ESOTERIC K-05XD

SACD player - CD.

• Mechanics and backing pad in aluminium/polycarbonate (VRDS-ATLAS 05).
• Very precise and servo-assisted laser pickup.
• Master Sound 64bit/512KHz discrete DAC.
• Three digital inputs (USB, coaxial and optical).
• DSD up to 22.5MHz.
• MQA Decoder.
• XLR/ES Link and RCA analogue outputs.
• XLR and RCA digital outputs.
• BNC input for external clock.
• Separate power supplies with 3 transformers, 2 toroidal and 1 core.
• New discrete Master Sound clock circuit.
• Completely steel chassis.
• Aluminium remote control.

Other features

Esoteric K-05XD, excellent pedigree

Esoteric K-05 was born way back in 2011, and was the synthesis of the best technologies developed by the Japanese manufacturer at a relatively low price. It satisfied the many audiophiles who were passionate about Esoteric exclusivity but who did not want or could not spend dizzying sums. Over time, the 05 Series has evolved into the X and Xs versions, like its bigger brothers 03 and 01.

The K-05XD CD/SACD player and DAC is now out, joining the K-03XD, K-01XD and the top of the range Grandioso. Totally redesigned, it now adopts VRDS-ATLAS mechanics and a Master Sound Discrete DAC. The reading mechanics, which has always been Esoteric's flagship, has been further improved in this K-05XD. It is always based on the VRDS (Vibration-Free Rigid Disc-Clamping System), which involves a disc firmly fixed to a rotating plate of the same diameter, so as to completely eliminate unwanted vibrations and almost eliminate corrections due to deformations while improving precision at the same time of the relative optical axis between the pickup and the record surface. Thanks to these characteristics, reading errors in a VRDS mechanism are significantly reduced while obtaining maximum sound quality.

The new VRDS-ATLAS Reference, on board the K-05XD is a new traction system made with a high precision aluminum backing pad combined with polycarbonate materials that contribute to maximum sound quality; the hybridization of the two materials arranged in a radial shape effectively disperses the vibration modes associated with high-speed rotation, reducing noise and inertia to a minimum, while the section of the support bridge is larger and wider, and is made up from a 10 mm thick machined aluminum block. Another key technology of the VRDS-ATLAS is mechanical grounding, which dampens vibrations more efficiently. The entire mechanism was designed with a wide and low profile to achieve an equally low center of gravity. At the same time, by mounting the backing pad drive motor on the underside, the path of the vibrations generated by it and the resulting mechanical noise were significantly reduced.

The DAC section employs the "Master Sound Discrete DAC" discrete circuit first used in the Grandioso D1X and used here in a simplified circuit configuration. It is composed of 16 elements per channel, and each element consists of components such as clock drivers, logic circuits, capacitors and resistors, and each key component is independent of the other. K-05XD uses a proprietary Delta-Sigma modulator that supports 64bit/512Fs and DSD playback up to 22.5MHz with FPGA digital processing algorithms for optimal playback of DSD and PCM. The DAC is then housed on a specially developed printed circuit board, and using soldering carried out in an oxygen-free oven and in a medical-grade clean room.

Another element of great importance is the Esoteric-HCLD output circuit, a buffer with an incredible speed of 2,000 V/μs, which allows truly unparalleled audio performance for its class. But everything must be supported by an upgraded power supply section, in this case more than double compared to the previous model. A total of two high capacity toroidal transformers, with in addition another EI core transformer dedicated to the control section. The smoothing and filtering sections then use new low feedback DC regulators and super-capacitors, so as to provide the greatest possible energy. Esoteric K-05XD as well as a player, can act as a DAC, thanks to the many digital inputs, including USB with DSD up to 22.5MHz and asynchronous, which supports MQA both from MQA CDs and from streaming via USB, and is DSD conversion from PCM digital audio signal is also supported

The chassis has also undergone a significant evolution, now using a large double-layer chassis, instead of the previous thin, single-layer chassis. The transport mechanism of the VRDS-ATLAS is centrally positioned and rigidly attached to a 5 mm thick steel bottom chassis via a 2 mm thick steel base plate, while the entire chassis is supported at three points by a unique pinpoint (Japanese patents no. 4075477 and 3778108).

Like higher-class models, K-05XD has a laser-cut bottom frame with slots to effectively disperse and suppress vibrations of the rotation mechanism. Inside the double-layer chassis, the audio circuit boards are mainly placed on the top, and the power circuits and transformers are placed on the bottom, to avoid magnetic flux losses and vibrations and to minimize power wiring.< /p>

Technical features

• Frequency response: 5Hz-70kHz
• S/N ratio: 110 dB
• Total harmonic distortion: 0.0007%
• Inputs: USB, RCA, optical
• Clock input: 10MHz clock
• Power supply: 120/240 VLT, 50/60Hz
• Dimensions (W×H×D): 445×161×357mm
• Weight: 20.7 kg