Auralic Aries Mini

[badlyread]

Only one at a time.

[austinpop]

Aries Mini owners, I hope you can answer a question for me. Can the Mini simultaneously output a signal from both the USB digital output and the analog outputs? Or is the user required to go into Lightning DS app and switch from USB to analog? (I've checked the online user manual, but I want to make sure.) Thank you.

 

Sadly only one or the other. I find this limitation annoying, but there it is.

[guildenstern]

Sadly only one or the other. I find this limitation annoying, but there it is.

 

Thanks austinpop and badlyread. You confirm what I thought from reading the online manual, but I thought/hoped that maybe I had misunderstood. Too bad -- would like to have both outputs live at once, but, as you say, there it is.

[Jan.ho]

Toslink and analogue works together

[austinpop]

As does coax. The issue comes with DACs that declare USB to be the preferred input.

 

To be fair, this is more an issue in comparisons, not so much once you're settled with equipment choices.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile mobile app

[SuperPang]

So I installed Minimserver and my NAS still won't sleep. It's definitely the Aries as it always shows as connected in DSM and is shown regularly accessing the Music folder in logs. I emailed Auralic who replied "The Aries will check the connection every so often so there is no way around this."

 

I'm slightly puzzled as to why this doesn't happen to everyone here. Do you switch the mini off somehow?

[davide256]

So I installed Minimserver and my NAS still won't sleep. It's definitely the Aries as it always shows as connected in DSM and is shown regularly accessing the Music folder in logs. I emailed Auralic who replied "The Aries will check the connection every so often so there is no way around this."

 

I'm slightly puzzled as to why this doesn't happen to everyone here. Do you switch the mini off somehow?

 

Superpang, please read back to my post #922 and confirm if you have eliminated all of the known suspects identified by Synology for a NAS not able to enter hibernation. Since I have SSD drives, hibernation is moot, no physical drive to spin down, but its pretty clear that if you have HD's not entering hibernation mode, its because something is going on that meets Synology NAS criteria for when not to enter hibernation... the Aries has no control over Synology NAS operating system.

[SuperPang]

I went through all that yesterday, thanks. It seems the Aries is constantly checking the media server, much like Sonos does. Annoying.

 

UPDATE:

 

Have you tried to put ARIES MINI into sleep mode? I think Lightning Server will shut down when it is in sleep mode. If you put ARIES MINI, it will access to your NAS all the time.

 

Aha. Didn't know you could force it to sleep. I'll try this.

[davide256]

I could only find "sleep mode" option on the iPhone controller, didn't see it on iPad

[SuperPang]

Holding the front button for 5 seconds puts it in sleep mode apparently.

[SuperPang]

Success!

[sooloos]

only the iphone has the sleep mode.......

[badlyread]

But it will be coming to the iPad when this version is revamped to look more like the iPhone version.

[pfed]

Hi Guys,

 

I'm planning to connect MINI to my old vintage dac 16/44.1 via SPDIF. Do you know if it is possible to downsample DoP to 44.1 or 48k sample rate?

 

Also, what is current situation with cue sheet support?

 

Thanks

[Cebolla]

Hi pfed

 

Seeing as you're planning on using a "vintage DAC" that presumably can't handle a DSD audio signal, what you actually mean is DSD to PCM conversion (at a 44.1kHz sample rate), rather than DoP (DSD over PCM) which is still DSD.

 

Also, bear in mind the Aries MINI is a UPnP streamer. This means it can only play music files by streaming the individual music file tracks from a UPnP media server. With the Aries models you have the option of streaming the music files from an external UPnP media server running on a networked device or from its internal built-in UPnP media server known as the Lightning Server. The Aries's Lightning Server can be configured with music files from network shared folders in addition to music files from a locally attached storage drive.

 

So, don't expect the Aries MINI nor any other UPnP streamer to support streaming of the actual cue sheet files. Cue sheet file support can only be handled by the UPnP media server. AFAIK the Aries's built-in Lightning Server doesn't support cue sheets, so you'll be forced to using the Aries with an external UPnP media server that does support them.

 

Also, the Aries doesn't currently support conversion to PCM output to an external DAC when streaming DSD files. You could instead use a UPnP media server that can transcode the DSD files to a PCM format, so convert them on the fly while streaming. I don't believe the Aries's Lightning Server has this transcoding ability, so (as for cue sheet support) you are going to need to use an external UPnP media server for this support.

 

John

[pfed]

Hi pfed

 

Seeing as you're planning on using a "vintage DAC" that presumably can't handle a DSD audio signal, what you actually mean is DSD to PCM conversion (at a 44.1kHz sample rate), rather than DoP (DSD over PCM) which is still DSD.

