Esoteric Product Reviews
August, 2011I-03 Integrated Amplifier (C-03 pre-amp design). / I-03 review
Products reviewed: I-03 Integrated Amplifier ModelThis review first appeared in the August 2011 issue of hi-end hifi magazine fairaudio.de of Germany. You can also read this review of the Esoteric I-03 in its original German version. We publish its English translation in a mutual syndication arrangement with the publishers. As is customary for our own reviews, the writer's signature at review's end shows an e-mail address should you have questions or wish to send feedback. All images contained in this review are the property of fairaudio or Esoteric - Ed.
Conclusion: Esoteric’s I-03 is a very complete integrated amplifier that's free from sonic gaps or dominant voicing. While this doesn’t eliminate character, it’s first and foremost an all’rounder which convinces with its breadth of sonic virtues rather than specific highlights. Only on second listen do certain micro tendencies present themselves. The design team does prefer silky fluidity to dry rhythmic élan. The tonal balance is a few degrees warmer than dead zero and the overall milieu is one of integration, not 100% neutral separation down to the molecular level.
To go directly to the review please visit: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/esoteric21/1.html
All materials are copyrighted by FairAudio.de, 6moons.com and Esoteric.co.jp
August, 2011K-03 Digital Source Device/TAS Golden Ear 2011 Award Winner / K-03 review
Products reviewed: K-03 Digital Source Device / SACD / CD Player, K-03 Digital Source Device / SACD / CD PlayerK-03 Digital Source Device / SACD-CD transport. Winner of The Absolute Sound's 2011 Golden Ear Award, Hong Kong Best of Show 2010 and High Fidelity of France, Refererence Standard 2010! Uses 8, 32 bit AKM D/A chipsets, 4 per channel. To read the original review directly please visit: http://www.avguide.com/review/esoteric-k-03-tas-213
April, 2011E-03 Phonostage Hi-Fi+ April 2011 / E-03 review
Products reviewed: E-03 Dual Phono Stage Pre-amp/DemagEach E-03 L/R channel has its own identical power supply transformer, power board, and audio board. By not sharing components, Esoteric has designed the E-03 for ideal signal path and separation and as a bonus, power to spare!
The E-03 contains an MC head amplifier and an NF-CR type RIAA amplifier, which ensures extensive head room and transfer, and again, power to spare. There is no microprocessor in the E-03, and thus no microprocessor noise; input and load are switched on the audio board. And the dual split chassis design prevents flux leakage from the power transducer and effectively stiffens the body, already of industrial-grade construction.
April 27th, 2009 -- by Arnie Williams
Source: AVGuide
February, 2011Tchaikovsky Symphonies 4, 5 & 6 / Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 4, 5 and 6 review
Products reviewed: Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 4, 5 and 6 Masterpiece collection from DG and DeccaEsoteric has done an outstanding job resurrecting these recordings, producing very good sound for its period, if slightly hard-edged in a way that suits the Leningrad Philharmonic well. And the recordings are in stereo. As with all Esoteric reissues, these won’t be available forever. If this music is as vital to you as it is to me, don’t procrastinate.
January, 2011RZ-1 Product of The Year 2010 The Absolute Sound / RZ-1 review
Products reviewed: RZ-1 Music System: Integrated amp / SACD / CD player / 32 bit USB + SPDIF DAC / Phonostage, RZ-1 Music System: Integrated amp / SACD / CD player / 32 bit USB + SPDIF DAC / Phonostage, RZ-1 Music System: Integrated amp / SACD / CD player / 32 bit USB + SPDIF DAC / PhonostageRZ-1 combination 32 bit PC DAC, integrated amp, phonostage and SACD-CD player named Product of the Year 2010 by The Absolute Sound!
January, 2011The Audio Beat / Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 4, 5 and 6 review
Products reviewed: Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 4, 5 and 6 Masterpiece collection from DG and DeccaTchaikovsky • Symphonies Nos. 4, 5 & 6
Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra; Eugene Mravinsky conducting
Deutsche Grammophon/Esoteric ESSG-90037/8
Two Hybrid Stereo SACDs
1960/2010
January, 2011D-07 32 bit DAC Hi Fidelity France (In French). / D-07 review
Products reviewed: D-07 32 bit stereo D/A converter / 32 bit pre-amp / Dual mono / USB / DSDD-07 32 bit dual mono DAC/Pre-amp scores 97 out of 100 in France!
