Esoteric K03XD

While I do believe eventually the K-05XD will be upgraded to SE model, others do not believe that will be happening near term.   It came out later in the K-XD line, and reportedly already has the Master Sound Discrete Clock which is part of the SE upgrade with the K-01XD and K-03XD.

Does anyone see a pattern regarding the release of "new and improved" models and the time frame between the "upgraded" models? Quite different than say Luxman who releases a new CDP model every five to seven years. However, In their defense, they are similar to Wilson and DCS in that regard.

And yes, amazing how each new version is no longer "dry and sterile" or more "liquid and organic" when compared to the previous model. What a joke.

@bubinga,

Have you had a bad experience with Esoteric?   I note both here and the N-01XD SE thread in this forum that you seem down on Esoteric.  In reading from users that have compared Esoteric sound of the discontinued AKM chip DAC units to the now Master Sound Discrete DAC, a ladder DAC with FPGA Delta-Sigma modulator, there is a difference in sound quality presentation reported as beneficially less clinical to a warmer, yet still detailed presentation.   

@azwill

While I do believe eventually the K-05XD will be upgraded to SE model, others do not believe that will be happening near term. It came out later in the K-XD line, and reportedly already has the Master Sound Discrete Clock which is part of the SE upgrade with the K-01XD and K-03XD.

+1 Yes, the K-05XD was released 2023, 3 years later than the K-03/01XD.