Revised last year in a new SE version, with a Master Sound Discrete DAC redesigned from scratch based on two FPGA chips implemented in dual mono, the K-01XD SE & K-03XD SE CD/SACD players are appearing at the end of this year in a “Black Edition” version limited to 50 units each.
While black versions have always been available occasionally from Esoteric, the Japanese brand has long justified these models with an anniversary, such as a decade to celebrate. More recently, the 05 series, which includes the N-05XD preamplifier-streamer and the K-05XD, has become available in gray or silver as standard, without extending this option to the 03 and 01 series models.
At the end of this year, the K-01XD SE and K-03XD SE are available in black, but in a limited edition. The main reason given by the brand’s teams is that some Americans with McIntosh or Mark Levinson systems would prefer a CD/SACD player with Esoteric’s VRDS-ATLAS mechanism, but are reluctant to invest because they don’t want to spoil their black system with a silver component.
The idea may seem secondary, but this very limited edition will delight users and collectors alike with both sound and image quality. Because while an Esoteric may lose a little of its personality in black, inside, nothing has changed. Both devices maintain some of the most reliable and accurate transport mechanisms on the market (even better on the K-01XD SE with the ATLAS 01, which is 20 mm thick compared to 18 mm on the ATLAS 03). The capacitors still achieve a filtering capacity worthy of the largest mono amplifier blocks, with 26 double-layer super capacitors with a total capacitance of 650,000μF on the K-03XD SE, and almost triple that on the second (71 EDLC; 1,850,000μF)!
Preferably used with their XLR analog outputs, given the perfectly symmetrical structure of the two CD/SACD players, they also have a pair of RCA outputs and two digital outputs, in addition to offering four digital inputs to directly integrate the DAC, notably via a network transport.
With a difference of only a few thousand yen in Japan, the prices of these Black Edition models should remain fairly similar to those of the classic silver versions in Europe, i.e. close to 20 000 € for the K-03XD SE and 29 000 € for the K-01XD SE.
Tested in our issue 60, the Grado Signature HP100SE and S950 are the latest additions to Grado’s headphone catalog. They are now joined by the more affordable S750.
The first to feature the new 50 mm (2 inches) diameter S2 transducers, the S750 combines a composite carbon fiber and paper diaphragm with a lightweight copper-plated aluminum voice coil. Introduced on the HP100SE, the detachable cable system with 4-pin mini-XLR connectors has been retained, but in this version the 6.33 mm jack cable features a lighter and softer Signature Gold braided design. The headphone design allows you to switch to a balanced cable if required.
But if there’s one thing to focus on with this new Grado, it’s the second model of ear pads. Here, the New York brand seems to have listened to the recommendations of its customers and distributors by introducing a new foam design for model B. As we mentioned in our article on the S950, the sound quality became exceptional when the foam pads supplied with the headphones were replaced with leather pads manufactured by ZMF. This is because the B foam pads were too thin and therefore uncomfortable, as well as placing the sound image too close to the ear canal, and the A version (both still included in the packs) was too wide, causing a slight dispersion of the bass. Now, the S750 model comes with B ear pads, which feature foam on the inside of the ear cup to improve comfort, and eight slits to optimize airflow for better sound balance.
Assembled in Brooklyn like the other Signature models, the Grado S750 is more compact and has a smaller headband than the other two models in the series. It is priced at 500 € less than the S950, at 2 000 € (1 695 $), and is available to order from November.
Going even further than the Orfeo Grande, French manufacturer Jean-Marie Reynaud presents a new floorstanding speaker.
Auralis takes its name from a Greek combination of aura, ear (auris) and elevation (alis), with a more modern appearance than the manufacturer’s current floorstanding speakers and a cabinet covered in beautiful wood.
With a 2.5-way design, the Auralis combines an 18 cm (7’’) bass driver with a paper cone treated with seven layers of carbon, with a mid-bass driver also made of paper, but covered with seven layers of carbon and polyetheretherketone, with an aluminum ogive in the center. To energize them, a 38 mm (1.5’’) vented coil is placed behind each membrane. Inherited from the compact Voce Grande, the 120 mm (0.5’’) AST tweeter is based on a pleated diaphragm principle designed to pinch the air between its folds and expel it extremely quickly. It can handle frequencies up to 28 kHz.
