Auralic Aries (Hardware) - Impressions and Information

[Morph]

[h=1]Beta Firmware Release Notice[/h]Current Beta Version: 4.1.Beta2 (Released on 25th November 2016)

New Features since 4.1.Beta1:

 

• Introducing advanced Software Volume Control function. The newly designed software volume control now use 64bit fixed-point calculation precision with proper dither algorithm to optimize the sound quality. You should expect great sound quality improvement when use software volume control when play 16bit and 24bit material. For ARIES MINI, ALTAIR and POLARIS customers whom use internal DAC (use analog output), we suggest you to keep Software Volume Control option at OFF position so as to use internal DAC's volume for best sound quality.
  

Fixes since 4.1.Beta1:

 

• ALTAIR could not read USB disk after resume from sleep mode.
  

[Morph]

And very nice it is too!

Thank you Auralic.

[2string1]

I don't know much about this Beta thing, I thought a Beta was a trial version of a program! Why Beta 2 when Beta 1 is still here?

[Morph]

I don't know much about this Beta thing, I thought a Beta was a trial version of a program! Why Beta 2 when Beta 1 is still here?

 

Guessing but it's likely to allow users the choice between the Beta versions that are available. Also gives a flavour of the progress being made in firmware upgrades as they are released.

[mjb]

Beta 2 will generally fix bugs present in the new features offered by Beta 1... and so on. Except, in this case, there's another new feature :-)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Computer Audiophile

[scan80269]

4.1.0 firmware for Aries family (also Altair & Polaris) is out:

 

Firmware Version 4.1.0 Build 20161128 – AURALIC LIMITED

[Jay Tee]

4.1.0 firmware for Aries family (also Altair & Polaris) is out:

Firmware Version 4.1.0 Build 20161128 – AURALIC LIMITED

 

Any sound improvement (or otherwise) feedback as yet on these Aries firmware upgrades?

[hornytoad]

Any sound improvement (or otherwise) feedback as yet on these Aries firmware upgrades?

 

I don't detect any difference . I don't use software volume control.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[Cornan]

I don't detect any difference . I don't use software volume control.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

+1 on both

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Computer Audiophile mobile app

[Jay Tee]

I don't detect any difference . I don't use software volume control.

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

Aren't you curious about the potential improvement that removing a preamp may bring?

 

My Aries has been returned to Auralic for service and I'm anxious to have it back to hear how well they have implemented their software volume control.

[Hauser]

Hi Jay Tee,

 

I have been having some reliability issues with my Aries recently. Its brain gets confused at times when connecting the USB hard drive. May I ask whether you have had similar issues prompting the service.

 

Regards,

Martin.

[mjb]

My Aries has been returned to Auralic for service and I'm anxious to have it back to hear how well they have implemented their software volume control.

There's not much in there to "service", did your unit break?

[Jay Tee]

Hi Jay Tee,

 

I have been having some reliability issues with my Aries recently. Its brain gets confused at times when connecting the USB hard drive. May I ask whether you have had similar issues prompting the service.

Regards,

Martin.

Martin,

 

In my case the LCD screen went haywire and this seemed to be symptomatic of a deeper issue which prevented me from playing music. The irony is, with the v4.0 firmware upgrade I was getting my best sound ever!

[mjb]

Aren't you curious about the potential improvement that removing a preamp may bring?

I'm not sure I'd ever 100% trust a s/w volume control, the danger of sending full whack to the speakers is just too high. If removing an active pre-amp is the goal, I'd still want to use a passive volume control, set maybe to 50%, for protection. Otherwise, I'd just regard the s/w control a convenience for when you can't reach for the main volume control.

[soundlogic]

My Aries has been trying to go through the update process for 3 days now! I clicked the yes button to update on the lighting app, and it seems to be stuck. I reached out to Auralic on Saturday and have yet to hear back from them. I am afraid to cut the power, and reset, for obvious reasons, but I fear I have no choice.Anyone else have an issue? Suggestions?

thanks; Tim

[soundlogic]

Problem solved, thanks to Chris at Auralic support.

[hemidemisemiquaver]

Hi Jay Tee,

I am a beta tester also and I was interested to see if these was any audio improvement using the Software Volume Control (SVC) function. I do not use a pre-amp in my system, but regulate the volume on my Auralic Vega dac usually keeping the setting between 60 to 70 (320 kbs internet radio) and 70 to 100 (16, 24 bit, DSD). I did find an appreciable improvement in now having the Vega dac aways at 100 (i.e. no bit truncation) and regulating the volume with the SVC.

