The "Official" Aurender Discussion Thread

[HDgeorge]

Tidal on Aurender is awesome experience.

[HDgeorge]

I can't understand why you don't mention your dac?

 

I read that you can contact Aurender with your dac's specs and they can make it work.

 

My dealer has numerous dacs and it works with all of them, even old and obscure ones.

 

 

Part-time lurker; fist-time poster.

 

I am in the process of replacing my Mac Mini and W4S DAC2 source with something more to my liking. I received the DAC a few weeks ago and the N100 arrived today. I like the N100's build and the control app seems solid. Hopefully Aurender can release the AMM application for PC soon; it is a little overdue and until it is released I can't really make full use of the control app for music stored on my NAS. The N100 looks like it should be real nice though.

 

The fly in my soup is that my new DAC and the N100 don't really get on. They talk to each other, but the sound is a little bright and is delivered with clicks, pops and on occasion, short warbles. This occurs for every album to some extent, but is most noticeable on quieter albums. My new DAC (sorry, not allowed to mention it by name yet) runs a XMOS chip-set and is supposed to work with native Mac OSX and Linux drivers; it is class 2 compatible. The new DAC works with a home PC (using XMOS USB drivers) and other sources; the N100 works with my old DAC2. My retailer is looking after me well and will hopefully have it sorted soon.

 

But I am wondering, has anyone else experienced issues when running their Aurenders with XMOS USB chip-sets? I assume not, but thought I'd ask. Aurender has a reputation for fine service; I expect they will resolve this quickly. These things are not inexpensive and I went in this direction so I could stop faffing with Macs and PCs when listening to music... here's hoping we can achieve that objective.

 

Cheers.

[HDgeorge]

Nicely done. Great support!

[HDgeorge]

91delust you can still buy a bridge (spdif--USB ) and solve it with less money and hassle.

Like audiophilleo , Audiobyte Hydra Z, Belcanto.....etc...

[HDgeorge]

Critertoo the lows of any Auremder are category kickass and the best there are comparing any computer source or streamer out there.

So I suspect you need a proper burn in or check your other equipment- cables etc.

 

Just got my Aurender N100 a couple of days ago. N100--> Alpha USB--> dCs Purcell --> dCs Elgar+.

Running her in currently. Initial impression are pretty good, very musical, dead quiet for a device base player, just a little bit of edginess and digital glare - that i suspect is due to my system components and NOT the N100. The highs seems pretty natural, timbre is a bit on d warm side, the lows unfortunately lacks the KICK - hopefully I can address this by changing the usb/power cables to the N100. Layering and micro details are decent.

 

Will keep updating this thread as I go along with the N100.

 

My have my gripes about AMM but it is not a show stopper - Eric is currently addressing it.

[HDgeorge]

Could you please describe the benefits of Roon + Aurender ?

 

I'm wondering if Aurender has any plans for working with Roon Labs? I am interested in the new Roon software but my present understanding is that Roon and Aurender would need to work together to ensure that the Roon software could work on Aurender's platform. I've sent an email to Aurender but thought I would try here as well. According to the front page article on this website today, Roon is actively working with a number of Aurender's competitors, including Auralic, Linn, PS Audio, etc.

[HDgeorge]

The Aurender is in a whole different league than the Aries. USB only but they know how to do it. The reviews from the X models sound like they could be reviews for the N series...same signature. Very relaxed but detailed. The Aries to me got a little hard in the midrange and that was running a tube DAC

I did not compare any other players in the 2500 range but I don't think you can beat it. The Lightning app was good but the Conductor just a little bit better. Tidal sounds much better also

It is so hard to quantify sound quality but if gun to my head I would say a 20% jump in sq would be a conservative number over the Aries

If folks are happy with the Aries they would be ecstatic with the Aurender and not have to worry about sq changing with every firmware upgrade.

 

It has to be the Dac but in my case the Aurender X100 jump from Aries was smashing much better than 20% to say the least.

Maybe more revealing or demanding dacs like my fully upgraded dCS Debussy could tell the difference.

 

I also had an experience with Digibit Aria which was disappointing in sq and functioning as well ( before Aries). The only good thing with that was ripping when it actually worked.

[HDgeorge]

Brian I just came from Munich and after visiting Aurender's booth I heard rumors about qobuz streaming, Internet radio and many more ideas.

