Esoteric G-02 Initial Impressions

[SCAudiophile]

Originally Posted by crwilli

I am trying the 22.5MHz frequency now but my K03X will not lock on it only flashing 'CLOCK 22M!'.Attachment 49437

Strange... time (for me) to RTFM. What format are you playing in/thru the K03X?

[crwilli]

Well. By switching the K-03X CLK mode to MCK, it locked to the 22.5MHz signal quickly...

[SCAudiophile]

Originally Posted by crwilli

Well. By switching the K-03X CLK mode to MCK, it locked to the 22.5MHz signal quickly...

Yes...should have specified that in my earlier post. My D02 is the same way, have to select MCLK input.

[crwilli]

I find my heart rate rises when listening to the system at 22.5MHz, (not that I measured it). It is more like a feeling I got that put me more on edge.

Think I need to enlist my wife to make blind changes and see if I can even hear a difference.

[PASSFREAK]

Craig,
Very nice review!I have in break in process the same combo but i'm covering partners vacations in my job and turn off my gear with "only" 300 hours of continuous use because i am working at 100 miles from my home and don't have time to seat and listen music when i return in the night.
Ivan recommends me to give 200 more hours to finish the break in of the K-03X so when i finish with that i give my impressions to the AA comunity.
The 10MHz frequency is the recommended by Esoteric as the best universal frequency for cd's and sacd's as well, i ask for 22MHz but they think that the 10MHz is better.In fact if you see, the new Grandioso Clock only outputs 10MHz so i supose that frequency is the best.
Cheers
Pablo

[SCAudiophile]

Originally Posted by crwilli

I find my heart rate rises when listening to the system at 22.5MHz, (not that I measured it). It is more like a feeling I got that put me more on edge.

Think I need to enlist my wife to make blind changes and see if I can even hear a difference.

Not sure why this happens; could be because it is giving you more accurate pacing of the music as it exists on the recorded media. Having someone flip the clock rates without you seeing them on the display is a good idea...just because 22.xx Mhz is the highest number, does not mean music plays faster!

Happy to talk about all this in more detail via phone as well. Easier to speak about it than to try to write it all up....

[crwilli]

I have over 100 hours on the new cables and the G-02 and feel I have a pretty good grasp on what it has done for my system. Simply stated, staging resulting in better separation of instruments. No idea if that is a good representation or not but it is my very positive impression.

I have toyed with 22.5MHz settings but never got comfortable with it. Given what I hear with it at 10 MHz, I have put that setting down the list of things to play with in the future. Perhaps if I have a buddy over, I will subject them to testing. Ha!

A master clock is an expensive luxury to add to a system. It is not a source, amplifier or speaker which are all fundamental to having music in your room. Not sure where I would rate it on my informal 'bang for the buck tweakameter', but it is probably in the middle simply because of the cost. The effect is clear and beneficial much like optimizing speaker location.









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