Like "mjb" I was iniatially concerned about the risk of sending "a full whack" to the speakers, especially as the SVC is very sensitive to any slight adjustment on the slider control (the volume doesn't change until you lift your finger off the iPad).

My observations in the improvement in sound quality is a wider soundstage and tighter control in the bass. There is also more separation between instruments & voices using the Vega at 100.

I am not talking massive improvements (cacheing into the Aries was the big one), but I still believe it is a worthwhile improvement and definitely trying for yourself.

[scan80269]

Hi Jay Tee,

I am a beta tester also and I was interested to see if these was any audio improvement using the Software Volume Control (SVC) function. I do not use a pre-amp in my system, but regulate the volume on my Auralic Vega dac usually keeping the setting between 60 to 70 (320 kbs internet radio) and 70 to 100 (16, 24 bit, DSD). I did find an appreciable improvement in now having the Vega dac aways at 100 (i.e. no bit truncation) and regulating the volume with the SVC.

Like "mjb" I was iniatially concerned about the risk of sending "a full whack" to the speakers, especially as the SVC is very sensitive to any slight adjustment on the slider control (the volume doesn't change until you lift your finger off the iPad).

My observations in the improvement in sound quality is a wider soundstage and tighter control in the bass. There is also more separation between instruments & voices using the Vega at 100.

I am not talking massive improvements (cacheing into the Aries was the big one), but I still believe it is a worthwhile improvement and definitely trying for yourself.

 

Thanks for your comments. My friend and I have the same Aries Femto/Vega setup, so I will ask him to try the Aries SVC instead of the Vega DAC volume control. His system has high resolution so he should be able to hear a difference.

[Chopsrr]

Is it just me or is Tidal no longer allowing albums to be played in "repeat" mode on the Aries? I have the latest versions of firmware and DS. I used to play an album over and over for however long I wanted, but now it only plays once and stops.

 

I've been playing the same album for the past 15 hours from my NAS, so I know it's not the Aries.

[Jay Tee]

Hi Jay Tee,

I do not use a pre-amp in my system, but regulate the volume on my Auralic Vega dac usually keeping the setting between 60 to 70 (320 kbs internet radio) and 70 to 100 (16, 24 bit, DSD). I did find an appreciable improvement in now having the Vega dac aways at 100 (i.e. no bit truncation) and regulating the volume with the SVC.

My observations in the improvement in sound quality is a wider soundstage and tighter control in the bass. There is also more separation between instruments & voices using the Vega at 100.

Thanks Hemi for your feedback. It's the kind of experience I would expect. I would like to have heard as well from other Aries owners who use the SVC with not even the built-in preamp stage you still have in the Vega.

 

I've got my Aries back, but it's brand new (Auralic are wonderful that way), so I'm running it in before removing my preamp and trying the SVC.

 

My preamp is pretty costly for me and if the Aries can produce better sound without it....

[Booster MPS]

Seems like we should be hearing more about the update to the Aries hardware that was teased mid 2016. Would it make sense to hear more on that from CES or is there another show this winter/spring that they have revealed updates. AXPONA?

[mjb]

Auralic won't be at CES, hopefully we'll see something at AXPONA.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Computer Audiophile

[Chopsrr]

Is it just me or is Tidal no longer allowing albums to be played in "repeat" mode on the Aries? I have the latest versions of firmware and DS. I used to play an album over and over for however long I wanted, but now it only plays once and stops.

I've been playing the same album for the past 15 hours from my NAS, so I know it's not the Aries.

 

Anybody?... It also never plays an album all the way through either. Tried two different known good routers and now even wired directly with brand new CAT6 cable.

[scan80269]

Anybody?... It also never plays an album all the way through either. Tried two different known good routers and now even wired directly with brand new CAT6 cable.

I'm not 100% certain, but this is possibly related to an issue I reported to Auralic with my Aries Mini getting hit by playback interruptions, especially at (but not limited to) 100Mbps networking speed. This was with the Mini running the latest 4.1.0 firmware. Auralic has apparently reproduced and diagnosed the issue and working on a fix to be available in the next beta firmware. It looks like this issue occurs throughout the whole Aries family of streamers.

 

I'd guess the inability to play an album all the way through has got nothing to do with your HW setup. We'll need to be patient to wait for Auralic to release a beta firmware to squash this bug. I have already configured my Aries Mini to download beta firmware and will report test results to Auralic.

[pl_svn]

Yes: during Lightning DS beta I reported that my Aries (femto) was *sometimes* stopping playback after first track of an album

It happens when I start playback, from Qobuz streaming, using the small "play" icon on album's cover

 

I was told it's an Aries firmware issue, not Lightning DS'