The "Official" Aurender Discussion Thread

[jon2020]

2 hours ago, JS21 said:

That new color on the conductor app (A30 brochure) 👍. 

I’m 🤤🤤🤤.

 

+1.

[jon2020]

15 hours ago, JS21 said:

That new color on the conductor app (A30 brochure) 👍. 

I’m 🤤🤤🤤.

 

Can't wait......

 

[jon2020]

16 hours ago, russellbobby said:

Me either ... a DSD file playing on Tidal in MQA. They must know something we dont   But we do know this is not an actual screenshot.

 

If I am not mistaken, dsd files played with MQA decoding are converted to pcm by an MQA capable dac.

If the dac is not MQA capable but dsd capable,  dsd files should play natively. 

[jon2020]

9 hours ago, Vincent1234 said:

The UI looks good though. Let's hope this is how it will look like when the long wait is over.

 

Ii is probably not too difficult to even have skins of different colors. 

J River has been featuring skin changes for some time now.

[jon2020]

1 hour ago, Vincent1234 said:

True, at least normally it's pretty easy to implement. But rumor has it that the current brown color is hard-coded in the app, which if true makes it a huge (and tedious) job to change. That would also explain why it has never been changed in all these years.

 

Hard-coded? Yes, that would be tough for a redo. 

[jon2020]

7 hours ago, biosailor said:

And what a nice welcome it was provided by the N100H! Soundwise, it was the Darkside 😁!

 

Welcome back! We know the N100H is special - very special indeed.

[jon2020]

9 minutes ago, Blakcloud said:

Ari, I have told my friend about this thread and to re-contact support for his problem.

 

Now for the showdown between the N100H and N100C. The N100C wins in this debate. The difference is subtle but noticeable. I am not one to use superlative language especially in audio, I either like it or I don't. In this case I will go out on a limb and say the C sounds more open. There seems to be more of a natural decay when a note is played. So, to me it sounds natural like it should.

 

This doesn't mean the H is bad because it isn't. I think any consumer would be happy with either, but as we chase the best possible sound these small increments add up.

 

The C is now in my main system because it sounds better. The H has been shifted to the secondary system.
 

The experiment with the Singxer as a comparison was also interesting. I just couldn't find any difference between that and just using the USB. Would I recommend H users to buy a Singxer? the answer is no, not worth the cost and there was no benefit for me. Plus you have to add an SPDIF cable which just adds to the cost. Save yourself the grief and just buy the C if you are in that position. At the same time, I wouldn't tell people to sell their H for the C. Yes, the C sounds better but what is the final cost in the end?

 

As a final note, take what I said as just my personal opinion. My ears are 59 years old and I am a N of 1. My results could be system specific. What sounds good in my system, with my components and cabling may be different from yours. I am glad I did this experiment and I am going to buy an even better SPDIF cable from Audio Sensibility (Signature Silver) and see if I can even make the main system better. Again I am not looking for night and day difference but a small change for the better.

Thanks for sharing your listening experience.  

I fully agree that the difference between H and C would be system dependent. The implementation of USB vs SDIF by a particular DAC is an important determining factor as to which will sound better with your DAC.

 

Enjoy the Music!

[jon2020]

I just downloaded the new Android app to my phone and it's just great with single-handed control.

Saying goodbye for good to the 2-handed iPad. 

Thanks a million, Aurender!

[jon2020]

11 minutes ago, justubes said:

Oh Thank you.

 

I was playing with it and does not show the full playlist on my ipad.

 

Subsequently, it deleted my current playlist on the ipad whilst still showing some songs on the Android.

 

So it looks like development is still in progress for bugs.

 

The playlist takes a few minutes to load the first time on both the iOS and Android platforms.

 

Check your playlist again on both platforms to see if they are in sync.  There may just be a bit of time lag before syncing.

[jon2020]

9 hours ago, Foxman50 said:

......is the app exactly the same, same functionality and appearance.

 

Yes, it is. :)

[jon2020]

Hi all,

 

I am curious as to whether others here may have shared my experience that high quality isolation footers significantly improve the SQ of their units, even with the lowly N100H.

I currently use Harmonix by Combak footers but hope to hear from others about their choices and what work best for them. Also, to Ari and Chris, whether they do recommend any particular make/model.

 

Many thanks in advance. 

Jon. 

[jon2020]

Many thanks to all for your kind replies.  

I guess it would be a good time now to shop around ...... 

[jon2020]

15 hours ago, Vincent1234 said:

Absolutely recommended: Cardas myrtle wood blocks, 3 under each device. They work wonders AND are pretty cheap. I have them below preamp, amp, DAC, clock and W20. Also work great with speaker cables. There's hardly any application where they do not work well. Just try them!

Thanks.  Adding this to my wish list.  

[jon2020]

On 10/30/2019 at 9:52 AM, russellbobby said:

Although I have moved on from multiple Aurenders , Stillpoints   ultra minis worked the best in my system. 

 

Thanks for the heads up.

[jon2020]

1 minute ago, rwwjr44 said:

Well after the update I only get sound from 16/44 files. The front panel indicates the correct format (DSD, 24/192, etc) and the timing shows that the HDD is “playing” the music but the is no sound. I checked my Esoteric display and it only syncs to 16/44.  The only change was the update.

 

I recycled both Units but no joy. I noticed that the unit is now compatible with another DAC. I hope that this is a software error and will report it to Aurender.

