Esoteric P-02 SACD/CD Transport and D-02 DAC - Flagship Combination - 100/120/230V

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This is a matching unit listing that also includes a pair of high-end Stealth Varidig Sextet XLR cables + a DH Labs Silver Sonic BNC cable to enable the special Esoteric proprietary connection between the P-02 and D-02 as follows:

XLR output x 2:  (Use 2 terminals for Dual AES output)
Word synchronization input format:  BNC
Input:  44.1 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 10 MHz, 22.5792 MHz

MSRP for both pieces was $47,000.00.

P-02 SACD/CD Transport:

"Esoteric's P-02 SACD/CD transport and D-02 system DAC aim at the highest level of audio performance that is only possible using separate audio components, based on the company's evolving product design concepts.

P-02 and D-02 have incorporated a number of new technologies including "ES-LINK3" and "35-bit D/A processing". P-02 and D-02 are new design implementations from Esoteric totally dedicated to evolving the critical listening experience for music enthusiasts.

The P-02 and D-02 implement a new inter-component transmission protocol, ESOTERIC's original transmission format "ES-LINK3" that can operate at a maximum 48-bit/176.4kHz broadband PCM digital transmission using two XLR cables. These models also support "Dual AES 8Fs" standard (maximum 24-bit/352.8kHz). These models can also perform conventional Direct Stream Digital (DSD) transmission and direct DSD-to-analog conversion processing for Super Audio CD (SACD) playback.

A total of eight (8) independent ESOTERIC toroidal core power supply units are installed in the combined system to supply clean and stable power to each circuit. The chassis has our multiple layer structure that is partitioned into 5 sections. Each circuit block is assembled in a dedicated compartment and placed three-dimensionally, in order to minimize interference between circuits and to achieve the shortest signal paths. The exterior is constructed with aluminum and a 5mm gauge steel bottom chassis, supported at four points with Esoteric pinpoint feet (patent No. 4075477). This four-point system effectively suppresses vibration, reduces resonance and assures extremely high rigidity."

Click here for a PDF copy of the Esoteric P-02 Catalog/Specs

Click here for a PDF copy of the Esoteric P-02 Manual

More info direct from Esoteric:

VRDS-NEO “VMK-3.5-20S” transport mechanism
The P-02 is equipped with the Esoteric-original VRDS-NEO "VMK-3.5-20S" transport mechanism. This mechanism enhances readout accuracy by using a high-precision turntable whitch corrects the “wobbling effect” of the disc during rotation. The disc tray loader is provided with a shutter mechanism to further reduce resonance and airborne particles from entering the transport.
The VRDS-NEO "VMK-3.5-20S" transport mechanism uses a pair of ceramic ball bearings in the spindle shaft bearing assembly. The P-02 has adopted a duralumin turntable with micron-level accuracy and a 20mm-thick steel turntable bridge assembly to achieve a total weight of 5.2kg. The P-02 has a well proven mechanism, including a strong neodymium-magnet-driven, coreless, threephase brushless spindle motor, thread feed control, and a slidingshaft pickup that assures the laser beam is always precisely aligned at right angles to the disc.

Spindle servo driver circuit "VS-DD"
The P-02 has adopted a discrete amplifier circuit called "VS-DD (VRDS Spindle Discrete Driver)" for driving the spindle motor. A dedicated toroidal core power supply unit stabilizes power current to the motor, achieving both a very smooth spindle rotation and highly precise servo control. Thanks to the isolated motor design, digital audio circuits are free from noise and from power supply fluctuation potentially caused by high current motor operation.

Various digital output terminals
The P-02 transport is equipped with output terminals of three types and five channels (XLR x2, coaxial x1, iLINK 4p/6p x1 each), including an ES-LINK3 compliant dual XLR terminal for user connections to a wide range of external equipment. The front panel is provided with a loading indicator lamp that illuminates in blue when a disc is inserted into the unit. The indicator lamps remains on during the loading process.

Direct master clock Link without PLL
The clock sync between transport and DAC is a well established jitter reduction system, but further advanced with a new technology called the “Direct Master Clock Link". With the previous clock sync system, the reference clock (master clock) of the digital audio output is generated by the transport, being synchronized to D/A processing by using PLL (Phase Locked Loop) circuits. Esoteric's new "Direct master clock link" system is simpler and more consistent for clock signal integrity. The 22.5792MHz master clock generated by the DAC is supplied directly to the transport, therefore there is no need for re-clocking at the PLL circuit. Pure and direct clocking makes sound much clearer with more accurate focus and imaging.

10MHz clock input / wide-ranging clock options
A conventional WORD clock (44.1kHz, 88.2kHz, and 176.4kHz) sync setting is also selectable, and the system can be upgraded by adding Esoteric’ s external rubidium master clock generator. Both the P-02 and D-02 are equipped with a 10MHz master clock input jack for connecting a 10MHz-output clock system. You can connect the units to a wide variety of optional external clock generators for upgrading incrementally to a higher quality Esoteric sound system.

Abundant use of high-grade components in design
Esoteric has made maximum use of high-grade components for the internal construction of the P-02 and D-02. A total of eight independent Esoteric toroidal core power supply units are installed in the combined system to supply clean and stable power to each circuit. The inside of the chassis has our multiple layer structure that is partitioned into 5 sections. Each circuit block is assembled in a dedicated compartment and placed three-dimensionally, in order to minimize interference between circuits and to achieve the shortest signal paths. The exterior is constructed with aluminum and a 5mm gauge steel bottom chassis, supported at four points with Esoteric pinpoint feet (patent No. 4075477). This four-point system effectively suppresses vibration, reduces resonance and assures extremely high rigidity.

