Article: Review | Auralic Altair G1 Digital Audio Streamer

[The Computer Audiophile]

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[Qhwoeprktiyns]

"the likes of which it hadn't seen before and may never see again" 

 

You've been watching the daily white house press briefings 😆

 

Good review. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

20 minutes ago, hopkins said:

"the likes of which it hadn't seen before and may never see again" 

 

You've been watching the daily white house press briefings 😆

 

Good review. 

Ha! 

[JoeWhip]

How would it interface with a laptop running Audrivana or with an external hard drive that has been used in a Mac laptop?

[The Computer Audiophile]

12 minutes ago, JoeWhip said:

How would it interface with a laptop running Audrivana or with an external hard drive that has been used in a Mac laptop?

 

You could run Audirvana to the Altair G1 via USB or UPnP.

 

RE: USB hard drive - From the manual:

HDD

USB host port for connecting USB removable storage. When USB storage is present, Lightning Server will read the content on the USB storage and scan the music files automatically. The partition formats supported are FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, EXT-2/3/4 and limited support of Apple HFS+. The maximum current driving ability of this port is 5V/500mA. AURALiC recommend you use USB storage with a dedicated power supply for sound quality considerations. Lightning Server will only scan the largest partition on your USB storage for music data.

[DuckToller]

Chris, thank you very much for this excellent & interesting review.
It sounds like this G1 is pretty much all you need with a set of active speaker if you you're up to a digital-only system.

Given the recent discussion I followed about the difference of AKM and ESS-Chip design for direct DSD mode

I was wondering if you could describe any perceptible difference in sonic imaging using HQP/DSD compared to the AURENDER A30 (+15k$) that uses the AKM AK4497 DAC chips in double mono configuration for up to DSD512?

Curious, Tom
 

[d_elm]

There is a heading problem near the end of the review, "Other Ayre Acoustics Product Options".

[Account Closed]

I loved seeing "Midnight Sugar" on the display. One of the best of the Japanese jazz recordings. I played that thing to death for 20 years before I sold it (for more than I paid for it). Great review and nice to see you experimenting with HQ Player. When you can upgrade your hardware and try out some of the EC modulators and super high rate PCM. FYI, there is no known available hardware (yet) that can run EC modulators above DSD 256 and for some of the heavy filters you may also need a video card to offload the filters to. I assume you know this but I also wish to encourage people to experiment. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

7 minutes ago, d_elm said:

There is a heading problem near the end of the review, "Other Ayre Acoustics Product Options".

Fixed. Thanks!

[The Computer Audiophile]

33 minutes ago, DuckToller said:

I was wondering if you could describe any perceptible difference in sonic imaging using HQP/DSD compared to the AURENDER A30 (+15k$) that uses the AKM AK4497 DAC chips in double mono configuration for up to DSD512?

Curious, Tom

Hi Tom, I wish I could describe exactly what you wish, but I really can't Even if I had both components setup here right now, I'm afraid that attributing sonic differences to ESS vs AKM would be a disservice. 

[Markhh2]

The fact that you felt compelled to bypass the Altair's volume control makes me question its value. For $1,300 more you can get a Vega G1 with a legitimate analog volume control, a supposedly superior DAC and an analog input.  It’s almost as if you hadn’t heard or reviewed the Vega.  

[PeterG]

I've been holding back on a streamer, in large part because I cannot imagine the sound quality matching a local file on my server.  How would you compare the G1's streams to a local file in terms of sound?

[Account Closed]

24 minutes ago, Markhh2 said:

The fact that you felt compelled to bypass the Altair's volume control makes me question its value. For $1,300 more you can get a Vega G1 with a legitimate analog volume control, a supposedly superior DAC and an analog input.  It’s almost as if you hadn’t heard or reviewed the Vega.  

For many buyers, $1,300 is a lot of money. If one can afford the extra then the G1 may be the way to go. This product was obviously built to a price point so compromises are necessary. And, for many this volume control will sound just fine. Perfection is not always the goal.

[OldBigEars]

I get confused about Auralic's product line-up.  If the Altair is this good, what's the point of the Aries G1 streamer (only)?

