Auralic Aries (Hardware) - Impressions and Information

[alnaln]

Hello all. Have upgraded from a Mini to an Aries. Seeing some strange behavior in the Settings in LDS. Different choices from the Mini. I get that. But I make a setting for the Aries and the next time I look it has changed. Example - set AirPlay and Roon to Off. Next time in both are On. Also after enabling DAC Delay for 2 seconds, next time in DAC Delay is Off. Aries is connected to a Vega DAC by only a USB cable. LDS reports Output = ARIES Digital Outputs. I originally set it for Auralic USB Audio, and sound is coming out of the speakers. I have tried several hard resets and gotten the "Return to Default" message and reconfigured from scratch. Keeps on shifting settings. Weird. Is anyone else experiencing similar behavior? LDS v4.1. Aries firmware 4.1.0. iPhone 6 and iPad Air 2 iOS 10.2.1. Any comments or help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[hornytoad]

Hello all. Have upgraded from a Mini to an Aries. Seeing some strange behavior in the Settings in LDS. Different choices from the Mini. I get that. But I make a setting for the Aries and the next time I look it has changed. Example - set AirPlay and Roon to Off. Next time in both are On. Also after enabling DAC Delay for 2 seconds, next time in DAC Delay is Off. Aries is connected to a Vega DAC by only a USB cable. LDS reports Output = ARIES Digital Outputs. I originally set it for Auralic USB Audio, and sound is coming out of the speakers. I have tried several hard resets and gotten the "Return to Default" message and reconfigured from scratch. Keeps on shifting settings. Weird. Is anyone else experiencing similar behavior? LDS v4.1. Aries firmware 4.1.0. iPhone 6 and iPad Air 2 iOS 10.2.1. Any comments or help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

I have seen this . Don't really know if there is a solution .

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Computer Audiophile

[alnaln]

Thanks hornytoad.

I'm not going crazy(ier).

Have you experienced this behavior prior to the latest frimware/software releases?

[hornytoad]

Thanks hornytoad.

I'm not going crazy(ier).

Have you experienced this behavior prior to the latest frimware/software releases?

 

The issue has been going on for over a year , so yes well before the

last update

[pl_svn]

are you turning your Aries off and on?

are you on latest firmware (4.1)?

[hornytoad]

are you turning your Aries off and on?

are you on latest firmware (4.1)?

I never turn mine off and I can go into settings and see the Roon switch off and I know I never turned it off !

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[pl_svn]

only happened once, here, after the reboot that followed fw 4.1 update

 

tried contacting Aralic support?

[alnaln]

I never turn mine off either.

 

I am currently in contact with support.

Will post what Auralic provides that works.

 

After the last reset I had to reset my display as it was unresponsive.

I make the change to shut off AirPlay and the Aries restarts and loses its name, reverting back to its serial number as identifier, Output is changed to Aries Digital Output and DAC Delay is off.

 

And the circle begins again.

 

FW 4.1.0

 

After hornytoad's post these issues existed prior to 4.x firmware release.

 

Any others' experiences are welcome.

[George Hincapie]

Are any UK Aries owners here? I am trying to decide between the MCRU/LongDog Audio LPSU and the SBooster. Has anyone tried both and compared them?

 

Also, what are you guys doing for isolation? ATM it's just resting on my oak rack - any sonic improvement to putting it on granite/slate or something else?

 

I am using SPDIF to my Metrum DAC, but I am about to upgrade to the Menuet and can then use AES. What AES cable is recommended?

 

I am also buying an Aries Mini for my headphone station. Is the normal Auralic LPSU sufficient to run it well or should I buy aftermarket? It will be the bare unit with no fitted storage.

 

Many Thanks.

[pabe12]

I am using SPDIF to my Metrum DAC, but I am about to upgrade to the Menuet and can then use AES. What AES cable is recommended?

 

I'm using an Audioquest Carbon XLR cable with my Metrum Pavane. Works really well.

[MNG]

I found the Sbooster to be an improvement over the Aries power supply. I can't comment on the others that you mention, but the Sbooster has had some very positive feedback.

[pl_svn]

I found the Sbooster to be an improvement over the Aries power supply. I can't comment on the others that you mention, but the Sbooster has had some very positive feedback.

just to be sure: are you talking about an Aries, Aries LE or Aries Mini?

 

no idea about the SBooster but tried and found, with my Aries, that:

- HDPlex 100w was better than stock LPS

- UpTone's JS-2 was wow!

- Vinnie Rossi's Mini-Pure-4evr blows even the UpTone away

[George Hincapie]

Can anyone explain how I can output from the Aries to my Metrum DAC over USB? I have connected it but am not getting any audio. Is it a driver issue? How have others got around this?

