Esoteric K-01XD SE Reference CD/SACD Player/DAC

Super audio CD/CD player K-01XD SE delivers immersive high-fidelity playback

Super audio CD/CD player K-01XD SE is Esoteric’s pinnacle of digital source engineering, crafted to reproduce the full dynamism, depth, and realism of music with exceptional fidelity. Designed around the Master Sound Discrete DAC, this flagship disc player and DAC hybrid represents the brand’s uncompromising pursuit of sonic perfection, bringing live performance realism into the heart of your listening environment.

K-01XD SE recreates live musical energy with Master Sound Discrete DAC

K-01XD SE is engineered with the Master Sound Discrete DAC architecture, an in-house development first seen in the Grandioso D1X. It brings an astonishing sense of realism and musical presence by discarding mass-produced IC chips in favour of discrete DAC elements, each featuring its own dedicated clock driver, logic circuit, resistor, and capacitor. With 32 independent DAC circuits per channel, the K-01XD SE eliminates internal interference and enhances signal precision for richly textured and dynamic output.

Every component in the DAC path has been selected for its audiophile-grade performance. This commitment to sonic authenticity is not merely theoretical—it has been repeatedly praised by audio professionals for making even the subtlest details of live recordings come alive.

K-01XD SE powers next-level digital decoding with proprietary DSP and delta-sigma modulator

K-01XD SE supports 64-bit/512Fs delta-sigma modulation and handles high-resolution digital formats with ease, including 22.5MHz DSD and 768kHz PCM. At the core of this capability lies a proprietary FPGA-based digital processing algorithm, tailored specifically to maximise the potential of the Master Sound Discrete DAC.

This internally developed processing engine ensures exceptional format compatibility and playback precision, unlocking the full tonal range of both DSD and PCM sources, while retaining the natural warmth and spatial fidelity demanded by high-end audio purists.

K-01XD SE enhances signal purity with IDM-01 and premium discrete components

K-01XD SE features Esoteric’s original Integrated Discrete-Amplifier Module IDM-01, a purpose-built analog stage crafted with meticulous attention to circuit topology, signal path length, and component material. Each element of the analog filter stage—resistors, capacitors, and semiconductors—has been carefully chosen for its sonic attributes, resulting in an amplifier architecture that maintains tonal integrity across the entire frequency spectrum.

This refined analog section delivers a sound that is both dynamic and organically textured. IDM-01 enhances the player’s ability to convey subtle harmonic overtones, instrumental separation, and lifelike vocals, resulting in a playback experience that closely mirrors the emotional depth and complexity of a live performance.

K-01XD SE maintains reference-grade precision with Esoteric's advanced PCB manufacturing

K-01XD SE benefits from Esoteric’s world-class printed circuit board production, employing techniques typically reserved for aerospace and medical applications. Soldering is performed in a clean room using oxygen-free ovens, ensuring signal paths remain uncontaminated and thermally stable.

This level of manufacturing excellence is essential for maintaining the tight tolerances demanded by the player’s discrete DAC architecture. Every component placement and trace is engineered for minimal noise, maximum phase coherence, and long-term reliability—supporting a distortion-free listening experience grounded in precision engineering.

K-01XD SE transmits full musical energy via HCLD and ES-Link Analog technology

K-01XD SE employs Esoteric’s High Current Line Driver (HCLD) output stage, designed for extraordinary speed and current delivery. With a staggering slew rate of 2,000V/µs, the HCLD circuits allow the analog output to respond instantaneously to signal fluctuations, preserving the transient energy and spatial accuracy of high-resolution recordings.

Complementing the HCLD architecture is ES-Link Analog, Esoteric’s proprietary current transmission system. By transmitting nearly 100 times the current of conventional voltage-based methods, ES-Link Analog ensures minimal signal degradation across interconnects, enabling seamless, full-energy signal transfer to compatible amplifiers without being affected by cable impedance.

K-01XD SE expands its functionality with versatile external inputs and D/D conversion

K-01XD SE is not limited to disc playback—it also serves as a standalone digital-to-analog converter, featuring USB Type-B, optical, and coaxial inputs. Its USB input supports asynchronous transmission of up to 22.5MHz DSD, making it an ideal interface for high-resolution computer audio systems.

The onboard digital processing engine offers extensive signal customisation, allowing users to upsample PCM input signals up to 768kHz or convert them to DSD for different tonal preferences. This flexibility makes the K-01XD SE a powerful digital hub for modern high-fidelity systems, combining legacy disc formats with cutting-edge streaming and file-based playback.

K-01XD SE achieves exceptional timing accuracy with Master Sound Discrete Clock

K-01XD SE incorporates the Master Sound Discrete Clock for digital player, a precision OCXO clock module designed using discrete components rather than mass-market integrated circuits. Based on technology from the flagship Grandioso G1X, this internal clock module significantly reduces phase noise and jitter, crucial for accurate digital timing and musical coherence.

The unit also supports external clock synchronisation via a 10MHz input, allowing connection to reference-grade master clocks such as Esoteric’s G1X. This capability enhances temporal resolution and detail retrieval, especially in complex, layered recordings where microtiming can affect both realism and spatial imaging.

K-01XD SE embodies Esoteric’s flagship philosophy in a player/DAC hybrid

K-01XD SE super audio CD/CD player delivers a meticulous fusion of discrete digital architecture, high-precision analog amplification, and next-generation current transmission technologies, setting a new benchmark in digital music playback. With its ultra-refined construction and expansive functionality, the K-01XD SE isn't just a disc spinner—it’s a reference-class digital audio hub for systems built around uncompromising sound.