Esoteric X-05 User Manual

D01012820A

Super Audio CD Player

OWNER’S MANUAL ...............2

MANUEL DU PROPRIÉTAIRE

...21

X-05

CAUTION

< DO NOT REMOVE THE EXTERNAL CASES OR CABINETS TO

EXPOSE THE ELECTRONICS. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS
ARE WITHIN!

< IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THIS PRODUCT,

CONTACT TEAC FOR A SERVICE REFERRAL. DO NOT USE THE
PRODUCT UNTIL IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED.

< USE OF CONTROLS OR ADJUSTMENTS OR PERFORMANCE OF

PROCEDURES OTHER THAN THOSE SPECIFIED HEREIN MAY
RESULT IN HAZARDOUS RADIATION EXPOSURE.

WARNING: TO PREVENT FIRE OR SHOCK
HAZARD, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE
TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

1) Read these instructions.

2) Keep these instructions.

3) Heed all warnings.

4) Follow all instructions.

5) Do not use this apparatus near water.

6) Clean only with dry cloth.

7) Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance
with the manufacturer’s instructions.

8) Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat
registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that
produce heat.

9) Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or
grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with
one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two
blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the
third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug
does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for
replacement of the obsolete outlet.

10) Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched
particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point
where they exit from the apparatus.

11) Only use attachments/accessories specified by the
manufacturer.

12) Use only with the cart, stand, tripod,
bracket, or table specified by the
manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus.
When a cart is used, use caution when
moving the cart/apparatus combination to
avoid injury from tip-over.

13) Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when
unused for long periods of time.

14) Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is
required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way,
such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has
been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the
apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not
operate normally, or has been dropped.

2

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO USER­SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO
QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an
equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the
presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within
the product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient
magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to
persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is
intended to alert the user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in
the literature accompanying the appliance.

< Do not expose this apparatus to drips or splashes.

< Do not place any objects filled with liquids, such as vases, on

the apparatus.

< Do not install this apparatus in a confined space such as a

book case or similar unit.

< The apparatus draws nominal non-operating power from the

AC outlet with its STANDBY/ON switch in the standby
position.

< The apparatus should be located close enough to the AC

outlet so that you can easily grasp the power cord plug at any
time.

< An apparatus with Class !construction shall be connected to

an AC outlet with a protective grounding connection.

< Batteries (battery pack or batteries installed) shall not be

exposed to excessive heat such as sunshine, fire or the like.

< Excessive sound pressure from earphones and headphones

can cause hearing loss.

ENGLISH

3

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate
radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference
to radio or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to
try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:

• Reorient or relocate the equipment and/or the receiving
antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and
receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different
from that to which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician
for help.

CAUTION

Changes or modifications to this equipments not expressly
approved by TEAC CORPORATION for compliance will void the
user’s warranty.

For U.S.A.

This product has been designed and manufactured according to
FDA regulations “title 21, CFR, chapter 1, subchapter J, based on
the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968“, and is
classified as class 1 laser product. There is not hazardous invisible
laser radiation during operation because invisible laser radiation
emitted inside of this product is completely confined in the
protective housings.
The label required in this regulation is shown

①.

For U.S.A.

①

Optical pickup :

Type : SLD6163RL-G
Manufacturer : SONY CORPORATION
Laser output : Less than 1mW on the objective lens
Wavelength : 785±15 nm (CD)

655±10 nm (Super Audio CD)

Contents

Thank you for choosing Esoteric. Read this manual
carefully to get the best performance from this unit.

Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Before Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Discs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Front panel features (Main unit) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Front panel display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Understanding the remote control unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Remote Control Unit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Repeat mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Display dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Changing the display mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

2ch/Multi ch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

i.LINK (IEEE 1394)* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

*: Functions concerning the i.LINK (AUDIO) terminals has no

effect at the moment. They will become available after a
future hardware upgrade (charged).

4

What’s in the box

Please confirm that the following accessories are in the box
when you open it.