 

This seems to offer the same level of streaming capability - plus a decent in-built DAC - for the same price.

 

What have I missed?

[The Computer Audiophile]

6 hours ago, Markhh2 said:

The fact that you felt compelled to bypass the Altair's volume control makes me question its value. For $1,300 more you can get a Vega G1 with a legitimate analog volume control, a supposedly superior DAC and an analog input.  It’s almost as if you hadn’t heard or reviewed the Vega.  

 

I was compelled to use the Altair G1 in all its possible configurations. I heard from Auralic that many of its customers have more than a single source, thus bypass its volume control when used with a preamp. It's only prudent for me to do the same for the vast audience who will use it this way. 

 

For 30% more money you certainly can get something better. That's not the point of this review though. The same could be said for every component ever reviewed. 

 

I don't understand your last sentence. 

 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, OldBigEars said:

I get confused about Auralic's product line-up.  If the Altair is this good, what's the point of the Aries G1 streamer (only)?

 

This seems to offer the same level of streaming capability - plus a decent in-built DAC - for the same price.

 

What have I missed?

 

The ARIES is only a transport. No analog output. The Altair is only a DAC. No digital output.

 

[Ron Lykins]

I have owned the Altair G1 now for 7 months and it is the centerpiece of my HiFi system.  I like it very much and use it with the internal 2TB SSD installed to deliver my collection of ripped cds which I previously had on my iTunes library about 12,000 music files.  I still rip cds on my Mac but in FLAC using a third party ripper and then copy over to the Altair via wifi.  I tried Tidal and Qobuz on their free trials but neither won me over from AmazonHD which unfortunately is not an internal app but sounds great when delivering content over AirPlay.  I bypass my Oppo 203 disc player DAC  by running digital output to the Altair and notice significant improvements in dynamics and detail from the Altair’s ESS DAC.   The 4 DAC filters which I did not see mentioned in your review are great and allow me to fine tune the sound to the source I am listening to.   I also use the equalizer to make a small adjustment to my speakers in my family room.   One of the features I did not expect is how great the Altair makes my two headphones sound.  Don’t think I’ll need a headphone amp now in my system.   Likewise I was considering Roon but with the Lightning app doing much of what I wanted Roon for, I save that cost too. Another nice feature is the digital radio in the Lightning app which allows me to listen to stations world wide as well as local PBS.   Auralic has been very responsive when I have questions and there  is a great community of users on their forum.  Overall very pleased with the Altair G1.   My music has never sounded better.

[The Computer Audiophile]

15 minutes ago, Ron Lykins said:

I have owned the Altair G1 now for 7 months and it is the centerpiece of my HiFi system.  I like it very much and use it with the internal 2TB SSD installed to deliver my collection of ripped cds which I previously had on my iTunes library about 12,000 music files.  I still rip cds on my Mac but in FLAC using a third party ripper and then copy over to the Altair via wifi.  I tried Tidal and Qobuz on their free trials but neither won me over from AmazonHD which unfortunately is not an internal app but sounds great when delivering content over AirPlay.  I bypass my Oppo 203 disc player DAC  by running digital output to the Altair and notice significant improvements in dynamics and detail from the Altair’s ESS DAC.   The 4 DAC filters which I did not see mentioned in your review are great and allow me to fine tune the sound to the source I am listening to.   I also use the equalizer to make a small adjustment to my speakers in my family room.   One of the features I did not expect is how great the Altair makes my two headphones sound.  Don’t think I’ll need a headphone amp now in my system.   Likewise I was considering Roon but with the Lightning app doing much of what I wanted Roon for, I save that cost too. Another nice feature is the digital radio in the Lightning app which allows me to listen to stations world wide as well as local PBS.   Auralic has been very responsive when I have questions and there  is a great community of users on their forum.  Overall very pleased with the Altair G1.   My music has never sounded better.

Thanks for all the info Ron. Great stuff. 

[OldBigEars]

1 hour ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

 

I was compelled to use the Altair G1 in all its possible configurations. I heard from Auralic that many of its customers have more than a single source, thus bypass its volume control when used with a preamp. It's only prudent for me to do the same for the vast audience who will use it this way. 

