Hell Yeah!!! After a healthy amount of break-in of course!!! Ah...the task of an audio-nut is never finished :-) !!!

zephyr24069 February 21, 2015 13:51

Oooh, that's gonna sound good, Zephyr.

cymbop February 20, 2015 13:43

Maker Audio NL14 Stereo amp with hand-wound balanced transformer option build is underway.....:-)

After aLOT of research into potential tube amp matches, and finding some very good ones, I received from great input from a very ethical high-volume distributor of great tube amps who knows my speakers and equipment very well and seeing it matched with both tube and high-end SS amplification; the conclusion was high-end SS was the best route to go to drive these speakers to be at their best over the full range of music that I listen to.

Given that it came down to a short list of contenders; knowing Edge and Maker Audio sonics and quality well, I taking the upgrade path into the NL14 tweaked out for my setup.....

More fun on the horizon!

zephyr24069 February 20, 2015 10:28

Thank you Ozy...very much appreciated!

zephyr24069 February 18, 2015 16:58

Terrific choice of gear. very nicely put together. enjoy!

ozy February 18, 2015 14:20

Cymbop: You are very welcome...it was a great time and lots of great music was shared!!! Looking forward to doing it again in both places soon!!!

zephyr24069 February 06, 2015 18:59

Zephyr, thanks for hospitality and the listening session yesterday. It was good company and good tunes! Your system is nothing short of a musical experience. I've never heard such speed and precision in the bottom end, the way the powered Aerises can pressurize and de-pressurize the room on a razor's edge. From the bottom to the top of the audio band, I've seldom heard so much speed, speed, speed. Your cabling and attention to clean power allow harmonic and overtone information to come though with a profound realism. And metal percussion was spooky-good; you could perceive the impact of a stick on the heft a cymbal or bell as a right-on precursor to the splash and tizz and decay. I would not have believed that so much coherence and image stability could come from a 5-way speaker design.

Let's do this again soon.

cymbop February 06, 2015 13:49

Azjake: Thank you,...I was aware of that and have had several interchanges with Onkyo international who is handling sales, support and repair (along with TAP Electronics N.America) for Esoteric. They are still selling quite a few units across the line including the Grandioso 01 and 02 levels. Having owned an 03 combo since late 2006 and 2 other gens of Esoteric gear before, it seems reasonable to expect a good 7-10 years at least out of my current 02 level transport and DAC; that stated, given what is likely to happen in the industry and the fact that there are precious few manufacturers in the SOTA digital transport/DAC market with that kind of unit stability and long-term build quality (truly IMHO) I can live with this for the foreseeable future.

Thanks for the heads-up and the opinion; I'm not sure why having the Esoteric Audio thread still going is not such a good thing but let me know what you are thinking here.

What's your digital/other front-end? Let me know,....I love this hobby and am always looking at new gear and potential choices...thanks!

zephyr24069 February 06, 2015 11:20

Hi there,

I noticed you talking about the Esoteric Audio unit on the "dad" thread that would not die!!!...:_)
Just for your info Esoteric has been sold off to Gibson at almost the same time as key personnel have left the company due to differences in suggested direction.
Therefore, Teac [Tascam} will continue to supply parts but if Gibson feels their marketing division can not bear fruit with the Grandiose line they may well drop Esoteric all together!!

be cautious

Best,

Azjake

azjake February 05, 2015 05:20

System edited: Initial tests indicate the B.M.C PureUSB1 USB A->B cable is one hell of a great sounding USB cable for high-end computer->DAC feeds....

zephyr24069 February 03, 2015 16:30

Will update photos and system manifest soon....

All: Thank you for the help and advice offline and on other threads from the K series and the 02; I've done a LOT of testing of permutations and track by track compare over the last couple of days with the various filter and up-conversion & protocol options for PCM on the P02/D02 and this is where I think I'll stay for a while as it gives;

- the biggest, densest and deepest soundstage
- best imaging in all 3 dimensions for the 'crucible recordings' I've used for testing for years
- the deepest, most accurate bass without over-bloom/muddiness
- the most pleasing and roundest notes, best transients and overall musical experience thus far

Caveat: I've stayed away from PCM->DSD on purpose for now. Will test that later after I burn in pure DSD for SACD once the PCM circuits hit 500 hours each. Then we're on to more testing and then even more with the high-throughput USB options; should be done about this time next year at 500 hours per permutation !

Here's the config;

- up-conversion PCM->4Fs (176.4) on P-02, 48-bit ESL3 seems to be the silver bullet!

- digital filter set to On (P-02), resulted in slightly tighter bass, thought FIR on the transport and anything on the DAC would redundant but it really seems to do wonders so filter on P-02 is back on!

- P-02 set to output ESL3 protocol, 24-bit 352.8 is impressive but 48-bit ESL3 176.4 is the best thus far (note above,...skipping test of DSD for now). D-02 set to receive ELS3/176.4 so 48-bit input on dual AES

- up sampling set to 176.4 (D-02), ELS3 *dual XLR inputs", this is 48bit output!!!

