ZENITH or NEW G2??

[beerandmusic]

 

http://www.the-ear.net/review-hardware/auralic-vega-g2-dac-network-streamer-preamplifier

 

The zenith is even mentioned in the article, but the relevance wasn't clear to me?

 

Either way, this looks like the direction I am hoping things move!

 

Streamer in, plus plethora of of inputs and analog out!!

Also supports SSD on board, and for almost half the price of the limited production SE, this could prove a winner for many!

 

>>>>I also had  a brief listen to an SSD drive onboard the G2 which produced results pretty close to those achieved with the Zenith SE (which isn't too shoddy for the price of a 2.5inch drive).

[beerandmusic]

nice looking too@!

 

[BigAlMc]

Your post doesn't make a lot of sense Beer. 

 

The Zenith is a source. The G2 is a Streamer/DAC/Preamp. Completely different functions and you'll still need a source with the G2. 

 

Also much as I enjoyed Jason Kennedy's review of the SE he contradicts himself in this review. He says:

 

"I couldn’t persuade it to work with the remarkable Innuos Zenith SE server for instance " 

 

But later goes on to say that the G2 extracts great detail from the SE. 

 

[firedog]

If you are looking for a streamer, then the Aries G2 is what you should be investigating, not the Vega.

[FredM]

4 hours ago, firedog said:

If you are looking for a streamer, then the Aries G2 is what you should be investigating, not the Vega.

Indeed, the Aries G2 is a transporter with optional internal storage if I remember correctly 

[beerandmusic]

7 hours ago, BigAlMc said:

Your post doesn't make a lot of sense Beer. 

 

The Zenith is a source. The G2 is a Streamer/DAC/Preamp. Completely different functions and you'll still need a source with the G2. 

 

Also much as I enjoyed Jason Kennedy's review of the SE he contradicts himself in this review. He says:

 

"I couldn’t persuade it to work with the remarkable Innuos Zenith SE server for instance " 

 

But later goes on to say that the G2 extracts great detail from the SE. 

 

Why would you need a source with a G2 if it has a network port? 

[beerandmusic]

7 hours ago, BigAlMc said:

Your post doesn't make a lot of sense Beer. 

 

The Zenith is a source. The G2 is a Streamer/DAC/Preamp. Completely different functions and you'll still need a source with the G2. 

 

Also much as I enjoyed Jason Kennedy's review of the SE he contradicts himself in this review. He says:

 

"I couldn’t persuade it to work with the remarkable Innuos Zenith SE server for instance " 

 

But later goes on to say that the G2 extracts great detail from the SE. 

 

I think i figured it out...i thought it was a typo when he said Aries G2...so i ommitted it.  I didn't realize he was talking about 2 different products in the review..i will have to read again....so NVM.!

Does the aurender g2 not have a network port, and that was a picture of back of aries?

Either way, i will go back and read again...but if the aurender g2 is a streamer/dac, then you could just have a nas and wouldn't need another streamer such as zenith, right?

[beerandmusic]

4 hours ago, firedog said:

If you are looking for a streamer, then the Aries G2 is what you should be investigating, not the Vega.

I personally am looking for a "network player" (streamer/dac), so i "think" the vega would be the right one...but i will re-read...either way, out of my price range for now.

[rickca]

7 hours ago, BigAlMc said:

Also much as I enjoyed Jason Kennedy's review of the SE he contradicts himself in this review.

I agree.  I found his review of the Vega G2 confusing.  It's very poorly written compared to his SE review.

[GUTB]

The G2 line would interest me....but not at that price. They are asking way too much. We are living in an era of very high value digital, and manufacturers who don’t want to compete on value are going to have difficulties.

[Superdad]

4 hours ago, beerandmusic said:

Does the aurender g2 not have a network port, and that was a picture of back of aries?

Either way, i will go back and read again...but if the aurender g2 is a streamer/dac, then you could just have a nas and wouldn't need another streamer such as zenith, right?

 

Aurender G2??  Aurender is a completely different company Beer!