 

For 30% more money you certainly can get something better. That's not the point of this review though. The same could be said for every component ever reviewed. 

 

I don't understand your last sentence. 

 

 

 

 

 

The ARIES is only a transport. No analog output. The Altair is only a DAC. No digital output.

 

 

The Altair is a streamer and transport as well as a DAC, no? Understood that you can't connect another DAC but it's obviously not "only a DAC".  However the ARIES is only a steamer / transport.  I hope my point is clearer now.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

1 minute ago, OldBigEars said:

 

The Altair is a streamer and transport as well as a DAC, no? Understood that you can't connect another DAC but it's obviously not "only a DAC".  However the ARIES is only a steamer / transport.  I hope my point is clearer now.

 

 

I don't think I'm following you. Wouldn't surprise me though. Times are tough :~)

 

The AIRES is for people who want different DAC choices but want all the benefits of the Auralic platform.  

[OldBigEars]

44 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

 

I don't think I'm following you. Wouldn't surprise me though. Times are tough :~)

 

The AIRES is for people who want different DAC choices but want all the benefits of the Auralic platform.  

 

OK that advantage is clear enough.  Thanks.

[Rexp]

Was it the upsampling that improved things? did you try hqp without upsampling? 

[AlexFBrinkman]

On 4/21/2020 at 9:59 AM, Markhh2 said:

The fact that you felt compelled to bypass the Altair's volume control makes me question its value. For $1,300 more you can get a Vega G1 with a legitimate analog volume control, a supposedly superior DAC and an analog input.  It’s almost as if you hadn’t heard or reviewed the Vega.  

 

Hi Markhh2, 

 

Just a point of clarification, and apologies if we at AURALiC have been less than clear. The VEGA G1 does not have an analog volume control, it's similar to the ALTAIR G1 in that its volume control is digital. It also does not have an analog input. But, you're correct, on the DAC layout, it is superior to that of the ALTAIR G1. 

 

Overall, the differences between VEGA G1 and ALTAIR G1, from our development standpoint were:

 

VEGA G1 was built as a high-performance DAC with online streaming services as a focus, and some minimal capabilities where local streaming of files is concerned. So if your primary need is not for local streaming but instead like to play QOBUZ, TIDAL, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music HD and Apple Music (the last two through Airplay), internet radio, all at high levels of performance using an excellent DAC, VEGA G1 is the ticket. 

 

ALTAIR G1, on the other hand, was built as a comprehensive introduction to the AURALiC ecosystem, offering every possible function available in any of our products. It will serve as an all-in-one digital source, from streamer, to server, to DAC, to volume control, with onboard storage (as an option), attached storage, local storage, etc.... It's our "welcome to the party, do-everything beast." 

 

Hope that helps, and thanks to Chris for such a great understanding of the vast number of functions available on ALTAIR G1, he really dove in head first!

 

Thanks, 

 

-Alex Brinkman

 

 

[ted_b]

IMHO HQP without upsampling is like buying a Ferrari to go get groceries; may not even be the best option, let alone using the most of its raison d'etre.

 

Chris, since very high rates (DXD and all DSD) are not supported by the ethernet input did you happen to compare HQP (say, redbook upsampled 24/192) via both USB and ethernet inputs?  Is that even apples v apples?

[Rexp]

8 hours ago, ted_b said:

IMHO HQP without upsampling is like buying a Ferrari to go get groceries; may not even be the best option, let alone using the most of its raison d'etre.

 

Chris, since very high rates (DXD and all DSD) are not supported by the ethernet input did you happen to compare HQP (say, redbook upsampled 24/192) via both USB and ethernet inputs?  Is that even apples v apples?

Why would anyone buy an expensive DAC that needs upsampling to sound good? 

[The Computer Audiophile]

3 minutes ago, Rexp said:

Why would anyone buy an expensive DAC that needs upsampling to sound good? 

That's a discussion for a separate topic, as the subject of this review, the Altair G1 sounds great without upsampling.

 

Or, are you just trying to be snarky and prove some point that I don't understand?