Esoteric K-05 or K-07?

By all accounts, each higher level of Esoteric player is better than the last, so logically the 05 will be better than the 07. Haven't heard them against each other, but this is what I gathered in my lengthy online research prior to buying a K-03 (instead of a K-05, lol). Plenty of dynamics and detail. Check! Absolutely. Incredible detail. Lush sound? I love the sound of my K-03, and it has a very full and beautiful sound, but I equate lush to a more tubey sound, like you might expect from a Cary, or CJ, etc.

BTW, I did buy mine without hearing it. And I love it.

Yashu, sorry for delayed response. Mine is on top of my rack, so I have no issue. However, it never gets hot or even warm, and sometimes I have CD's piled on top. Also, there are no vents on top of the K-03, so I doubt there is any heat dispersion issue on top.

As always, room and system synergy trumps all, so no one can tell you what the Esoteric will sound like in your setup. However, as Guido said, the Esoteric has filters that can subtly alter the sound. And if, like me with my Mcintosh MC452 amp, you have a slightly warmer/lush amp or preamp, the Esoteric might be a good match. However, if, like Kiwi, you like a very lush sound like your old (and Kiwi's own) Cary CDP, which are known to be euphonic, the Esoteric may not be your cup of tea. I will also add that the new K series is definitely warmer/lusher than the old X series, so I would probably discount those comments regarding the X series.

Hope this helps...