" ESOTERIC's 20th anniversary combo - a new product range enabling ownership for a wider variety of audiophiles. Without sacrificing quality, the ESOTERIC “10 Series” provides proprietary technology and premium performance in a newly designed system implementation. "
Monday 23 June 2008
By Nigel Crump
In celebration of Esoteric’s 20th anniversary...
Innovative, advanced, sublime...
SA-10
Super Audio CD / CD Player
VOSP Mechanism | VOSP (Vertically-aligned Optical Stability Platform), features a specially designed shaft-mounted laser pickup assembly. This pickup system evolved from ESOTERIC’s P-01 and P-03 transports. This pickup design ensures that the laser optical axis is always at the center of the data track for optimal reading capability. With VOSP implementation, no off axis error correction is needed because no off axis data tracking is allowed.
2 channel dedicated analog audio output /Precise imaging and deeper sound stage | The D/A converter incorporate Cirrus Logic’s 24-bit / 192 kHz processing DAC device, model CS4398 in a dual mono configuration. The analog audio output circuits are also in a dual mono configuration producing exceptionally good channel separation. This 2 channel dedicated circuit design contributes to precise imaging and a deeper sound stage for the SA-10.
Rich and high speed power-supply capability | The large toroidal transformer has highly efficient power supply capability. This provides electric power to the drive mechanism and audio circuits very quickly, without adding noise or distortion to the internal circuitry.
Word synchronization | The SA-10 features a WORD SYNC input terminal to accept an incoming external WORD clock signal. The input can operate with 44.1/88.2/176.4 kHz clock signals. The unit can also operate using an ESOTERIC original 100 kHz Universal Clock signal. The incoming ultra-stable clock signal produced by external components such as the AI-10 or a master clock generator effectively upgrades the unit, delivering even better performance with greater definition, transparency and imaging.
High rigid chassis construction made with thick aluminum plates | The front panel is made from thick extruded aluminum, top panel
(T 5mm), and side panels (T 4mm), are also made from aluminum. This highly rigid chassis construction reduces vibrations and resonance. Screws hidden from exterior view, torqued to specific tolerance, help to further reduce vibration and compliment the SA-10 high end Cosmetic.
Highly stable center mounted drive mechanism | The disc drive mechanism is mounted in the center of the chassis and the chassis is supported by three metal feet to create an optimally stable platform.
Optional i.LINK audio interface | Optional i.LINK interface provides digital transmission capability of high grade Super Audio CD’s multi-channel signals to other i.LINK equipped devices such as a multi-channel D/A converter or A/V surround sound processor.
Slim remote control with illumination keys | Aluminum body remote control fits comfortably in your hands with moderate weight. Keys are illuminated for low light or no light conditions.
Quality, design, elegance...
AI-10
Digital Integrated Amplifier, A/D Converter
and Master Clock Sync Generator
Digital amplifier for high purity sound | The AI-10 incorporates ESOTERIC’s highly acclaimed D/A converter and clock technology to reproduce high speed and pure sound with exceptional resolution and density. AI-10 also incorporates TI (Texas Instruments), PWM processor (Pulse width modulation), which has an excellent error correction algorithm for signal processing. The AI-10 has highly efficient speaker driving ability and very high resolution thanks to its direct digital amplification throughout the signal path.
The latest MOS-FET for highly efficient speaker driving ability | MOS-FET is a key component in digital amplifiers and the AI-10 features the latest generation having ultra-high speed / high current processing capability Combined with a large toroidal power supply, speaker driving efficiency is highly optimised.
Large toroidal power supply and capacitors | The large toroidal transformer has a high power handling capacity of 205 VA, supplying electric power very quickly, without adding noise or distortion to internal circuits. The AI-10 uses very large capacitors rated at 36,000 μF (18,000 μF x 2 pieces), capacity per channel. With these rich power supply components, the AI-10 has a high power output capacity of 150 Watt + 150 Watt / 8 ohms (max).
Word synchronization | The AI-10 features a WORD SYNC output terminal to work as a master clock generator accurate to +/- 1 ppM. The output signal covers 44.1/88.2/176.4/48/96/192kHz clock signal frequencies. The AI-10 can also output an ESOTERIC original 100 kHz Universal Clock signal. With the word synchronization function connected to the SA-10 or other source devices, the system will deliver even better performance with improvement in transparency, separation, depth and imaging.
Optional i.LINK (AUDIO) interface | Optional i.LINK interface provides digital transmission capability of high grade Super Audio CD’s multi-channel signals to other i.LINK equipped devices such as multi-channel D/A converter or A/V surround sound processor.
Highly functional input / output terminals |
- Analog audio input: unbalanced RCA x3 (Inc. phono (MM) / line convertible input x1) / balanced XLR x1
- Digital audio input: coaxial x1 / optical x1
- German made high quality WBT speaker terminal x1
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Esoteric, SA-10, SA10, Ai-10, AI10, Super Audio, SACD, CD, DAC, Integrated, Amplifier, VOSP Mechanism, Word synchronization, thick aluminum plates, i.LINK, Digital amplifier, MOS-FET, toroidal transformer, Symmetry, Nigel Crump,
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