- digital filter set to S_DLY2 (D-02), no ringing, all the right elements as highlighted in my opening passage, amazing filter, at least on this system

- clock frequency 22.5792MHz master clock output from D-02, P-02 clocked to D-02, still don't miss the G-03 given clocking improvements in D-02. 22.5792Mhz sounds better than 176.4, the 512x over 44.1 seems to really round things out nicely with the right combination of precision and musicality...

That's all for now, let the burn-in continue :-) !!!

zephyr24069 January 21, 2015 19:28

P03U, D03 and G03X are posted as a system package today on the site, I am hoping to find them a good home; I'll miss them in some ways as they were wonderful all those years for HT+2ch and later only 2ch but the latest 02 generation is making me very happy and impressed.....

zephyr24069 January 18, 2015 17:23

That sounds like a great set of experiments and alot of fun to get right. I always found that having my sub in the same plane as my main speakers was critical as well, particularly with respect to blending in for 2-channel listening. As far as 'another set of ears...' if I lived nearby I'd be right over to help! I'm definitely looking forward to seeing your room updates when they are complete and you have a chance to post them. One thing on deep (sub-bass); it is omni-directional and many frequencies have such a long wavelength that they don't materialize fully for 10, 20 or more feet from the subwoofer cabinet, depending upon the size of the room, technically, some extremely low frequencies don't fully materialize the wave until you reach another room entirely due to their wavelength; for blending especially I found that not only was testing from the primary listening position essential, but i also found it useful to go the furthest point in the room, and also elsewhere in the house (if there is good flow down a hallway or stair case for example) to listen for coherency/blending of deep bass into the overall audio output. With the REL B1 and an older pair of Mirage OM200s many years ago, I also found varying the phase of the sub from 0 degrees to other values depending upon the room at the time, also helped me achieve a very tight and well-blended and 'disappeared' subwoofer setup....

zephyr24069 January 18, 2015 11:19

Zephyr, thanks for the comments. I could probably get the blend of the sub right just with the controls on the Rythmik. I find the low pass crossover better on the SMS-1 as the slope is adjustable. I actually cross the sub above the cut off point of the mains. When you do this, sub positioning is extremely critical. IME, the sub distance from the listening position must be the same or less than the woofers of BOTH main speakers. Both main speakers must be the same distance from the listening position as well. I like the sub slightly closer than the mains and then to use the phase knob on the sub to blend them together. I don't have it perfect yet, as I would need another set of good ears to help with the final tweaking, but it is very close. Done this way, I find the sub much less able to be localized. I am making a guess here, but it seems as if the sub and mains are both electrically and acoustically in phase with each other. If I can hear where the sub is at, I have it turned up too loud. I then use the SMS-1 as a remote volume control for the sub. I know this is not technically accurate, but it allows me to adjust for recordings with too much or not enough bass from my listening seat with the remote control. This hobby is about enjoying listening to music, and I find this method to help me in that regard. Fortunately I have a dedicated room where sub positioning is not an issue. I will post the details of my system hopefully within the next month or two. Happy listening.

csmgolf January 17, 2015 15:12

CSM: great to hear more from you as always. I look forward to seeing the new pics and reading more about how your systems turns out with the changes and upgrades. I head the LSA Statement Plus Integrated back at AXPONA 2011; it is a fine piece of gear and a ton of musicality and power for a very reasonable amount of money. It made an impression at the time that I still remember vividly. I also used the Velodyne SMS-1 back in the day of a hybrid 7.1 HT and 2-ch Audio setup that I had. The SMS-1 is a fantastic unit for refining LFE for HT in my experience,...how do you find it for 2-ch audio? I did not have need of it at the time as I used the high-pass input path from my amps to the Neutrik input of my REL B1 Britannia plus the blending/filtering/level controls on the B1 to tweak my bass and sub-bass crossover points and blending when I had the REL and the Velodyne units in the system...

zephyr24069 January 17, 2015 14:13

Zephyr, good to talk with you again also. I no longer have the Summits. Several speakers have come and gone since then, including Legacy Focus SE. The Focus ended up being too much speaker for my smallish room (12 x 15 1/2 x 8). My new speakers are the Vapor Audio Arcus. They give me most of the power and scale of the Focus and most of the finesse, staging, and refinement of the Summit. On top of that, they don't overpower my room and I can play them as loud as I can stand without them falling apart sonically (the biggest flaws of each of the other two speakers for my listening preferences and tastes).

