Auralic Aires: Optimizing sound quality

[russellbobby]

Very interesting thread... I have 4 absorbers below the Aries (and 4 under its power supply) and now tried adding a record weight (350g) on top of the Aries. I have been listening for an hour now doing a/b comparison (albeit not blind), and in my system the impact on SQ is significant... Bass are firmer, soundstage is deeper, things just got into a better place. Keen to hear if others have similar experiences.

 

If of interest here is the link to the weight (I use their absorbers as well, great quality brand at the right price)

 

Analog Accessories

 

My findings exactly.. although my stuff sits on a console.. not an audiophile rack. So I am sure my vibrations are quite a bit higher that with folks who have dedicated stands.

[McMaly]

Hello Matthias,

 

i cannot find linear PSU for TFT monitor on the web, do you have a link?

 

 

Sorry JDOz, my post #70 is wrong, i mixed answers from you and Matthias but it would be interesting to compare your solution and Matthias one:)

 

As told before, I did pick up the PSU (2 units he had in stock) at a small local dealer here in town. It is nothing special. Rating says 12 V DC, 5 amp.

 

The dealer has no internet presence.

[kennyb123]

Use LH Lightspeed split cable (unknown ground connection)...

-connect only data leg to Aries---DAC not found

-connect data leg to Aries USB out and power leg to Aries USB in---DAC found. Can then disconnect power leg and DAC connection is not lost.

 

It seems I have to go one step further to make my split leg LightSpeed work with the Aries and my Mytek DAC.

 

The Aries will connect to my Mytek when both legs are connected as described in the quoted text. But, the Mytek won't show up as an output selection in the LDS application. This odd as the Mytek thinks it's connected as the front panel stops blinking.

 

The fix I found:

 

1) Power down both the Mytek and the Aries.

2) Connect a generic USB cable

3) Start the Mytek

4) Start the Aries

5) Launch the LDS app. Confirm Mytek USB is the output device.

6) Power down the Aries

7) Connect the LightSpeed to the Aries with data leg on the DAC output and the power leg on the USB output

8) Start the Aries

9) Return to the LDS app and confirm that Mytek USB is still the output device. (It took at couple tries to get this working yesterday.)

10) Remove power leg from Aries

 

The reason I had to re-do this connection yesterday is because a storm knocked out the power.

[FIndingit]

As told before, I did pick up the PSU (2 units he had in stock) at a small local dealer here in town. It is nothing special. Rating says 12 V DC, 5 amp.

 

The dealer has no internet presence.

 

Linear Power supplies are "something special" nowadays. There seems to be only expensive audiophile units available, everything else is NOS, found at small local shops.

[JDOz]

It seems I have to go one step further to make my split leg LightSpeed work with the Aries and my Mytek DAC.

 

The Aries will connect to my Mytek when both legs are connected as described in the quoted text. But, the Mytek won't show up as an output selection in the LDS application. This odd as the Mytek thinks it's connected as the front panel stops blinking.

 

The fix I found:

 

1) Power down both the Mytek and the Aries.

2) Connect a generic USB cable

3) Start the Mytek

4) Start the Aries

5) Launch the LDS app. Confirm Mytek USB is the output device.

6) Power down the Aries

7) Connect the LightSpeed to the Aries with data leg on the DAC output and the power leg on the USB output

8) Start the Aries

9) Return to the LDS app and confirm that Mytek USB is still the output device. (It took at couple tries to get this working yesterday.)

10) Remove power leg from Aries

 

The reason I had to re-do this connection yesterday is because a storm knocked out the power.

 

Sounds like you've also had to play around with set-ups. Well done, I'll remember that. Confirms that Aires (not just DAC) needs a prompt to connect but fortunately can stay connected thereafter.

 

I have a 2nd split LightSpeed cable that I use to connect SSD. Took ages to find this workaround:

 

Perform your steps 7-10 if DAC not already connected.

11. Plug B-end of LightSpeed into SATA-USB adaptor, data end into Aires USB-In and power leg into a battery pack with dual USB 5V out. (this alone will not work)

12. Plug power end of DAC connection into 2nd USB plug of battery pack.

13. Wait for Aires to recognise and scan SSD.

14. Can now remove DAC power leg from battery pack.

 

Seems the Aires also needs a "prompt" to connect to SSD. I speculate that it has something to do with grounding. Wrote to LH asking if LightSpeed lacks ground wire on data leg but they didn't reply.

