The "Official" Aurender Discussion Thread

[The Computer Audiophile]

10 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

Has the Aurender had its time in the light only to be overshadowed by Roon?

 

I was thinking about this earlier while listening to some music. At the time it came out, I believe the Aurender was the best digital player there was available with the best user interface and sound quality. Since then however, Roon has come of age, been polished and become better, and the addition of an Optical Rendu device (regular or Signature SE) has, IMO, surpassed the Aurenders best efforts, and at a lower price point if you go for the more expensive Aurender models.

It’s an interesting question but one really has to consider everything before making any conclusions. I’ve done this and continue to do it with every product on the market.

 

Aurender is 100% the right product for many audiophiles and offers many things not offered by Roon. With my 300,000 track (that’s just local files) library, there’s nothing faster than Aurender for library navigation. The way it works with storage of both music and the library on an iOS remote, is very different and very welcomed. 
 

When you look at most problems related to computer audio, they are network related followed by operating system related. Aurender removes both these issues due to how it functions. 
 

I could go on, but now I think I should write an article comparing them and others. 
 

money thing I’d absolutely love to see from Aurender is a DSP / convolution engine running on the ACS. Convolution can be power hungry, so a great place to do this is in the ACS and send audio to the W20SE (or any other unit for that matter). I do convolution on my QNAP NAS and other not so powerful computers. ACS could do it. 

Please @AriMargolis, push for this!

[Vincent1234]

20 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

Has the Aurender had its time in the light only to be overshadowed by Roon?

 

I was thinking about this earlier while listening to some music. At the time it came out, I believe the Aurender was the best digital player there was available with the best user interface and sound quality. Since then however, Roon has come of age, been polished and become better, and the addition of an Optical Rendu device (regular or Signature SE) has, IMO, surpassed the Aurenders best efforts, and at a lower price point if you go for the more expensive Aurender models.

I've yet to come across a better (or equally great) sounding Roon-based solution than my W20. My dealer confirms the same.

[Vincent1234]

35 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I wish!

Well, we have an excellent (upgraded recently) Android based Conductor app now, don't we? 🤔

[AudioDoctor]

1 hour ago, Vincent1234 said:

I've yet to come across a better (or equally great) sounding Roon-based solution than my W20. My dealer confirms the same.

 

have you tried Roon via a Sonore Signature Rendu SE optical? 

 

edit: I'll grant I have not heard the W20. I had an X100, but the leap from the X100 to the Sonore Rendu optical signature SE was not small.

[Vincent1234]

3 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

have you tried Roon via a Sonore Signature Rendu SE optical?

No, I haven't tried it yet. Should it change my mind, do you think? Which Aurender did you use to compare it to?

I'm especially asking since I have owned and used the X100L, the N10 and the W20. Each next one is considerably better, but especially the step up between the N10 and W20 was very big in my system. I was very lucky to be able to buy a used W20 for about half of its regular new price.

[AudioDoctor]

1 minute ago, Vincent1234 said:

No, I haven't tried it yet. Should it change my mind, do you think? Which Aurender did you use to compare it to?

I'm especially asking since I have owned and used the X100L, the N10 and the W20. Each next one is considerably better, but especially the step up between the N10 and W20 was very big in my system. I was very lucky to be able to buy a used W20 for about half of its regular new price.

 

I edited my comment, I had the X100.

[bmichels]

13 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

It’s an interesting question but one really has to consider everything before making any conclusions. I’ve done this and continue to do it with every product on the market.

 

Aurender is 100% the right product for many audiophiles and offers many things not offered by Roon. With my 300,000 track (that’s just local files) library, there’s nothing faster than Aurender for library navigation. The way it works with storage of both music and the library on an iOS remote, is very different and very welcomed. 
 

When you look at most problems related to computer audio, they are network related followed by operating system related. Aurender removes both these issues due to how it functions. 
 

I could go on, but now I think I should write an article comparing them and others. 
 

money thing I’d absolutely love to see from Aurender is a DSP / convolution engine running on the ACS. Convolution can be power hungry, so a great place to do this is in the ACS and send audio to the W20SE (or any other unit for that matter). I do convolution on my QNAP NAS and other not so powerful computers. ACS could do it. 

Please @AriMargolis, push for this!

 

- May I ask please whay is a  DSP / convolution engine ? What does it bring to the music ?

 

- Also, I will be very interested to hear what other advantages you see in the Aurender V/S ROON.  Is it only the interface ? 

 

Indeed, Ihave a W20 and I love it but I would like to improve SQ even further . So, I wonder if a W20SE will be a worthy upgrade or... if for the same price the Taiko Audio SGM EXTREME will not be even better (ROON Server + Storage) ?  Many people rave about the SGM Extreme blowing the W20SE out of the water but...I never have been able to compare...

 

thanks for your advices

[Ponzi]

Pardon me, but "blowing out of the water" is not going to happen with products of this caliber.  The W20SE is one of the very finest audio products on the planet. One would be lucky to get even incremental improvement on it.  "Blow it out of the water" is a salesman's expression.  I trust the Taiko is a fine product and if you like it please buy and enjoy. 

[Custodian]

I agree. Blowing out of the water is a lot to ask. Last time it happened to me was when I added a BVA clock to my Aurender w20/ DCS System. The unexpected degree of improvement was staggering. 
 

it is possible that there are other changes of major magnitude. For my bank account, I hope I don’t meet any others soon!

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

3 minutes ago, Custodian said:

I agree. Blowing out of the water is a lot to ask. Last time it happened to me was when I added a BVA clock to my Aurender w20/ DCS System. The unexpected degree of improvement was staggering. 
 

it is possible that there are other changes of major magnitude. For my bank account, I hope I don’t meet any others soon!

