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Levinson 390S, Naim CDX2/XPS2, Pathos Endorphin & Esoteric X-03 comparison

Posted by paulo_m (A) on November 10, 2006 at 19:22:14

Context: Some 3 weeks ago I posted a message in the forum seeking advice about a good CDP around $6k, indicating models I was considering (link at the bottom). Since then I was able to spend some quality time with more of them and was finally able to choose one.

Mark Levinson 390S. System was amp and preamp Spectral, B&W 802 speakers. This was the least good of the bunch. Even though it performed well, it wasn't quite "there" and it was clear it is an old model. The others presented the music in a way consistently better and more pleasing on the whole. In 1998, it was probably an amazing machine. Stockhausen's Klavierstucke (I & VII are my piano reference pieces) sounded gripping and very exciting. It held the sound (and the ear) very tightly, you could really listen to the instrument, and feel the strings vibrating. Scelsi's "Uaxuctum" was fantastic, the whispers from the choir, the huge dynamics and crescendos from the orchestra were all there, completely in the open and fully domesticated.

Naim CDX2 + XPS2. System was the same as with the Levinson. A nice surprise. Very smooth and quite refined on the whole. More laidback than the Levinson, it had a more uniform and controlled soundstage. You heard more of the space where the recording was made. Brendan Perry's voice on his solo CD was silky smooth and unbelievably real. The Scelsi work was not as good as with the Levinson, as it sounded slightly subdued. Track 16 of Jordi Savall's "Song of the Sybill", which contains about 2 minutes of male voices in an exquisite series of consonances was absolutely fantastic. This is a player that seems to work well with voices. If I had to characterize the sound of male voices through the Naim, the only word I can find is "golden". It is as if the sound has the hue of gold. However, for that kind of money (almost double the cost of the Levinson, way above the budget I had initially set) I would probably look for something else.

Pathos Endorphin. System was a Pathos Inpol integrated amp and Sonics Allegra speakers, a combination I asked for to give a sense of spaciousness resembling my own system. Brand new great-looking CDP, the unit had just finished breaking-in at the dealer. Very very smooth, played really well. It had the best characteristics of the Naim (and felt more neutral) and the "gripping factor" of the Levinson, even though it was somewhat laidback. In the Brendan Perry CD it actually transmitted the acoustics of the church the CD was recorded in, something I was used to in my system and that was absent in the Levinson and Naim listening sessions.

Esoteric X-03. System was same as Endorphin. The best of the bunch. Just like the Endorphin, but even better. The soundstage was incredibly well-defined, the air between the instruments, resolution, refinement, everything was in a different league. The flute you hear in the beginning of Oliver Shanti's "Liberty of Kabul" is really made of wood (and not metal, or plastic, or ...). Savall's "Song of the Sybill" track 16 didn't sound "golden" as with the Naim, but it sounded pure, free, airy--"silvery"? Maybe this is about degrees of warmth after all--a divine, glorious 2 minutes. Female voices were good too. Track 7 of Savall's "Villancicos & Danzas Criollas" was amazing. The female singer had all the articulation and breathing completely exposed, you could hear and feel the shortness of breath.

To establish a point of reference, I had the dealer set up the Cary 306 SACD alongside the Esoteric and Endorphin. I liked the rich and lush sound it made in my system at home, although I felt it lacked a sliver of refinement in the highs and the "wow factor" of the slam was quickly old news. It was almost like the mids and lows were obscuring some detail in the highs. Well, the Esoteric had all the refinement that the Cary lacked and it felt overall more controlled and balanced.

I didn't listen to some of the originally mentioned models for various reasons: The BAT is known to be on the darker side and to play really well only with matching BAT equipment. If I was also looking at buying an amp, I would have given the combination a try. The Esoteric SA-60 would be a waste of time, given the redundancy with the X-03. I couldn't find or schedule auditions with dealers that had the ARC CD3 or the Wadia 581, so those two were out. Same thing for the Opus 21.

Yesterday I got the Esoteric X-03SE, which is now in its 27th hour of break-in.

Bringing past listening sessions into the picture, I would say the only other realistic option was the Ayre C-5xe. Its elegance, control, air and refinement remained the most memorable aspects. If the X-03 hadn't been fully satisfactory in those respects, I would be breaking-in the Ayre right now.

At this point I just want the next 10 days to pass quickly to get the break-in over and enjoy the music.

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