CD/SACD-проигрыватели и транспорты — Esoteric Grandioso P1X SE

The Grandioso P1X SE is a two-box Super Audio CD transport from Esoteric of Japan, which describes it as its top disc transport, pairing a main unit with a separate power supply chassis. The SE version followed the original P1X in autumn 2023 with a new clock generator module and a revised foot decoupling system, and the US price is USD 55,000. It plays SACD and CD but conversion to analogue is left to a separate DAC, since the chassis houses no converter of its own.

Key specs that matter

Digital outputs comprise one ES-LINK socket, two pairs of XLR connectors that can run dual AES, and one pair of RCA connectors, and every one of these digital outputs has a 50 ohm source impedance. Through ES-LINK version 5 the transport passes DSD up to 22.5 MHz and PCM up to 768 kHz at 48 bits. A BNC input accepts an external 10 MHz clock with a tolerance of 10 ppm. The main unit measures 445 x 162 x 449 mm and weighs 29 kg, and the power supply is 445 x 132 x 452 mm at 24 kg.

Engineering and use context

At the core is the VRDS-ATLAS mechanism, 27% heavier than the VRDS-NEO it replaced, with the mechanism weighing 6.6 kg alone and 13.5 kg on its base. Its disc turntable is machined from solid duralumin, and a newly designed thrust bearing supports the spindle at a single point to reduce friction. ES-LINK 5 uses an HDMI cable to carry audio data together with the LR clock and bit clock in fully balanced form, so no modulation or demodulation processing is needed. The internal Master Sound Discrete Clock is derived from the design of the Grandioso G1X master clock and is built from selected discrete parts, including a large crystal oscillator, instead of a packaged module. The power supply chassis holds four independent toroidal transformers, one each for the transport drive, digital output, system control and clock circuits, followed by low-feedback discrete DC regulators and 38 EDLC supercapacitors totalling 1.4 F. A semi-floating lid sits on top, and the new feet are not bolted to the lower chassis but held in place by its weight to avoid stress concentration.

Pairing

The natural partner is an Esoteric DAC with an ES-LINK input, such as the Grandioso D1X, where the HDMI connection carries both data and clocks between the two units. Owners of other converters can use the dual AES balanced route or the RCA pair instead. The Grandioso G1X clock generator can lock the transport and a compatible DAC to one shared reference.

Alternatives

The Esoteric Grandioso K1X SE is the one-box SACD player in the same series, combining a VRDS-ATLAS transport with an internal Master Sound Discrete DAC.