Article: AURALiC ARIES MINI and Lightning DS Review

[austinpop]

With all due respect, you're recommending a solution for the learned and computer savvy audiophile, not necessarily the target audience for the ARIES MINI.

@The Computer Audiophile:

 

While I would blush a little to be called one (computer savvy audiophile), I probably am one. Given that you published this review here on this site, your readers are probably more like me than the so-called "target audience for the Aries Mini." And yet, the Aries Mini appealed to me tremendously, and I bought one.

 

My point is that given your positive review of the Aries Mini, it would have behooved you to also point out how well it scales for, and therefore may be applicable to, those with more high-end aspirations, and yes, more savvy. I use the Aries Mini in a system that looks more familiar to a CA reader, like shown below.

 

Playback chain:

Synology DS213 NAS running MinimServer <- wired home network -> FMC (TP-Link MC200CM) <- MM fiber -> FMC <- Blue Jeans Cat 6a -> Auralic Aries Mini <- Cardas Clear USB -> Ayre Codex <- Pangea analog balanced XLR -> Cavalli Liquid Gold <- Moon Black Dragon balanced cable -> HD800 headphones

 

And this does not even cover my current experiments with an Intona, W4S Recovery, Curious cables, etc. The Aries Mini holds its own very well in this setup. Moreover, and to the point of scalability, it conveys the impact of improvements in the chain (like the additon of an LPS, network and USB isolation, better external DACs) without itself becoming a bottleneck.

 

I realize you're using the term target audience to mirror Auralic's own marketing. But Auralic have to walk a fine line so as not to cannibalize sales for their other products like the Aries and the Altair.

 

On this forum, we should feel no constraint. The Aries Mini is a wonderful product, for non-audiophiles and computer audiophiles alike!

[austinpop]

Understood, and your points are well taken.

 

I came at the Aries Mini as a former Logitech Touch user, so I just wanted to point out to those looking for a modern renderer to consider the Aries Mini too.

 

To those who would argue that the Sonore microRendu is more suitable, that may well be. It wasn't out at the time I bought the Aries Mini. At some point I would love to compare the two.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[austinpop]

For what it is price is too high. You can have Raspberry Pi 3 for 35$, HiFiBerry Digi+ for 40$ and IFi iPower for 50$ .That is 125$ in total and still it sounds better than Aries mini 500$ .That is just not good value. Even if you add Shitt Modi Multibit 250$ it is still 375$. Even if you add 300$ linear power supply for the aries mini it can't match Raspberry rig. With linear power supply we arfe getting to 800$ and for less you can have microRendu 690$(with IFi iPower)[h=1][/h]

 

Have you personally done these comparisons head to head? And personally heard the sonic differences you claim?

 

If so - very interesting.

 

If not - then it's just speculation.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[austinpop]

yes, I have used and compared all of them for couple of months. Raspberry Pi rig vs Aries mini with sbooster vs microRendu and this the result:

 

First place: microRendu

Second place: Raspberry pi rig

Last place Aries mini with sbooster

 

OK fair enough - I'm glad you used your ears to form this opinion.

 

Can you confirm that, for the purposes of this comparison, all 3 units were functioning as a UPnP renderer - i.e. pulling files from a UPnP server from the network? And that in all cases, they were connected to the same external DAC?

 

Thanks for sharing your findings.

[austinpop]

One intriguing thought - at least for me - is this:

 

I have realized significant improvements on my Aries Mini setup by optimizations: using LPSes throughout, applying network isolation with FMCs upstream, and by using USB isolation (Intona) and reclocking (W4S RUR).

 

With all these improvements, would I still get a significant further improvement just by swapping in an mRendu (running as UPnP renderer, not NAA) in place of the Aries Mini?

 

I know - only I can answer my own question by trying it out! Maybe in a few months when the coffers are replenished. Unless Sonore wants to send me a trial sample.