January, 2011Tchaikovsky • Symphonies Nos. 4, 5 & 6
November, 2010MG-20 recommended by TAS / On-line buyers guide 2010 / MG-20 review
Products reviewed: MG-20 Magnesium Compound LoudpeakersMG-20 loudspeakers recommended by Playback on Line /TAS A/V Buyers Guide 2010
November, 2010Stereophile initial comments - Full review Dec. 2010 magazine. / E-03 review
Products reviewed: E-03 Dual Phono Stage Pre-amp/DemagFirst feedback from Stereophile Magazine on Esoteric's new E-03 phono-stage. Full review appears in the December 2010 issue of Stereophile.
August, 2010SoundStage Network / D-07 review
Products reviewed: D-07 32 bit stereo D/A converter / 32 bit pre-amp / Dual mono / USB / DSD
July, 2010The Audio Beat / X-01D2 review
Products reviewed: X-01D2 SACD / CD player / Dual quad differential DACs
June, 2010AVGuide.com / MG-10 review
Products reviewed: MG-10 Magnesium Compound Loudpeakers
June, 2010SoundStage Networks / A-03 review
Products reviewed: A-03 Class A Stereo Amplifier
June, 2010MusicWeb International / Richard Wagner - Der Ring Des Nibelungen review
Products reviewed: Richard Wagner - Der Ring Des Nibelungen Decca SACD / CD collection vol 3 (14 discs)
March, 2010The Absolute Sound / SA-50 review
Products reviewed: SA-50 SACD / CD player / 32 bit DAC / Pre-amp / Re-clocker, SA-50 SACD / CD player / 32 bit DAC / Pre-amp / Re-clocker
March, 2010SoundStage Networks / AI-10 review
Products reviewed: AI-10 Integrated amp / phonostage / master clock
February, 2010Dagogo on-line / D-05 review
Products reviewed: D-05 32 bit stereo D/A converter / 32 bit pre-amp / Full dual mono / DSD / SPDIF
February, 2010SoundStage Networks / E-03 review
Products reviewed: E-03 Dual Phono Stage Pre-amp/Demag
December, 2009The Music Room Scotland reviews the A-03 / A-03 review
Products reviewed: A-03 Class A Stereo Amplifier"The A-03 is a masterpiece which reviewers should compare to amplifiers at any price point. I don’t think you will find an amplifier better made. Sound, as always, depends on system synergy and personal taste. I suspect that Mr Ohmachi has played a major role here therefore we get a product of profound experience and craftsmanship."Jack Lawson, The Music Room, Glasgow, Scotland.
Review Links
"the Class-A 50W A03 stereo power amplifier ($12,000) were sounding pretty special driving large Verity Audio speakers. Punchy, yet not forced, Dvorak's New World Symphony, filled the room with vivid, dynamic sound.The A-03 is pure Class-A and completely dual mono. It sports two independent high capacity toroidal transformers, and current delivery of 24 amps (17 amps continuous. It's beautifully built. " - WesPhilips Stereophile CES 2009 Show Report
"If you are looking for the vaunted qualities of class A amplification implemented without any concession and pushed to the limit, check out the Esoteric A-03. It’s a real seducer". - 6moons audio - Frederic Beudot
November, 2009HiFi Unlimited / SA-50 review
Products reviewed: SA-50 SACD / CD player / 32 bit DAC / Pre-amp / Re-clocker, SA-50 SACD / CD player / 32 bit DAC / Pre-amp / Re-clocker
November, 2009www.6moons.com / E-03 review
Products reviewed: E-03 Dual Phono Stage Pre-amp/Demag
November, 2009SoundStage Networks / SA-50 review
Products reviewed: SA-50 SACD / CD player / 32 bit DAC / Pre-amp / Re-clocker, SA-50 SACD / CD player / 32 bit DAC / Pre-amp / Re-clocker
October, 2009AVGuide.com - Timing Is Everything / G-0Rb review
Products reviewed: G-0Rb Master Clock Generator
August, 2009Enjoy the Music.com / Dvorak - From The New World review
Products reviewed: Dvorak - From The New World SACD / CD Hybrid Remaster
August, 2009Enjoy the Music.com / Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 20 review
Products reviewed: Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 20 Esoteric SACD / CD Re-Master
August, 2009www.6moons.com - Audio Review / SA-50 review
Products reviewed: SA-50 SACD / CD player / 32 bit DAC / Pre-amp / Re-clocker, SA-50 SACD / CD player / 32 bit DAC / Pre-amp / Re-clocker
August, 2009AVGuide.com / P-03 / D-03 review
Products reviewed: P-03 Super Audio CD / CD disc transport, D-03 24 bit stereo D/A converter / Full dual mono / DSD / SPDIF
June, 2009Sound Stage Networks - Reviewer's Choice, June 2009 / X-01D2 review
Products reviewed: X-01D2 SACD / CD player / Dual quad differential DACs
May, 2009The Absolute Sound / A-100 review
Products reviewed: A-100 3-Stage Tube Amplifier / Integrated Tube Amplifier
..."I submit to you that the A-100 represents the state of the art in medium-power tube amplification. It's as good as it gets" ...Dick Olsher.
