The "Official" Aurender Discussion Thread

[robmoores1]

1 hour ago, Vincent1234 said:

I guess your question involves possible noise while the harddisk is spinning to transfer data to the SSD. I have owned several Aurenders (X100L, N10, W20) and have never been able to audibly detect the harddisk spinning. The harddisk is very well damped inside the device. I haven't used the N100H myself, so maybe owners of that model can chime in. I would expect a similar outcome.

 

Thank you. It is the potential noise from the hard disk I would concerned about - thanks for the feedback on this. I would hope the N100H mirrors your experience with the other Aurender players you have owned. 

[merge03]

I have an N10.  I have never heard the disk drive make a sound. 

The N10 is about 12 feet from where I sit.

[Ponzi]

FWIW, I had an N10 for three years, loved it, and never heard the hard drive make even the lightest noise.  

[Koso]

13 hours ago, robmoores1 said:

 

Thank you. It is the potential noise from the hard disk I would concerned about - thanks for the feedback on this. I would hope the N100H mirrors your experience with the other Aurender players you have owned. 

 

 I have N100H. No audible noise. You have to be very close to the device to hear HDD working. Anyway, most of the time only SSD is used.

[robmoores1]

Thanks for all the feedback. Has given me confidence to put the Aurender on my shortlist. 

[wjt3]

Hi group-- I have a ACS10 and thinking of a new N20-- how would I use both? I like the rip feature of the ACS10 but I understand the N20 just sounds better-close to the 20se. Also, is there then a reason to install hard drives in the N20 if you have the ACS10? Not sure how to go forward--thanks in advance--

[Ponzi]

I had the N10 and ASC10 together, and now the W20SE and ASC10.  I would not do without the ASC10, but that is mostly a function of my poor computer skills.  The ASC10 makes  ripping CDs and data management a snap.  I realize that the playback function of the ASC10 is going unused, but at the same time adding music is now a pleasure, rather than a frustration.  And I can do it with confidence that it can’t be done in a better way.

[merge03]

One funny thing is that laptops no longer have optical drives.  Even in new full tower desktop systems, if you want an optical drive, you have to specifically add one to the build spec.  My fancy new desktop does not have an optical drive, and its a high end gaming pc.

Just food for thought.

 

[Ponzi]

Didn't know that.  All the more reason to cling to one's ASC 10.  

[wjt3]

Thanks Ponzi and Merge03!!

[agladstone]

It’s cheap and easy to add an external USB CD/BluRay/DVD drive to any laptop or desktop. Plenty of options out there in the $25 - $150 range depending on features and brand. 

[Aurender1]

On 2/27/2021 at 6:30 AM, Ponzi said:

I had the N10 and ASC10 together, and now the W20SE and ASC10.  I would not do without the ASC10, but that is mostly a function of my poor computer skills.

I have the ASC10 and considering the W20SE.  What is the difference in sound quality?

[Ponzi]

I suggest you scroll back and take a look at the many recent comments on this subject.  Especially Ari’s.  

[PedroS]

My 1st post here and already asking help... 😉

 

I have the Aurender N20 and the Esoteric K-03xd.

Thing is, from both specifications they should be DSD native compatible, but it doesn't seem so...

Everything else is perfect...

 

Can you help here?

[rwwjr44]

5 hours ago, PedroS said:

My 1st post here and already asking help... 😉

 

I have the Aurender N20 and the Esoteric K-03xd.

Thing is, from both specifications they should be DSD native compatible, but it doesn't seem so...

Everything else is perfect...

 

Can you help here?

What DSD rate are you trying to play? If you exceed the maximum rate for either unit the connection may appear to be made but there is no playback. Also what file type are you using? I have found that XXX.dsd and XXX. dff will play. The XXX.ISO may or may not play. If you are not familiar about the DSD file formats visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_Stream_Digital.

 

[agladstone]

Also, about 9 months ago, Aurender first started to support Native DSD and at that time, they had to create custom code for many of the DACs on the Market and many of us had to put in a support request to have our specific DAC models/ brands be capable of Native DSD, it’s possible that Aurender has not yet done this for your specific DAC? 
With format, I have found the DSF is best format and it is also capable of supporting metadata, whereas with DFF it will play, but not capable of metadata. 
with SACD.ISO files, I have also found it’s much faster / better / easier to use the free ISO2DSD software available for free download from Sonore.com website. 
Last, there is a limit of DSD256 (at least with my N100H and my Mytek Brooklyn DAC+) for playing DSD natively. So for example DSD512 and DSD 1024 files can not play. 

[PedroS]

21 minutes ago, rwwjr44 said:

What DSD rate are you trying to play? If you exceed the maximum rate for either unit the connection may appear to be made but there is no playback. Also what file type are you using? I have found that XXX.dsd and XXX. dff will play. The XXX.ISO may or may not play. If you are not familiar about the DSD file formats visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_Stream_Digital.

