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ESOTERIC - X-01 REFERENCE LIMITED SACD CD PLAYER (ESOTERIC/X-01 REFERENCE LIMITED SACD CD PLAYER (SILVER) The X-01 Limited is the Best Built and Best Sounding Single Box SACD/CD Player! The new Esoteric X-01 Limited is an updated version of their 50 pound behemoth X-01 Standard CD/SACD player. Although the heart and soul of the original are still unchanged (i.e. the incredible VRDS-NEO Transport Mechanism and the Burr-Brown PCM 1704 DAC’s in a four chip per channel dual differential configuration.) The new improvements are found in the player’s internal wiring, a special 6N (99.9999% Pure) Copper. Also, the X-01 Limited uses upgraded capacitors and resistors which improve the DAC performance. The addition of WBT NextGen Analog and Digital Connectors is a big improvement for single-ended cable users. Finally, Esoteric is so proud of the build quality on this machine, they are including a Three Year Parts and Labor Warranty with the purchase of the X-01 Limited. SACD Player X-01 Limited The X-01 Limited has all the features one would expect in a high-end SACD/CD player, including a speaker configuration function that computes and adjusts the 5.1-channel surround sound installation environment. In addition, a Word Sync input port is provided for inputting an ultra-precise clock from the G-0s master clock generator. 44.1 kHz (up to 176.4 kHz) is supported for CD/SACD playback. The X-01 Limited itself uses a high precision crystal clock that generates 3ppm of accuracy. AUDIO OUTPUT To further improve the quality of analog audio reconstruction on the DAC circuit board, the X-01 Limited employs a specially designed DAC transformer to remove all noise generated from the transport mechanism and digital circuitry. This structure enables a completely pure audio signal. Burr-Brown 24-bit DACs are used as the audio DACs on all channels. To further improve the purity of the sound, a four-chip-per-channel differential configuration is used on the front L/R channels for improved linearity and common noise rejection. In addition, the left and right channels are isolated onto separate circuit boards suppressing mutual interference between the channels. A crystal oscillator, precise to +/-3ppm, is placed directly on the audio DAC board to suppress jitter, helping to ensure highly precise D/A conversion. CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN (Common for both X-01/UX-1) Because the VRDS-NEO mechanism is significantly heavier than the mechanisms used in ordinary players, a three-part chassis design is used to support it. The mechanism is centered within the chassis for stability. The chassis is supported by three pinpoint feet (patent pending) made of quenched steel, allowing the unit to be mechanically isolated from its environment. Thick aluminum is used on the top panel and side panels in addition to the front panel to block vibrations. The front panel is designed to be simple yet elegant, with a brushed finish. The beautifully engraved logo, illuminated buttons with lit peripheries, and other features all contribute to the sense of quality found only in high-end audiophile equipment.
When an SACD or DVD disc is played, the higher-speed rotation causes increased and unwanted vibrations. These vibrations cause the disc surface to shake, making it difficult for the laser pick-up to read the data accurately. The VRDS turntable is designed to physically correct all vibrations and completely stabilize the disc so adverse effects during high-speed rotation can be minimized. High-speed rotation also necessitates that the spindle shaft be more rigid than in the past. The turntable, which may be considered the heart of the VRDS mechanism, is supported by high-precision, highly rigid mechanical components.
Rigidity and precision are significantly improved by the use of highly precise ball bearings used in the spindle shaft bearing assembly A pair of precise ball bearings is used in the spindle shaft bearing unit and a pre-load is applied to the bearing inner rings to significantly reduce rattling and shaft shaking during use. This dramatically increases the precision of the bearing unit and greatly improves rotational and positioning accuracy. As a result, the correlation precision between the disc and pickup is improved--a factor which is closely related to transport performance. Newly designed magnesium turntable During SACD or DVD playback, the maximum rotation speed is some 4.5 times greater than the rotation speed during conventional CD playback. In order to ensure that the turntable could handle this high-speed rotation, TEAC selected magnesium as the turntable material. Magnesium, with a specific gravity two-thirds that of aluminum, is lightweight and has excellent vibration absorption properties that also helps reduce unwanted disc vibrations during disc rotation. The turntable is made from superior materials that are precision-machined.
The precision and rigidity improvements to the turntable and spindle alone will not ensure good results if the bridge supporting them is not also improved. Therefore, TEAC selected 20 mm-thick, SS400 steel for the newly designed support bridge. In addition, the bridge is directly joined to a 5 mm-thick iron base plate. Any vibrations originating from the spindle during rotation are subsequently attenuated by the mass of the bridge-base plate combination. The combined weight of these two pieces alone is over 8 pounds.
TEAC has developed a new, long-life three-phase brushless spindle motor for high-speed rotation. Development of the magnetic circuit, consisting of a neodymium magnet, was completed through numerous tests and scientific validations, including magnetic field analysis. The optimized magnetic circuit minimizes rotation irregularities in the motor and makes it possible to reduce fluctuations in the motor drive current, thereby lessening any effects on audio circuits and other areas. Pickup drive sled/servo unit TEAC developed an ingenious component structure for driving the pickup lens and a new sled structure to move the pickup unit with an extremely high level of accuracy. This new system ensures that the laser optical axis is always maintained at a constant relationship to the media’s disc pits. This precision ensures the laser is always positioned at the very center of the pit track for optimal reading. These modifications to earlier VRDS mechanisms make it possible to minimize the adverse effects of disc surface shaking and eccentricity at higher rotational speeds.
The pickup in ordinary players is designed so that the lens hangs from a wire. This design is not only low in rigidity, but allows the laser optical axis to tilt away from a vertical orientation as the lens moves. In contrast, the pickup used in the UX-1 has a shaft-sliding structure that prevents the laser optical axis from tilting even when the lens is moved. TEAC has also increased the rigidity of the parts supporting the lens. Speed feedback-controlled sled transport with superior response and minimal extraneous pickup lens movement In order to provide a very high-performance pickup capable of smooth, continuous movement, a proprietary Hall element sensing-type three-phase brushless motor is used in the sled transport, and powerful electronic speed feedback circuits control this sled mechanism. This is yet another design feature that improves the precision and accuracy of the data acquisition functions. Vibration isolation for spindle motor system and sled moving system The spindle system, which may generate fine vibrations during rotation, is isolated from the sled moving system. Since the sled mechanism requires very delicate control, this isolation from high-frequency vibrations ensures superior reading performance. High-precision mechanism and new software controlled servo control for superior playability The precision-machined proprietary mechanism combines with new system software to provide optimal servo control for each type of disc. This equates to superior media playability. SPECIFICATIONS General
Audio output (Analog Audio)
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