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Esoteric Audio Video Show 2026: Grandioso K1XE World Premiere

Esoteric unveils the Grandioso K1XE worldwide at one of the three largest Hi-Fi shows on Earth

Marco Lisi by Marco Lisi
October 22, 2026
in News, Events
Reading Time: 3 mins read
Esoteric Grandioso K1XE flagship Super Audio CD player and DAC

Esoteric Audio Video Show 2026 marks the brand’s biggest Warsaw appearance yet: Esoteric is heading to the Polish capital for Audio Video Show 2026, one of the three largest Hi-Fi shows in the world, running October 23 to 25 across three venues — the PGE Narodowy (National Stadium), Hotel Radisson Blu Sobieski and Hotel Golden Tulip.

  • Esoteric Audio Video Show 2026: a world premiere for the Grandioso K1XE
  • Three rooms, three different line-ups
  • What the K1XE brings to the Audio Video Show 2026 room
  • Key specifications

Esoteric Audio Video Show 2026: a world premiere for the Grandioso K1XE

The headline reason to stop by Esoteric’s booths at Audio Video Show 2026: the brand is unveiling its new flagship Super Audio CD player, the Grandioso K1XE, for the first time worldwide, shown simultaneously in Warsaw and at the Tokyo International Audio Show 2026. The K1XE pairs Esoteric’s proprietary VRDS-ATLAS Super Audio CD transport with the next-generation Master Sound Discrete DAC G2, a fully in-house discrete D/A converter built around a dual-mono architecture with five independent linear power supplies. We covered the launch in detail in our full Grandioso K1XE story; at Audio Video Show 2026, visitors get to hear it in person, often alongside its optional partner, the new Grandioso PS1XE external power supply.

Esoteric Audio Video Show 2026: Grandioso K1XE Super Audio CD player
Grandioso K1XE, making its world premiere at Audio Video Show 2026

Three rooms, three different line-ups

Esoteric is spreading its Audio Video Show 2026 presence across three sites in Warsaw. At Booth SkyBox 101 in the National Stadium, the brand shows the Grandioso K1XE alongside the Grandioso N1, Grandioso G1X, Grandioso C1X and Grandioso M1X, plus the T-01 turntable and E-02 phonostage. At SkyBox 138, also in the stadium, Esoteric exhibits the recently launched N-01XE network DAC together with the F-01 and F-02 integrated amplifiers and the K-01XD SE and N-01XD SE digital players. A third room, 515 at the Hotel Radisson Blu Sobieski, hosts the Black Edition versions of the G-05, N-05XE and K-05XD, alongside the 7N-DA3100ES MEXCEL cable. Splitting the line-up this way lets visitors hear very different price points and use cases without crowding a single room, from entry-level Black Edition electronics up to the full Grandioso reference system.

Esoteric Grandioso K1XE Super Audio CD player, angled view
The Grandioso K1XE’s VRDS-ATLAS transport and dual-mono DAC architecture

What the K1XE brings to the Audio Video Show 2026 room

The Grandioso K1XE’s dual-mono DAC configuration, together with its five independent linear power supplies, is built to deliver what Esoteric describes as a full-bodied, vinyl-like sound from a digital source. A new ES-Link 5 digital input lets it pair with the Grandioso N1T streaming transport, and the whole system can be expanded further with the Grandioso PS1XE external power supply shown alongside it on the stand, or the Grandioso G1X master clock generator for even tighter timing. For a brand built around in-house transport and DAC engineering, a show like Audio Video Show 2026 is also a chance to demonstrate that heritage directly, rather than through spec sheets alone: the VRDS-ATLAS mechanism and discrete DAC circuitry are both points Esoteric designs and manufactures entirely itself.

Esoteric Grandioso K1XE with Grandioso PS1XE external power supply
Grandioso K1XE paired with the new Grandioso PS1XE external power supply

Key specifications

  • Audio Video Show 2026: October 23-25, PGE Narodowy, Hotel Radisson Blu Sobieski, Hotel Golden Tulip, Warsaw
  • World premiere: Grandioso K1XE Super Audio CD player/DAC
  • Grandioso K1XE: VRDS-ATLAS transport, Master Sound Discrete DAC G2, dual-mono, 5 independent linear power supplies
  • Also on show: Grandioso N1, G1X, C1X, M1X, T-01, E-02, N-01XE, F-01, F-02, K-01XD SE, N-01XD SE, Black Edition G-05/N-05XE/K-05XD
  • Admission: PLN60 (one day) / PLN90 (three days)
Esoteric Grandioso K1XE rear panel with digital inputs and outputs
Rear panel: ES-Link, XLR, optical and USB digital connectivity

For anyone planning a Warsaw trip around Esoteric Audio Video Show 2026, the three-room spread means budgeting time across the National Stadium and the Radisson Blu Sobieski to catch the full range, from the Black Edition electronics to the Grandioso K1XE itself. Tickets and the full show schedule are available through the official Audio Video Show website.

Tags: Esoteric
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Marco Lisi

Marco Lisi

Publisher

Marco Lisi is the publisher of Best of High End, part of AV Concepts BV. His path into audio started early: as a teenager he was drawn into the world of free radio, presenting shows and living immersed in music every day. In his early twenties he ran his own production studio for five years, creating jingles and commercials — hands-on training in sound design, pro-audio workflows, and critical listening through studio monitors that still shapes how he evaluates gear today. He also spent years DJing in clubs before moving into publishing, first at two earlier online magazines before founding Best of High End. His hi-fi and home cinema passion was inherited from his father, an inveterate system-swapper. Marco's first setup — a confirmation gift — paired AKAI separates with entry-level Bowers & Wilkins speakers, a brand he stayed loyal to for years as his system grew from stereo into full surround and home cinema. Like many enthusiasts, he went through an extended "audiophile" phase chasing the next upgrade, before settling into a more grounded view: gear as a means to enjoy music and film, not an end in itself. Years of critical listening have given him a well-trained ear — the ability to characterize a system or pinpoint a change in the chain quickly and accurately. Just as important, his teaching background (a Belgian "regent" degree in Dutch language) gives him the tools to translate those listening impressions into clear, readable writing.

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