The "Official" Aurender Discussion Thread

[marslo]

I recently upgraded my DAC to Lampizator Pacific SE with RJ 45 input.

Does anyone know how to connect Aurender W20 to Pacific with Ethernet cable ?

A few month ago an update of Aurender SW enabled the Ravenna protocol to be used with Merging DAc's , but is there any possibility to connect W20 to Pacific using RJ 45 ?

[marslo]

I use usb with upowered cable to Pacific and Aes/Ebu with La Fontaine .

Some reports put RJ45  above usb though .

 

[marslo]

My experience with different connections between W20 an Pacific DAC is that very good unpowered usb cable is on par with spdif as far as sonics are concerned but has better functionality ie makes possible  native dsd playback which is important to me.

Both spdif and AES/ EBU do not transmit DSD signals.

Since a few month I see the option  of using RJ 45 and Ravenna protocol with Nadac gaer.

I wonder if this is the best connection ? Anyone tried this?

 

[marslo]

10 minutes ago, Ponzi said:

Marslo:

 

Will you please explain why it is that an AES cable will not transmit native DSD.  I had no idea.  Based on earlier comments here, I have ordered a Kubiak’s AES cable to try between my N10 and Directstream.

Have no idea, Pacific does not play  dsd trough AES/EBU, Lukasz Fikus confirmed that, this is not a matter of specific cable.

[marslo]

Tank you, good to know.

How about Ravenna protocol and its sonics?

[marslo]

25 minutes ago, Mazza said:

 

AFAIK the existing Aurenders' don't have enough CPU-horsepower to run Roon; secondly Aurender have been on record many times to say that they don't want to service customer's through a 3rd-party AND lose their control over determining the sound-quality of their equipment through that 3rd-party

 

If you want Roon, then vote with your feet as you have done. Personally, I respect a Company who stick by their philosophy and strive to keep their own identity and raison d'être and I have bought into it.

 

+1

[marslo]

7 hours ago, jon2020 said:

Thanks for sharing this.  I will wait before updating as my dac is also Esoteric. 

I will also wait, maybe some Lampi owners here with W20?

As for footers I use  Polish Pro Audio Bono , made of brass ones.

I have them also under La Fontaine sacd player and acrylic footers under Pacyfic and Muarah controller.

[marslo]

1 hour ago, jon2020 said:

After reading this about SQ, I had to update to find out despite the risk of not being able to play hires files as alluded to earlier.

 

Well, good news is there is a noticeable improvement in SQ and bad news is hires files become unplayable.

 

Have reported this to Aurender support with a nice prompt reply from Ari. 

 

Anyway, am enjoying 16/44 to the max as I write this.   
 

 

 

[marslo]

 

Good to know that the update improve SQ but I still wait for the explanation from Ari about the issues with hires playback.

Hires pcm and dsd files are essential for me.

 

PS Sorry for empty former post but I could not quot the post of jon2020.

[marslo]

No risk no fun:)

I upgraded my W20 to 4.18.125 SW version and  both dsd and hires pcm are played flawlessly.

Lampi Pac fed from W20 with unpowered usb  FTA Calisto here.

It seems to me after 5 min audition of well known pieces that pcm sound has really improved, need more time to be sure.

 

[marslo]

11 minutes ago, rwwjr44 said:

Has anyone had any extended listening experiences with the W20SE? If so, please give us an update.

+1

Especially in comparison with W20 if possible pls.

[marslo]

36 minutes ago, michaelD said:

Maybe I can be of some help.  I did own a W20 after having a N10 for a couple of years and recently updated to the W20SE a few months ago.  Also let me say up front I"m not using a separate clock or dual XLR's. 

 

There was a nice jump in sound quality moving up from the N10 to the W20 which I fully expected.  However what I did not expect was a very similar jump up moving from the W20 to the W20SE.  I studied the compare on the Aurender web site like I"m sure many have and they certainly mention some changes with the biggest the linear power supply and some clocking upgrades.  However since I have come to know Aurender I was pretty sure the jump up would be a good move so went ahead early in the build cycle.  Just was not expecting so much!  My take is there are other more behind the scenes changes that were also done that all added together made the jump so much more beyond what they claimed.  A little added mode is "Extreme Play" which to me adds a bit more on top of what is there already.  This is run with the screen off and some internals but it does work.  The down side is there is no display but I guess that is the point.   

