Esoteric P-03 Universal Disc Transport and D-03 Digital-to-Analog Converter

A Transparent Window On The Source

I don’t have the answer to why transport-mechanism quality affects the sound, and can’t explain the reason that two CDs with identical data sound different, but I can say definitively that the P-03 transport and D-03 D/A converter are among the bestsounding digital sources I’ve ever heard.

P-03 Universal Disc Transport

The P-03 Universal ($17,200), plays any disc format, including CD, SACD, DVD-Audio, and DVD-Video. The machine’s DVD-V capabilities deserve attention. The P-03 Universal uses 14-bit video processing and the latest Anchor Bay Technologies de-interlacer and scaler to output video up to 1080p on its HDMI output. Without dwelling on the video performance, I will say that the P-03’s picture quality is easily the best I’ve seen from DVD, with nearly the dimensionality, depth, and resolution of high-definition sources. (The audio-only version of the P-03 Universal transport is known as the P-03 and carries a price of $13,300. The P-03 Universal’s video circuits can be turned off when playing music discs.)

The P-03’s rear panel reveals some unusual connection options. Digital output is via a standard coaxial RCA jack, an i.LINK (FireWire) connector, or two XLR jacks. These two XLR jacks together form Esoteric’s proprietary ES-Link in which two cables carry high-resolution stereo data, including two-channel SACD information, to the D-03 digital-to-analog converter for decoding. Note that the XLR jacks carry only stereo digital audio. The P-03 will output high-resolution multichannel digital audio from multichannel SACD discs, but only on the i.LINK (FireWire) port. With the P-03 Universal playing a DVD-V or DVD-A, encoded with Dolby Digital or DTS audio tracks, surround-sound information can be output via the RCA coaxial digital out.

Decoding the multichannel bitstream requires a multichannel digital-to-analog converter (the D-03 is a stereo-only device). By using the i.LINK output, one could daisy-chain three D-03 digitalto- analog converters to the P-03 and output 5.1 multichannel. A Word Sync input (BNC jack) accepts a clock from the D-03. Putting the master clock in the digital-to-analog converter and slaving the transport mechanism to this clock is an essential prerequisite for any digital front end that aspires to be state-of-the-art. That’s because no matter how well designed the digital-to-analog converter, jitter (timing variations) introduced by the S/PDIF interface between transport and processor will degrade the sound. Speaking of clocks, those with the budget and the passion can further improve the timing precision of the digital-to-analog conversion process by adding one of Esoteric’s outboard clock modules. The G25U clock ($2900) connects to the transport and processor, providing even greater precision (1 part per million). For the ultimate performance, Esoteric makes the G-0s, a $13,500 device that employs a Rubidium sub-atomic clock with accuracy of 0.05 parts per billion. (The D-03’s internal clock provides an accuracy of 3 parts per million, not significantly lower than the G25U’s accuracy, but far lower than the Rubidium clock’s precision.) A front-panel button allows you to select the upsampling rate (no upsampling, 88.2kHz, 176.4kHz), and even to convert PCM to Direct Stream Digital (DSD, the format used in SACD), for conversion to analog in the D-03 D/A converter.

The heart of the P-03 is surely the mighty VRDS-Neo transport mechanism. This device is to most CD transport mechanisms what a Ferrari is to a Yugo. Weighing in at a whopping 14 pounds, the VRDS-Neo is made like no other disc-reading device. For starters, the assembly is built around solid blocks of cut steel for rigidity. And rather than secure the disc at its center with a tiny plastic clamp, the VRDS mechanism employs a machined disc of Duralumin just larger than a CD to hold the entire disc and reduce vibration. This clamping mechanism is attached to a solid-steel “bridge” that traverses the assembly.

The motor is a custom three-phase brushless type, developed using parent company TEAC’s long experience in motor design and magnetic analysis. The spindle-shaft bearings—again designed from scratch—are made from stainless-steel balls encased in ceramic for low vibration and greater positional precision. Esoteric developed for the VRDS mechanism a novel laser-pickup structure that more precisely articulates the lens and optical pickup during disc playback. A conventional pickup is suspended from several wires, allowing it to move in many directions. The Esoteric pickup mechanism is mounted on a sled (with metal guide rails), allowing the pickup to move in only three directions (horizontal, vertical, and circular). This design reportedly results in lower vibration, less servo activity to keep the laser focused and on-track, and fewer errors. In addition, the entire sled assembly is isolated mechanically from the spindle motor to reduce vibration in the pickup.