Even with the resurgence of turntable playback and the onslaught of digital streaming, CD and SACD players still make the rounds within product cycles. Many big name companies still product high-end players for the audiophile market, and why wouldn’t they? Plenty of stellar recordings exist and there is no doubt a metric ton of enthusiasts out there with large collections just waiting to be played. Legendary Japan-based audio maker Luxman hopes to tap into that market of nostalgia with their newest D-03X digital player.
Now, it wouldn’t be a modern digital playback device without some compatibility for external sources, so the Luxman D-03X is equipped with the standard trifecta of digital connections in addition to acting as a CD spinner. Software side compatibility includes MQA decoding and DSD in from the USB. The optical and coax options of course support high resolution PCM. The USB input also utilizes something called “Bulk Pet” technology for high resolution files. From the press release:
In addition to conventional, “isochronous” file transfers at fixed bitrates, the USB input supports two modes of Bulk Pet® high-resolution audio file transfer. Bulk Pet®, short for ‘Bulk Pure Enhanced Technology®’, optimizes data packaging and delivery to the DAC, easing the processing load for both the host CPU and the device CPU. This in turn reduces the workload between reading and reproduction, thus enhancing playback stability and ultimately yielding improved sound quality.
April 23 Luxman America Press Release
The rear panel is a fairly simple affair, but don’t let the traditional silver box exterior fool you. My previous experience with Luxman gear has been very favorable, packing a ton of complementary tech into the casework which results in some pretty amazing sound, both at audio shows and in the review process.
The Luxman D-03X is recently on the market for a suggested retail price of $3,295. More information, tech and spec can be found on the Luxman site.
