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Auralic Altair DAC/Streamer


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Very interested to read your take on it.

There's been precious little (i.e. NONE) first hand info on out on the Altair.

 

I'll certainly post some initial impressions here. Most of my listening will be to my NAS-based library via Roon, but I'll also test my USB HD backup of my NAS connected directly to the Altair. And just for grins I'll put some music on a thumb drive and try that.

 

 

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I agree the all-in-one of the Altair is nice, and I am usually all for paying the tax for things that "just work". It's just that if you're going to use the Altair as a RoonReady device (as I would if I purchased one), you're paying for a lot that goes unused.

 

-mike

 

Totally agree, but I would add that in addition to Roon, I'm really paying for the ability to connect via wifi and play any sampling rate. That's a big plus for me.

 

While also a stretch, I could travel with it and use it as great headphone source on long trips. Internet Radio, Tidal, and a thumb drive and I'm good to go!

 

 

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  • 2 months later...
Any review on Altair? Impressions? Users with Roon?

 

I'm using the Altair as my bedroom source, feeding a Sennheiser HDVA 600 headphone amplifier via XLR. Listening through Sennheiser HD 800 headphones.

 

While Auralic would tell you to use their proprietary DS Lightning Server, I'm a big fan of Roon and I'm very impressed with the Roon/Altair combo. Altair is receiving files wirelessly from my Synology NAS. To me it sounds as stable as a wired connection. Plays FLAC and DSD, or anything else I've thrown at it so far.

 

I would have no hesitation recommending Altair to someone using Roon. They got it right!

 

 

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So are you all going to sell your Aries and Vega to get the Altair? Did they actually merge the two together? Hard to believe they would do such a thing,but with a new Aries coming out maybe they did.

 

According to Auralic and others this is not the equivalent of an Aries and Vega combined. Functionality-wise perhaps, but one notch down in SQ.

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
I have really been enjoying my Altair, still getting to know Lightning DS. I do have a question for other owners...I am experiencing a tick/click in between songs when playing random and bitrate changes? It is noticeable and consistent for me. I asked Auralic support and they suggested increasing delay (buffer) time, which has not solved the problem. Anyone else?

 

I haven't experienced this myself, but I'll pay closer attention and report back.

 

 

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  • 2 months later...
I have been enjoying DS TestFlight v4.1 and the new Tidal Master support. Thanks to AURALiC for incorporating MQA into the software! (even with the cap of 48 Hz sampling it sounds very good)

 

HOWEVER, I get the intermittent tick/pop while streaming Tidal and changing between HiFi 16 bit and Master 24 bit...yes with Tidal too!

 

My testing concludes:

- The tick/pop occurs during the change from 16 bit to 24 bit, regardless of sampling frequency.

- Not related to my file storage, happens with networked SMB/NAS, direct-connected external HD, flash drive, or thu Tidal.

- Not related to connected equipment, occurs with thru headphones (with my amplifier turned off).

 

The tick/pop is easy to reproduce. I find it unlikely that you folks couldn't reproduce it by switching between 16 bit and 24 bit songs over and over...sometimes it takes 10-20 song changes before it occurs but when it does it is quite obvious. Would some of you volunteer to try?

 

Anxious to hear responses from the CA Altair owners!

 

What is and how does one get Test Flight? My Altair is on 4.1, no MQA decoding.

 

 

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TestFlight is an app in the Apple store that is a conduit for private testing of other apps. To get the Lightning DS betas to test, you apply to be a tester on AURALiC's website in the Lightning DS section. If they grant your request they send a link to the DS beta app.

 

Excellent! I'll apply and see what happens!

 

 

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