Auralic Aries (Hardware) - Impressions and Information

[mikey8811]

I presume 4.0.0 sounds the same as 4.0 since it was out only a few days ago?

 

Someone just told me it had more weight to the sound but is unsure which previous firmware he is referencing that against.

 

Mine seems to have updated by itself and my Aries was on from sleep. I couldn't figure out why at first and didn't think of checking the firmware version until the posts here.

[hornytoad]

Version 4.0 is definitely an improvement over 3.3 in terms of audio quality .

Higher resolution .

[vfrpoye]

Hi everyone, I’d like to testify the after sale service i got from Mr Wang :

A month ago i bricked my aries and made a mistake with the invoice document when i sent it to Auralic, the parcel stood in chinese customs for one month before being returned to me (without been repaired). More, UPS claim 30% tax and fees if i want to get back my aries.

Mr Wang kindly send me another aries at a very fair price so that i can give up mine and let it to the customs.

My Aries wasn’t even new (it was a second hand) so i didn’t expect (but really appreciate) such support from Auralic !

Truly a first class service !

[hornytoad]

Hi everyone, I’d like to testify the after sale service i got from Mr Wang :

A month ago i bricked my aries and made a mistake with the invoice document when i sent it to Auralic, the parcel stood in chinese customs for one month before being returned to me (without been repaired). More, UPS claim 30% tax and fees if i want to get back my aries.

Mr Wang kindly send me another aries at a very fair price so that i can give up mine and let it to the customs.

My Aries wasn’t even new (it was a second hand) so i didn’t expect (but really appreciate) such support from Auralic !

Truly a first class service !

 

Nice !

[hornytoad]

I'm listening to my 10 sets of speakers outside - acoustic music -and that is with outside noise and 4.0 is major improvement in audio resolution .

I'm very happy .

Honestly I thought the different would be slight but it's not .

More weight , resolution . I haven't listened to vocals yet but damn I'm impressed .

 

Playback caching and other tweaks does make a difference

[Hauser]

I would also like to thank Auralic for their efforts in improving the sound from Aries. More detail, depth and less glare. Now a more natural and realistic sound. The best upgrade yet.

 

Martin

[Morph]

So, if there is to be PCM - DSD upsampling in the future..... will this feature apply to streaming via Tidal?

[hornytoad]

So, if there is to be PCM - DSD upsampling in the future..... will this feature apply to streaming via Tidal?

 

Interesting question . Not sure .

[Cornan]

So, if there is to be PCM - DSD upsampling in the future..... will this feature apply to streaming via Tidal?

 

Latest firmware did include DSD to PCM resampling...but have you heard that PCM to DSD upsampling is coming in the future? I would be surely be interested in that as well...plus in MQA. :-)

[hornytoad]

Latest firmware did include DSD to PCM resampling...but have you heard that PCM to DSD upsampling is coming in the future? I would be surely be interested in that as well...plus in MQA. :-)

 

PCM to DSD upsampling is coming per Mr Wang but there is no timetable yet as to when .

[2string1]

Does the Aries do cache play back with V4? If yes,doesn't it need a hard drive to do so?

[Axiom05]

Does the Aries do cache play back with V4? If yes,doesn't it need a hard drive to do so?

 

It is not a cache. It is true memory play where the complete track is loaded into memory, not to disc.

[2string1]

Does it do it with radio,Tidal and USB thumb drive? Is it as good as Cache?

[pl_svn]

the Aries has a 4GB "HD"

but I believe caching happens in RAM instead

 

 

 

 

Edit: oops, been slow

[alandbush]

Introducing Memory Cache. Memory Cache feature will pre-load track into device memory (not SSD!) to achieve better sound quality, it also helps to improve streaming stability. Memory Cache size for ARIES/ARIES LE: 512MB; ARIES MINI: 64MB. Tracks with size bigger than the memory cache will be buffered by several segments automatically. Memory Cache function does not work under Internet Radio, AirPlay, Songcast, Bluetooth and Roon input method because of the data is streamed in real time from host device.

 

Extracted from Firmware Version 4.0.0 Build 20160911 – AURALIC LIMITED

[MNG]

Seems like they are trying to lock users in to their LDS control software, which is perhaps understandable given how much they are investing in it. When LDS first came out, you could use it to control other streamer/player devices until one of the firmware upgrades stopped that and you can now only use it to control Aries devices. I'd rather not have to keep changing apps for different devices and, as for my wife, forget it!

