Auralic Aries Mini

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Auralic has a HTML5 webcontrol in the works. Mr. Xuanqian Wang told this somewhere in another thread on CA. So you can use that on your Android, MacOS and Windows device.

 

I hope that i will not be the standard solution ... Because it will require more power from the Aries Hardware :

 

- Serve the gui with an Web server (HTTP server like nginx or light httpd)

- Database handled by the Aries

- Database files and artwork cache stored in a local disk or NAS

 

A iPad 2 or 3 can not handle all of this smoothly (Database almost) and with this kind of setup, if you have a NAS, the gui application will not run smoothly because the Aries will serve the web page, respond to HTML5 request, do the work on the Database on the network from the NAS (same thing for the artwork). And all of this during playback ...

So browsing music will not be as smooth (search tracks, display artwork etc ...)

 

Remember, Aries has 512MB or 1GB memory. It's very light to handle all this functionnalities. With big database, there will be some issues.

 

It will be worst than have everything on the iPad and let all the Aries do the playing and nothing more (just handle request for play, pause next ...)

 

I hope that the iPad version will stay and to have an option to disable all the services related to HTML5 webcontrol to ensure maximum horse power only for the playback

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As far as I know iOS (both iPad and iPhone) will be supported by Auralic with native apps. So no concern there. The webcontrol (when it comes someday) allows to control the Aries with other platforms.

 

It's rather simple. If you own or buy an Aries (Mini) now, just make sure you have an iPad 3/4, iPad Air 1 or 2 for the best experience. Guess the iPhone / iPod app will work well as well, but personally I like a bigger screen. Otherwise you can settle for other control apps, also on Android, but some functionality wil lack then.

 

I just hope to have the possibility to disable all the things related to Webcontrol if i don't want to use it Less things running = less bugs = more performance

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I have an iPad 2. Are you sYing I will have problems?

 

Depending of your library size, it can take some time to have results during a search. Memory can be an issue to have a smooth experience. CPU power too

 

With my Ipad Air 2 and a little library (4000 songs) it's very very fast and smooth. Auralic supports says that the maximul library size is 1 000 000 tracks max. So with this kind of library, you'd better have more horse power.

 

You will need some storage too, because all the data are stored in the iPad. With my library (4000 songs) Lightning DS consume 2GB (data + artwork cache)

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I can understand that! And frankly,I don't get it why Auralic hasn't offered a feature for it. It ain't that hard and it has been requested A LOT.

 

I don't know if Minimserver can do that, but LDS let you search by file type (DSD) or sampling rate etc and filter with the same criteria... And soon, you will be able to edit the meta data content directly on the IOS app via LDS.

 

But i agree that the "The" sort option is just an obvious one and must be implemented ASAP. I think it's not so difficult.

 

Regarding the cover art issue, it depends of how you are using it. If you are using embedded artwork, it works nice. If you are using external file (folder.jpg ...) you must ensure that the file has the right name and extension. With the new firmware, its now case insensitive so folder.jpg or Folder.jpg will work. .JPEG extension has been added too.

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Well, took a bit time but eventually got everything set up as it should be. Still have to copy my music to the external harddisk. Have it playing wit stock wall ps and external dac. It's different from my MacMini with Audirvana. Is it better? I don't know, it's different. Do I like it? Yes I do. Using it is a lot easier than a headless MacMini, thas for sure!

 

Is it me or am I missing an upsampling function?

 

Hello, there is no upsampling fonction with Aries familly (not yet, maybe DSD upsampling in the future will be reserved for the Aries big brother)

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I am hoping someone else pipe's in, cause I have just switched back to using Lightning Server as opposed to Miniserver with the Auralic Aries Mini ( before that it's big brother).

 

Using the latest version of Lightning DS and Lighting Server I can see the Warren Hayes Benefit concerts which per track lists the respective artists all sorted under Warren Haynes, so it is reading the Album Artist tag.

 

If I use Folder view rather than the default library view I can browse the compilations folder which has all my compilations but if I choose one compilation each track is listed individually.

 

I can however use Library view, and search by artist or album and locate compilations.

 

To play an entire album, select an album by tapping it, then just click the album title to play the entire album.

 

Oh and setup was a breeze, aimed Lightning Server at the NAS my music is on and it pulled it all in.

 

Issues related to album covers are as previously noted.

 

Now enjoying music via coax to the Devialet.

 

Using wireless, no hiccups.