 

I guess us users we can make requests to Aurender.

 

Sure. The X100L comes with either 6TB or 12TB internal storage and can display cover art, etc. without having to scan external storage (NAS or USB) using Aurender Media Manager (AMM) to do so.

 

A 1TB SSD (Samsung 850 EVO) is $400 from Amazon. A customer who recently came by to pick up the N100 he ordered brought the SSD along which I was happy to install and format for him.

 

DZetye: Aurender currently streams Tidal only. It sounds amazing and is a joy to use. Roon is in the works.

[HDgeorge]

Apart from official Aurender booth other manufacturers used Aurender as well.

 

Surprisingly hiding it from the rack. Asking one of them he replied that they didn't want to attract attention to Aurender but to their new and upcoming products also avoid precious time to explain how Aurender (another's equipment) works.

 

I have to say I'm impressed about the new N10. But no way to afford it since I've got plans for DAC upgrade as a next step in the future.

[HDgeorge]

Robertladrue we still waiting to tell us with which company you are working for.

Still hiding.

 

Can't understand being a competitor to Aurender's and intruding in this thread bashing and slander your competitor.

 

 

Very big and highly respected companies like: msb , Tidal (Germany), Marten, Nagra and others used Aurender in Munich and dCS distributes Aurender in UK.

 

Let us know who used your (secret) streamer/ server company in Munich?

(And supply proofs as well).

 

 

No it was streaming4home, they do something similar to Audio Aan Zee, but only ask about 2k. S4H had the chance to compare the little Aurenders and the S10 to their server, and found the little Aurender darker sounding less lifelike and even the S10 was no match for their own server. But the S10 was based on a cheap asrock motherboard, some inhouse SPDIF card that is about 200$, an SSD as linux boot drive and for the cache , and a WD green HDD and SMPS for the motherboard, so except for the aesthetics it is very simple to beat soundwise. S4H was removed as dealer because of their competing product

[HDgeorge]

I am correct.

 

See below this MSB system with Marten in Munich

Munich High End Show 2015 (#2) - ACA

 

 

You are obsessed about Aurender. Aurender's success bothers you because maybe your product does not sound good that's why you are ashame of it and don't mention it.

 

But this is Aurender users thread and not Aurender haters and wanabees thread.

 

 

 

You are incorrect, MSB used the beast and not aurender on their new select dac demo. I know the MSB guy personally. My product sounds fantastic on the MSB analog dac, in my country the main MSB reseller is using my server on MSB. This guy had an olive 6HD and SOtM SMS1000 and a 9.000 euro cd transport in the past and now my reseller has my server, which says enough. This guy has a ribbon line array that beats most of the systems in Munich, I went 2.5 days and visited all rooms.

 

Now Aurender is not the only company using the free open source MPD daemon, german company BMC also uses MPD internally but doesn't hide it behind their own app and sell it as auplayer. BMC was in the Amphion room. Also auralic is using MPD in their products. And also Bryston is using MPD, but they conform to the GPL. Just to name a few that were in Munich. SOtM no longer uses MPD but has changed to squeezelite which is the default player in vortexbox 2.3.

 

Why do I not like aurender? The only reason is their massive GPL violation. I knew they used MPD just by the choice of typical MPD client commands in their app. If they would have included the written GPL offer which is mandatory if you include the MPD binaries in your product, I would not have started my investigation and exposed them. A GPL written offer is basically a statement included in the product, that you can request any open source code licensed under GPLv2 and GPLv3 from the manufacturer using this code in their products including all their customisations, for the cost of the physical cd + shipping of the cd from them.

 

In the past companies were sued by developers over GPL violations and the devs always won. My past job was 20 years of Linux affiliation and I've committed open source software back into the world, so if a company violates the open source doctrine, that's their fault and they should face the consequences.

 

Even my panasonic 65 inch plasma includes a statement in the menu that it based on GPL software. Aurender lacks all these requirements, which are mandatory if you base your software on GPL. Also Olive includes a written GPL offer in the box. Aurender doesn't.

 

So if Eric Shim is reading this: make sure your company complies to the GPL. Buy an olive, look how they do it, and please comply to the GPL. Or read this manual:

 

Olive 4 User Manual (Page 39 of 44)

[HDgeorge]

LOL! Hardly better than a Mac Mini? That's far from what customers are saying. By the way, who is "we"?