The MDF cabinet is covered in Woodscore XO finish with walnut veneer, stained with a polished cognac piano varnish. With a triangular load, this speaker has a nominal impedance of 4 Ω and a sensitivity of 89 dB. It is decoupled from the base by a polymer specifically validated to suppress vibrations. A front-firing port at the bottom allows bass frequencies to be expelled without feedback from the rear wall, down to low frequencies of 35 Hz.
Weighing 45 kg per speaker and measuring 1.15 m in height, the new Auralis remains relatively easy to amplify, with a single pair of terminals on each side at the rear. It is available for pre-order now, with delivery starting in February 2026, at a price of 18 000 €.
A year and a half after launching the Capella active speaker, Triangle has announced a new model for early 2026, at the same price of 2 499 €. Presented in a new English green finish, the Capella 2 also swaps walnut for oak, in addition to retaining the black (now neutral like white), white, and blue models. And while they have also evolved slightly on the passive side, it is mainly the hub that has been modernized.
New Hub 2.1 The hub is now covered with a rubber coating in the same color as the speaker and can be connected to the network via RJ45, whereas the first version only offered Wi-Fi. Based on a 1.5GHz Cortex A53 Quad-Core processor, this hub lives up to its name, as it still allows you to integrate an analog source via the line input and has three optical inputs, one coaxial input, two USB (data & audio) and one HDMI eArc, in addition to an output for connecting the system to a subwoofer. Compatible with Roon, Qobuz Connect, Chromecast and, of course, UPnP, the Capella 2 hub improves its Bluetooth with a AptX 5.2 chip, compared to 4.2 for the previous model. In addition, the Triangle smartphone app allows for automatic calibration of the speakers to the room, which is easy to set up with a small ZEN microphone supplied with the device.
2-way active speakers In addition to the part connected to the hub using WISA technology, these new speakers are of course active and each feature a 2 x 50-watt Class D amplifier. Thanks to this and a DSP to optimize power according to needs, the Capella 2 can freely express both speakers. The horn tweeter (TZ2530MG) is now based on a new 25 mm magnesium/aluminum alloy dome, while frequencies below 3.6 kHz are handled by a 16.5 cm midrange driver with a natural cellulose pulp cone. The bass also benefits from airflow directed downward by a vertical vent, which also allows the speakers to be placed relatively close to a rear wall. Matching stands in five finishes are available as an option for 279 € per pair, with the speakers themselves remaining at the same price as the first Capella models, namely 2 499 € per pair.
The LP12 from Scottish manufacturer Linn can be upgraded over time and now features a new separate power supply and a new counterweight on the Sondek version, available separately for retrofitting on previous models.
Klimax Radikal With a new digitally controlled motor, the new Klimax Radikal power supply further improves the quality of the turntable’s rotation, bringing it as close as possible to 33.1/3 rpm. Its internal Utopik power supply has two separate rails, so that it can power not only the motor, but also the Urika phono stage on the Sondek LP12 if required. Cushioned behind the front panel, this power supply is encapsulated to prevent any interference with the digital circuits, in a chassis machined from three pieces of solid aluminum, placed on stainless steel feet with rubber reinforcements. Weighing almost 14 kg, this Klimax Radikal case promises even better performance than its predecessor, particularly in terms of finesse and bass response.
Keel SE Superior in quality to the Majik and the Kore, the Keel sub-chassis already allowed you to upgrade your LP12 without breaking the bank. Now, it has been further improved in terms of resonance behavior and mass distribution. Manufactured using FEA (Finite Element Analysis) technology and precision machinery, the Keel SE is reinforced by a complex structure in the lower part, which makes it 300% stiffer than the previous model. Thanks to this greatly optimized vibration control, the new sub-chassis can dissipate unwanted acoustic energy much more effectively, thereby smoothing the signal delivered by the cartridge. As it was conceived after the Karousel, a particular attention has been paid to the path between the mounting point of this bearing and the tonearm collar. This area between the two elements has been considerably reinforced to ensure that any changes in geometry during playback are minimized, thereby reducing tracking distortion. Thanks to the machining of aluminum in calculated areas under the platter, the Keel SE has a more balanced center of gravity on its suspension. This improves the weight distribution between the springs and reduces inertia. And since we at VUmètre have a Sondek LP12, we will try to tell you more very soon, in order to verify the performance of these new components and let you know which of the two elements to invest in first. And besides, the price may be the deciding factor, since the Keel SE is priced at £4 250 / 5 060 € / $6 215 and the Klimax Radikal at £11 500 / €13 680 / $16 820.