 

Also, bear in mind the Aries MINI is a UPnP streamer. This means it can only play music files by streaming the individual music file tracks from a UPnP media server. With the Aries models you have the option of streaming the music files from an external UPnP media server running on a networked device or from its internal built-in UPnP media server known as the Lightning Server. The Aries's Lightning Server can be configured with music files from network shared folders in addition to music files from a locally attached storage drive.

 

So, don't expect the Aries MINI nor any other UPnP streamer to support streaming of the actual cue sheet files. Cue sheet file support can only be handled by the UPnP media server. AFAIK the Aries's built-in Lightning Server doesn't support cue sheets, so you'll be forced to using the Aries with an external UPnP media server that does support them.

 

Also, the Aries doesn't currently support conversion to PCM output to an external DAC when streaming DSD files. You could instead use a UPnP media server that can transcode the DSD files to a PCM format, so convert them on the fly while streaming. I don't believe the Aries's Lightning Server has this transcoding ability, so (as for cue sheet support) you are going to need to use an external UPnP media server for this support.

 

John

 

Hi John,

 

Thanks a lot for explanation. Yes, I'm mistaken in terminology. I actually mean DSD to PCM conversion. I'm currently running pc with software player which converts DSD to PCM and sends it to my DAC.

So in short as I understand I'll get silence with A.MINI by playing DSD files to my DAC... ;(

 

My main idea is actually get rid of PC, so implementing additional UPnP purely for transcoding is not ideal

 

But at least in terms of downsampling hi-res PCM content (24/88 flacs for example) there shouldn't be issues, am I correct?

[Cebolla]

Unfortunately, the Aries hasn't got the ability to downsample. Again, there are some UPnP media servers that can provide downsampling via their transcoders, but not the Aries's internal Lightning Server. I believe the Aries was originally planned to be able to upsample (so may have also included a downsampling capabilitiy), presumably via a future firmware update, but this has apprently been put on hold according to Auralic's CEO, Xuanqian Wang:

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f22-networking-networked-audio-and-streaming/auralic-lightning-ds-app-software-impressions-and-information-21262/index68.html#post500395

 

However, if getting rid of your PC means using a NAS for storage of your music files (as opposed to using local storage on the Aries itself), then you could always run & use a decent transcoding UPnP media server on the NAS instead of using the Aries's Lightning Server.

 

For example, the excellent MinimServer UPnP media server can be installed on Synology, QNAP and other NASs:

MinimServer features

MinimServer doesn't support cue sheets, but its optional MinimStreamer transcoder can downsample hi-res FLAC files and convert DSF DSD files to WAV:

User guide

[jaaptina]

I use MinimServer on a Synology DS112. Transcoding all file types to 96 bit WAV is a breeze.

 

 

I don't have a Aries Mini yet. John, I have a queation about your explanation the Aries streams only individual tracks over Upnp. I want to keep using Bubleupnp as controlpoint. Can the Aries Mini play gapless that way? My current streamer can't.

 

Greetings,

Jaap

[goldendarko]

Hi, just wondering what people are using as an LPS for the Aries Mini? I am looking at buying one and I've narrowed it down to the Auralic LPS or SBooster BOTW w/ Ultra, just wondering if anyone has had the chance to compare the two, I'll probably go with whichever one sounds better but the SBooster is almost twice the price as the Auralic LPS so I figured I'd ask.

 

As info, I am using the Aries Mini as a streamer with my NAS, output via USB to a Schiit Yggdrasil DAC and into my headphone amp.

 

Thanks in advance for the recommendations.

[badlyread]

Covered several times if you take the time to look through previous posts......

[bruny]

Hi goldendarko there is a comparison here, for the Aries full Audio Ramblings - The Auralic Aries and SBooster Linear Power Supply - Positive Feedback

I understand if you are using an internal hdd the ultra is not suitable. maybe worth checking out.

[goldendarko]

Hi goldendarko there is a comparison here, for the Aries full Audio Ramblings - The Auralic Aries and SBooster Linear Power Supply - Positive Feedback

I understand if you are using an internal hdd the ultra is not suitable. maybe worth checking out.

Yes, thanks, I actually read that article and that is what got me interested in the SBooster. Unfortunately the review reads like an advertisement more than an objective review so I was just wondering if anyone has had a chance to hear them side by side and could say if it's worth the additional cost.

 

Also, if using the Aries Mini to output to an external DAC, is the improvement really that noticeable?

[speavler]

Hi, just wondering what people are using as an LPS for the Aries Mini? I am looking at buying one and I've narrowed it down to the Auralic LPS or SBooster BOTW w/ Ultra, just wondering if anyone has had the chance to compare the two, I'll probably go with whichever one sounds better but the SBooster is almost twice the price as the Auralic LPS so I figured I'd ask.

 

As info, I am using the Aries Mini as a streamer with my NAS, output via USB to a Schiit Yggdrasil DAC and into my headphone amp.