Man, you start dozens of threads, and post and spout so much, offering judgements about products you have never heard nor really understand.  It really gets a bit tiresome, especially when you get into arguments with those (such as Barrows and Jesus) who know this stuff from the inside.  Maybe slow down, read a bit more, try out a new product or two, and enjoy the music more.  

[beerandmusic]

1 hour ago, Superdad said:

 

Aurender G2??  Aurender is a completely different company Beer!

Man, you start dozens of threads, and post and spout so much, offering judgements about products you have never heard nor really understand.  It really gets a bit tiresome, especially when you get into arguments with those (such as Barrows and Jesus) who know this stuff from the inside.  Maybe slow down, read a bit more, try out a new product or two, and enjoy the music more.  

i typo'd...i meant auralic...

 

Sorry, i will continue to share new products that come on the market, especially if i don't see them discussed already on CA, and especially if they are a design i like....

I am sorry i said aurender when i meant auralic...at least i am spelling sonore right now, where i see many people still mispell sonore.

 

I think i ask more questions trying to understand...i am sorry you misunderstand my intentions.

[Superdad]

1 hour ago, beerandmusic said:

i typo'd...i meant auralic...

 

Sorry, i will continue to share new products that come on the market, especially if i don't see them discussed already on CA, and especially if they are a design i like...

 

No problem.  Yet there is already an active thread on the very fine Auralic G2 series of products:

 

1 hour ago, beerandmusic said:

I think i ask more questions trying to understand...i am sorry you misunderstand my intentions.

 

I and most others appreciate your inquisitiveness.  Yet in a number of other threads you diverge into presenting dogma as fact, based on your own limited understanding of how some of these circuits truly work.  

Of course you are not alone in that regard.  A lot of misinformation flies about.  

 

One pet peeve of mine is the extreme overuse of the term "noise"--applied as the term for every ill, real or perceived, in digital audio.  Just like "pollution" or "food" or "disease" there are a thousand forms of "noise."  And the notions of filtering and blocking "noise" are as generic as prescribing to "clean the water" or "eat healthier" or "prevent disease."

 

Sorry folks, I just needed to get that off of my chest.    Carry on!

 

[beerandmusic]

1 hour ago, Superdad said:

One pet peeve of mine is the extreme overuse of the term "noise"--applied as the term for every ill, real or perceived, in digital audio.  Just like "pollution" or "food" or "disease" there are a thousand forms of "noise."  And the notions of filtering and blocking "noise" are as generic as prescribing to "clean the water" or "eat healthier" or "prevent disease."

 

That is the first I have heard that noise isn't the "evil one", and it was Barrows that actually pointed it out to me that it all comes down to noise.  So if i overuse the term noise, you can thank Barrows for that.

 

Barrows quote:

Sound quality differences are not about data loss, or data integrity problems, all sound quality differences are related to noise issues affecting digital audio clocks, DAC chips, and the analog sections of DACs.

 

And the more i thought about it, it made perfect sense.  So much new attention is to (isolating noise on usb, better clocks to reduce noise, better power supply for noise).  Plus you add the fact about the digital front end does not make music, just transfer data (ultimately to the DAC's buffer), then what else is there prior to the conversion??  Data and NOise.  And it seems to me that so much emphasis lately is on clocking and power supply noise to minimize noise as much as possible for the best possible SQ.

 

Even in Austinpop's recent review of the Zenith, he noted that Zenith paid careful attention to the power, but not the clocking....it just seems like the whole issue is about "taming noise" (by isolation, clocking, power, super high end power rails, jitter reduction, etc...)...so if i am misunderstanding something about noise being a big problem,  then I apologize, but that is what I have come to understand...incorrectly or not??

 

I am even surprised now that you are suggesting noise isn't the main issue ???

 

Really confused now....

[GUTB]

BTW, why aren’t you <wink>-ing and <grin>-ing anymore?

[beerandmusic]

13 minutes ago, GUTB said:

BTW, why aren’t you <wink>-ing and <grin>-ing anymore?

 

Not sure what you mean...i probably have used 3 winks and 2 grins in the past couple days....