May, 2009www.6moons.com - 2009 Blue Moon Award winner / C-03 review
Products reviewed: C-03 Linestage Preamplifier
May, 2009www.6moons.com - review sidebar by owner Srajan Ebaen / C-03 review
Products reviewed: C-03 Linestage Preamplifier
March, 2009Hi-Rez Highway / X-05 review
Products reviewed: X-05 SACD / CD audio player (Silver or Black)
March, 2009www.6moons.com / Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 20 review
Products reviewed: Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 20 Esoteric SACD / CD Re-Master
March, 2009www.6moons.com / 7N-DA2100 review
Products reviewed: 7N-DA2100 Audio Interconnect Cable for Balanced Connections
March, 2009www.6moons.com / Beethoven - Overtures review
Products reviewed: Beethoven - Overtures Esoteric Exclusive SACD / CD Re-Master
February, 2009The Absolute Sound / X-05 review
Products reviewed: X-05 SACD / CD audio player (Silver or Black)
..."The Esoteric X-05 is a CD/SACD player that makes you want to gather very compact disc in your collection and give it another spin. And all the more so if you're still listening to vinyl. Its that good"............... ...Neil Gader.
January, 2009Audiophile Audition / Beethoven - Overtures review
Products reviewed: Beethoven - Overtures Esoteric Exclusive SACD / CD Re-Master
January, 2009Dagogo on-line / Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 20 review
Products reviewed: Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 20 Esoteric SACD / CD Re-Master
December, 2008SoundStage Networks - Reviewers Choice Award...Dec. 2008 / C-03 review
Products reviewed: C-03 Linestage Preamplifier
November, 2008Tech Radar UK and Hi Fi Choice UK / X-05 review
Products reviewed: X-05 SACD / CD audio player (Silver or Black)
November, 2008TechRadar.com / X-05 review
Products reviewed: X-05 SACD / CD audio player (Silver or Black)
November, 2008Dagogo / AI-10 review
Products reviewed: AI-10 Integrated amp / phonostage / master clock
November, 2008www.6moons.com / X-05 review
Products reviewed: X-05 SACD / CD audio player (Silver or Black)
October, 2008Positive Feedback on line / MG-20 review
Products reviewed: MG-20 Magnesium Compound Loudpeakers
October, 2008Home Theater Review / DV-60 review
Products reviewed: DV-60 SACD/CD/DVD-Audio and DVD-Video multi-channel disc player
August, 2008Stereophile - Class "A" rating - October 2008 / MG-20 review
Products reviewed: MG-20 Magnesium Compound Loudpeakers
July, 2008High Fidelity / France / X-01D2 review
Products reviewed: X-01D2 SACD / CD player / Dual quad differential DACs
July, 2008Positive Feedback on Line - DV-60 part 2 of 2 / DV-60 review
Products reviewed: DV-60 SACD/CD/DVD-Audio and DVD-Video multi-channel disc player
June, 2008The Absolute Sound - June/July 2008 Golden Ear Award and The Absolute Sound - Dec. 2007.. MG-20 loudspeakers original review / MG-20 review
Products reviewed: MG-20 Magnesium Compound Loudpeakers
June, 2008SoundStage Networks / A-100 review
Products reviewed: A-100 3-Stage Tube Amplifier / Integrated Tube Amplifier
June, 2008UltraAudio.com / MG-20 review
Products reviewed: MG-20 Magnesium Compound Loudpeakers
May, 2008SoundStage Networks / MG-10 review
Products reviewed: MG-10 Magnesium Compound Loudpeakers
May, 2008HiFi+ / X-01D2 review
Products reviewed: X-01D2 SACD / CD player / Dual quad differential DACs
May, 2008Jazz Times (Last 6 paragraphs). / UZ-1 review
Products reviewed: UZ-1 SACD/CD/DVD Universal Disc Player
May, 20086moons.com / A-100 / C-03 review
Products reviewed: A-100 3-Stage Tube Amplifier / Integrated Tube Amplifier, C-03 Linestage Preamplifier
March, 2008The Absolute Sound - Issue #180, page 124 / G-0Rb review
Products reviewed: G-0Rb Master Clock Generator
G-0Rb rubidium master clock generator (Download issue/Checkout required).
