Esoteric K01: What are the best settings for CD?

The recording should make or break the sound quality. Always been that way, nice thing is you can use FIR or sdly 1 setting to smooth things out. I never leave Org. though.

No different than a phono cartridge, some are vivid and in your face, others laid back and warm. Anyone who thinks your hearing what was in the studio is only fooling themselves and taken the fun out of this hobby. Like a good cook, a steak can taste a certain way, or many, many other ways. In the end it is our own preferences. Enjoy the music and not the gear. Marketing will always have something new.

Dgarreston. Use a Harmonic Technology Magic power cord that filters all 3 areas of AC, you won't feel the same. I have 2 of them, thought of selling them, tried several others, pulled my ad and I am keeping the HT cords. There is no equal for front end gear.

I am going against the grain here. But I let my music tell me when the setting sound the best. For a year I used org setting with S_DLY1. I liked it a lot. 2x and 4x's were a change but a change that lost the feel and the details, kind of like a skim on the images, sound stage was bigger and more forward though, impressive but to me not right.

About a week ago while cleaning my system and reading about up sampling filters and converting 2X and 4X. I read where if the filter was well made try to listen with no digital filter and up sampling. We all read where that would not sound correct, more noise and so forth. Well to my surprise my Esoteric with DF off, and org. Sounded great, more inter detail, better mid range, and highs, more real to keep this simple. I like it run this way for a few weeks, then I sat down and listened and did my usual settings, while not bad, everyone of the bloated the image, sharpened the highs, and well sounded less enjoyable. FIR setting was 2nd best. I then started to read not from reviewers but real folks who under stand digital and how filters work and the myths about digital step ladders and so forth. But with digital coming such a long way from the beginning, recordings that were with care sound best natural with out the extra processing. These setting I've never tried, nor wanted to due to reading what reviewers stated and really none would say give these setting a try, I called Esoteric once and the tech said yes give these a try which I did not due to being brain washed from reading. In fact he said DF off try 4X sampling or DSD mode. I like the natural setting and let the quality of the recording come through, I still cannot believe this, and I've tried several times to go back to using the filters but I cannot. I mean the bottom end is tighter, more powerful, midrange more color and tone, highs more clear. Again, I am surprised but really lucking into trying this which I never did nor would ever consider. I then ready where PS audio said just about the same in keeping things natural thus Is2 which streamed with no conversion. I do miss a little on image size without the S_DLY1, but then I don't think this is correct any longer, different yes, but not normal. I listened to a recording on my turntable and then the same disc with my current setting and I have to say both sounded real good, and the imaging was about the same. Dynamics and tone was better with the digital, the depth and color a touch better in LP. But neither was it night and day, both had their good points. I've been in this hobby a long time and I am still learning, but staying open minded, and like all things in audio you have to try for yourself and find your own truth.

Guido,

I like DF Off and Org. Much more organic sounding, 2nd S_DLY1 with Org. FRI with Org on recordings that need some body due to poor production. I like none of the 2X or 4X up sampling modes takes way from the recording to much. FIR 2 I like at times. But the more I've listened to DF Off and org sampling. The music sounds more like how it was recorded from my owning many of the CD on vinyl before. Cables of course can make these likes changes. So much goes into the final sound, your room is as big as the gear.

I think when using the Esoteric el natural org and DF setting much like the SACD when played you are hearing the quality of the DAC's in this unit without manipulating the information off the disc. These units have superb DAC's. I listened to Sinatra this morning, went through all the filter setting that I like and have used, enjoyed a few of them, but every time I went back to el natural setting, Sinatra sounded like a real person singing in front of me, tone of his voice was spot on, his phasing was better, more depth and tone color that makes the reproduction was as real as a system can sound besides live of course. High Hope you could hear the hall Frank was in and the tone of the kids were perfect, use the setting, some areas came more forward, Sinatra's voice got bigger, Bass got fatter, so more hi-fi'ish, back to el natural and everything feel into place how a recording should sound, a balance to it all and much more firmer and detailed bass by far. I must say though I do you a BNC, Digital terminators and Cardas RCA caps for the unused RCA outs on my player, by doing so the noise level drops to such a extent, that your jaw will drop, these small tweaks are well know for any digital sourse, don't use them terminate them. Cost $25.00. I am enjoying my system more and more now. When you start grabbing recordings to replay you know you and found something special.

After using my K-01 for a year now. I found the best setting for most music is no up sampling (org). With filter set to Sdyl-2. Sound has so much depth, tone, color, transparent with 3D presence. I was rather shocked at the improvement. I never liked this setting when new, funny my Dealer told me back then this was the best and it was how he showed the unit. Of course room and speakers can have a huge impact, but now my K-01 is in a league of its own in any format. 

You have to let each filter burn in. When I would a/b a setting against the FIR and Org. Setting and i did not like it, like you say a film and bloated. I went to SDYL-2 with Org. As my dealer strongly suggested when I purchased it and gave it a few days and all of a sudden it sounded real good now after a month I cannot go back. Good as any sound system I’ve owned vinyl or digital. Every recordings sounds correct, the artist right in the room 3D. Natural with great color and tone. Does it sound like vinyl, does it sound like stereotypical digital no, it sounds like music and like all forms of reproduction it sounds as good as the recording. My test is to sit in the next room from my system and listen, if I am fooled to thinking I am hearing a session next door, I know it is real good system, only a few times I’ve experienced that in my system or another audiophile system. One was vinyl the other 2 digital CD systems.

I must mention that power cord used will dictate filter setup. I have enjoyed Org with For 1 and then Org and SDYL 2 when I switched power cords. For more natural cords ORG and SDYL 2. For cords that add more weight then I use Org and FIR 2. On those cords SDYL 2 has a slight veil and lacks detail and dynamics. So you have to learn your system and use the setting that brings out the best. Having a good ear helps. Having a vast collection of all formats in my life I know what certain recordings should sound like. Vocals and piano are a big key to me then mids, lower mids and bass for correct foundation, then speed and transparently.