 

Bottom line well worth it and the app has also been updated too.

Thank you michaeID.

How your W20 SE is connected to your DAC ?

If with usb cable - is that an unpowered one ?

And pls forgive me another question -do you play music from NAS or from your W20SE as a server?

[marslo]

12 minutes ago, michaelD said:

I use the XLR cable not a big believer in USB but I know not all share that opinion.  I think if anybody can do USB right its Aurender so if that is how you want to go give it a try.  I did early on with the N10 compared the USB to XLR and preferred the XLR so never looked back.  Also I just use the W20SE as the server.  Aurender has a program for a NAS that works well and have used it with my N10 but not with the W20SE the 4TB is plenty.  My intention with the digital was to download more hi-rez files but I got hooked on streaming and really have only downloaded like 2 albums to date.  With the W20SE the Tidal option to do the first unfold for MQA is included which is also a plus. 

 
I have my W20 already for 6 or 7 years, I update SW on regular base. Before I had S10.

I tried AES connection with my different DAC’s but in my system and for my ears the unpowered usb cable with power switched off in usb audio output is a significant improvement over AES.

I have also Tidal  with MQA first unfold for 2 years or so , I tried also hires streaming from Qobuz for one month but to be honest  the playback of files in their native form be it wav pcm or native dsd is by far superior to my ears than streaming. So I buy files from different websites , prefarably in their native form, I use Tidal only as a secondary source of music.

For time being the best sounding files with Pacific SE DAC are for me wav DXD and DSD 256.

[marslo]

@michaelID

 

Thank you, I will for sure give W20 SE a try. 

As soon as we get rid of this coronvirus or at least learn how to live  with it.

I consider also LDMS which I auditioned at home last year with the designer, Lukas Domanski, trying rj 45 connection with switch to my Pacific.

Taiko Supreme   is too expensive for me , my first experince with less expensive version - SGM Sound Galleries at Geoffrey’s was not convincing though.

Btw I have Jcat ref Lan cable between my W20 and the wall socket, as well as LAN Jcat grounding device  to my Pacific.

 

[marslo]

We tried first LDMS connected to my Pacific with unpowered FTA Callisto cable . Then Lukas proposed the connection over rj 45 using the switch ( generic one of good quality ) , server was connected to the switch with my best usb cable - an unpowered Stavessence Aprictiy cable and then with a standard LAN cable to the  Pacific. It was promissing but requires further audition.

Afaik Luc himself uses Apricity usb  cable between his server and Pacific DAC. It deosn't work properly between my W20 and Pac  but had no problem with the  former B7 Lampi DAC. The connectors applied in Apricity usb cable are not standard though.

[marslo]

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

[marslo]

Very useful information, thank you Ari.

Now it’s clear why my W20 „ classic” does not support for time being the native DSD playback even though I updated SW to the last version. I hope it will be available soon.

Already with DoP protocal good recordings in  native DSD sound spectacular using unpowered usb to my Pacific.

[marslo]

@AriMargolis

 

Hi Ari,

 

I downloaded Conductor  app for Iphone but it’s in Korean  language. It’s available in App Store as Aurender Lite.

I succeded to find my W20 and enter the pass code but having selected Polish in the setup menu  I still have Korean on the app. I tried to switch to English, didn’t help.Pls explain how to change it.

 

[marslo]

4 hours ago, edje said:

In the settings menu (right side at the bottom of the app) you select the second tab. Scroll down, and tap the first blue line which will come up. There you can select every language you want.

I did , it didn't help.  First I tried Polish, than after having checked int the App Stroe that there are only two languages available ( Korean and English ) I switched to English but I have still Korean description.

The screen remains like on the picture.