 

You can do a search with multiple criterias too like :

- Jazz DSD64

- Diana Krall 96Khz

 

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Nothing is stored on iPad. Just a soft to control music. So a 16G0 is enough. I used to control Linn Akurate with Kinsky and Plug Player with iPad 16

 

A lot of things are stored in the iPad. All the database for LDS is stored in the iPad (meta-data and covers). Search is done in the Ipad Database for example. Nothing is stored in the Aries.

 

I've 5000 tracks and the database is about 2.3GB (metadata + covers)

 

See this link : http://support.auralic.com/hc/en-us/articles/206840447

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Anyone here had a Macbook Air with A+ before switching to the Mini? Is it a significant improvement? I personally found the MB Air to be a lot quieter than the Mac mini probably due to the fact that it's battery operated. Just add HDD and DAC and it's quite a sonic performer. But I can't use a remote and it's a pain to lean and squint to pick tracks (mine's an 11"). For these reasons the Aries Mini is a really appealing alternative but it I'm hoping it wins sonically too.

 

You can control A+ with ipad/iphone remote (10$). I've an Aries Full (LPS + clock) and it sounds better than my mac mini (2012) with SSD. I'm using an Oppo DAC HA-1. Aries is less "aggressive in" fact. Lot of air and details. No listen fatigue.

 

I can not compare with the mini, but only with it's big big brother

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My installation nightmare continues and gets worse. Broke out a SECOND Aries mini and started from scratch. Now my Ipad Air 2 will not even connect to the Auralic-Lightning wifi anymore, despite 50-plus attempts to join, while sitting right next to the Aries Mini. I even told the ipad to forget the main wifi network, thinking that signal may be stronger and may direct the Ipad towards that instead. Nothing.

 

Tip to Auralic: if proprietary wifi is your only means of connecting during the crucial initial setup, PLEASE make sure your wifi is iron-clad and guaranteed to work.

 

I am going to keep playing with this for the rest of today and then I will find out what the return policy is at the store I ordered them from.

 

One dud box is possible, but two? I don't understand how all the people in this forum and in the reviews have managed to get this thing to work so easily. Nothing and I mean NOTHING works right now, as I cannot even access the Auralic Wifi to go through the setup....

Frustration levels mounting rapidly. This is now 4-plus hours I have spent on this and gotten nowhere.

 

delete all wifi network on your iPad and restart it. Did you put the aries on hotspot mode ?

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What brand/model wireless router are you using? Try rebooting or power cycling that router.

 

While it is possible to have two defective products in a row, the likelihood is low. I've been reading up on Aries Mini on the Auralic support site and it mentions the wireless router needs to support SSDP, which is used as the discovery protocol of UPnP. For troubleshooting a music server/music renderer/control point setup you can vary the music server and control point as experiments to see what piece of hardware (or software) the problem follows. Assuming your iPad is not the cause, can you try with another wireless router or another music server? MinimServer is a "known good" component so can you temporarily switch to running it on your NAS?

 

It also sounds like you need to contact Auralic for tech support. They are typically responsive and helpful. Remote troubleshooting a problematic setup via forum posts can be difficult and inefficient.

 

The router is not the issue here because our friend can not connect to the wifi network created by the Aries Mini (Hotspot mode) for the initial configuration.

 

Can you test with an another iPad or if an another device can be connected to the Aries Network ?

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The simplest way to start with a Synology NAS is to create a Share, enabled the Windows File Service and configure the Aries to connect to the share. No Need to install anything and you can use the Aries.

 

I've done this way, less than 10mn to setup the Aries Full and the NAS, and a few minutes more for the first scan.

 

To start it's the better option. When everything works fine, you can use Minimserver if you want. But for me, LDS and Samba/CIFS share works flawlessly without a drop, cut, strange noise or issue since August (for playing music i mean). I've just a DS215j with 2 disks of 1TB. Everything are connected by ethernet wire (no wifi), and i stream DXD or DSD256 is easy as 1 2 3 ...

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Funny, I'm not into the work required for "techno geek" and minim server was always easy to get set up as long as I read the users guide. I have about 10,000 tracks in my library, takes about 2-3 minutes for complete new sync using lightning server so could easily see where a 100,000 + track library would take over an hour. The fact that its still not done after letting it run all night sounds more like a scalability issue... one of the compromises made in the Mini is less memory than the full size Aries so it could well be that the mini isn't suited to someone with a 10,000 + album collection.

 

There is a bug with the latest version of Aries firmware. Scan is slower than before. And for scanning, Aries Mini is powerful enough to do that. It jus scan a disk and read-metadata, database and analysis are done by the iPad.

 

For people with an Aries and an oldest firmware, what was the scan speed (NAS or DISK) ?

