When someone is asked to write an article on a digital system of this level, it is impossible not to feel a certain amount of enthusiasm. For many lovers of vinyl and analog sound in general, it is difficult for us to enter the digital world with full satisfaction, it is not that we do not usually listen to cds or streaming files, but if we are given the choice whether to buy a certain title on cd/sacd or lp, we always go for vinyl. From some news and comments that have reached me about the Esoteric Grandioso K1X-G1X system, it is possible to think that this no longer has to be the case. Credentials are not lacking, the new ATLAS transport system together with the Master Sound Discrete Dac digital / analog converter with 32 chips per channel, the sophisticated internal clock system, the four transformers, two for the digital section and two for the analog section, all with top quality components, assembled and welded in a sterile room without oxygen, leads us to think that it is undoubtedly a “top” achievement within the highest quality audio. quality. For data lovers, the K1X is not far behind either, with a frequency response of 5HZ to 75KHZ, a signal noise ratio of 113 db and a distortion rate of 0.0007%, apart from being able to handle DSD files of 22 5Mhz and asynchronous PCM of 768Khz at 32 bits, also interesting the possibility of oversampling any sampling frequency to higher ones. In short, on paper, a set to dream of, let’s see how it performs in our tests. assembled and welded in a sterile room without oxygen, it leads us to think that it is undoubtedly a “top” achievement within the highest quality audio. For data lovers, the K1X is not far behind either, with a frequency response of 5HZ to 75KHZ, a signal noise ratio of 113 db and a distortion rate of 0.0007%, apart from being able to handle DSD files of 22 5Mhz and asynchronous PCM of 768Khz at 32 bits, also interesting the possibility of oversampling any sampling frequency to higher ones. In short, on paper, a set to dream of, let’s see how it performs in our tests. assembled and welded in a sterile room without oxygen, it leads us to think that it is undoubtedly a “top” achievement within the highest quality audio. For data lovers, the K1X is not far behind either, with a frequency response of 5HZ to 75KHZ, a signal noise ratio of 113 db and a distortion rate of 0.0007%, apart from being able to handle DSD files of 22 5Mhz and asynchronous PCM of 768Khz at 32 bits, also interesting the possibility of oversampling any sampling frequency to higher ones. In short, on paper, a set to dream of, let’s see how it performs in our tests. a signal noise ratio of 113 db and a distortion rate of 0.0007%, apart from being able to handle DSD files of 22.5Mhz and asynchronous PCM of 768Khz at 32 bits, interesting also the possibility of oversampling any sampling frequency to others superiors. In short, on paper, a set to dream of, let’s see how it performs in our tests. a signal noise ratio of 113 db and a distortion rate of 0.0007%, apart from being able to handle DSD files of 22.5Mhz and asynchronous PCM of 768Khz at 32 bits, interesting also the possibility of oversampling any sampling frequency to others superiors. In short, on paper, a set to dream of, let’s see how it performs in our tests.
First of all, I unboxed the K1X CD/SACD player, with the idea of listening to it first without the external clock in order to better judge the difference that the clock could make in the final result. I recommend before taking it out of the box, if you have to do it alone, do some stretching of the lower back, since doing it cold can give us some unpleasant surprises. Surprised when carrying it in arms apart from the enormous weight, some metallic noises that seem to come from the upper lid and from the legs. Looking through the manual, they warn us that the upper cover is not firmly anchored to the chassis with all the intention, this semi-floating design responds according to the manufacturer to an improvement in the sound scene, likewise the legs hang from an anchoring system until they are support the weight of the device
Placed the K1X in its location, I proceed to the connection to the preamplifier using balanced cables from the Neotech brand. At this point it will be necessary to review the configuration menu to be sure that pin 2 is configured as live, since you have the option of using pin 3 for the same function. At first glance, the rear panel offers balanced XLR, RCA output, and coaxial and XLR digital outputs. As for digital inputs, it has a coaxial, optical and USB input, in addition to the essential in this case, BNC input for the external master clock. Two large multi-pin connectors for the optional external power supply and a ground connection complete the impeccably crafted rear panel.
