Auralic Aries (Hardware) - Impressions and Information

[miguelito]

by soft you mean software?

no: the Audiophilleo is an hardware USB to S/PDIF converter

Ah yes, thx.

[miguelito]

I was under the impression that RCA to BNC on the same cable introduced inconsistencies which impaired the SQ. A more accurate transport is achieved either BNC only or RCA only. In any event, coax is my least favoured input on the Dave. I didn't much like it on my DSX1000 either, which was also BNC. On previous equipment, I don't recall disliking it and there was no BNC/RCA involved, all terminals were RCA.

No, the impedance is the same and no it doesn't matter that one end is RCA, the other BNC.

[MNG]

No, the impedance is the same and no it doesn't matter that one end is RCA, the other BNC.

 

Ok. That is not what I have been told by a couple of cable suppliers, but I've learnt that nothing is straightforward.

[Doak]

Did you follow the setup on Audiostream? Think I will try that too - pretty low barrier to entry.

 

But seriously there is no end to this stuff and I will probably stop there. Getting sick of the litany of extra "fixers", power supplies, cables, etc that are in a big mess behind the rack...

Yep,,, on its way.

[Jay Tee]

Really is a bit much. I ordered some fiber optic ethernet conversion equip today ... that'll prob benefit from LPSUs too!! There truly does appear to be no end to this stuff.

 

Doak

I'm very interested in trying this stuff as well, so let us know what you get, how you set it up and how it performs.

[wanta911]

I just updated to Beta 6:

 

 

Current Beta Version: 4.0.Beta6 (Released on 22nd July 2016)

Fixes since Version 4.0.Beta4:

 

• Fix the issue that click 'next' track icon in App lead to device not responding (reboot required) when device queue contains only one track while playback mode has been set as shuffle play.
  
• Fix the issue that changing LED status to 'Always On' will not light up LED (ARIES MINI).
  
• Fix the issue that floating point type of WAV wont play under 4.0.Beta firmware.
  
• Fix the issue that MP3 radio station will play with strange noise.
  
• Fix the issue that particular AIF files won't play.
  
• Fix the issue the Qobuz track may not play properly under bad network connection.
  
• Fix the issue that Lightning DS wont pop error message if the USB DAC is been unplugged or non responding during playback session.
  
• Fix the issue the device will update automatically without giving user notification when use as Roon endpoint
  
• 
  

Improvement since Version 4.0.Beta4:

 

• Bump Roon RAAT version to 1.1.1.
  
• Bump audio decoder version to 3.1.1.
  
• 
  

Known Issues:

 

• DSD to PCM resampler (disable DSD over PCM option) has not yet been added in current firmware.
  
• 
  

[wanta911]

No, the impedance is the same and no it doesn't matter that one end is RCA, the other BNC.

 

From a strictly technical perspective an RCA plug can not achieve 75ohm impedance whereas (the right) BNC can. In fact most RCA plugs are lucky to be 50ohm.

 

Is There Such a Thing as a 75 Ohm RCA Plug? -- Blue Jeans Cable

 

From a real life perspective does it really make an audible difference? I dunno.....

[mikey8811]

Do let us know if it bricks your unit OK?

 

I just updated to Beta 6:

 

 

Current Beta Version: 4.0.Beta6 (Released on 22nd July 2016)

Fixes since Version 4.0.Beta4:

 

• Fix the issue that click 'next' track icon in App lead to device not responding (reboot required) when device queue contains only one track while playback mode has been set as shuffle play.
  
• Fix the issue that changing LED status to 'Always On' will not light up LED (ARIES MINI).
  
• Fix the issue that floating point type of WAV wont play under 4.0.Beta firmware.
  
• Fix the issue that MP3 radio station will play with strange noise.
  
• Fix the issue that particular AIF files won't play.
  
• Fix the issue the Qobuz track may not play properly under bad network connection.
  
• Fix the issue that Lightning DS wont pop error message if the USB DAC is been unplugged or non responding during playback session.
  
• Fix the issue the device will update automatically without giving user notification when use as Roon endpoint
  

Improvement since Version 4.0.Beta4:

 

• Bump Roon RAAT version to 1.1.1.
  
• Bump audio decoder version to 3.1.1.
  

Known Issues:

 

• DSD to PCM resampler (disable DSD over PCM option) has not yet been added in current firmware.
  

[wanta911]

Working fine....but I use wifi

[mikey8811]

Working fine....but I use wifi

 

 

Me too. I prefer that to ethernet. I'll try it this weekend.

 

Actually, come to think of it I may not need the ethernet isolation if I stick with the Aries.

[miguelito]

From a strictly technical perspective an RCA plug can not achieve 75ohm impedance whereas (the right) BNC can. In fact most RCA plugs are lucky to be 50ohm.

 

Is There Such a Thing as a 75 Ohm RCA Plug? -- Blue Jeans Cable

 

From a real life perspective does it really make an audible difference? I dunno.....