Power cord x 1
Remote control unit (RC-1156) x 1
Batteries (AA, R6, SUM-3) x 2
Felt sheet x 3
Owner’s manual x 1
Warranty card x 1

Read this before operation

< Be careful to avoid injury when moving the unit, on account

of its weight. Get someone to help you if necessary.

< To protect easily scratched furniture, you may stick the felt

supplied with the unit to the feet.

< As the unit may become warm during operation, always leave

sufficient space around the unit for ventilation.

< The voltage supplied to the unit should match the voltage as

printed on the rear panel. If you are in any doubt regarding
this matter, consult an electrician.

< Choose the installation location of your unit carefully. Avoid

placing it in direct sunlight or close to a source of heat. Also
avoid locations subject to vibrations and excessive dust, heat,
cold or moisture.

< Do not place the unit on the amplifier/receiver.

< Do not open the cabinet as this might result in damage to the

circuitry or electrical shock. If a foreign object should get into
the unit, contact your dealer or service company.

< When removing the power plug from the wall outlet, always

pull directly on the plug, never yank the cord.

< To keep the laser pickup clean, do not touch it, and always

close the disc tray.

< Do not attempt to clean the unit with chemical solvents as

this might damage the finish. Use a clean, dry cloth.

< Keep this manual in a safe place for future reference.

Before Use

“Super Audio CD” is a registered trademark.
“DSD” is a registered trademark.

The i.LINK logo is a trademark of Sony Corporation, registered
in the U.S. and other countries.

DO NOT MOVE THE UNIT DURING PLAYBACK

During playback, the disc rotates at high speed. Do NOT lift or
move the unit during playback. Doing so may damage the
disc or the unit.

WHEN MOVING THIS UNIT

When changing places of installation or packing the unit for
moving, be sure to remove the disc and return the disc tray to
its closed position in the player. Then, press the power switch
to turn the power off, and disconnect the power cord.
Moving this unit with the disc loaded may result in damage to
this unit.

Restoring factory default settings

Memorized settings are stored even the power cord has been
disconnected.

If you have made a lot of changes to the setup process, and
want to restart from a known set of options, restore the unit to
the default factory settings as follows:

Turn the unit off.

When the power is on, wait for more than 30 seconds after
the power turned off.

Press the POWER button while holding down the STOP
button.

Release the STOP button when “Setup CLR” appears on the
display. All memories are now erased and the unit returns to
the factory settings.

2

1

POWER STOP

5

ENGLISH

Following discs cannot be played with this
unit:

• DVD, Video CD, CD-G, Data part of CD-EXTRA, PHOTO CD,
CD-ROM and DVD-ROM discs

• illegally produced discs

• scratched or damaged discs

• discs that are dusty, soiled or marked with fingerprints

Warning:

If you attempt to play back such discs, there is a risk that sudden
loud noise can blast over the speakers at full volume and cause
damage to the speakers and your hearing.

Copy-protected discs, DualDiscs and other discs that do not
conform to the CD standard may not play back correctly in this
player. If you use such discs in this unit, TEAC ESOTERIC
COMPANY cannot be responsible for any consequences or
guarantee the quality of reproduction. If you experience
problems with such non-standard discs, you should contact the
producers of the disc.

Type of discs that can be played on this
system

This unit can playback discs bearing any of the following logos:

About CD-R/CD-RW

CD-R/RW discs recorded in Audio CD format and finalized
correctly are playable. But depending on the quality of the
disc and/or the condition of the recording, some CD-R & CD­RW discs may not be playable.

Caution:

< If you record a disc using a personal computer, even if it is

recorded in a compatible format, there are cases in which it
may not play because of the settings of the application
software used to create the disc. (Check with the software
publisher for more detailed information.)

< Unfinalized CD-R/CD-RW discs cannot be played.

Discs

Super Audio CD:

• Single layer, dual layer or Hybrid layer

• 12cm (4.7”) or 8cm (3.15”) discs

• Digital audio (DSD)

Super Audio CDs are divided into tracks.

Audio CD:

• 12cm (4.7”) or 8cm (3.15”) discs

• Linear PCM digital audio

Audio CDs are divided into tracks.

< Always place the disc on the disc tray with the label side up.

(Compact discs can be played or recorded only on one side.)