 

Yes who are you "we"?

 

 

Robertladrue Marten had and used Aurender x100

Another proof here

Munich High End Show 2015 (#6) - ACA

(Post 64)

I was there and Aurender was in sight on the side where the rest of the sources (msb) and power conditioner were.

Please don't play with common sense and contort facts.

 

And btw you can't beat N100 's performance even in your dreams, as much as you like to change the hz to 432.....I know your fairy tales but the dragon left for game of thrones....

[HDgeorge]

Why are you pasting parts of a PM message intended to another member here?

 

Robertladrue stop your lies and bs. I have never received a pm from another member and never disclosed any pm.

I will expose you further if you keep lying about me and offending me.

 

Enough is enough.

[HDgeorge]

Recently I bought the new Stealth USB cable after vast listening and replaced my (previous) TotalDac USB filter. I was shocked by the difference.

Everything is in a whole new three dimensional soundstage with lots of more dynamics and even sweeter tone (which was totaldac's main game). The sound is more organic now and with lots of presence. Kinda spooky feeling like being in a live concert.

 

Aurender and Stealth Audio USB is a fantastic match.

 

Regen is also on order.

 

Non stop ride; this is.

 

 

Hi,

 

Thin is the absolute opposite of how the N100 sounds.

 

Particulary when used with the Totaldac USB filter cable feeding a REGEN (with LPS) and fibre LAN isolation (with LPS). This combination is going to be very hard to significantly best at any price.

 

I guess the problem is that the above setup (and similar optimisations) can't easily be auditioned prior to purchase.

[HDgeorge]

To which model Stealth USB are you referring?

 

It's Stealth USB-T.

Very happy with it. I had in the past LH light speed, totaldac D1, wireworld platinum, etc.

[HDgeorge]

By the way, I'm using my N10 connected via USB to a dCS Puccini (via the dCS clock). I recently upgraded my USB cable from an AudioQuest Diamond to the Crystal Cable Dreamline Plus mentioned below. The improvements in sound quality, fluency, details and soundstage space are simply ridiculous, no matter what some people claim about the (un)importance of USB/digital cabling quality. Just try first and buy whatever your ears tell you that you should.

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Computer Audiophile mobile app

 

I agree with your findings on USB cables, I tried similar to replace my WireWorld Platinum Starlight 6 like Totaldac, Audioquest diamond, Nordost, LH, Curious etc and finally the Stealth Audio USB-T was a revelation in performance and especially in 3dimensionality, flow, spacing, depth, micro-details and overall liquidity.

[HDgeorge]

Just received my A10 today. Took me 5 minutes to set up everything. Honestly, its a joy to set up. Put a couple of well known albums on the HD and played them. At 1st, i said to myself "oh noooo". Sounded compressed. Even my wife noticed it (she has a very good ear - we are used to Chord's Hugo TT sound). But now, after 5 hours of play only, no worries guys, this is a true world class dac. IMO, it tackles my Hugo TT but its a bit early to say. Need some more hours on it and I will report. But definitely a very good product. Very slick. The volume control is great, 120 steps, 0,5db per steps, can control with the app. Just wanted to share the good news. Talk to you in 50 hours of play time (which may take a couple weeks...lol)

 

Congrats on your new A10.

I recently heard one A10 and couldn't believe the level of performance as a dac or complete source system. With an A to B and back to A the Aurender A10 "killed" a dCS Debussy and a T+A dac 8-DSD hands down.

And it had only 7-10 hours of break in time.

 

I suggest the synergy of the server/streamer that runs instantly into the integrated -and great- DAC without USB connections or other implicated factors is the secret of such amazing sound quality.

[HDgeorge]

Please Aurender, give your customers their own choice between your own (still fine) Aurender app and the Roon experience which, and there is no denial, is lightyears ahead of Aurender's own and all app's I ever used...

If this situation lingers I sure will sell my beloved Aurender N100.

 

Aurender app and experience comes also with the best sound quality.

You can have Roon on another device, with great features but worse sound.

 

In this hobby sound comes first.

Imagine other servers/ streamers with much lesser application than Aurender's.