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

[jon2020]

21 hours ago, isquirrel said:

I notice a nice SQ increase with the latest firmware on my W20. I noticed whilst it was upgrading that it also upgraded the FPGA. Anyone else noticed it?

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.   

[jon2020]

9 hours ago, marslo said:

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.

 

 

So far, it looks like an issue only for Esoteric dac's.  

 

Trusting Aurender support to fix this quickly.  

[jon2020]

1 hour ago, rwwjr44 said:

I can once again play hires and DSD music. Thanks to all the Aurender folks that fixed the problem with Esoteric DACs.

 

So can I. Many thanks to Ari and the support team.

Cheers! 

[jon2020]

4 hours ago, bmichels said:

 

 

My damping material.    Much better than HRS damping plates.... 😉

 

 

 

Cool!

[jon2020]

Just to pen a note of special thanks to Ari and team for enabling my dac to be native DSD capable following today's firmware and Conductor update.

What a welcome surprise!

My dsd collection now sounds better than it has ever been.  

 

Well done, Aurender! 

Cheers! Jon. 

[jon2020]

On 6/18/2020 at 3:07 AM, Koso said:

N100H is on warm side, thats true. What usb cable do you have? I've tried 5-6 decent cables until I found neutral one. (I have Siltech Anniversary usb cable now). Additional way to reduce warmth is using good anti-vibrating footers, but not soft types. Finite Elemente Ceraball (new version) worked under mine N100H exactly the way you are seeking. It is fine tuning though, but audible difference towards more neutral sound. 

I would not characterise the N100H as warm. In my system,  it is actually rather neutral, and can be as warm or as cool as the ancillaries that it is partnered with.  Footers indeed make a big difference and so does the usb cable.  

 

I recently switched to the Shunyata alpha usb cable and what it reveals is the truly substantive high end performance of  the N100H. The N100H need make no apologies for its lowly status in the hierarchy of Aurender servers.

 

I have brought home the N10 for audition and I can confidently say that the much smaller investment in a usb cable vs the price gap between the 2 units, brings the N100H to a much higher  level than the N10 without the Shunyata. Although the Shunyata is about half the price of the N100H, the musical enjoyment quotient has increased 10-fold for me.

 

Cheers!

[jon2020]

5 hours ago, kilroy said:

Can you talk about that Shunyata cable? Not out of my range if the quality is worth it. Maybe compare with any others? Thanks.

 

 

I can only compare with the cables that I had in the past which aren't many.  Just 2 - the ifi Audio bihedral cable which separates usb signal from power, and the Oyaide Continental 5S. 

 

I will get the ifi cable out of the way in that it is to be used with the ifi USB which is not appropriate for further discussion here. Anyway, the SQ is a big step down from the Oyaide. Which goes to show that cable design and construction entails a lot more than separating usb signal from power.  

 

On to the Oyaide comparison. The step up in SQ with the Shunyata is huge on so many levels.

What the Shunyata brings to the table are :-

lower noise floor, better focus, deeper and wider soundstage,  more air and space around instruments(xylophones never sounded so good), better separation and delineation of instruments, more body, greater urgency to leading transients, better bass and slam(kick drums), silkier highs with no loss of edge (trumpets, violins). 

 

Listening to full orchestral symphonies is indeed a revelation. The strong bass foundation and expansive soundstage with all instruments clearly imaged and positioned makes me want to just listen over and over again. Bernstein's Mahler never sounded so coherent. And the same goes for piano, violin and cello concertos.  Cellos sound as woody as they should.  

 

Albums that I thought sounded lean with the Oyaide are now more fleshed out and balanced with the Shunyata. 2 come to mind - Fred Hersch's Dancing in the Dark and Bill Evans' Waltz for Debby.  

 

Female vocals are a joy, silky or raw with more breathiness as they naturally are.  

 

A solid cable for all genres of music. Music ebbs and flows with greater ease, as near as can be to analog.  

 

The Shunyata apha usb cable has made a very clear statement that the transmission of digital bits from server to dac is the single most important link to digital heaven.

 

No regrets, no guilt. 

[jon2020]

17 hours ago, kilroy said:

 

BTW pulled the trigger on a Shunyata Alpha USB and hope to have it soon. Also got an Audio Sensibilities silver cable and it's very good. Look forward to hearing more about your journey towards a W20.

 

 

Congrats on pulling the trigger for the Shunyata alpha.

Do keep us posted on your experience and how it compares with the AS.

[jon2020]

Could it be only as I imagined it to be or could it be as real as it gets?

 

I recently upgraded the firmware for my N100H last week.

Usually I would find subtle incremental improvements to the sound but this time, it is more like a leap than a baby step. Timbre, body, soundstaging, transient speed and musicality all soared to new heights.

I guess Christmas came early to my home this year.

 

Kudos to the Aurender team and Good Cheer to all!

Jon  :):):)

[jon2020]

23 minutes ago, Koso said:

Hi Jon,

I have noticed that you have “Shunyata Alpha” USB cable. Is it worth money? I have considered this cable as upgrade of usb cable between my Aurender N100H and Denafrips Gaia DDC. I have Siltech Classic Anniversary USB cable now, which is decent cable, but there are great reviews of Alpha online. Have you compared Alpha with other usb cables?

Hi Koso,

 

I have only compared the  Shunyata alpha usb with my previous cable which was the Oyaide Continental 5S. In another previous post in this thread, I described the superlative qualities of the alpha and stand by all of them today. The alpha is truly worth every penny and elevates the overall SQ of my system to a whole other level. Hope this helps.

 

Cheers! Jon.