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Hi,

 

I have a Mini since a month now and very happy with it.

I am using a Sinology NAS connected in SMB and Lightning Server. I have quite a small library, but I have a problem exposed to Chris from Auralic, where I can't find a solution:

- I reached a certain amount of music: 2668 songs in lightning server

Since then, each album I add is not recognized and listed...

I did hard reset, rescan...nothing work.

If I withdraw an album which was recognized, number of songs decreased ( normal ) and if I add a new album ( not recognized previously ), number of songs stay the same ( not normal )

 

Any idea ?

 

Thanks

 

Are you sure your metadata and covers are ok ? A friend of mine has more than 5000 tracks without issue with his mini. I've more than 6000 tracks with my Aries too without issue. And i'm using a NAS. Didi you check the permissions of the file on the NAS ? Maybe you've copied them with a different user seated in the Aries to connect to SMB to the NAS (i've already have this kind of issue due to an error i've made)

 

Try to put permission (temporary) to everyone to check if it's OK (like a good old chmod -R 777 )

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???? thanks, I don't understand why, but when I use an admin account everything is fine!!

 

I created a media user for the auralic and for some reason, it had permission to the Music folder of my Nas, but not on some folder inside!!!

 

 

Envoyé de mon SM-G920F en utilisant Tapatalk

 

Check if you are not using the admin account when you put some files to the NAS from your computer. I imagine that you are using an dedicated account for the Aries (like music or anything you want) ? If you copy music with the admin account and the aries is connected with the music account, it's possible that the aries can scan the file with the admin account permission.

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I visited a good friend today, and took my RPI2, running RuneAudio, with me. My friend has a high-end set-up very similar to mine (Quad Electrostatics, decent power amps, MDAC, etc.), together with his new recent addition, his Auralic Aries Mini. We connected the Pi to the DAC via coax (Digi+ output) and the Aries Mini via USB.

 

I covered the DAC display so neither of us knew what was playing then we both played the same track on our respective equipment and swapped sources. The remote control cycles through the inputs so, after several quick presses, neither of us knew which was selected. Then we started listening.

 

The difference was clear. One was flatter and dull, the other had more life and vitality and a wider frequency response. "That'll be mine then", stated my host. I removed the DAC display cover and, to his surprise and my delight, the Pi was the selected source.

 

I've agreed to build my friend a Pi.

 

You've compared 2 streamers with 2 different connections, USB vs Coax ? Did you try the other way, Pi in USB and Aries in Coax ? Or Coax vs Coax in both case ?

 

Does the Aries Mini is brand new or has run for multiple hours ?

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Hi all. I have a problem that I have not found here, does anyone know a solution to this? Auralic already notified but no solution at the moment:

 

The LAN cable connection is lost after a few minutes when backup folders of the internal hard disk to my Windows 10 pc.

1) Only failure with LAN cable (~25MB/s), no fault with wifi (~12MB/s)

2) Failure with 1Gb LAN, not fail with 100Mb.

3) LD version 2.4, Firmware 3.0, Internal HDD Sansumg Momentun 1TB

4) Tested Manual IP, other LAN cables and various connection.

5) I tried another router, Netgear R7000

6) I tried other switch 1Gb.

7) Do not fail with Mac

8) LAN connection again past few minutes or removing / placing the LAN cable.

 

Anyone else happens?

 

 

 

7) Do not fail with Mac

 

Maybe it's a windows problem if anything works fine with a MAC, so like david256 says, maybe an MTU issue.

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I recently bought a Mini.

I have tried streaming from my NAS and using an SSD connected to the USB port.

With the later I did power the SSD from a Clean Stabilized Linear supply.

In order to get a reasonable sound quality from the Mini I had to use an external stabilized supply. I used a supply with 16v and 5v outputs. Using an internal SSD means that the 16 v supply has to dropped to 5v within the mini and I didnt think that the additional current flow and power dissipation within the small box would be desirable.

 

I did not hear any improvement in audio quality, which is in stark contrast to doing the same excercise with my CAPS.

As I listen to the mini I hear a slight harshness in the sound noticeable in the treble end and very obvious on 24/96 files.

This reflects, to my ears, into a slight loss of detail all round with a looseness in Bass - again to me, a tiring sound to listen to with little musicality.

Has anyone else tried Streaming from NAS and internal external SSD

 

I am still evaluating the Mini but so far my CAPS is way ahead and it looks like my trusty Squeezebox is going back into service

 

Let me mini burn in a little. I've the same impressions that yours with a mini of one of my friend. It was a little harsh. After 1 week it changes a lot in the good way.