Esoteric P02X, D02X (and C02X), any direct listening impressions are appreciated....

The more i am tempted to upgrade from the k-01x to either a K1 or the D02x from this very large range for top tier price digital,  its kind of getting more and more frustrating that the at the investment that has to be made and the many new dacs chips AKM manufactures and designs every so often. 

I wonder if digital has really reached its potential,  i feel so even from listen to the k01x and dont really find anything lacking at the least. 

For me,  It would be starting to change the character for these front end equupment to say a little more naturalness in the vocals etc which normally will start having trade offs which great smoothness v.  Dynamics,  bass ets. 

The more i reseach on digital,  i am thinking at these investment levels,  a FPGA dac is the way to go,  and wont have the issues of getting outdated every 6 months or a year. 

The k1 dacs are the latest and greatest now,  doea it leave the D1 and D02x in the dust so soon already? 

How are your plans for the upgrade to the D02x going? 

Hi Mark, thanks it’s the male instincts working ... always wanting something new and better.... and again, Groundhog day!

I believe the P/D02x will have an edge over the K1, but again the fine balance of cables/isolation etc which have been painstakingly synergised into the system.

Do you feel the eslink, given the rather limited choices still surpass good xlr/rca cables?

I have just got improved results feeding the 22m out with a cable and splitting with a T to my K01x and streamer.

My opinion was that the K01 was very good, but even before going to the X, i always felt the staging as slighlty compressed and overall less open than the X. It was a nice "upgrade".

My Mr golden ears, after hearing the addition for the clock, clock +rubidium quartzlock 10m and now clock + cybershaft OCXO states that the last was a good improvement, upgrading to the X was not nearly as significant!

Maybe your A2000 50ohm cable will do it for you! There are still found on japan’s yahoo auctions for reasonable money.

I have given up on seeking out a bestest transport as Tidal now exceeds spinning CD’s, so the P-02X is out so waiting if there is a compaison for the K1 and D-02X for dacs alone or hope a N-1 streamer will be release and that would be a no brainer for me!

I am sure a new AKM4499 will be on the drawing board by the time K1 gets delivered to dealers outside japan;)


For one, the only thing i "think" i would like is improvements towards an even more "real-er" vocal rendering, which has already improve greatly by the adding of the OCXO op16,lest i should sacrifice the other ranges which i am more than contented with and maybe a a Nagra or emm dac!

Thanks, it been wonderful hearing your similar experiences and thoughs towards the latest offerings and directions of the mystical perfect sound forever! If there is such a thing...

The balance and sensitivity which you have achieved might be the biggest stumbling block as it would be highly difficult to demo them, not that they will not be better, but upset the delicate balance that you have painstakingly put together over a the years.

My progression from the puccini to k03 to k01 and now X was a no brainer and did not require audition.

With the addition of clock system, cables and tweaks i have made over this time, i actually mucked up the balance just by changing the wall socket housing for the amps from a stamped metal to cast hubbel. I had a panic attack and required a couple of days adjusting a cimbination of tweak and footer position slightly just to reachieve the balance i like.

It was not so much as getter getter bass, more detailed and open sound etc, but a balance i could sit back, play any selection and just relax and enjoy the music.

Try changing out the 75ohm bncs for a 50 ohm, plating does matter. As the cable is the same, it is clear the different connectors have caused a change in balance and upset your enjoyment. I highly doubt the cable itself is different from whatever impedence. Just as eslinks4 will possibly be much more limited to finding a new balance with the X seperates as the choices from hdmi types are just too limited and adding more factors in acheiving this delicate balance of musicality. 

Too many manufacturers claim thei digital is 75ohm, but short of a handful, few are true coaxial construction required to acheive a 50 or 75ohm and just plain twisted or braided designs,  as this requires a specific industrial manufacturing process just to get the impendence correct.

Cheers