I have a Esoteric X-03SE CD player that is still in my system that I loved for many years. I purchased the unit in 2011. Then late in 2017, it started slipping with its belt and started giving me the dreaded "tray error."
I took it to a place to be repaired, and got the belt replaced. A couple years later, the error started to appear again. With the suggestion of a longtime and trusted audio local salesperson, instead of trying to repair the X-03SE again, I instead turned my 600-plus CD collection into a Bluesound digital library with the purchase of a Vault 2i. For the last five years, I had thought I was pretty much set using the Bluesound, and the X-03 largely sat idle over that time.
Recently, at his store, I saw a used Esoteric DAC unit for sale. I was curious if adding it to my system would be an improvement to my system’s overall sound, and he assured me it would, saying the Esoteric DAC is miles above of what is inside of the Bluesound for a DAC.
In just the couple hours I have been test driving the Esoteric DAC unit at home, and it certainly makes my system sound better when listening the Bluesound library. I think I’ve pretty much decided on adding that unit to my system.
What does all that have to do with the X-03SE? As a side note, he said that the DAC would also make my X-03SE CD player that I still have in my system sound better, if I opted to get the X-03SE repaired.
Since I still have it, I wonder if there’s much value to fixing it, getting back to sometimes using the X-03 (since I still have my physical CDs), versus always listening to the Bluesound. Or do you think the Bluesound/Esoteric DAC combo simply stands as worthwhile on its own, without the added expense and hassle of repairing the Esoteric X-03?
Thoughts?
And then the question becomes who still would take on such a repair, as comments about the "tray error" and repair issues for an X-03 I saw on one comment thread here that date back seven years, with many comments largely talking about how hard it was to find someone to repair the unit back then. Usually with used gear, it only gets harder with time, but maybe I’m wrong in this instance? Curious ...
