Auralic Aries Mini

[deuch]

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.

[davide256]

+1

 

Mine sounded a tad harsh out of the box, took about 10 hours of play to go away and another 10 to fully burn in.

[lousyreeds1]

Hi all,

 

I'm hoping someone can help me out. I believe I succeeded in creating a network shared drive on Mac OSX and linking it to the Lightning DS server, per this article. Lightning DS says it successfully scanned about 15,000 music files.

 

But it isn't seeing the library correctly. When I click on any category (artist, albums, etc) it says "your music library is empty." When I click on "browse by folder," all the files appear to be there. But when I try to play a file, I get a pop up saying "music library is offline." Does anyone have advice for how to fix this?

 

Thanks!

[badlyread]

Have you rescanned your music library?

 

In LDS in settings select your music library and hit the rescan button.

 

Apologies if you have already done this.

[Ianmac]

+1

 

Mine sounded a tad harsh out of the box, took about 10 hours of play to go away and another 10 to fully burn in.

 

Has been running now for 3.5 weeks 24/7

The issue may be deeper rooted than component burn in.

[timtunes]

Just installed the Mini, but having trouble hooking up with my Mac.

 

I have Media Center 21 but this seems to keep crashing - is there a recommended way to connect the Mini with a OSX situated iTunes library that doesn't involve a NAS? (I find that a NAS doesn't work for me with a large iTunes library).

 

Thanks

[timtunes]

Would Plex work as an alternate DLNA to drive Lighning DS?

[misterdog]

New Firmware Installed 3.1.

 

UPNP now back working.

 

I'm now streaming wireless from JRiver - great. Need to investigate further re- SQ but initially sounds fine, and gives me the control I wish for from laptop.

 

Seems odd to be playing without a physical library connected, but that was what it was designed for and Auralic claim it gives the best SQ.

 

Happy Monday.

[digitallc]

Chiming in here. I use the SBooster LPS with Ultra. I have an Aries Mini with internal SSD (Samsung 850 Evo). It works like a charm. Just contact Karin directly to make sure you get the correct LPS - Ultra combi.

 

Does the Sbooster with Ultra power the Aries Mini? If so, do you use its internal DAC or an external one?

[lousyreeds1]

Have you rescanned your music library?

 

In LDS in settings select your music library and hit the rescan button.

 

Apologies if you have already done this.

 

I just scanned the library for the first time, so I'm not sure what immediately rescanning it would accomplish. Here's an interesting data point: I did the initial library scan through the iPhone app, and could play anything because it said my library was "offline" despite showing all the tracks. When I move to the iPad, everything plays! There's no album art, but it's something. Progress!

[Gary Pearce]

Would Plex work as an alternate DLNA to drive Lighning DS?

I'm doing just that Tim, and it's working perfectly well.

[timtunes]

I'm doing just that Tim, and it's working perfectly well.

 

Thanks Gary - at the moment the Lightning DS isn't seeing it on the network........

[davide256]

Has been running now for 3.5 weeks 24/7

The issue may be deeper rooted than component burn in.

 

Your best bet is to put an SSD internally within the Aries and verify things improve using Lightning Server with LPS power...otherwise you may be judging it on source issues that are external to the Aries. If it doesn't sound good with internal SSD running Lightning server, a NAS would only make an incremental improvement.

[ismarketing]

Anybody test whether or not the new firmware enables control of the Mini through the UPNP plug-in for the Logitech Music Server? Lightning DS is fine, but it's another control point to master/remember, and not nearly as evolved as things like iPeng and OrangeSqueeze.

 

Thanks.

[jackinvestor]

Is the Mini now RoomReady after the firmware 3.1 update?

 

I have installed Roon on my Windows PC but Roon can only find my Aries Mini if I turn on Apple AirPlay.....if the Aries is RoonReady then Roon should see the Mini as a seperate player?

[baddog]

No the Aries Mini is not RoonReady as of the latest firmware update.

[jackinvestor]

Thanks for the reply, baddog.