Ok understood. This is likely because the geometry of the BNC connector is much stricter than the RCA connector. So it's easier to deviate from the spec'ed 75 Ohm in the RCA case (especially unimportant for analog audio signals where an impedance mismatch is not an issue for the bandwidth at hand). But as you say, there are RCA connectors made to spec.

[miguelito]

I just updated to Beta 6:

 

Current Beta Version: 4.0.Beta6 (Released on 22nd July 2016)

Any chance you could add HQPlayer's NAA to this?

[mikey8811]

Any chance you could add HQPlayer's NAA to this?

 

Like you, many have been asking for this. But Auralic doesnt seem to think it is important. By the time they get around to doing it, it probably won't matter anymore because most of the folk here will have decamped for the microRendu or something else that does it by default.

[MNG]

From a strictly technical perspective an RCA plug can not achieve 75ohm impedance whereas (the right) BNC can. In fact most RCA plugs are lucky to be 50ohm.

From a real life perspective does it really make an audible difference? I dunno.....

 

In my experience, yes it definitely does.

[wanta911]

In my experience, yes it definitely does.

 

I use digital room correction followed by a re-clocker after my Aries, that gives me the opportunity to use a digital BNC/BNC cable to my DAC. The SQ is great and I have never A/B'd this with an RCA/BNC cable despite having the opportunity to do so with the connection options, I can't see the point in comparing to a technically inferior option. Maybe I'll try it one day when I'm bored but frankly......I'm tired of all the connection tweaking stuff especially after all the early USB crap I went through - just enjoying the music.

 

It's interesting that you hear a definite difference, it reinforces my reluctance

[MNG]

I have seen others say that they prefer the Aries via AES. I have never used that output so I have tested mine today, albeit using my Aries LE with the full Aries LPS - my main Aries is en route back to China having been inconveniently bricked by beta update 4.05.

 

My system is Chord Dave DAC > Chord SPM 1200 MKII power amp > Dali Euphonia MS4 loudspeakers. Everything has been built and upgraded over a few years around the speakers.

 

I ran the Aries into the Dave using optical and AES, played some high resolution files from my Melco NAS which connects to the Aries using Melco Ethernet cable. Comparing is easy as I can just switch seamlessly between inputs using the Dave's remote control - you do not hear the input switch at all, so it is great for testing.

 

My wife could hear no difference at all, and she usually can. I thought that I could detect a subtle difference and would put the AES over optical at a level of 100% to 97% but admit that I could not reliably identify either on a blind test. Interestingly, the optical cable was the one that came free with the Dave whilst the AES cable costs £3,000! (it's not mine but on loan). Easy choice there anyway I think.

 

Running my MBL 1521A CD transport into Dave via coax using an Atlas Mavros Ultra cable terminated RCA>BNC, then the difference compared to the same AES cable is significant, easy to tell and, once you've heard AES, you would not choose to go back to Coax.

 

Final point, the MBL over AES definitely sounds better than the Aries over optical. The MBL (just) edges it over the Melco by USB as well, so those citing the death of CD players may be slightly premature imo!

 

This may be of no interest or use to anybody but I thought I would share it anyway.

[2string1]

What are the two USB ports on the Aries for? One says DAC and the other USB.

[MNG]

What are the two USB ports on the Aries for? One says DAC and the other USB.

 

One connects out to your DAC, the other connects to a hard disk drive and operates like a NAS.

[2string1]

One connects out to your DAC, the other connects to a hard disk drive and operates like a NAS.

So do you go out the DAC port to a DAC? does it really make a difference which you use.

[MNG]

Yes.

[2string1]

Thanks... A lot of people say AES is the way to go. Why did Wang tell me USB is the best sounding into my Vega?

[hornytoad]

Thanks... A lot of people say AES is the way to go. Why did Wang tell me USB is the best sounding into my Vega?

 

Maybe it is . Imo each dac has an output that is better than the others . With my Yggy , I believe

AES is the best one to use .

[MNG]

Maybe it is . Imo each dac has an output that is better than the others . With my Yggy , I believe

AES is the best one to use .

 

Yes, I agree, I think it is often DAC dependent but also output and cables can come into play. The Dave is very consistent in relation to source and many others seem to have a similar opinion, most of whom have been through far more DAC's than I have.

[MNG]

Thanks... A lot of people say AES is the way to go. Why did Wang tell me USB is the best sounding into my Vega?

 

It probably is, I was told that as well. The designer of the Dave reckons USB is the best input for that as well. I will try the Aries by USB when I get my main unit fixed and returned.

[mikey8811]

I am trying firmware beta 4.0.6 now.

 

Is it just me or does it sound even cleaner than 4.0.4? The bass has tightened up a notch and everything sounds more open BUT the highs are now more strident than before and there is some treble sibilance that wasn't there with 4.0.4.

 

I think I prefer 4.0.4 overall.