Auralic Aries Mini

[baddog]

@Ajax -

 

To contact Auralic Support go here. Create an account or sign in, then submit a request to support.

[baddog]

FWIW.

 

I have run an Aries Mini using a Synology NAs running Minimserver with nary a hitch. Same goes for using Lightning Server instead of Minimserver to connect to the NAS. Playback then output from the Aries Mini using either RCA or USB.

 

That being said, I have my NAS downstairs connected to an Apple Extreme via ethernet. The Apple Extreme downstairs is in turn connected to my cable modem.

 

Upstairs is the second Apple Extreme which connect to the first one wirelessly, in turn the Aries Mini connects wireless to the Apple Extreme.

 

I am using a static IP address for the NAS.

 

I realize people's results may vary due to their wifi set ups/network setups.

[baddog]

@allen -

 

You can find a wealth of information on the Aurender in this thread among others. This thread has comparisons between it and the higher end Aries models.

 

And this thread is all about the N100.

 

Welcome.

[baddog]

@allen - My advise is to go slow and adjust over time. I would recommend start with the bare minimum, and then after listening and using for a while determine what subsequent steps you want to take.

 

Regen and a linear power supply are nice additions, but perhaps first start without them, listen to your system and determine what you want to change next.

 

If possible start with a computer connected to the DAC and choose what player software you want to use for library management and playback. Or if you want to start via the streamer route then it would certainly be easier to have one with a built in HD rather than building a LAN if you have never done so.

 

I assume all your music is already on your hard drives?

[baddog]

From what I've been told, the Aeries LPS is not very good compared to other LPS on the market. Thus, the LPS you have from China is prob equivalent to the Aeries LPS.

 

Respectfully, I have not heard that. What exactly is wrong with the Aries linear power supply?

 

Has anyone published or written a comparison?

[baddog]

Apologies in advance if this has been covered here, but as far as an intenral SSD with the Aries mini, is there any benefit as far as performance goes if wanting to use the SSD primarily as a cache for the music coming off my networked drive?

 

Hi, as far as I am aware there is no capability for an internal SSD in the Aries Mini to "cache" music coming from a networked drive.

 

In fact if the music is streaming fine from your network drive to the Aries, then even if caching was possible there would be no advantage that I am aware of unless you were experiencing network drop outs.

[baddog]

Questions regarding whether using internal storage hard drive in the Auralic or a locally attached USB drive versus NAS storage will bring you mixed responses. In other words if you were to review all the postings here over the past year you will see there are fans of all three options. I happen to use a NAS, but I have used local USB storage previously. In the end I choose NAS storage for reasons other than sound quality.

 

My personal recommendation is to go with the option that is most convenient for you and enjoy. A NAS is more work to maintain than local USB storage, and internal storage is the easiest of all, assuming you backup your collection somewhere else as well.

 

As always, my personal opinion, your milage may vary.

 

Barr

[baddog]

This tip was buried many many messages back....

 

Additional message: Some of the WiFi router will block UDP multicast completely by default as they consider SSDP multicast message as a DDoS attack package. If customer is using this type of WiFi router, they need to make sure not active the 'firewall' function. or add an exception for SSDP multicast.

 

[baddog]

As a alternate solution consider running Minimserver on your NAS ( if supported ) rather than Lightning Server till those issues get sorted out. It has worked flawlessly for me. I realize there are trade offs when opting for Minimserver it terms of some of the views available in Lightning DS.

 

Barr

[baddog]

@digitalized - Yes I concur with your thoughts, as I understand the extra features available with the Lightning DS application. As to Roon, agreed, I have been a user since the early days, so have been anxiously awaiting the integration as well. One thought in the interim if you are using Minimserver, check the Minimserver log files ( available via Minimwatch ) to see if Minimserver is reporting any errors. There was a bunch of stuff I had to clean up in my music library when I first started using Minimserver. That being said, that does not mean it will resolve the issues with Lightning Server, but at least it is a good starting point to ensure a "clean" music collection.

 

I ended up using Yate to clean up much of the meta data errors I got in the Minimserver logs.

[baddog]

Wow Gary - that is quite the environment! Hope it's warm.

 

Barr

[baddog]

If you wish to use the DAC within the Aries Mini you should use the standard RCA line outs. They are Line Out - Left and Line Out - Right on the Aries Mini.

 

See this picture.

[baddog]

bruny -

 

Launch the Auralic Lightning DS application. Then do the following:

 

Click cogwheel at bottom left of screen for settings.

 

Choose your Aries in the selection box on right side ( Currently Available)

 

Scroll down and you will see "DAC Settings"

 

Choose "Filter Mode"

 

You can then select your filter, Precise, Dynamic, Balance or Smooth.

 

That's all you need to do!