The overall appearance of the K1X is as you would expect truly impressive, made of high quality aluminum and harmoniously curved lines on its front, it exudes quality no matter how you look at it. After removing the protective cartons from the CD compartment and the top cover (semi-floating as I have commented previously), and connecting it to the network, I press the start button, the brand and model reminder appears on the display before stand by Following the instructions, I enter the configuration menu, first of all, to make sure that the XLR output is properly configured with positive pin number 2, and that the clock management is internal (later I will go into other relevant aspects of the menu ). When opening the box, a perfect precision of the mechanism is observed, it comes out smoothly and stays in an absolutely rigid position, without any oscillation or vibration. As usual, I put on a record to play it without paying too much attention to it, since as is logical the device has to warm up and run a little before judging anything, but, to my surprise and even with that desire to not want to listen yet, it catches me, I can’t help but increase the volume and listen to those first notes that are already telling me that I’m facing something very, very good. I manage to resist analyzing more until at least a couple of records have played through. After this period of small agony I start listening. since, of course, the device has to warm up and roll a little before judging anything, but, to my surprise and even with that will of not wanting to listen yet, it catches me, I can’t help but increase the volume and listen to those first notes that I already They are telling me that I am facing something very, very good. I manage to resist analyzing more until at least a couple of records have played through. After this period of small agony I start listening. since, of course, the device has to warm up and roll a little before judging anything, but, to my surprise and even with that will of not wanting to listen yet, it catches me, I can’t help but increase the volume and listen to those first notes that I already They are telling me that I am facing something very, very good. I manage to resist analyzing more until at least a couple of records have played through. After this period of small agony I start listening.
Auditions
Listening to the K1X without the external clock is already revealing what type of machine we have in front of us, the sensation of silence on which the different sound maps are drawn is easily evident. With the highly recommended album by Renaud Garcia-Fons Trio “Arcoluz”, recorded live, the locations of the different instruments are perfectly shown: flamenco guitar, percussion and five-string double bass. The size is perfectly coherent and credible, the flamenco guitar shows nuances and timbre colors that until now had not been “sense”, I intentionally use the word “sense” instead of heard or heard, because I refer more to “sense” as that that is perceived from emotion, that which evokes memories and sensations. The delicate nuances of the tension of the strings, the resonance of the instrument’s body with the characteristic sound color of the flamenco guitar becomes evident. The five-string bass sounds forceful, a generous and well-nuanced bass, with a considerable extension but always under control, with a perceptible strumming of the movement of the musician’s left hand. The percussion, ethereal, defined and discreet, metallic nuances where there should be them and no perceptible stridency. The sound set before me leaves no doubt that we are dealing with an excellent recording by some great musicians, reproduced with a system that lets them flow in both realistic and pleasant listening. with a considerable extension but always under control, with a perceptible strumming of the movement of the musician’s left hand. The percussion, ethereal, defined and discreet, metallic nuances where there should be them and no perceptible stridency. The sound set before me leaves no doubt that we are dealing with an excellent recording by some great musicians, reproduced with a system that lets them flow in both realistic and pleasant listening. with a considerable extension but always under control, with a perceptible strumming of the movement of the musician’s left hand. The percussion, ethereal, defined and discreet, metallic nuances where there should be them and no perceptible stridency. The sound set before me leaves no doubt that we are dealing with an excellent recording by some great musicians, reproduced with a system that lets them flow in both realistic and pleasant listening.
After such a satisfactory first test with the K1X, I don’t wait any longer, I am about to install the G1X master clock, and see if it is possible to improve what I have already heard and “felt”.
