The Esoteric Grandioso flagship range will get a successor to its K1 all-in-one digital player after its three years in service. 

The K1X may look outwardly similar to the model it replaces, every aspect of the player's internal engineering has been completely revamped.

New Transport

Firstly, the K1X incorporates a new Esoteric-developed VRDS-Atlas transport mechanism and DAC technologies.

At 6.6kg the new mechanism eschews the predecessor's aluminium construction in favour of a solid-steel block. Also, it is much wider, more rigid and weighs 127% more than the previous version. Furthermore, the motor (equipped with a newly designed thrust-bearing system) is now located below the disc tray, rather than above it. The new positioning lowers the centre of gravity and so further reduces vibration. 

Esoteric believes the VRDS-Atlas to be the best transport it has ever created. 

DAC

The K1X also gets Esoteric's new, MQA-compatible Master Sound Discrete (MSD) Digital to Analogue Converter. 

Based on the original circuit used in the Grandioso D1X monoaural DAC, the 64-bit MSD DAC, as the name suggests, is entirely discrete (based on a custom Field-Programmable Gate Array) with one independent, 32-element circuit board dedicated to each stereo channel. 

The DAC can handle 22.5MHz DSD and 768kHz PCM signals, as well as being able to function as a standalone converter, accepting digital signals via its USB/coaxial/optical inputs.

Also borrowed from the D1X DAC/ Grandioso P1X transport is an evolved version of the Custom VCXO II clock circuit. If you feel the need to supercharge that, the K1X can even be connected to a Grandioso G1 Master Clock (offering the same precision as an atomic clock).

The Esoteric K1X promises "an unparalleled standard of current transmission and speed, resulting in an incredibly dynamic analogue signal offering musicality that'll stop listeners in their tracks."

Experience the K1X

Experience the Grandioso K1X ( £36,200) in ESOTERIC's room at The UK Hi-Fi Show Live 2019 - The Long Box Suite, 242-244 (Level 2, Core D).

For more information about the show please visit https://www.hifishowlive.com

Partnering the ESOTERIC K1X at The UK Hi-Fi Show Live 2019 will be:

• ESOTERIC C1 Stereo Preamplifier - £33,000
• ESOTERIC N-01 Network Audio Player - £18,300
• 2 x ESOTERIC M1 Monoblock Power Amps - £18,000 (each)
• ESOTERIC G-01x Master Clock Generator - £18,000

All Power and Cabling provided by Shunyata: Power cables (Sigma and Alpha), Interconnects (Sigma) and Power Conditioning (Denali 6000/T and Hydra Alpha A10).

Speakers provided by Raidho.

Equipment stands provided by Lateral Audio.

Price

The Esoteric K1X CD/SACD Player is priced at £36,200 and is available now.