 

Barr

[baddog]

@jsjenkins168.

 

I suspect you would want to cancel your existing subscription and start a new Tidal subscription. You need to contact Auralic to activate the new subscription. I suspect there is no mechanical manner to append to an existing account. I don't know what would happen if you cancel your current subscription and start a new one with the same username via the Aries Tidal offer. Perhaps it would retain any playlists, favorites, et al. You are perhaps going into unexplored territory.

 

Are you struggling with the configuration of the product or the day to day usage?

 

Barr

[baddog]

No need to cancel Tidal. There are instructions on the Auralic support site. You email them some info and they email back a code you enter into your (existing) Tidal account.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile mobile app

 

@austinpop - Hey, thanks for clarifying that, that is certainly a much better solution.

 

@jskenkins168 - see austinpop's post, looks like there is an easy way to extend your subscription for a year.

 

As to the iPad issue, concur that is problematic. At this point a CLI interface doesn't sound too crazy does it?

[baddog]

Well according to Auralic NTFS is supported:

 

Lightning Server can read FAT32, NTFS, exFAT, ext2/3/4 and HFS (no matter if they are non-journaled or journaled) partition formats.

 

 

What music file types/partition formats does Lightning Server support? – AURALIC LIMITED

[baddog]

Also maybe this tidbit from the readme file on the Aries Mini helps:

 

To add/edit or remove music files from USB drive, please use the folder named 'USB'. This folder is not accessible when Lightning Server is not set in USB mode.

 

 

To add/edit or remove music files from internal storage, please use the folder named 'HDD'. This folder will not show up when Lightning Server could not detect a valid internal storage.

 

Thus I believe at the root of your NTFS drive all your music needs to be under a folder at the root level called "USB"

 

Barr

[baddog]

Steve - So playing the album "Archive Series Volume 1 by Dave Holland Quintet on Tidal.

 

On the Lightning DS application on top under the name of the track playing back I see :

 

Tidal 44.1Khz 16bit and the Kbps varies between 459Kbps and 597Kbps.

 

New Coldplay album reads "Tidal 44.1Khz, 16bit, and varies between 1.2Mbps and 1.071Mpbs

 

Tanita Tikaram album Ancient Heart, shows Tidal 44.1Khz, 16bit, 696kbps - 1.018Mbps

 

 

Running this on an iPad Mini.

 

Barr

[baddog]

Hello Steve - perhaps this might work. First log into Tidal from a Mac or PC or whatever with your trial HIFI account.

 

One logged in look to the upper left corner, it should show TIDAL on top, underneath that your account name and under that it should say Tidal HiFi.

 

If you use Google Chrome as the browser, after logging in you can playback one of these tracks and see if it indicates HiFi playback ( this wont work in other browsers such as Safari.

 

Once you have validated those two items then try the following in Lightning DS.

 

Sign out of your Tidal account.

 

Quit Lightning DS.

 

Re launch Lightning DS, and sign in to your Tidal account again and see if it works.

 

Let me know how you fair.

 

Barr

[baddog]

Steve - glad to hear it is all sorted out. Enjoy!

 

Barr

[baddog]

Steve - I have used both a NAS and a local SSD drive for music playback from the Aries Mini. I did not notice a discernible difference in audio quality. I will say there are others who will recommend one or the other based on their experiences, which are as valid as mine.

 

Barr

[baddog]

Thanks so much to everyone who has weighed in on the differences in sound quality between the Aries Mini, RPI2/HiFiBerry Digi+, and Oppo 103 when streaming to an external DAC. This is exactly the type of information I've been looking for as I contemplate the move to a dedicated streamer/DAC solution.

 

 

baddog, I've got a quick question for you--was your SSD internal in the Aries Mini or was it external and hooked up via USB?

 

@Storytime - it was internal to the Aries Mini.

 

Barr

[baddog]

28,000 tracks. Use Minimserver as well and very happy. Maybe this weekend I will try again with Lightning Server and report back as it has been a while since I tested with it.

 

I have used it with Lightning Server previously and it worked fine, save for some issues with Album covers and not being able to ignore "The" in band names.

[baddog]

Well the good news is I forgot I had Lightning DS setup so I could toggle between using it with Minimserver and Lightning Server.

 

Unfortunately I am plagued with the same issue as others who get automatic updates of their applications from the Apple Store, and I can only navigate the library through Folder view not Library view on my iPad Mini.

 

Still have an issue with missing album art when using Lightning Server as opposed to Minimserver, but will troubleshoot that at a later date.

[baddog]

I need to redact one earlier comment - I am running Lightning DS 2.4. After about 20 minutes the Library view is back, it had to download all the cover art again.

 

And I can more accurately report 30,436 tracks in library. Which equals 2615 albums.