 

I try to throw (grins and winks) in often, mainly to let people know i don't take things personally and to soften my opinion....I know sometimes I sound opinionated, but really i just want to drink a beer and say cheers!

 

Just for you, even though you are an idiot.... (wink)

 

[Superdad]

2 hours ago, beerandmusic said:

That is the first I have heard that noise isn't the "evil one"...

 

I am even surprised now that you are suggesting noise isn't the main issue ???

 

Really confused now....

 

You missed my point, which is that the term “noise” is bandied about too generically, as if it all is the same.  And the term gets applied as the cause of matters where it is not.  Calling USB a ”noisy interface” for example.  Similarly for power supplies, noise is by no means the number one factor for performance.

 

I am no more saying that noise is not an important issue than I would say that heart health is not very important to overall health.  But I would not run through a hospital shouting to all the patients and doctors that everything is about the heart and you must fix that!  

[beerandmusic]

25 minutes ago, Superdad said:

 

You missed my point, which is that the term “noise” is bandied about too generically, as if it all is the same.  And the term gets applied as the cause of matters where it is not.  Calling USB a ”noisy interface” for example.  Similarly for power supplies, noise is by no means the number one factor for performance.

 

I am no more saying that noise is not an important issue than I would say that heart health is not very important to overall health.  But I would not run through a hospital shouting to all the patients and doctors that everything is about the heart and you must fix that!  

 

In the thread where I was talking about noise, it was about the digital domain, prior to conversion.

It was Barrows who pointed out to me that SQ is related all to noise...and when you think about it, that really is what it comes down to in the digital domain.  You need to transfer the digital music (call it anlaog if you want), but the only purpose (SQ wise) is to get the digital music to the DAC's buffer with as little noise as possible.  There is nothing else besides the digital music and noise, and if the digital part is processed correctly (again as pointed out by Barrows, with no tics and dropouts), then the only thing left to resolve for is "NOISE".   So in that context, in the digital domain, it is all about noise...unless you have something enlightening to share?  Sure you need voltage for functionality, but the voltage functionality is not an issue, although the voltage noise is one of several noise issues....  Also, (As Barrows pointed out also to me), is the ultra low noise clocks are important because of noise.  

 

What else is there to resolve for in the digital domain where the SQ of one piece of equipment is different than another if not for noise?

 

I am all ears?

 

I understand there are lots of things that contribute to different types of noise....but it seems to me, the objective is to eliminate the noise (purely hypothetical of course).  But is there any other way to improve SQ in the digital domain, than to resolve for noise???  Valid question?

 

The reason this is of such interest to me is because of my "digital background", and my difficulty time comprehending why we can't get the digital music to the DAC's buffer with minimal noise such that it does not affect SQ...  I know i have no analog background, and I know there is tons more that I don't know that i do know....I just don't feel like i am asking too much to get a perfect digital input for a D->A process in this day and age....some day maybe...but i still say it is all about noise, at least in the digital domain as it relates to SQ, and it was Barrows who pointed it out to me.

[gmgraves]

On 1/27/2018 at 10:33 PM, beerandmusic said:

nice looking too@!

 

I see that it has AES/EBU, Toslink and Coax SPDIF in, USB in, as well as Ethernet in, and a port for a master clock. I also see that it has both single-ended and balanced audio out. But I see no digital audio out in case you might have a better DAC than the built-in Auralic DAC. Major omission in my estimation. Puts it out of the running as far as I'm concerned. Even the lowly Logitech Squeezebox Touch had both Toslink and Coax digital outputs and mine has sounded better and better as my DACs have improved. Also, the price, US$5600 is obscene for a music streamer. And there's always the possibility that it will sound as bad as I found the Auralic Aries to sound! That would be a Disaster! 

[Hauser]

Sorry to go off topic but what streamers, in your experience have improved on Aries?

 

Martin

[gmgraves]

11 hours ago, Hauser said:

Sorry to go off topic but what streamers, in your experience have improved on Aries?