The rest of my system has changed as well. I will be updating my system page within the next month or so after some other pieces are in place. The other key pieces are LSA Statement Plus integrated amp, North Star Designs 192 cd transport and Excelsio DAC and a Sound Science DC powered music vault and a Audio Magic Stealth power conditioner that has been upgraded to mini reference level by AM. Rythmik F12Se sub with Velodyne SMS-1 add low end impact. I have an assortment of high end cables through out.

csmgolf January 17, 2015 01:52

CSMGolf: Great to hear from you and thank you! How is your system doing, still have the Summit's? Have a great weekend!

zephyr24069 January 16, 2015 13:05

Great looking system and layout Zephyr. I bet it sounds amazing.

csmgolf January 15, 2015 22:31

I've done additional testing both with and without the G-03x and the master clock in the D-02 yields at least equal results to having the extra OCXO standalone clock (G-03X) in the system. I currently have pulled the G-03X out of the circuit and will now post it with the P-03U and D-03 when I offer them.

I've got the D-02 set to output a master word clock out at 512x44.1 (22.5792 MHz) to allow the full range of upconversion rates and DSD playback with the P-02 slaved to the D-02's master clock. Great results,...here is the current config;

- up-conversion PCM->4Fs (176.4) on P-02
- digital filter set to On (P-02)
- P-02 set to output ESL3 protocol
- up sampling set to 176.4 (D-02), ELS3 *dual XLR inputs", this is 48bit output!!!
- digital filter set to FIR1 (D-02)
- clock frequency 22.5792MHz master clock output from D-02, P-02 clocked to D-02

zephyr24069 January 15, 2015 19:43

I will miss my tried and trueP-03U and D-03; they will be posted soon.

All I can say is "WOW!" in terms of the improvements that the new 02 combo brings to the table; they extract so much more from anything I've thrown at them and provide a massive sound stage with incredible depth and great imaging while still providing a very organic and musical presentation. In addition, the frequency range and particularly deep bass resolution and extension of the new 02 combo is truly "off the charts!"

I've experimented with various settings in the first 24 hours and thus far I am tending towards burning in the following combination first;

- up-conversion PCM->4Fs (176.4) on P-02
- digital filter set to On (P-02)
- P-02 set to output ESL3 protocol
- up sampling set to 176.4 (D-02), ELS3 *dual XLR inputs"
- digital filter set to FIR1 (D-02)
- clock frequency 176.4 with G-03x driving (will try D-02, no G-03x at some point)

I've read several reviewer/other posts and have tried S_DLY1 (apodizing) filter1 as well as NoFilter on the D02 and NoFilter on the P02. Thus far, the above seems to be the best overall settings for my ears and how the units sound now but we'll see how things burn it and how it turns out overall. I will also try up-converting to both PCM via Dual XLR at 352.8 and PCM->DSD up-conversion at some point though initial tests of each seemed to indicate the above list is where I am going to start.

There are so many options with how these can be configured (have not even gone near the USB input yet!) that I look forward to a long and happy set of experiments and alot of listening with these units.

As for that seller of the first D02, a legal demand letter has been issued late last week, and the hunt will continue with the appropriate outside agencies if the DL is not responded to per its terms. If anyone's been through anything like this and can provide feedback/additional ideas please let me know through 1:1 private in-mail. Thank you!

zephyr24069 January 14, 2015 17:56

Great news, glad to hear it.
I'm looking forward to seeing updated pictures ;-)

lak January 13, 2015 21:34

System edited: Will update photos soon: Esoteric P-02 and D-02 up and running in the system....also, have rearranged power cords. Elrod Statement Silver power cords bring power from the Bybee v3 to the 1000W of amplification in each of my Legacy AERIS towers for bass and sub-bass with great results. Other cords used for the Esoteric G-03X and XILICA DSP "for now" until the eventual config can be ordered and put in place...

zephyr24069 January 13, 2015 20:52

System edited: D-02 is here and up and running!!! Absolutely amazing upgrade in every category when paired with the new P-02 compared to the D-03 that I loved the sound of for 7 1/2 years. What an amazing tour de force of audio engineering by Esoteric!!!

zephyr24069 January 13, 2015 17:59

The P-02 continues to amaze even hooked up to my old D-03 in terms of what it pulls off recordings I know extremely well. I cannot wait to hear what the D-03 sounds like. I wound up picking up another one that should be here in a few days from a great seller out in CA. Details for anyone who wants them but this guys straight up and great to deal with. I still have the "dirtbag to chase" for my original D-02 or to get some other 'resolution' but I'll be able to complete the setup of the P-02 with its brother DAC very soon....more when updates occur. Have a great day everyone!

zephyr24069 January 10, 2015 13:47

Lak...thank you very much on both accounts! I am hopeful to have a D-02 here to match the P-02 very soon even if I wind up pursuing the original seller legally and grabbing another D-02 in the interim. It will be to his detriment not to make things right as we are definitely over the civil court and misdemeanor lines into much higher jeopardy space for him given all the audit trail that's been retained online and the overall levels and interstate nature of this....

It's unfortunate that there are such people on the planet...

BTW....(note to all), there has apparently been a big phishing scam in the last 24 hours that has impacted some users and IDs. I just had to have mine taken off suspend by Audiogon support and check through everything. Grateful to Support for replying and fixing things in such short order!!!

zephyr24069 January 07, 2015 21:29