 

 

What’s a BVA clock?

 

Sorry if I’m slow. It’s early :~)

[Vincent1234]

23 hours ago, Booster MPS said:

Sorry if this question has been addressed but I have not been an owner for all that long.  Is there a software/product path for a web or mobile interface for the Aurender family of units?  Will it always be iOS tablet?  Thanks.

Yes! There's a new and excellent Android based Conductor app available for any Android phone.

[AudioDoctor]

well, I have decided to order a Small Green Computer Sonic Transporter i9 Optical with Roon and HQplayer, and have the 8TB of SSD storage inside it, this and the Signature Rendu SE optical ought to be one hell of a combination.

 

@The Computer Audiophile  you're welcome to bring a W20 over and we can  decide which is best. 😉

[The Computer Audiophile]

4 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

well, I have decided to order a Small Green Computer Sonic Transporter i9 Optical with Roon and HQplayer, and have the 8TB of SSD storage inside it, this and the Signature Rendu SE optical ought to be one hell of a combination.

 

@The Computer Audiophile  you're welcome to bring a W20 over and we can  decide which is best. 😉

Excuse me, I have the W20 and W20SE 😁

[AudioDoctor]

Just now, The Computer Audiophile said:

Excuse me, I have the W20 and W20SE 😁

 

haha, good, I can beat them BOTH!

[Vincent1234]

8 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Excuse me, I have the W20 and W20SE 😁

Can you share your impression of the differences between the W20 and the W20SE? Or maybe I have missed the review of the latter?

[Vincent1234]

9 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

haha, good, I can beat them BOTH!

Good luck! 😁

[Custodian]

4 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

What’s a BVA clock?

 

Sorry if I’m slow. It’s early :~)

Sorry. I had done some trial and error with different master clocks with my w20. Common upgrades use a rubidium clock instead of the standard crystal clock although the reason for the sound improvements of the rubidium clock is not clear given that short term stability is often not better.

the BVA clock produced by Oscilloquartz in Switzerland uses one piece of crystal cut in such a way that temperature gradients are reduced producing very good Phase noise. As part of some experimental work, I had the opportunity to try an Oscilloquartz 8607 BVA oscillator in my System and was very definitely blown out of the water! Sadly Oscilloquartz have now stopped production as too expensive though I understand Cybershaft had managed to source something similar. 
i hope that helps although I’m sorry I can’t give you a detailed description. Oscilloquartz datasheets might show up om Google and that might provide some information

[KenCyclingNYC]

Reading through the really puts a smile on my face to say the least. I've owned two N100H's and recently upgraded to an N10 and can't be more pleased. All of the talk about clocks, Roon, Optical cables and such really is disappointing... just listen to your music and enjoy the moment; that's the point.

[The Computer Audiophile]

4 hours ago, Custodian said:

Sorry. I had done some trial and error with different master clocks with my w20. Common upgrades use a rubidium clock instead of the standard crystal clock although the reason for the sound improvements of the rubidium clock is not clear given that short term stability is often not better.

the BVA clock produced by Oscilloquartz in Switzerland uses one piece of crystal cut in such a way that temperature gradients are reduced producing very good Phase noise. As part of some experimental work, I had the opportunity to try an Oscilloquartz 8607 BVA oscillator in my System and was very definitely blown out of the water! Sadly Oscilloquartz have now stopped production as too expensive though I understand Cybershaft had managed to source something similar. 
i hope that helps although I’m sorry I can’t give you a detailed description. Oscilloquartz datasheets might show up om Google and that might provide some information

Ah cool. Thanks. 

 

 

 

 

 

4 hours ago, KenCyclingNYC said:

Reading through the really puts a smile on my face to say the least. I've owned two N100H's and recently upgraded to an N10 and can't be more pleased. All of the talk about clocks, Roon, Optical cables and such really is disappointing... just listen to your music and enjoy the moment; that's the point.

Fortunately you aren’t on the audio police force that gets to decide how we all enjoy our hobbies. Some people enjoy the journey and trying different things while others have no interest.
 

I couldn’t care less how people have fun. 

[KenCyclingNYC]

Agreed but I am listening to a lovely ECM recording that would sound amazing played through a tin can.

[The Computer Audiophile]

16 minutes ago, KenCyclingNYC said:

Agreed but I am listening to a lovely ECM recording that would sound amazing played through a tin can.

I hear ya. I’d listen to my favorites on an AM radio if I had to. 

[bmichels]

17 hours ago, Custodian said:

I agree. Blowing out of the water is a lot to ask. Last time it happened to me was when I added a BVA clock to my Aurender w20/ DCS System. The unexpected degree of improvement was staggering. 
 

it is possible that there are other changes of major magnitude. For my bank account, I hope I don’t meet any others soon!

 

 

 

This is encouraging since I have a W20.   

 

Unfortunately my DAC do not have clock input, so.... a totaly newbie question: does adding a clock to the Aurender only make sense or....  it is stupid because the clock is here to syncronize the server and the DAC together ?

 

Since the BvA clock seems not to be available, what other clock are recomended ?

[rwwjr44]

New update for Aurender Conductor 4.21.86 (N10 and maybe others). Don't know what it does since the Aurender web-site is way behind again. 

[marslo]

My W20 shows different version - 4.21.89, will wait until Ari gives some details about it.

[JS21]

 

Quote

New update for Aurender Conductor 4.21.86 (N10 and maybe others). Don't know what it does since the Aurender web-site is way behind again.

https://www.notion.so/Aurender-System-Software-53facc705e3a48e8a91e42f598b7e7e2