< To remove a disc from its storage case, press down on the

center of the case and lift the disc out, holding it carefully by
the edges.

How to remove the disc How to hold the disc

< Should the disc become dirty, wipe the surface radially (from

the center hole outward towards the outer edge) with a soft,
dry cloth:

< Never use such chemicals as record sprays, antistatic sprays or

fluid, benzine or thinner to clean the discs. Such chemicals
will do irreparable damage to the disc’s plastic surface.

< Discs should be returned to their cases after use to avoid dust

and scratches that could cause the laser pickup to “skip.”

< Do not expose discs to direct sunlight or high humidity and

temperature for extended periods. Long exposure to high
temperatures will warp the disc.

< Do not play any disc that is warped, deformed or damaged.

Playing such discs may cause irreparable harm to the playing
mechanisms.

< CD-R and CD-RW discs are more sensitive to the effects of

heat and ultraviolet rays than ordinary CDs. It is important
that they are not stored in a location where direct sunlight
will fall on them, and which is away from sources of heat
such as radiators or heat-generating electrical devices.

< Printable discs aren’t recommended, as the label side might

be sticky and damage the unit.

< Do not stick papers or protective sheets on the discs and do

not use any protective coating spray.

< Use a soft oil-based felt-tipped pen to write the information

on the label side. Never use a ball-point or hard-tipped pen,
as this may cause damage to the recorded side.

< Never use a stabilizer. Using commercially available CD

stabilizers with this unit will damage the mechanisms and
cause them to malfunction.

< Do not use irregular shape discs (octagonal, heart shaped,

business card size, etc.). Discs of this sort can damage the
unit:

< If you are in any doubt as to the care and handling of a disc,

read the precautions supplied with the disc, or contact the
disc manufacturer directly.

B

A

C

6

Connection (1)

CAUTION:

< Switch off all the equipment before making connection.
< Read the instructions of each component you intend to use with this unit.

RCA digital coaxial cable

optical digital cable

Stereo amplifier (AI-10 etc.)

Amplifier or digital audio device
(CD recorder, MD deck, etc.)

Balanced XLR pin

assignment

RCA audio cable

XLR cable

DIGITAL IN
(COAXIAL)

Audio input

(LINE IN)

DIGITAL IN

(OPTICAL)

Connect one of the
cables as shown

Connect one set of
the cables as shown

7

ENGLISH

Analog audio output terminals

Use either the XLR or RCA (pin) terminals for 2-channel
analog stereo output.

Use commercially available XLR or RCA audio cables:

XLR: Use a balanced XLR digital cable
RCA: Use an RCA audio cable

Connect the R terminal on this unit to the right (R) terminal
of the amplifier and the L terminal on this unit to the left (L)
terminal of the amplifier.

< i.LINK audio connector is available in the future as a

chargeable option. If you have added this connector then
only the sound of the front L/R over 5.1 channels is output
from an analog audio output terminal if you set the analog
output mode to “Multi ch”. If you only use the analog audio
output terminals, normally set the multi-channel mode to
“2ch”.

Digital audio output terminals

Digital audio from CD is output from these terminals.
The unit may be connected using either coaxial or optical
(TOS) cables to amplifiers or digital audio devices such as CD
recorders, etc.

Use commercially available COAXIAL or OPTICAL cables:

COAXIAL: Use RCA (pin) digital audio cable
OPTICAL: Use optical digital audio cable (TOS)

< The DIGITAL OUT terminals cannot output the digital audio

from Super Audio CDs. Note: For 2 channel SACD audio
output use the analog audio outputs (RCA or XLR
connection outputs).

< The optical terminal is covered by a shutter. Make sure that

the cable is firmly inserted, but do not force the cable when
connecting it or removing it, in order not to cause damage
to the unit.

B

A

RESERVED (slot for i.LINK) terminals

The i.LINK (AUDIO) terminals will become available after a
future hardware upgrade (chargeable and optional
upgrade).

i.LINK (AUDIO): 6pin x 1
i.LINK (AUDIO): 4pin x 1

In addition to digital audio from CD, the digital surround
audio channels from Super Audio CDs can be output from
the i.LINK (AUDIO) terminals.