With a weight similar to that of the K1X, I extend my recommendation to stretch before proceeding with your lifting. First of all, the three metal security screws that must be removed are surprising, located logically in the lower part of the device. It appears that the crystal oscillator sits on a delicate float system that could be damaged during shipping. With identical aesthetics to the K1X, the G1x is somewhat lower in height, sharing the characteristics of a semi-floating top and adjustable legs. I install it next to the reader, since it does not seem appropriate in any way to stack them, taking into account the mentioned characteristics of the top covers. The connection is made through a single BNC sync cable (the G1X has up to five sync outputs to control five devices at the same time). In addition, on the rear panel we find a ground connection, a network connector, an intensity regulator for the front LEDs, three-position switches above each BNC output and a preheating switch for the oscillating crystal that is convenient to have activated. In this way, the waiting time necessary for the clock to function after starting it is reduced (on the front panel a blinking or fixed LED indicates whether the oscillator has reached sufficient temperature to function), a process that can take several minutes. . an intensity regulator for the front leds, three-position switches above each BNC output and a pre-heating switch for the oscillating crystal that is convenient to have activated. In this way, the waiting time necessary for the clock to function after starting it is reduced (on the front panel a blinking or fixed LED indicates whether the oscillator has reached sufficient temperature to function), a process that can take several minutes. . an intensity regulator for the front leds, three-position switches above each BNC output and a pre-heating switch for the oscillating crystal that is convenient to have activated. In this way, the waiting time necessary for the clock to function after starting it is reduced (on the front panel a blinking or fixed LED indicates whether the oscillator has reached sufficient temperature to function), a process that can take several minutes. .
I proceed to listen to the K1X, G1X set with an obvious desire to find out if the difference in sound quality justifies the significant expense of adding the master clock. I start the test by disabling the G1X leaving the K1X to its own timing, the cd of choice for the first comparison being Dead Can Dance’s brilliantly recorded “Spiritchaiser”. The sound in this configuration is already impressive, a huge sound scene, very high dynamics without being exaggerated, the nuances of the many percussions are perfectly integrated into a complex theme filled with sounds of all kinds. It is easy to distinguish and follow each instrument independently, likewise Brendan Perry’s voice sits perfectly in the center slightly behind the rest, the deep bass has power and control, all of which makes for a pleasant and exciting listen. What changes will the G1X introduce? Let’s get to it, I reactivate the external master clock via the K1X menu and repeat the song at the same volume. Something has undoubtedly happened, the voice appears more punctual in the air while the percussions appear more clearly if possible, the sound scene gains in generosity becoming more extensive,
I choose another cd, surely well known to all fans, it is “Tous les matins du monde” by Jordi Savall, track 9 of the aforementioned cd “Troisieme leçon de tenebres a 2 voix” has always been a great reference in terms of to the difficulty of listening. The duel of the voices of Montserrat Figueras and Maria Cristina Kiehr is a challenge for any hi-fi system, with brutal high registers that rarely allow for relaxed listening as soon as you turn up the volume. Well, this is precisely where the G1X shines with its own light: listening is calm without losing intensity, sometimes simultaneous voices appear clearly separated but not far away, making it easier to listen and let yourself be carried away by the beautiful vocal melody that François conceived. Couperin,
My conclusion about the external clock is that it adds a lot to the already excellent Esoteric Grandioso K1X. Undoubtedly it has a high cost, but at the level at which the set is, it cannot be considered excessive, much less, and it is recommended without a doubt. From here I will continue listening and evaluating always with the G1X activated.
I continue with the auditions, and at this point I choose the CD “Freedom Highway” by Rhiannon Giddens that I recently acquired. For those who do not know her, since she is very little known in our country, she is an American singer and banjo player, nothing commercial, who delves into the roots of American popular music, from gospel to Celtic music, going through the cajoon, the blues, the country and the most traditional folk. I discovered it recently and fell in love completely, getting hold of all the albums I could find (in the end I got three vinyls and a cd). From the outset it seemed to me that the best albums musically speaking were the ones I had gotten on vinyl and that the cd “Freedom Highway” was the weakest in the collection, but I was wrong, it’s as good as the others, and the cd factor made me deception. I can affirm it after listening to it with the Esoteric system in question, and I know that this may sound very subjective, but for me it is very clear: an excellent reproduction system greatly influences the due capacity of appreciation of the work of art that is by music’s own right. Rhiannon Giddens’ voice is more emotional, she conveys more emotion through her nuances, there’s more humanity in the performance. The banjo strings surprise by the sensation of tension and clarity with which they are presented, and the rest of the instruments show all their character in a perfectly organized and coherent musical ensemble. I don’t find any stridency characteristic of many digital systems. I want to clarify that it is not a soft sound system either, there is sharp, sharp when it should, sweet when required.