A new digital link: "ES-LINK3"
The P-02 and D-02 have support for Esoteric's original transmission format "ES-LINK3" and can perform a maximum 48-bit/176.4kHz broadband PCM digital transmission (*1) using two XLR cables. These models also have support for "Dual AES 8Fs" standard (maximum 24-bit/352.8kHz) (*2). These models can also perform conventional Direct Stream Digital (DSD) transmission and direct DSD-to-analog conversion processing for Super Audio CD (SACD) playback.
*1 The D-02 can handle inputs of signals up to 48-bit/192kHz. *2 The D-02 can handle inputs of signals up to 24-bit/384kHz.

D-02 System DAC:

Delivers a stress-free musical experience in its original form to listeners.

Esoteric’s P-02 SACD/CD transport and D-02 system DAC, aim at the highest level of audio performance. This is only possible using separate audio components, based on the company's evolving product design concepts. The P-02 and D-02 have incorporated a number of new technologies such as "ES-LINK3" and "35-bit D/A processing." The P-02 and D-02 are new design implementations from Esoteric, which are totally dedicated to evolving the critical listening experience for music enthusiasts.

"35-bit D/A processing" dual monaural D/A converter
The D-02's D/A converter ICs incorporate top-end 32-bit AK4399 chipsets by ASAHI KASEI Microdevices Corporation. Eight (8) circuits per channel are provided to achieve phenomenal linearity and low noise. In addition to direct processing of DSD signals, the D-02 has newly adopted a "35-bit D/A processing" algorithm that converts PCM signals to analog signals, at a high resolution of 35 bits.
As a result of this new technology, the D-02 achieves an improved level of delicate sound quality and imaging with ultra high resolution.
The D/A converter circuits are mounted on separate analog audio boards for each of the left and right channels. All components, including the power circuits and power transformers, are separated for right and left channels to implement a fully dual-monaural configuration. This identical layout per channel, achieves ideal power supply performance and excellent channel separation, enabling high-quality playback with a deep and wide soundstage.

A low distortion, high linearity, discrete Class A buffer
The D-02 features fully discrete Class A buffer amplifiers with four circuits per channel, which is twice the amount of components used in the K series players. These extended buffer circuits are configured as a "double-parallel fully balanced buffer amp," when the XLR outputs are selected, and switched to a "quadruple-parallel unbalanced buffer amp," configuration when RCA outputs are selected. The D-02 offers an exceedingly high drive capability by means of a low-distortion and high linearity Class A buffer amplifier and a high-voltage toroidal core power supply unit of +/-22V.

Wide-ranging D/D conversion functions
The D-02 provides a wide variety of D/D conversion modes for the PCM format, including x2 and x4 up-conversion, and PCM to-DSD conversion, in addition to original frequency, native data PCM processing.
Four types of digital filters and digital filter OFF mode The D-02 has four types of user selectable digital filters for PCM signal processing. Two types of short-delay digital filters and two types of Finite Impulse Response (FIR) digital filters are included. These short-delay digital filters eliminate the pre-echo effect in the impulse waveform to reproduce a more natural audio signal. A digital filter OFF mode is also available.

Five digital input systems supporting
The D-02 support streaming digital audio from the P-02 or any other digital source device such as music servers, audio computers or other products types. It can accept super-high resolution streams from USB, S/PDIF/ AES/EBU, ES-Link3 or iLINK.
The D-02 is equipped with wide-ranging digital inputs of five types for eight channels (XLR x 2, iLINK 4p/6p x 1, USB x 1, coaxial x 2, and optical x 1). The D-02 can be used for high-sampling-rate sources of up to 24-bit/192kHz. XLR x 2 provides additional support for high-sampling-rate/high-bit inputs of 48-bit/192kHz (ES-LINK3) and 24-bit/384kHz (Dual AES 8Fs).
Asynchronous, 24-bit/192kHz USB inputs with the ESOTERIC supplied drivers provides original PC or MAC driver software to support asynchronous, 24-bit/192kHz high resolution data input through its USB interface. The internal USB isolator prevents interference from computer generated noise and enhances studio master-quality digital source playback performance. Both 32 bit and 64 bit PC or MAC operating systems are supported for asynchronous USB transmission.

High-precision digital volume attenuator
The D-02 is contains a high quality 32 bit digital volume attenuator function, allowing direct connected to a power amplifier. The 32 bit operating system allows for a full 28 bits of audio being processed when the DAC is attenuating 60 db. This process allows better audiophile fidelity than a 24 bit DAC even when the signal is attenuated.

Excellent usability
The D-02 can switch the output voltage of XLR audio outputs in accordance with the input sensitivity of the amplifier (0dB/+6dB). Either Hot 2 or Hot 3 can be assigned for XLR audio outputs.

Click here for a PDF copy of the Esoteric D-02 Catalog/Specs

Click here for a PDF copy of the Esoteric D-02 Manual

Please click here for detailed specifics regarding our specialized packing process that separates us from the rest.

Units have internal jumpers that allow 100/120/130V operation at 60/50Hz.