 

Aires has a plastic chassis and probably a floating ground (not connected to Earth via transformer). I have wondered whether making some better ground connection ...to (mains) Earth or to DAC would solve some of these issues and perhaps affect sound quality.

 

I did try connecting (unused) coax and AES connections from Aries to DAC. Allowed me to bypass steps 7-10 once but was not repeatable. Those connectors may or may not affect grounding when USB is selected.

 

Warning: I know next to nothing about electronics.

[fabien44]

Hello,

 

i found an external enclosure for 2.5 SSD/HDD with 5V DC input: ICY DOCK MB668U3-1SB

MB668U3-1SB_Discontinued Products_ICY DOCK manufacturer Removable enclosure, Screwless hard drive enclosure, SAS SATA Mobile Rack, DVR Surveillance Recording, Video Audio Editing, SATA portable hard drive enclosure

[fabien44]

Last one is discontinued.

 

I found many from DELOCK

Delock Produkte Gehäuse

[Schizophrenia]

That´s all cases to powered e-sata with usb power.

when you need this.

USB audio power supply, galvanical isolated, audiophile USB Power supply, isolated USB low noise transformer, USB DAC power supply, audiophile power supply

But i don´t know it´s technical possible

[JDOz]

I made lots of changes and tweaks to my system; far more revealing now so I just re-tested the SSD connections. Results before I forget:

1. Back to generic USB connecting Astone caddy: Excessively bright/harsh in mid-highs, loss of detail, vocals not resolving and too much sibilance, soundstage shrunk. Shocked by the loss in SQ after weeks listening to 6.

2. Switch to Digitech USB-SATA adaptor: Better in regards to brightness.

3. Switch to Cardas Clear USB cable (required use of cheap USB adaptor): Much better in all SQ aspects mentioned in 1.

4. LH LightSpeed Split USB cable; 5V leg from battery pack: Big improvement; especially in detail, microdynamics and soundstage. Could live with this.

5. Second battery pack powers SSD directly via nasty DIY cable / also required cheap SATA cable: Further improvement; possibly blacker background, vocals more refined, instruments at higher frequencies more defined and pleasant.

6. Add SOtM SATA filter: As in 5 but just a bit warmer/smoother. More pleasant in my system, I think, but wouldn't back myself in a blind test.

 

All up 6>5>>4>>>3>>2>1

[fabien44]

Thanks JDOz for your useful and very well constructed feedback

[JDOz]

Thanks JDOz for your useful and very well constructed feedback

 

Thanks Fabien44 :-) I'll be doing a trial of a native-USB SSD in the coming weeks; i.e. it doesn't need a SATA-USB adaptor at all. Hoping that will be a best solution. Also have a couple of linear PSUs on order so will test that too. Will report back.

[fabien44]

Very interesting JDOz, i am waiting for your test review. I would also like to know what is this native-usb ssd.

[fabien44]

Hello JDOz,

i don't know where your test in native-usb SSD is but i am on buying native-usb 2.5 hard-drive like WD MyElements model.

It bus-powered but very less cheaper

I am looking for good quality cable usb<->micro usb 3, if someone could adive me (150$ max)

[JDOz]

Hello JDOz,

i don't know where your test in native-usb SSD is but i am on buying native-usb 2.5 hard-drive like WD MyElements model.

It bus-powered but very less cheaper

I am looking for good quality cable usb<->micro usb 3, if someone could adive me (150$ max)

 

Hi Fabien,

Sorry for not responding sooner. I saw mention of the WD native USB and that led me on the hunt for a native USB SSD. The latter is made by Renice, who invented the native USB3.0 SSD controller. I am in touch with the company directly and they will send me a test unit of their 1.8" version ASAP but this is now delayed till early March; some production issue just before their Chinese New Year holidays.

 

I am "feeling lucky" about the approach of native USB drives. I can't comment on the difference between SSD and HDD. I'd personally like an SSD solution but it will come at a cost, with library size a big factor. Renice are currently producing a 256GB version and have not yet set the release date for their 512GB and 1TB models.