[pl_svn]

In Lightning DS go to "Settings (clogwheel)/Lightning Device/Output" and pick the Metrum

[George Hincapie]

In Lightning DS go to "Settings (clogwheel)/Lightning Device/Output" and pick the Metrum

 

Thank you very much!

[lljames]

I am evaluating the Aries or maybe Mini, I got several questions and hope a get some help here:

 

1, Does Aries always need a DLNA server? I have Synology NAS, can Aries directly read my shared folder from NAS?

 

2, I got some SACD ISOs, my impression is that the Aries CPU isn't powerful enough, so I can do DFS only not SACD ISO, right? Just need confirm this.

 

3, Does the software come with Aries support folder view? I mean I need to browse music by directory structure, I hate album views it's difficult to find anything.

 

Thank you very much.

[pl_svn]

1. yes

2. plays up to DSD-256 (if I'm not mistaken). my DAC only does up to DSD-128 and I never had an issue with these. but never tried Iso: all my DSD files are dsf

3. yes (for local files. obviously not not for streaming services). jfyi: search is very powerful and fast

[pvanosta]

2. Aries does not support SACD ISO but this is not a CPU power constraint. Most DSD-capable streamers/bridges out ther that I am aware of, do not play ISO. SACD ISO (and the extracted DSD/DSF files from that ISO) is DSD64. The Aries can handle up to DSD 256 (4x DSD).

 

3. I have a similar requirement. I know where I put things on my NAS and sometimes folder view is the quickest way to get there. Auralic's Lightning DS (which includes the control app you'll be using) does have a basic folder view, but it also has many other useful views/filters (by file type, by upload date, by modified date, by file Resolution, etc.), which combined allow me to find anything quickly in my 20,000 album collection.

 

I am evaluating the Aries or maybe Mini, I got several questions and hope a get some help here:

 

1, Does Aries always need a DLNA server? I have Synology NAS, can Aries directly read my shared folder from NAS?

 

2, I got some SACD ISOs, my impression is that the Aries CPU isn't powerful enough, so I can do DFS only not SACD ISO, right? Just need confirm this.

 

3, Does the software come with Aries support folder view? I mean I need to browse music by directory structure, I hate album views it's difficult to find anything.

 

Thank you very much.

[mizu42]

Hi,

I got the Aries LE, but unfortunately the original power spply does not work here. (US version running in Europe).

On their website I find the required voltage range, bt nothing about the polarity. I just saw in this thread, there was on some units a polatity marking that was painted over.

 

Could one of the owners here measure if Plus is the inner contact, or the outer contact?

Would be very appreciated!

Thank you for your help!

 

Mike

[Koso]

Hi,

I got the Aries LE, but unfortunately the original power spply does not work here. (US version running in Europe).

On their website I find the required voltage range, bt nothing about the polarity. I just saw in this thread, there was on some units a polatity marking that was painted over.

 

Could one of the owners here measure if Plus is the inner contact, or the outer contact?

Would be very appreciated!

Thank you for your help!

 

Mike

Hi Mike,

I am using SBooster linear power supply for my Aries, highly recommended!

Anyway, i can send you my original Aries LE supply (EU 230V version), as i dont need it anymore. For free to you, just postage. If interested, send me PM.

[George Hincapie]

What USB cable is best to use with the Aries? I bought a Schiit PYST to connect directly to my Metrum Musette. While it is sonically OK, it isn't exactly blowing me away. Particularly compared to my NVA SSP and TIS digital coax cables.

 

I want to get great SQ using USB output plugged directly into my DAC, so grateful for any advice.

[pl_svn]

Could one of the owners here measure if Plus is the inner contact, or the outer contact?

I've been using an UpTone Audio JS-2 with my Aries so... definitely center positive

[George Hincapie]

What USB cable is best to use with the Aries? I bought a Schiit PYST to connect directly to my Metrum Musette. While it is sonically OK, it isn't exactly blowing me away. Particularly compared to my NVA SSP and TIS digital coax cables.

 

I want to get great SQ using USB output plugged directly into my DAC, so grateful for any advice.

 

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

[2string1]

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Curious

[Koso]

What USB cable is best to use with the Aries? I bought a Schiit PYST to connect directly to my Metrum Musette. While it is sonically OK, it isn't exactly blowing me away. Particularly compared to my NVA SSP and TIS digital coax cables.

 

I want to get great SQ using USB output plugged directly into my DAC, so grateful for any advice.

I have very positive experience with "iFi Mercury" USB cable. Connected from my Aries directly to Lyngdorf TDAI 2170 digital amp. Very clean, detailed sound. Nothing to complain about so far. Definitely better than my previous "Furutech Formula 2", which itself is very good cable...