Auralic Altair DAC/Streamer

[2string1]

Thanks...After I purchase a Vega and Aries,you do this to me....

[2string1]

and I do ...Thanks

[2string1]

I think you are right, it does void the warranty. The dealer installed one wasn't too expensive though, and i don't think it takes them long.

 

Im surprised to hear your a little disappointed with the low end, its one area where i feel my system has vastly improved, the decay of notes is fabulous and the timing excellent? Perhaps it just sings with my system or cables etc. Id recommend you maybe play around with the cables to get the most tuneful base. I certainly find my JPS Labs / Vertex AQ cabling helped a great deal.

 

Are you using the balanced outputs or the single ended?, certainly when i tried the single ended, it obviously sounded quieter but it also seemed to lack the taughtness (is that a word? :-)) and the sparkle of the balanced outputs for some reason.

 

Wee pic of the device in the rack....

 

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Did you take the original feet off? What are you using?

[2string1]

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.

[2string1]

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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One notch down...Do you think it is a noticeable difference?

[2string1]

Just found this. I'm on the cuff on which way to go.

Q: What are the differences in the Altair's DAC vs. the Vega?

A: The reported differences between the Vega and the Altair are the Orfeo Class-A modules that come with the Vega are not in the Altair, and the Vega's analog stage has a better power supply.

If you want the ultimate in sonics, the vega and aries is preferred.

[2string1]

I have tested both setups side by side:

Aries (the fancier one) with a Vega and an Altair.

Both with an exact copy of the same music files from MP3 to 24/192 FLAC on a Tosshiba 1TB external hard drive, using the Lightning app.

 

Let me put it this way, I kept the Altair.

Selling the Aries and Vega and buying the Altair left me enough $ to take a vacation...

 

Sound quality?

In my ears the same, maybe a little detail gets lost. NOT $3,100 worth of difference...

 

Of course Auralic can't say that the Altair practically sounds the same as the Aries/Vega combo.

 

For 99% of the people that have a decent setup it will sound close enough to use an Altair over the Aries/Vega combo. (self conducted survey with 1 person asked the question...)

Anyone else want to give an opinion?