If you have had this optional upgrade installed, use a
commercially available S400 compatible i.LINK (IEEE1394)
cable (6 pin or 4 pin). To enjoy surround sound from a Super
Audio CD, connect the i.LINK (AUDIO) terminal to a suitably
equipped amplifier such as AZ-1, AI-10 (upgraded, charged),
or D/A converter such as D-01 etc.

For multi-channel audio output, press the 2CH/MULTI
button on the remote control to select “Multi ch”. (page 17)

C

WORD SYNC OUT

FED

8

Word sync connector

This allows the use of an externally-generated word clock
connection, using a commercially available BNC coaxial
cable.
Connect the WORD SYNC OUT terminal on an amplifier AI­10 or word clock generator to this unit.

SIGNAL GND connection

Use a commercially available PVC-covered wire to connect
the signal ground terminal on the unit to the amplifier signal
ground on your amplifier.

< Note that this is NOT an electrical safety ground (earth).

E

D

Connection (2)

Power cord receptacle

After all other connections have been made, insert the
supplied AC power cord into this receptacle, then connect
the other end of the power cord into the wall socket.

< Although the power cord socket is 3 pin type, it is not

connected to chassis.

< Use only the supplied Esoteric power cord. Use of other

power cords may result in fire or electric shock. Unplug the
power cord when you are not going to use the unit for an
extended period of time.

Esoteric uses Esoteric MEXCEL stress-free 7N cables as
reference.
Please see the optionally available Esoteric MEXCEL series.

RCA audio cable XLR digital cable
XLR audio cable BNC digital cable
RCA digital cable Speaker cable

F

BNC coaxial cable

Master clock generator
(AI-10, G-0s, G25U, AZ-1, etc.)

Supplied power cord

Wall socket

9

ENGLISH

Front panel features (Main unit)

POWER

Use this button to turn the unit on and off.
The indicator ring changes depending on the operation status
below:

Blue (on):

The POWER button of the main unit is ON.

Off:

The POWER button of the main unit is OFF.

When you do not use the unit, make sure to turn off the unit.

MODE

Use this button to change settings (page 16) for:

Word sync, Digital filter, DSD setting
When the Word sync is on, the indicator ring blinks and then
lights up fully when the external (optional), clock is detected.

Remote control sensor

Receives signals from the remote control unit. Point the
remote control unit at this sensor when operating the remote
control (page 12).

Front panel display window

D

C

B

A

B C D I JE F G HA

Disc tray

OPEN/CLOSE

Use this button to open and close the disc tray.

STOP

Use this button to stop playback (page 13).
The indicator ring lights in blue in stop mode.

PLAY

Use this button to start playback (page 12).
The indicator ring lights in blue during playback.

PAUSE

Use this button to pause playback (page 13).
The indicator ring lights in blue in pause mode.

SKIP (.//)

Use these buttons for skip operations. Pressing and holding
these buttons for more than a second changes the scanning
speed (page 14).

J

I

H

G

F

E

10

Front panel display

Disc type indicator

Shows the type of disc currently loaded CD or SACD.
Note: This display also lights when DVD video, DVD audio or
Video CD discs are loaded (but playback of these types of discs is
not possible with this unit).

REPEAT indicator

Lights when repeat play mode is selected.

SETUP indicator

Lights in the setup menu mode.

Message area

Alphanumeric display to show times, status messages, etc.

DOWN MIX indicator

Lights to show that a multi-channel audio source has been down
mixed to 2 channels.

MULTI channel indicator (For use with the optional i.LINK
connector)

Lights when the playback mode is set to “Multi ch” (page 17).
If you have optionally upgraded to add the i.LINK connection,
then this indicator will lite when you are in the multi-channel
digital playback mode.

Channel indicators

Lights “L” and “R” during playback of 2-channel stereo sound.
Lights the channels currently in use, during playback of multi­channel sound.

i.LINK indicator

If you have optionally upgraded to add the i.LINK connector, this
indicator will light when the i.LINK output is set to “60958” or
“PCM” (page 17).

h

g

f

e

d

c

b

a

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

11

ENGLISH

Understanding the remote control unit

B

C

D

A

R

E
F

G

I

H

J

K

L

M

N

O

Q

P

S

2CH/MULTI

If you have optionally upgraded to add the i.LINK connection,
then this button will become operational.
Press to select 2-channel stereo or multi-channel surround
audio output (page 17).