 

I understand the strategy and it will suit many, but I think they'll lose some customers along the way. I was close to buying an Altair for my home gym and was also interested in the forthcoming high end Aries - I have two Aries currently. However, I'm not really keen on the direction of travel of late, as well as not liking the fact that they are constantly changing the sound quality. Consequently, I am now using Roon and the microRendu has replaced the Aries in my main system. I've gone from 9 apps to just one and can control all my devices as well as multi room - even my wife really likes it. I was hoping that LDS might have delivered that at one point.

[pl_svn]

I understand the convenience and Roon is great indeed (paid for a lifetime subscribtion and using it most of the time)

though the Aries sounds sensibly better standalone, using Lightning DS, than as "Roon device"

 

 

not to mention only streaming service available in Roon is Tidal which... sorry: during my trial I spent 98% of the time skipping through stuff I didn't like

[Doak]

I understand the convenience and Roon is great indeed (paid for a lifetime subscribtion and using it most of the time)

though the Aries sounds sensibly better standalone, using Lightning DS, than as "Roon device"

 

 

not to mention only streaming service available in Roon is Tidal which... sorry: during my trial I spent 98% of the time skipping through stuff I didn't like

I have a Roon sub that I'm not using at all.

No way I will give up the substantial sonic advantage of playing through LDS - a shame but that's how it is.

Tried to "have my cake n eat in too" by going to a 2 computer setup w mRendu/HQP/Roon but it was a logistical nightmare.

Very happy now back to Aries/LDS for both SQ and interface. I know it can be better and am confident that Auralic will make it so.

[MNG]

I don't get the sound quality is better thing though. To me, the Aries is lacking a degree of transparency and subtlety and replaces that with a bit of bloated bass. Some may prefer that though.

[pl_svn]

To me, the Aries is lacking a degree of transparency and subtlety and replaces that with a bit of bloated bass.

 

exactly all the other way around here

[Doak]

exactly all the other way around here

+1

[davide256]

I don't get the sound quality is better thing though. To me, the Aries is lacking a degree of transparency and subtlety and replaces that with a bit of bloated bass. Some may prefer that though.

 

Since you don't include a system in profile, one can only assume this is a result of some other component or lack of investment in your system...

[MNG]

That is very interesting, I wonder why that is. Maybe system dependent?

 

I have 4 sources (3 now I've taken out the Aries) in my main system, a CD transport, a Melco, the Aries and, more recently, the microRendu. Playing a redbook file, the Melco and the microRendu sound almost indistinguishable from the CD transport playing the same CD that the files were ripped from - all three sound almost exactly alike and I cannot accurately identify one from the other with any degree of certainty. The Aries can be picked out and identified much more readily.

 

Given that the other 3 sources are practically indistinguishable from each other, I can only conclude that they are all delivering the same data cleanly and accurately whilst the Aries is not. I therefore added an SBooster power supply and a W4S Recovery to the Aries and got closer, but still not there. Auralic must agree which is why they plan to release a higher level Aries, which I will be interested to see.

 

What are you guys using as the control source for sound comparison purposes?

[MNG]

Since you don't include a system in profile, one can only assume this is a result of some other component or lack of investment in your system...

 

My main system is:

 

MBL 1521 A CD transport, Melco N-1A, Chord Dave, Chord SPM 1200 MKII, Dali Euphonia MS4, Sennheiser HD800 and HD800S.

 

This is all fed with a balanced power supply and high quality mains.

 

Plus:

Sbooster>Aries>W4S RUR

MCRU>microRendu

 

Does that help at all?

[davide256]

My main system is:

 

MBL 1521 A CD transport, Melco N-1A, Chord SPM 1200 MKII, Dali Euphonia MS4, Sennheiser HD800 and HD800S. This is all fed with a balanced power supply and high quality mains.

 

Plus:

Sbooster>Aries>W4S RUR

MCRU>microRendu

 

Does that help at all?

 

hmm, nice components. I don't want to lead the witness but when you say " To me, the Aries is lacking a degree of transparency and subtlety and replaces that with a bit of bloated bass." are you comparing it unfavorably to the mRendu? If not whats your better reference?

 

Context is so important in audio, thanks for sharing the components used as reference.