[marslo]

18 minutes ago, edje said:

I think you are right. I had selected the Dutch language, but all is in English. Then I selected an unreadable language, but still English. With Polish I also have the English interface. But it is a mistery why you have the Korean language in your environment. Can it be a setting on your phone?

It’s very unlikely , apart from Aurender I have no Korean connection;)

[marslo]

58 minutes ago, gb-70 said:

The App is only available in English and Korean language. If the App does not find a supported language on the phone it will use its default, Korean. On the iPhone settings (not in the App) you will have to choose English as the second language. So first may be German, Dutch or another one and second must be English. Than remove the App and install it again. The App will use the first language in the list on your iPhone that it supports. In this case it will show up in English. Works fine for me, the App is really cool!

 

 

You are right :). Thank you.

 

I selected English instead of Polish as a language for my Iphone 8 and now the app is  also  in English .

 

But it has to be solved by Aurender , I do not want my Iphone in Enligsh just for one app. Imho the default setting in the app should be English and not Korean.

 

[marslo]

@gb-70

 

Thank you once more gb-70 for your kind  assistance.

It's perfect now :)

I am born in 59 , it's my only excuse ;)

[marslo]

On 12/3/2020 at 4:49 PM, michaelD said:

Ponzi I agree totally with your assessment of the W20SE.  I too started with the N10 and loved that unit then moved on the W20 and now the W20SE.  Both large steps up from the N10 each time.  I've more recently been listening to it in the Critical Listening mode and find that that adds just a bit more resolution.  However I did try the upscaling that the reviewer in TAS did and rave about but did not hear much difference so I'm back to no upscaling.  Be interested in hearing your comments on these options.

 

As far as the Conductor app I agree with merge03 and some others its designed to be less complicated so yes there maybe some things you can't do but just because you could was it necessary?  the iPhone app is flawless so far for me also by the way.

Very interesting.

Could you pls elaborate a bit deeper the differences between W20 and the new top of the line W20 SE?

I am very satisfied with the functionality and the sound of my W20 which I have for 7 or 8 years, one ot the first W20 delivered to Poland. Very stable as a server , I do not have NAS.

I was told by the local dealer that he has not W20SE for audition , he does not offer the replacement option either. I did not find any comparison or review of W20 SE in the net, apart from the recent Robert Harley test.

 

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/aurender-w20se-music-server/?page=2

 

Does the W 20 SE still has the option to turn off the power in usb audio board?

My preferred connection to Pacific SE DAC is an unpowered usb cable , Pacific has the self powered Amanero board , as an option I have a better  clocks installed by Lampizator staff.

Robert Harley is using Berkeley Ref   DAC without usb input so he is obliged to use a separate usb/ spdif converter which is suboptimal imho.

[marslo]

I share your opinion about  LAN cables Vincent.

I am using Jcat ref LAN cable for W20  and their LAN/usb grounding  device for Pacific and W20.

 

 

[marslo]

32 minutes ago, Vincent1234 said:

Looks good! 👍🏻 Are you also using an audiophile switch? The Silent Angel Bonn N8 is very affordable (EUR 400) as is the Silent Angel LPS Forrester 1 upgrade option (same price); both are great upgrades and very much worth the money. The Melco S100 is much better still, actually making the W20 sound faultlessly quiet, open and analogue (especially with an LPS), but it's also in a different price bracket. Looking at your great system however I think you will be stunned by the improvements it makes, also regarding price-performance ratio. Certainly worth a try. 👍🏻

As I don’t have a NAS I do not need a switch either, I play the music stored localy on 2 W20 HDDs and then sent to SSD for the playback.

When I tried RJ45 playback with my Pacific and  LDMS with a switch , it was promissing but not better than the unpowered usb connection.

I buy hires SM  PCM and native DSD albums and store them on Aurender as a server with the external backup on usb HDDs.

I play native files  without transcoding or upsampling. Tidal is  only to audition  new albums before I buy them with Qobuz, Nativedsd, Hyperion, eclassical or HDTT. 

I listen to the whole albums , usually even do not create playlists.