SCAN

Press to scan forward and backward during playback (page

13).

STOP (H)

Press to stop playback (page 13).

PLAY (y)

Press to start playback (page 12).

VOLUME

These buttons do not work on the X-05. However, if you use
the X-05 with an Esoteric integrated amplifier and/or specific
Esoteric D/A converters, then these volume controls will
become operational.

INPUT

These buttons do not work on the X-05. However, they can
be used with Esoteric D/A converters and integrated
amplifiers.

DIMMER

Press to select one of four brightness levels for the display and
indicator lamps (page 15).

SETUP

This button does not work on the X-05 (it is only used on
Esoteric audio video disc players for menu setup functions).

OPEN/CLOSE (L)

Use this button to open and close the disc tray (page 13).

CLEAR

Press to clear entry errors.

DISPLAY

Press to change display mode (page 15).

REPEAT

Press to engage the repeat playback mode (page 14).

DVD operation buttons

This button does not work on the X-05 (because the X-05 is a
SACD/CD player only).

SKIP (.//)

Press to skip forward or backward during audio playback
(page 14).

PAUSE (J)

Press to pause disc playback (page 13).

MUTING

This button does not work on the X-05. However, it can be
used with Esoteric D/A converters and integrated amplifiers.

S

R

Q

P

O

N

M

L

K

J

I

H

G

F

E

D

This manual uses the button names of main unit to explain the
operation. However, the same names of the remote control
buttons can also be used the same way.

ON/LIGHT, STANDBY

These buttons do not work on the X-05.

Number buttons

Used to enter the track number for playback.

PLAY AREA

When a hybrid Super Audio CD is loaded and the disc is not
being played, press this button to change the play area of the
disc (page 13).

C

B

A

12

Remote Control Unit

Notes on use

< Point the remote control unit at the main unit’s remote sensor

within seven meters (23 feet) of the main unit. There should
not be any obstacles between the player and the remote
control unit.

< Do not allow direct sun or other light to shine on the remote

sensor part of the main unit. This may cause the remote
control unit to work incorrectly.

< Note that other units with remote controls may operate

incorrectly because of infrared light “overspill” when you
operate this remote control unit.

How to insert the batteries

Remove the cover of the remote control unit with a Philips
screwdriver. After checking the polarity (

+/_) of two AA
batteries, insert the batteries, replace the cover and replace
the screws.

Battery Replacement

If the distance required between the remote control unit and
main unit decreases, the batteries are exhausted. In this case
replace the batteries with new ones.

Precautions concerning batteries

< Be sure to insert the batteries with correct positive “+” and

negative “

_” polarities.

< Use batteries of the same type. Never use different types of

batteries together.

< Rechargeable or non-rechargeable batteries can be used but

not mixed together. Refer to the precautions on their labels.

< When the remote control unit is not to be used for a long

time (more than a month), remove the batteries from the
remote control unit to prevent them from leaking.

< If the batteries leak, wipe away the liquid inside the battery

compartment and replace the batteries with new ones.

Press the POWER button to turn the unit on.

The indicator ring lights in blue.
If the indicator ring is red, press the ON button of the remote
control to turn the unit on (page 11).

Press the OPEN/CLOSE button (L) to open the tray.

The tray opens toward to you.

Insert the disc label side up.

< Make sure the disc is clean, free from scratches and is

centered in the tray in order to avoid any malfunction or
jamming of the tray or damage to the disc.

Press the OPEN/CLOSE button (L) again to close the
tray.

The tray will close. Be careful not to catch your fingers in the
tray.

< The unit then reads the disc (this may take a little time as the

mechanism loads and clamps the disc).

Press the PLAY button (y) to start playback.

During the play mode, the indicator ring of the PLAY button
(

y) lights in blue.

5

4

3

2

1

1 3 54

2

Playback (1)