Comments by Robert Harley, Editor in Chief..."The Esoteric G-0Rb Master Clock Generator rendered a much bigger gain in musical realism that I would have thought possible... It had a liquidity, ease, and naturalness that I've never heard before from digital audio reproduction. The hardness in the midrange, the glassy shattering sound on leading-edge transients, and the dynamic constriction were all gone, replaced by a silky smooth yet powerful rendering... more vivid... involving... sounding more like the real thing and less like synthetic recreations." ....... Comments by Robert Harley at Enjoy The Music.com from an earlier editorial on the G-0Rb that appears below ..." I recently installed the Esoteric G-ORb rubidium clock in my digital front end, expecting perhaps a small-to-moderate step up from the already outstanding Esoteric P-03 transport and D-03 digital-to-analog converter. What I heard not only made my jaw drop at the stunning improvement, but showed that a significant limitation in digital sound quality is timing imprecision."
March, 20086moons.com / P-05 / D-05 review
Products reviewed: P-05 CD/SACD transport, D-05 32 bit stereo D/A converter / 32 bit pre-amp / Full dual mono / DSD / SPDIF
March, 2008Stereophile / DV-60 review
Products reviewed: DV-60 SACD/CD/DVD-Audio and DVD-Video multi-channel disc player
March, 2008La revue Du Son - 5 star review (French) / X-05 review
Products reviewed: X-05 SACD / CD audio player (Silver or Black)
February, 2008The Absolute Sound - Editorial at Enjoy The Music.com - Comments on the G-0RB master clock sync generator / G-0Rb review
Products reviewed: G-0Rb Master Clock Generator
February, 2008Jazz Times - Rocky Mountain AudioFest 2007 / MG-20 review
Products reviewed: MG-20 Magnesium Compound Loudpeakers
February, 2008La revue Du Son - 5 star review (French) / P-05 / D-05 review
Products reviewed: P-05 CD/SACD transport, D-05 32 bit stereo D/A converter / 32 bit pre-amp / Full dual mono / DSD / SPDIF
January, 20086moons.com / SA-10 / AI-10 review
Products reviewed: AI-10 Integrated amp / phonostage / master clock, SA-10 SACD / CD Player
January, 2008Dagogo on-line - Editor's Top Reference Disc / Beethoven - Overtures review
Products reviewed: Beethoven - Overtures Esoteric Exclusive SACD / CD Re-Master
December, 2007The Absolute Sound / MG-20 review
Products reviewed: MG-20 Magnesium Compound Loudpeakers
December, 20076moons.com / SA-60 review
Products reviewed: SA-60 CD/SACD/DVD-A/CD-R/CD-RW multi-channel audio player
December, 2007Enjoy the Music.com / P-05 review
Products reviewed: P-05 CD/SACD transport
November, 2007Positive Feedback on Line - DV-60 universal (Part 1). / DV-60 review
Products reviewed: DV-60 SACD/CD/DVD-Audio and DVD-Video multi-channel disc player
November, 2007Innovations 2008 - CES Design and Engineering Award Honoree / MG-10 review
Products reviewed: MG-10 Magnesium Compound Loudpeakers
October, 2007The Absolute Sound - 2007 Editor's Choice Award - Issue #175 / X-03SE / P-03 / P-03 Universal / D-03 review
Products reviewed: P-03 Super Audio CD / CD disc transport, D-03 24 bit stereo D/A converter / Full dual mono / DSD / SPDIF, P-03 Universal SACD/CD/DVD audio/DVD video transport, X-03SE SACD / CD audio player
October, 2007 The Absolute Sound 2007 Editors' Choice Award - Issue #175 / P-03 / D-03 review
Products reviewed: P-03 Super Audio CD / CD disc transport, D-03 24 bit stereo D/A converter / Full dual mono / DSD / SPDIF
October, 2007 The Absolute Sound 2007 Editors' Choice Award - Issue #175 / P-03 Universal / D-03 review
Products reviewed: D-03 24 bit stereo D/A converter / Full dual mono / DSD / SPDIF, P-03 Universal SACD/CD/DVD audio/DVD video transport
October, 2007Rocky Mountain AudioFest. Stereophile / MG-20 review
Products reviewed: MG-20 Magnesium Compound Loudpeakers
October, 2007Stereophile / SA-60 review
