Esoteric K-03Xs Player

I have favored EMM and Esoteric players for some time, so I did not look elsewhere. I also prefer integrated players.  As Esoteric continues to improve upon their players, they seem, for now, willing to support audiophiles who plan to spin the silver discs for the foreseeable future. I’m gonna use the PCM to DSD conversion with DSD filter ON as my preferred setting as I don’t care for tweaking from disc to disc. Thank you.

I am using a K-05x 4X Upsample & SDLY2. Filter off for DSD. This what I read most people are using. Each setting takes a long time to break in. I am extremely happy with the Esoteric. The K-03x should even better. Enjoy it.

Any update on you purchase and listening experience? This is one of three Esoteric range I am considering.

The Esoteric K03xs sounds excellent. I’m using the PCM to DSD selection, with DSD filter ON.
Sorry, I have not evaluated other upsampling and filter selections, except on an occasional song....I didn’t feel these improved the sound, but the auditions were not thorough, so back to PCM to DSD. Unlike many audiophiles, I don’t enjoy tweeking, whether upsampling/filter selection on digital or switching between feedback levels on tube amplifiers. I must admit, at this early juncture, I marginally prefer the sound of the EMM XDS1 V2 and V3 players, slightly more natural/“organic”in presentation. However, the Esoteric K03xs is a gorgeous piece, with silky smooth transport mechanism, excellent resolution, and generally an excellent sounding player.
All the best for a great holiday season and new year 2019!

In addition to EMM and Esoteric, the DCS and the Vitus Audio also make excellent digital front end players as well. MSB Technology is another excellent digital front end components such as the MSB Select 2 DAC, MSB Reference DAC, etc. Tidal, MBL, CH Precision also make excellent digital front end source components.

Linn and Naim Audio also make highly musical sounding digital streamer/DAC integrated units but they don’t make disc players anymore, well, Naim still makes only one model standalone CD player but focuses more on their digital streamers/DAC. Linn had stopped producing CD players since 2007. But back then the Linn CD12 reference cd player was one of the best sounding and most musical sounding reference CD player I've ever heard about a decade ago. 
Today I found both Linn and Naim streamer/DAC units sounding highly musical and very natural & organic.