 

Martin

Any that I have tried sound better than the Auralic Aries; even the obsolete Logitech Squeezebox Touch. Even when not using the Auralic's built-in DAC, and using the Schiit Yggdrasil instead, I thought the Auralic sounded "funny" when playing back my library of ripped CDs and downloaded HD music, while my old Squeezebox sounded like the CDs when they are played by my Sony SCD XA-777ES SACD player. I returned it to Auralic without reviewing it. 

[Hauser]

Ah, you mean the Aries Mini.  I'm not familiar with that.  I have an Aries Femto version and have no complaints about sound.  Sotm and Iso Regen have nevertheless added significant improvements to the sound.

 

Martin.

[Traildog]

On 1/31/2018 at 6:11 PM, gmgraves said:

I see that it has AES/EBU, Toslink and Coax SPDIF in, USB in, as well as Ethernet in, and a port for a master clock. I also see that it has both single-ended and balanced audio out. But I see no digital audio out in case you might have a better DAC than the built-in Auralic DAC. Major omission in my estimation.

This thread gets more confusing by the second.

The Auralic Vega is a dac. It doesn't have a digital out just like the Yggdrasil doesn't have one. You wouldn't purchase a dac to then use it purely as a ddc.

 

If you want a streamer, you would get the Aries G2. The Aries you refer to is the Aries mini which is a budget item and obviously has limitations. The original Aries has no in built dac. The Aries G2 here is supposed to be quite a large level above. I've not heard an Aries G2, but I'd imagine that in terms of sound quality it's several steps ahead of Auralic's budget item, so a bit unfair to compare.

[longsufferingaudiophile]

There seems to be a bit of confusion about the Vega G2 which is a DAC but also has an ethernet port and can also function as its own streamer.

 

I have now been running a G2 Aries and G2 Vega for about 2 weeks and I hope to provide some insight for those who are interested in buying the Auralic G2 components.

 

I was originally intending to use the G2 Aries to replace my 1st generation Aries which feeds a Chord Dave.  The G2 Vega was meant to be used as a stand alone player for my other system and a replacement for my 1st generation Vega DAC.  

 

However, I noticed that when the G2 Aries and G2 Vega were used via their L-link (HDMI), playing high resolution files from a NAS drive was significantly better than using Roon streaming directly to the G2 Vega for the same music.  It did not however make any difference if I was to use Roon as my controller fed to the G2 Aries first or directly to the G2 Vega.   This was later confirmed by Mr Wang himself that if Roon is being used, then the G2 Aries does not add to the G2 Vega in terms of sound quality.  The logic apparently is that Roon then controls the software handling and negates any advantage the G2 Aries has over the built in ethernet streamer in the G2 Vega.

 

Just a quick word.  I liked the sound of  the combination G2 Aries and G2 Vega so much, I am now using them together.  Which leaves my Chord Dave without a streamer for now, so now feeding it via USB.  Sound wise, the G2 series outguns the original Vega by a lot.  I thought that when the 1st generation Vega was first realeased, it was to me overrated by most reviews.  The G2 is a different kettle of fish.  It is vastly superior to the original Vega and comes very close to the Chord Dave in terms of retrieving spatial cues especially depth and width of the soundstage.  With just casual listening, the difference between the Dave and the original Vega was obvious.  Now with the G2 components, I am still deciphering the subtle differences and wondering which I prefer. 

 

Can't wait to see what the Leo will add to the mix. 

 

[gmgraves]

17 hours ago, Traildog said:

This thread gets more confusing by the second.

The Auralic Vega is a dac. It doesn't have a digital out just like the Yggdrasil doesn't have one. You wouldn't purchase a dac to then use it purely as a ddc.

 

If you want a streamer, you would get the Aries G2. The Aries you refer to is the Aries mini which is a budget item and obviously has limitations. The original Aries has no in built dac. The Aries G2 here is supposed to be quite a large level above. I've not heard an Aries G2, but I'd imagine that in terms of sound quality it's several steps ahead of Auralic's budget item, so a bit unfair to compare.

Mea Culpa. I saw he display on the picture of the Vega, and assumed it was a streamer!