 

As for USB-A to microUSB3.0 cables, Matthias made me aware of the AudioQuest USB3 series. They have 4 models, no split cables. I have not tried them and have been unable to find other well-known audio brands that make them. See the USB3.0 range at this link;

Digital Interconnects

 

Cheers,

John

[khollister]

Recalling some traffic about AIFF vs WAV vs FLAC vs ALAC in non-Aries threads, I decided to try some simple tests. I took a couple tracks (that are ALAC on the NAS and are being delivered by Minimserver as ALAC) and created an AIFF version via XLD. After listening to those back & forth several times, I then turned on transcoding in Minimserver and let the NAS convert from ALAC to 24 bit WAV (no option for AIFF in Minimstream).

 

The results are what I would characterize as questionable only because I did this fairly quickly on 2 tracks from the same album (Alison Krause - New Favorite), and to my ear the differences were pretty small, but ...

 

Best: ALAC transcoded to 24bit WAV

Better: AIFF converted via XLD

Good: ALAC

 

In general, the improvements I think I heard were always a more open sound (better sense of acoustic space), more transparent and a better top end extension. I realize all of these descriptions are somewhat redundant.

 

Curious if anyone else has specifically tried a similar experiment with the Aries?

 

Keith

[JDOz]

Recalling some traffic about AIFF vs WAV vs FLAC vs ALAC in non-Aries threads, I decided to try some simple tests. I took a couple tracks (that are ALAC on the NAS and are being delivered by Minimserver as ALAC) and created an AIFF version via XLD. After listening to those back & forth several times, I then turned on transcoding in Minimserver and let the NAS convert from ALAC to 24 bit WAV (no option for AIFF in Minimstream).

 

The results are what I would characterize as questionable only because I did this fairly quickly on 2 tracks from the same album (Alison Krause - New Favorite), and to my ear the differences were pretty small, but ...

 

Best: ALAC transcoded to 24bit WAV

Better: AIFF converted via XLD

Good: ALAC

 

In general, the improvements I think I heard were always a more open sound (better sense of acoustic space), more transparent and a better top end extension. I realize all of these descriptions are somewhat redundant.

 

Curious if anyone else has specifically tried a similar experiment with the Aries?

 

Keith

 

Yes, I thought that transcoding FLAC files to WAV24 on the fly with minimserver gave a slight improvement. Not much but with FLAC direct I could not distinguish at all between my NAS and MBP. The latter has minimserver and setting it to transcode made it slightly better than NAS. For me, the external SSD option gave a bigger improvement.

 

The new FW, however, is the biggest change of all. With it, I think that the particular aspects of SQ that I most want to improve in the future has changed.

[dr.sah]

Is here anyone who use iIf iusbpower device and their Gemini usb cable? Is there any significant influence on sound quality?

[FIndingit]

Is here anyone who use iIf iusbpower device and their Gemini usb cable? Is there any significant influence on sound quality?

 

I use the iUsb with Ifi iLink. Not with Gemini though, I have the original JCAT usb cable and a cheaper chord usb cable from Aries to iUsb. I have tried to remove the iusb, but prefer the sound with it. There is a change for the better.

[tranz]

Is here anyone who use iIf iusbpower device and their Gemini usb cable? Is there any significant influence on sound quality?

 

Still using it to feed the Berkeley Alpha converter. Lowered noise floor a bit for me.

[audiobenpdx]

Is there a consensus on what sounds better, USB vs. AES/Coaxial out?

[Jimmypowder]

Is there a consensus on what sounds better, USB vs. AES/Coaxial out?

 

I think generally speaking most posters thought usb sounded better . It may depend on the dac's usb implementation.

[tranz]

I still wonder what the signal path is, and whether USB is translated to SPDIF within the Aries. This would explain the preference for USB, if the translation mechanism downstream is better.

 

In my case I preferred the USB out, but I had it go through a Berkeley Audio converter.

[JDOz]

I think generally speaking most posters thought usb sounded better . It may depend on the dac's usb implementation.

 

Very true but I plan to test again in the context of Vega DAC. Most reports used older FW and network streaming. With PC/Mac as player it has been suggested to avoid using USB-in with USB-out. I wondered if Aries might be similarly affected. I'm burning in a new AES cable now to compare with USB.

 

Very interested in that Berkeley converter.

[FIndingit]

Usb is preferred which means femto clocks are no philosopher's stones either.

[wdw]

Very true but I plan to test again in the context of Vega DAC. Most reports used older FW and network streaming. With PC/Mac as player it has been suggested to avoid using USB-in with USB-out. I wondered if Aries might be similarly affected. I'm burning in a new AES cable now to compare with USB.

 

Very interested in that Berkeley converter.

Let us know of your findings.....WDW