 

any DSD native

The N20 have already played them (including DSD512) with another DAC

The K-03xd support native to DSD 22.5 = DSD 512

 

4 minutes ago, agladstone said:

Also, about 9 months ago, Aurender first started to support Native DSD and at that time, they had to create custom code for many of the DACs on the Market and many of us had to put in a support request to have our specific DAC models/ brands be capable of Native DSD, it’s possible that Aurender has not yet done this for your specific DAC? 
With format, I have found the DSF is best format and it is also capable of supporting metadata, whereas with DFF it will play, but not capable of metadata. 
with SACD.ISO files, I have also found it’s much faster / better / easier to use the free ISO2DSD software available for free download from Sonore.com website. 
Last, there is a limit of DSD256 (at least with my N100H and my Mytek Brooklyn DAC+) for playing DSD natively. So for example DSD512 and DSD 1024 files can not play. 

 

Could be, but both state compatibility

Nevertheless I opened a ticket

 

 

[Ponzi]

Every once in while, I purchase a CD, only to rip it and find that it has no meta data (this happens more often than not with CD's recommended by Absolute Sound -- why I don't know).  Using the ASC tools, I can easily add the name of the composer, the genre, etc.  But not the album art.  I have two questions:  Why would a producer of CDs not include the mete data?  Second, can I add it some how, using the ASC 10, and without having to haul out a lap top?  

[Anonamemouse]

13 minutes ago, Ponzi said:

Every once in while, I purchase a CD, only to rip it and find that it has no meta data (this happens more often than not with CD's recommended by Absolute Sound -- why I don't know).  Using the ASC tools, I can easily add the name of the composer, the genre, etc.  But not the album art.  I have two questions:  Why would a producer of CDs not include the mete data?  Second, can I add it some how, using the ASC 10, and without having to haul out a lap top?  

Meta data is not in the redbook specifications. So technically, if a cd contains meta data, it was not made according to industry standards.

 

About the album art, there are sites where you can download many album covers which can be added. 

[AurenderAmerica]

@PedroSThat must be a beautiful system you've got...N20 and K-03XD yessir! 

 

NativeDSD should be compatible. If you are getting an error message when you attempt to turn on "Use Native DSD" under Settings>Advanced, please send a Remote Support email so that we can take a look at the USB connection and make sure it is set up for success with Native DSD output to that DAC. I believe that is a new model...it is possible that its PID and associated settings (every DAC has a unique Product ID) has not been added to our firmware as of yet. 

 

I see that you have been in touch with our support representative, Pablo, and I expect he will be getting back to you shortly. 

 

 

[PedroS]

2 minutes ago, AriMargolis said:

@PedroSThat must be a beautiful system you've got...N20 and K-03XD yessir! 

 

NativeDSD should be compatible. If you are getting an error message when you attempt to turn on "Use Native DSD" under Settings>Advanced, please send a Remote Support email so that we can take a look at the USB connection and make sure it is set up for success with Native DSD output to that DAC. I believe that is a new model...it is possible that its PID and associated settings (every DAC has a unique Product ID) has not been added to our firmware as of yet. 

 

I see that you have been in touch with our support representative, Pablo, and I expect he will be getting back to you shortly. 

 

 

 

Indeed both are new models, but boy... what a sound.

I'll do!

 

Thanks, my system is a simple one: Atoll MS120, Aurender N20, Esoteric K-03xd, DartZeel CTH-8550 MkII and Sonus Faber Serafinos

[AurenderAmerica]

58 minutes ago, Ponzi said:

Every once in while, I purchase a CD, only to rip it and find that it has no meta data (this happens more often than not with CD's recommended by Absolute Sound -- why I don't know).  Using the ASC tools, I can easily add the name of the composer, the genre, etc.  But not the album art.  I have two questions:  Why would a producer of CDs not include the mete data?  Second, can I add it some how, using the ASC 10, and without having to haul out a lap top?  

@Ponzithe CDs themselves do not actually contain any metadata in most cases. Upon inserting the CD into the ACS10, the system pings a variety of metadata resources online to download metadata that matches that CD. This is the same way every good CD ripping software works. 

 

If Album Cover art is missing, you can always add it in the ACS Manager app under "Smart Tag Editor":

 

 

 

...Finally...don't forget to tap "Save" on the upper right when you are finished...

[agladstone]

@AriMargolis that ACS smart tag editor interface looks great! 
Are there any plans in the future to ass these capabilities to the Conductor app for the players and not exclusively for the ACS series? 
It would be a dream to be able to do these things within Conductor and not have to constantly go to my computer to edit metadata and add album art! 
Also, an unrelated request, but last night I found myself actually needing to check Left / Right speakers after rearranging some of my interconnects and I realized that the feature which was added to the iPad conductor app was not available on the iPhone conductor app. Is it possible to request that it gets added to a future update to the iPhone app? 
 

 

[AurenderAmerica]

2 hours ago, agladstone said:

It would be a dream to be able to do these things within Conductor and not have to constantly go to my computer to edit metadata and add album art! 

@agladstoneyes that would be awesome! Aurender's engineering team has considered this. Unfortunately I'm afraid most non-ACS models do not have the processing power needed to make this kind of thing run smoothly and reliably. 

 

2 hours ago, agladstone said:

the feature which was added to the iPad conductor app was not available on the iPhone conductor app

This is one of those things that will probably just have to wait until V4. 

 

Thanks, Allen!

[agladstone]

Thanks for the explanation @AriMargolis, that actually makes sense (lack of processing power). I suppose yet another reason why I need to upgrade to an ACS10! 
In regards to the Left / Right for the iPhone app, it’s definitely not a critical feature! 
I had even wondered why Aurender had bothered with adding it to the iPad app until last night when I actually found myself needing it!!