Products reviewed: SA-60 CD/SACD/DVD-A/CD-R/CD-RW multi-channel audio player
October, 2007Dagogo on-line / Beethoven - Overtures review
Products reviewed: Beethoven - Overtures Esoteric Exclusive SACD / CD Re-Master
September, 2007SoundStage Networks / SA-10 review
Products reviewed: SA-10 SACD / CD Player
June, 2007Enjoy the Music.com / SA-60 review
Products reviewed: SA-60 CD/SACD/DVD-A/CD-R/CD-RW multi-channel audio player
May, 2007HomeTheaterSound.com / DV-60 review
Products reviewed: DV-60 SACD/CD/DVD-Audio and DVD-Video multi-channel disc player
May, 2007The Absolute Sound (TAS) / P-03 / P-03 Universal review
Products reviewed: P-03 Super Audio CD / CD disc transport, P-03 Universal SACD/CD/DVD audio/DVD video transport
April, 2007The Absolute Sound (TAS) / D-03 review
Products reviewed: D-03 24 bit stereo D/A converter / Full dual mono / DSD / SPDIF
April, 2007Softpedia on line - SA-10 with user comments / SA-10 review
Products reviewed: SA-10 SACD / CD Player
March, 2007The Audiophile Voice - Volume 12, Issue 2. (Subscription requested). / P-03 / D-03 / G-0s review
Products reviewed: P-03 Super Audio CD / CD disc transport, D-03 24 bit stereo D/A converter / Full dual mono / DSD / SPDIF, G-0s Master Clock Generator
March, 2007Dagogo on-line / X-01D2 review
Products reviewed: X-01D2 SACD / CD player / Dual quad differential DACs
February, 2007The Stereo Times / SZ-1 review
Products reviewed: SZ-1 Low profile SACD / CD player
January, 2007The Stereo Times 2006 Hall of Fame / Most Wanted / G-25U / UX-3 review
Products reviewed: G-25U master clock generator and PCM digital audio up-converter, UX-3 SACD/CD/DVD AUDIO/ DVD Video Player
December, 2006UltraAudio.com / P-03 / D-03 / G-0s review
Products reviewed: P-03 Super Audio CD / CD disc transport, D-03 24 bit stereo D/A converter / Full dual mono / DSD / SPDIF, G-0s Master Clock Generator
November, 20066moons.com / AZ-1 review
Products reviewed: AZ-1 Integrated amp / phonostage / master clock
October, 2006UltraAudio.com / DV-60 review
Products reviewed: DV-60 SACD/CD/DVD-Audio and DVD-Video multi-channel disc player
October, 2006The Perfect Vision / P-03 / P-03 Universal review
Products reviewed: P-03 Super Audio CD / CD disc transport, P-03 Universal SACD/CD/DVD audio/DVD video transport
October, 2006TechRadar.com / X-03SE review
Products reviewed: X-03SE SACD / CD audio player
August, 20066moons.com / X-03 review
Products reviewed: X-03 SACD / CD Player
June, 2006SoundStage Networks / P-03 / D-03 review
Products reviewed: P-03 Super Audio CD / CD disc transport, D-03 24 bit stereo D/A converter / Full dual mono / DSD / SPDIF
May, 2006The Absolute Sound / X-03 review
Products reviewed: X-03 SACD / CD Player
March, 2006Soundstage Networks / X-01 / X-01 Limited review
Products reviewed: X-01 Limited SACD / CD Audio Player, X-01 SACD / CD Player
March, 2006The Stereo Times / UX-3 review
Products reviewed: UX-3 SACD/CD/DVD AUDIO/ DVD Video Player
February, 2006Soundstage Networks / UX-3 review
Products reviewed: UX-3 SACD/CD/DVD AUDIO/ DVD Video Player
December, 20056moons.com / X-03 review
Products reviewed: X-03 SACD / CD Player
April, 2005HomeTheaterSound.com / DV-50s review
Products reviewed: DV-50s SACD/CD/DVD AUDIO/ DVD Video Player
April, 2005Ultra Audio - Select Components and World's best / P-01 / D-01 / G-0s review
Products reviewed: P-01 SACD / CD transport with external power supply and optional upgraded version model: *P-01 VU, D-01 Mono D/A Converter - Model: D-01 and optional model: D01VU*, G-0s Master Clock Generator
February, 2005The Absolute Sound / UX-1 review
Products reviewed: UX-1 SACD/CD/DVD AUDIO/ DVD Video Player
February, 2005The Absolute Sound / X-01 review
Products reviewed: X-01 SACD / CD Player
July, 2004SoundStage Networks / X-01 review
Products reviewed: X-01 SACD / CD Player