 

I have just tried a free membership of Roon to se how it works. I dont like that Roon only will work on a PC/Mac, so to listen to music I have to turn on both my PC , television and Aries mini. I bought an Aries Mini so I could get rid of using a PC in my livingroom. The second part is the yearly membership which I think is quite expensive considering you also need a Tidal membership. And Roon could not find my Nas. I hate when things get to complicated and are not plug and play. I have'nt used Roon enough to conclude on the interface but I have no doubt that its fantastic.

 

No the Aries Mini is not RoonReady as of the latest firmware update.

[digitalzed]

Thanks for the reply, baddog.

 

I have just tried a free membership of Roon to se how it works. I dont like that Roon only will work on a PC/Mac, so to listen to music I have to turn on both my PC , television and Aries mini. I bought an Aries Mini so I could get rid of using a PC in my livingroom. The second part is the yearly membership which I think is quite expensive considering you also need a Tidal membership. And Roon could not find my Nas. I hate when things get to complicated and are not plug and play. I have'nt used Roon enough to conclude on the interface but I have no doubt that its fantastic.

You don't have to have a Tidal membership past the 1 free year included with the Mini. But yes, Roon is expensive and depending on your needs may not offer anything over the Auralic Lightning app that is free and should easily connect to your NAS.

[Ianmac]

Your best bet is to put an SSD internally within the Aries and verify things improve using Lightning Server with LPS power...otherwise you may be judging it on source issues that are external to the Aries. If it doesn't sound good with internal SSD running Lightning server, a NAS would only make an incremental improvement.

 

Thanks Dave,

Have tried all 3 options with a good quality LPS.

Two of the same sources NAS and ext SSD are used for my CAPS3 variant and its lovely.

Im looking to see if anyone has done any jitter measurements on the mini and if there could be external influences as the plastic case used to (I believe) allow Wi fi reception will also allow any form of unwanted RF signals to influence its operation.

Ill keep delving- It does say on the box its a High End Wireless Streamer so I dont think i'm expecting too much

[misterdog]

I am using mine wireless from laptop/JRiver>>>>(DIY LPS) Aries>USB>Mdac>Ncore Monos>Quad ESL's .

 

This has given best SQ to date using my laptop JRiver/library, and is exposing the slight brittle mid/high of the Ncores IMO.

(VFET Class A mono's hopefully later this year).

 

Betters using local drive on Aeries, contrary to my expectations, though Auralic have stated this as best for SQ.

[Rallye666]

Thanks Dave,

Have tried all 3 options with a good quality LPS.

Two of the same sources NAS and ext SSD are used for my CAPS3 variant and its lovely.

Im looking to see if anyone has done any jitter measurements on the mini and if there could be external influences as the plastic case used to (I believe) allow Wi fi reception will also allow any form of unwanted RF signals to influence its operation.

Ill keep delving- It does say on the box its a High End Wireless Streamer so I dont think i'm expecting too much

 

If you watch the YouTube review linked to earlier you will see the amount of internal shielding the mini has. So I wouldn't think the plastic case is causing a problem, other than aesthetics maybe!

[timtunes]

Thanks Gary - at the moment the Lightning DS isn't seeing it on the network........

 

Well, it now sees Plex but on connecting doesn't find the content.

 

However also tried Minimserver - that worked fine

[Ianmac]

If you watch the YouTube review linked to earlier you will see the amount of internal shielding the mini has. So I wouldn't think the plastic case is causing a problem, other than aesthetics maybe!

 

 

Found and watched the You Tube review. I would agree the screening looks good. You've saved me making a metal box to evaluate further,

Many thanks.

 

I'll keep delving, its only a matter of time before someone provides some measurements.

[Joe Fonebone]

I get disconnected from my aries mini (connected to a wireless access point by an Ethernet cable) about every other day, i.e., Lightning DS on my iphone does not see the mini, and then have to redo the set-up process to reconnect. Anybody else having this problem?

[sapralot]

Hi,

 

Can I connect two PAIRS of active loudspeakers to one single Mini? I.e. connect a pair of Dali Zensor 5 AX to the optical output and another pair of loudspeakers to the coax or cinch output?

 

And is it possible to activate/deactivate the various outputs of the mini?

 

Many thanks in advance,

Jo