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Esoteric K01: What are the best settings for CD?

The Esoteric K01 has several up-conversion and filter options for CD play-back. Unfortunately, each up-conversion option and each filter option requires approximately 500 hours of 'break-in' to sound it's best. I have owned the Esoteric K01 since it's release. It is a superb SACD and CD player. I have 'broken in' some but not all filter and up-conversion settings. I am still unable to decide which combination I like best. I am currently using S_DLY1 (for digital filter) and 2Fs (for up conversion). I would like to know what settings other Esoteric K01 owners like best. It would be helpful if If you can explain why those settings sound better to you than other combinations. I wonder which settings the experts at Esoteric/Teac would recommend?
matjet
denon1
331 posts
 
Matjet, I have K-01 and still go thru the same choices. For a while I settled with well burned-in 4x and S_DLY1 combo. The 2x is also good (sometimes sound more natural than 4x) but 4x is more dynamic and results in bigger soundstage. But recently I decided to follow Guido recommendation and tried S-DLY2 option and I think Guido is right on with this one and his description match my findings. I think I will stop driving myself crazy and use 4x and S_DLY2 combo from now on as best sounding in my system.
Important thing is all combos MUST go thru long brake ins.
Again, as other saying, the great ICs, power conditioning, and great isolation will show true potential of this marvelous player.
audiozen
831 posts
 
Are you serious?..is it that difficult to push buttons and
and select filter settings and listen to your speakers's
and make a choice?..Really!!
washline
202 posts
 
From my experience and in my system, Slow Delay 1 with no upsampling sounds best. It was also the preferred setting specified on Arthur Salvatore's site. I tried all sixteen combinations, and my result concurred with that of his reviewers.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Hi Washline, how much break in time did you allow for each filter and each upsampler?

G.
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,555 posts
 
As much as I love very good statement digital players!, There is no way I would go thru hours of warm up time and 100s of hours to break-in each setting on a K-01 player!, There is way more options out there to get fantastic sound from digital than going thru all the heart ache of useing this unit!, Nothing sounds that good for me to go thru that!, Its bad enough I have to waite an hour for my amp to warm up,LOL!, Better you than me!, I would get frustrated at the unit and litterally throw it out the window forreal!, good luck with this fellas!, cheers!
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