[HDgeorge]

That is a very strong statement !

 

Yesterday I compared the dCS Rossini against the NAGRA HD DAC, booth feed by an Aurender, and the NAGRA DAC Is so much (to my taste) better that I am almost about to order the NAGRA. It bring saoul and spirit in my music that I do not get with other DACS !

 

But... If you say that the A10 "kill" the Debussy, then I should try it. This solution will save me a LOT of money and will make my system much simpler with this 1 box solution (I hate câbles :-)

 

Could le you tell us in more details what you liked in the A10's DAC sound ? Warm ? Precise ? ...

 

thanks

 

Debussy is NOWHERE near Rossini as for performance and specs as well.

 

Rossini is a killer dac, Nagra it's a good dac, but I prefer from both the EmmLabs DA-2 , most natural sound ever heard from any dac.

 

The A10 overall performance, with less cables and cables interference produces greater sum than its parts. Debussy should be replaced soon, Aurender A10 as dac has more depth, more organic and natural sound and more open midrange and highs.

Listen to a drum set through A10 and Debussy and you will notice immediately what I'm saying.

 

Also women voices are more natural and glare-free to A10 comparing with Debussy.

 

I think the level of less noise is , that derives from latest dac chips and most of all of the synergy between streamer/server and internal integrated dac, makes more natural sound.

And more natural sound is both more warm and precise altogether.

That is with low hours. Some more body is missing overall from A10 but isn't there with Debussy either (or T+A dac8 DSD) , but again I'm spoiled at sounds of EmmLabs dA-2, Msb Select and others.

Nagra is too sweet and soft for me. I'd choose Rossini over Nagra. But then again I'd go the extra mile for a DA2 from Meitner.

[HDgeorge]

I agree completely.

I liked the A10 as one unit for server and dac.

Not as a preamp.

Although it might work well as preamp too, but have no extensive experience .

 

In all listenings heard as server/dac with integrated amps or pre/power combos.

[HDgeorge]

Aurender 's app is much better than any Moon, also sound quality.

 

You haven't experienced what Aurender can offer soundwise. Aurender needs :

A great power cord,

Great isolation,

Great USB cable,

Giso LAN isolation,

Etc.....

Then you will see the sound quality elevate. Aurender has more sound capabilities if someone wishes to go the extra mile......

 

Same case as with amplifiers,dacs, pre amplifiers, speakers etc....

[HDgeorge]

I don't think Conductor is so bad that you would actually avoid Aurender... it seems to do what I need it to, but yes a refresh and for sure Internet radio should really be added.

 

Personally I don't get why roon should be compulsory, I simply don't need it or want it.

 

Speaking as a business software developer it would be easy for any manufacturer to provide similar functionality to roon, if they wanted to.

 

Just my 2p

 

+1

[HDgeorge]

I've used a fair amount of different iOS apps over the years to control various music servers.

 

And from my POV, the Aurender Conductor app is clearly better in many ways than the following apps:

 

* Apple Remote

* Squeezebox

* iPeng

* Audirvana Plus

* Lumin

 

Better to me means clearer in usage, more functions (such as creating playlists), fast operation, and more. Here's one simple function that I've not seen implemented the same way in other apps: When you tap on "Clear" the resulting dialog box gives you the choice of clearing the entire queue (common) or everything but the track currently playing. That latter choice, not seen in other apps, is the one I often use.

 

Yes, an improved Conductor would be great, more modern colors as well. But I'm another person who doesn't need Roon, especially since I've carefully cultivated the metadata in music library -- at least the metadata that matters to me -- over the course of many years.

W

Dave

 

+1

 

Listening to music is all want it is about!

[HDgeorge]

+1

Fully agree. The overall objective of my music system is to be able to enjoy music.

 

Finding/selecting music on a fast, reliable and easy way (also for my wife) is essential as well.

 

My workflow: ripping (dBpoweramp) -- tagging (Mp3tag) -- NAS + Aurender HDD provides/enables all flexibility to cultivate the metadata to my taste i.e. by defining specific Genres.

 

Additional information re composer, whatever…is available via internet anyway.

So with the Aurender I ever nether missed something…

 

mabe

 

+1

[HDgeorge]

Does the DSDx256 playback is an upcoming feature for Aurenders?