The following test is carried out in SACD format, with the well-known “Round about midnight” by Miles Davis, an original recording from 1957 and remastered in DSD format from the original tapes by Sony. The recording quality is very good considering the year and it has that vintage flavor, which is not always to everyone’s liking, but which in any case recreates what must have been the best days of Miles Davis. This is an album that I have listened to a lot in vinyl format and after listening and “feeling” the SACD with the Esoteric system I must admit that it has been hard for me to miss vinyl. If it doesn’t sound the same, surely it doesn’t, I think that for the first time I’ve been able to forget the detail of what format is playing. The roughness typical of a remaster of these characteristics almost completely disappears in the highest notes of Miles’s trumpet, with the mute sounding analog and corporeal while John Coltrane’s tenor sax shows all its nuances in the middle zone. Red Garland’s piano in the background accompanies appropriately, and when he does his solos the piano becomes natural. Perhaps the most notable flaw on this early recording lies in Paul Chambers’ bass and Phily Joe Jones’ percussion, both recorded too low in relation to the rest. Well, despite all this, in the Esoteric Grandioso system, it is a real pleasure to listen to it, and although somewhat distant, the bass is always present with well-nuanced and audible chords, something that I can assure does not happen with all SACD readers.
After an old recording, it is the turn of a current recording already originally made in DSD format, the well-known “Verse” by Patricia Barber in SACD format, therefore, a DSD recording from start to finish. Impressive for its naturalness and coherence, she boasts brutal dynamics across the entire frequency range, from bass to trumpets and vocals, without ever losing control. The hiss in the voice typical of Patricia Barber’s recordings, a price that the singer voluntarily pays to be able to record her voice in a more transparent and natural way, since the use of an electronic anti-hiss system always entails losses that apparently the The singer is not willing to tolerate it, it is the least I have ever heard on this recording (this speaks highly of the conversion capacity of the DAC part of the system). The sound image is wide and deep, making it extremely easy to situate each instrument and voice in its spatial location. The listening comfort is very high and is not artificial. By this I mean that some current systems soften the sound excessively, leading to boredom, this is not the case, since dynamics and detail are present at all times and listening makes us “feel” intense emotions with a touch of natural sophistication.
It seems interesting to me for this test to use an external digital source since the Grandioso K1X, in addition to being a CD and SACD reader, is also a very high-level DAC, having three digital inputs, one coaxial, one optical and one USB. . I am about to connect my modest but wonderful Lumin U1 mini to the USB input of the K1X and I am preparing to play titles from my collection on the hard drive through the Esoteric system.
Until now I have not used the upsampling facility offered by the DAC part of the K1X (it is possible to convert digital files to 88.2, 176.4, 352.8, 705.6 and DSD). I have always left the native format, without using this possibility because I am a purist in tests and after noticing that some cds sounded better over sampled, but not all, so I think it is a matter of taste and recordings. However, when connecting the Lumin U1 mini, I have been able to appreciate that the possibility of conversion to DSD always provides a notable gain in general quality. So I leave the digital output of the Lumin configured in native format and I entrust the oversampling work to the Esoteric Grandioso K1X.
The album I choose is “Restored, returned” by Tord Gustavsen Ensemble. The album’s title track is perfect for this test, with a soft beginning, with almost inaudible sounds ending with a profusion of musical force unleashed in a wonderful performance by the entire group. The first notes of the singer Kristin Asbjørnsen’s voice are exciting, a hoarse yet velvety whisper begins a song that ends up enveloping the listener with a sax that emerges from nowhere and serves as a counterpoint to Gustavsen’s soft piano. The deep and pleasant bass provides the support on which the melodic action unfolds as the theme builds to a crescendo, tearing through the singer’s voice in a definitely beautiful way. It seems incredible how the signal that comes from the little Lumin improves, with a listening comfort that can extend listening for hours without a trace of fatigue. Precision in the entire frequency band without any added harshness, a punctual and airy image of the voice, which is present in front of us at all times in an almost phantasmagorical way. I am sure that if I had had the cd available it would have sounded even better, but I can affirm that the quality obtained from the file on the hard disk has been very high, worthy of a very high level system. The test is pending with a file player of the brand or with another of a higher level, in any case, the use of this possibility offered by the Esoteric Grandioso system is highly recommended. After listening to “feel” this song I can’t help but review my digital library, surprising me on many occasions with the quality contribution that the DAC Esoteric supposes. I cannot list all the tracks that I have played, which have been many, but I can affirm that the good work of the system has been noticed in all of them.
