Esoteric N-05 Network Audio Player: High-Resolution Streaming with Superior Sound Quality

The Esoteric N-05 network audio player offers unparalleled sound quality for streaming music, ensuring no compromises are made. It allows you to access high-resolution DSD masters and rediscover classic tracks from your CD collection, all while enjoying the comfort of your favorite listening chair. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, the Esoteric N-05 incorporates cutting-edge technology, making it a reliable choice for exceptional sound performance. This device transforms your extensive CD collection into a digital library, providing quick and easy access to your music through your home network. To fully utilize its capabilities, you will need a connection to your home network (via a wireless router) and an iPad, along with a NAS drive of adequate capacity to house your entire music library. For optimal performance, MinimServer is the recommended server software.

 

The Esoteric N-05 supports 2.8/5.6MHz DSD, 192kHz/24-bit PCM, and various other formats including DSF, DSDIFF, FLAC, Apple Lossless, WAV, AIFF, MP3, and AAC, ensuring gapless playback. Esoteric has created the Sound Stream app for iPad on Apple iOS to facilitate network playback control. This app allows users to search and select tracks directly on the iPad, view album artwork, create custom playlists, and play selected tracks. An equivalent app for iPhone and Android is currently under development. The N-05 can function as a straightforward music server by connecting a high-capacity drive to its rear USB port, making it accessible even for those unfamiliar with NAS data structures.

Users can explore new music via TIDAL, a premium music streaming service that has partnered with Esoteric, providing immediate access to an extensive library and allowing listeners to enjoy their favorite tracks in outstanding sound quality. Additionally, the Esoteric N-05 incorporates a dual-mono digital-to-analog converter design, mirroring the architecture of Esoteric’s acclaimed Super Audio CD players, renowned for their superior sound quality. It utilizes four Asahi Kasei Microdevices AK4490 chips in parallel, along with differential output circuits (eight outputs) for each channel, delivering exceptional linearity and minimal distortion. This dual-mono setup also guarantees remarkable channel separation. Furthermore, the power supply incorporates technologies from the high-end Grandioso C1, featuring EDLC (Electronic Double-Layer Capacitors) supercapacitors with a total capacity of 500 thousand μF per channel, ensuring excellent low-frequency reproduction.

 

The Esoteric N-05 incorporates a sophisticated 34-bit digital-to-analog processing algorithm that effectively converts 34-bit PCM into analog signals. This method offers a precision that is 1024 times greater than that of 24-bit systems, significantly reducing calculation errors and enhancing sound expressiveness. The N-05 features the Esoteric-HCLD (High Current Line Drive) Type 2 output buffer amplifier, which is designed using expertise gained from developing high-end models like the Grandioso C1 preamplifier.

It ensures superior DC signal transmission and can handle high loads. Each channel is equipped with two of these buffer amplifiers operating in differential mode for XLR outputs and in parallel mode for RCA outputs, ensuring the full dynamic range of the source is reproduced with stunning realism. Additionally, the high-precision VCXO (voltage controlled crystal oscillator) clock delivers exceptionally accurate clock signals to all digital circuits. This clock was specifically designed for the N-05 in partnership with Nihon Dempa Kogyo (NDK), a premier crystal oscillator manufacturer, to ensure high-quality audio reproduction. Its large crystal guarantees outstanding frequency accuracy (±0.5ppm at factory exit) and remarkably low phase noise.

By connecting the Esoteric N-05 to the external G-02 clock generator, users can achieve even greater synchronization accuracy, leading to a notable enhancement in sound quality. The Esoteric N-05 supports 44.1/88.2/176.4kHz word clock rates, as well as 10MHz and 22MHz LINK (which bypasses the PLL circuit).

 

The Esoteric N-05 features a universal D/D converter along with a digital filter. It not only reproduces signals at their original sampling frequency but also has the capability to upscale them by 2×, 4×, and 8× for PCM formats. Additionally, it can convert PCM and DSD formats using a proprietary algorithm, with the option to disable digital filtering for both PCM and DSD if preferred. The device includes several digital inputs: one USB, one coaxial, and one optical.

The coaxial and optical inputs support 192kHz/24-bit PCM and 2.8MHz DSD (DoP) signals, while the USB port allows for asynchronous transmission and playback of original 2.8/5.6/11.2MHz DSD and 384kHz/32-bit PCM formats. Furthermore, the analog circuits that follow the DAC are galvanically isolated from the digital circuits, effectively blocking noise and preserving the integrity of the analog audio signal at the output.

Specifications:

Digital Audio Inputs

• RCA Inputs (L/R):

  • Input Level: 0.5Vp-p

  • Input Impedance: 75 Ohms

  • Supported Formats: 32–192kHz, 16–24-bit, Linear PCM (IEC 60958), DSD (DoP)

• Optical Input:

  • Input Level: -24.0 to -14.5dBm (peak)

  • Supported Formats: 32–192kHz, 16–24-bit, Linear PCM (IEC 60958), DSD (DoP)

• USB Port (Type B):

  • Supported Formats:

    • PCM: 44.1–384kHz, 16–32-bit

    • DSD: 2.8 / 5.6 / 11.2 MHz

• Ethernet Port:

  • Type: 1000BASE-T

  • Supported Formats:

    • PCM: 44.1–384kHz, 16–32-bit

    • DSD: 2.8 / 5.6 MHz

Supported File Formats

• Lossless: DSD, DSF, DSDIFF (DFF), DoP, PCM, FLAC, ALAC (Apple Lossless), WAV, AIFF

• Compressed: MP3, AAC (in m4a container)

USB Storage Port

• Format: FAT32

• USB: 2.0 or faster recommended

Digital Audio Output

• RCA Output:

  • Output Level: 0.5Vp-p (into 75 Ohms)

  • Output Impedance: 75 Ohms

  • Signal Formats: 44.1–192kHz, 16–24-bit, Linear PCM (IEC 60958), DSD (DoP)

Word Sync

• Input (BNC):

  • Frequencies (±15 ppm): 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192kHz

  • Master Clock Inputs: 10, 22.5792, 24.576MHz

  • Input Impedance: 75 Ohms

  • Input Level:

    • Square Wave: TTL Level

    • Sine Wave: 0.5–1.0Vrms (50–75 Ohms)

      See also

      

      iBasso DX260MK2: Eight-Channel DAC Powerhouse with FPGA Precision and Dual OS Flexibility

• Output (BNC):

  • TTL Level (into 75 Ohms)

  • Output Frequencies: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192kHz, 22.5792, 24.576MHz

Analog Audio Outputs

• XLR (Balanced):

  • Output Impedance: 20 Ohms

  • Max Output Level: 5.0Vrms (at 1kHz, 10 kOhm load)

• RCA (Unbalanced):

  • Output Impedance: 20 Ohms

  • Max Output Level: 2.5Vrms (at 1kHz, 10 kOhm load)

Performance Specs

• Frequency Response (192kHz PCM): 5Hz – 70kHz (−3dB)

• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 117dB

• Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): 0.0007% (at 1kHz)

Power

• Supply Options:

  • AC 230V / 50Hz

  • 120V / 60Hz

  • 220V / 60Hz

• Power Consumption: 18 W