 

Thanks in advance for the recommendations.

I'm using an Astron sl-11A

[Cebolla]

I don't have a Aries Mini yet. John, I have a queation about your explanation the Aries streams only individual tracks over Upnp. I want to keep using Bubleupnp as controlpoint. Can the Aries Mini play gapless that way? My current streamer can't.

 

Greetings,

Jaap

Hi Jaap

 

Short answer, yes.

 

Long answer. UPnP renderers/players/streamers can only request individual music file tracks from the UPnP media server. However, that doesn't prevent the UPnP renderer from requesting and streaming the next music file track from the UPnP media server, while it is still streaming and playing the current music file track. Effectively, the UPnP renderer is able to cue the next track in memory, ready to add its data to the playback buffer, so as to provide a seamless transition between the two tracks and therefore play the next track gaplessly. The Aries streamers support cueing, so play gaplessly with the BubbleUPnP Android app. Therefore the answer to your question is yes.

 

Even longer answer. In order to be able to cue the next track for gapless support, the UPnP renderer needs to know which music file is the next one in the playlist it needs to request from the UPnP media server. There two ways of implementing this depending on the UPnP file streaming mechanism being used: standard UPnP or OpenHome.

 

Under standard UPnP file streaming, 'play this track' instructions are sent by the standard UPnP control point to the standard UPnP renderer individually, on a track by track basis. In other words, the standard UPnP renderer has no concept of the playlist and the playlist therefore belongs to standard UPnP control point. The 'play this track' instruction comes with an appropriate URL, which the standard UPnP renderer uses to request the music file from the UPnP media server.

 

Additionaly, if gapless playback is supported by both the standard UPnP control point and the standard UPnP renderer, if there is another track following the current track in the playlist, the standard UPnP control point sends a 'cue next track' instruction with appropriate URL to request from the UPnP media server, just after it sends the 'play this track' instruction. So with gapless playback support, the standard UPnP renderer is aware of the next track as well as the current track. The standard UPnP control point queries the standard UPnP renderer's track position every second or so and if there is a following track in the playlist, issues another 'cue next track' instuction when the standard UPnP renderer returns with the information that it is now playing the next (previously cued) track. Thus the standard UPnP control point continues to manage the gapless playback until the rest of the tracks in the playlist are played by the standard UPnP renderer or the user intervenes.

 

Note that with standard UPnP streaming, gapless support is (unfortunately) optional. This explains why your current streamer doesn't play gaplessly, even when used with a decent standard UPnP gapless supporting control point like the BubbleUPnP Android app. In other words, your UPnP streamer doesn't support the 'cue next track' instruction and can only be told to advance to the next track by the standard UPnP control point sending it a 'play this track' instruction when the current track has been detected as having finished playing. Hence the gap between your UPnP streamer finishing playing the current track and playing the next track after receiving 'play this track' instruction.

 

OpenHome (aka UPnP with Linn extensions) streaming was developed to overcome the renderer's dependence on the control point for the playlist. The OpenHome control point sends the OpenHome renderer the entire playlist with appropriate URLs to request the music file tracks from the UPnP media server. The OpenHome renderer still requests the individual music file tracks from the UPnP media server. However, playback with OpenHome streaming is much simpler than with standard UPnP streaming, since having the entire playlist means the OpenHome renderer doesn't require instructions from the OpenHome control point to advance to the next track. This includes cueing the next track from the UPnP media server for gapless playback. In fact all OpenHome renderers support gapless playback by design.

 

The Aries renderers can operate in either standard UPnP mode or OpenHome mode. Unusually, for a UPnP control point, the BubbleUPnP Android app can control OpenHome renderers as well as standard UPnP ones. Both the Aries streamers and the BubbleUPnP Android app support standard UPnP gapless option and OpenHome is gapless by design. So, regardless of the Aries Mini being in either standard UPnP mode or OpenHome mode, if it is being controlled by the BubbleUPnP Android app, the answer to your question is yes.

[JohanS]

Hi goldendarko there is a comparison here, for the Aries full Audio Ramblings - The Auralic Aries and SBooster Linear Power Supply - Positive Feedback

I understand if you are using an internal hdd the ultra is not suitable. maybe worth checking out.

I have an SBooster LPS (BOTW P&P Eco 15/16v) with Ultra. Aries Mini has internal SSD. Works like a charm. Just contact SBooster for details.

 

Aries Mini streams to external DAC through USB. LPS gives noticable improvement in HARMONICS. So, you'll notice a refinement of sound, better timbre and a better resolved ambience where the music was recorded. Is it worth your money? It depends. First I spent money on Uptone Audio"s REGEN and a better RCA interlink between DAC / preamp and amp. Allthough these did a lot for SQ, it all came really to live thanks to improved power supplies.