The album I choose is “Restored, returned” by Tord Gustavsen Ensemble. The album’s title track is perfect for this test, with a soft beginning, with almost inaudible sounds ending with a profusion of musical force unleashed in a wonderful performance by the entire group. The first notes of the singer Kristin Asbjørnsen’s voice are exciting, a hoarse yet velvety whisper begins a song that ends up enveloping the listener with a sax that emerges from nowhere and serves as a counterpoint to Gustavsen’s soft piano. The deep and pleasant bass provides the support on which the melodic action unfolds as the theme builds to a crescendo, tearing through the singer’s voice in a definitely beautiful way. It seems incredible how the signal that comes from the little Lumin improves, with a listening comfort that can extend listening for hours without a trace of fatigue. Precision in the entire frequency band without any added harshness, a punctual and airy image of the voice, which is present in front of us at all times in an almost phantasmagorical way. I am sure that if I had had the cd available it would have sounded even better, but I can affirm that the quality obtained from the file on the hard disk has been very high, worthy of a very high level system. The test is pending with a file player of the brand or with another of a higher level, in any case, the use of this possibility offered by the Esoteric Grandioso system is highly recommended. After listening to “feel” this song I can’t help but review my digital library, surprising me on many occasions with the quality contribution that the DAC Esoteric supposes. I cannot list all the tracks that I have played, which have been many, but I can affirm that the good work of the system has been noticed in all of them.
conclusions
We are without a doubt, before a first level digital reproduction equipment of today. The advances in digital technology of recent times together with the ATLAS transport mechanics used in the K1X and the good work of Esoteric engineers position the set at the reference level. A very high-level construction and sound quality guarantee the achievements of Esoteric, in addition to the fact that there is undoubtedly a criterion behind the technology, a criterion that has to do with music in its most emotional aspect. the K1X with its G1X watch makes us forget that we are dealing with a digital format, allowing us long periods of listening without any fatigue. It is true that the vinyl format provides a degree of imperfection that for one reason or another is particularly pleasing to the human ear. That kind of imperfection, The spectrum remains controlled and detailed without sharp edges or outbursts even in non-perfect recordings, maintaining impressive dynamics at all times, in accordance with the demands of the reproduced recording. The Esoteric set manages to get the most out of digital formats, which are still digital, but much less…
The possibility of choosing if we want to oversample or overscale the original 44.1 KHZ CD format at a higher rate is very interesting, an action that brings improvements in listening most of the time, but not always, making it interesting that this is a voluntary action that the user can independently decide for CD playback or the different inputs available. In the same way, when playing SACD or native DSD formats, the menu offers us up to three different digital filters to finish fine-tuning our particular taste depending on the recording played.
Finally, it is necessary to highlight the ATLAS mechanism that equips the K1X, as well as other players of the firm, impeccable realization mechanics, which undoubtedly shows a lot in the stability with which the laser extracts information from the CD or SACD, a mechanic, which, as I forgot to mention, weighs 13 kilograms with its base.
Looking for its possible defects, I have only found missing the possibility of inverting the polarity and the high price of the set, on the other hand, consistent with the possible competition from other firms in the sector, with even higher prices. Someone might ask the following question, does it make sense to invest in a CD/SACD mechanism now that these formats are in decline in the face of competition from streaming music and the resurgence of vinyl? The answer is as almost always very personal. If you have an important collection of CDs/SACDs, you will be able to obtain better results than with what is distributed through online platforms, and of course you have to take into account the fact of being able to use the very high level DAC of the K1X to connect to a computer or a quality streaming music player.
Esoteric Grand K1X – €40,000
Esoteric Grand G1X – €29,000
