Matjet as to the clock's best use.
If indeed the clock made the K-01 sound better than just the K-01 by itself, as my friend Guido witnessed at RMAF, it totally calls into question the quality of the K-01's internal clock(s), I would think. Not sure how you can really AVOID such a conclusion. Again, I would want to hear the A-B myself, in my own system, before I can draw any conclusions about the K-01.