How's this for a cynical product?

[Mike Rubin]

In today's emails, I received the new EnjoytheMusic.com newsletter, which links to its online magazine. In the magazine, there is a review of a music server, the Ayon USA Labs RS9, which retails for $3600 with a 2tb storage drive and $3900 with a 4tb drive:   https://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0322/Ayon_CD35II_CD_Player_RS9_Music_Server_Review.htm

 

I attach a photo.  You all recognize it as an Akasa Turing NUC case. 

 

The review failed to address the single most important question that anyone should ask about this product: exactly what is Ayon's USA Labs's value add? 

 

As far as I can tell, this product consists of an Intel NUC 8i7 ($750 today as a discontinued product at Amazon, but much less originally), an Akasa Turing case ($125 current street price), a 128gb nvme ssd ($25 at Amazon), a 2tb ssd ($200 at Amazon for the top name brand products), and *nothing* else.  The OS runs anyone from $0 to $120 at retail. So, probably, the product could be replicated for no more than $1250 at retail. 

 

That configuration allows for virtually no modification of the internal components other than choice of RAM and ssd, so the odds of there being secret sauce in there might be about zero.  There is nothing mentioned in the review or on Ayon's USA Labs' webpage about an included linear power supply, which would up the parts cost a bit, so I assume there isn't one. 

 

Nothing in the press suggests this is anything other than a stock NUC bolted into a stock case, running consumer-grade OS, RAM and ssd's.  At $3600, it is the kind of cynical product that gives audiophiles a bad name.  There obviously is a few minutes' labor cost in moving the NUC mobo to the new case, cost to support the user base, and general overhead, but that is a profit margin that any business would kill to have. 

 

I know there is a market for turnkey solutions because I was in it myself until a few years ago, but, honestly, an Intel preconfigured NUC without the Turing case itself is a turnkey solution, especially when purchased with the OS installed. The Turing is fanless, so it reduces noise in the room where it sits, but it doesn't have additional heat sinks, and online tests show that it doesn't really reduce operating temperature. I am skeptical that the addition of the case would make the NUC a better-sounding or more flexible server. 

 

If there is good news, it is that the product appears to be discontinued because there is no longer mention of it at Ayon's USA Labs' site. However, it still is available at retail on the web, so there is a good chance there are a few uninformed or more gullible buyers who will take the plunge after reading this review.

 

Much ado about little, I know, but I was surprised to find a product in this price range where the seller's value add seemed so inconsequential. 

 

 

[stefano_mbp]

… like

• Euphony, the Summus Music server and Summus endpoint https://euphony-audio.com/summus/,  just a Intel Nuc inside an Akasa Plato fanless case with a little customization (nothing but a logo) …
• Roon, the Nucleus https://roonlabs.com/nucleus, a Intel Nuc with a custom fanless case …

Want a turnkey fanless case Nuc without spending an arm and a leg?
Check Cirrus7 Nimbini https://www.cirrus7.com/cirrus7-nimbini/

 

[Mike Rubin]

I hadn't thought about the Nucleus, but even it is more than a grand less than the Ayon.

 

Wasn't aware of the Euphony. How much is it?

 

Cirrus looks great.  Doesn't look as though I can just buy that case for my NUC 10i7, though.

[stefano_mbp]

46 minutes ago, Mike Rubin said:

Doesn't look as though I can just buy that case for my NUC 10i7, though.

You should ask them, I know someone had success asking for just the case

[stefano_mbp]

51 minutes ago, Mike Rubin said:

Wasn't aware of the Euphony. How much is it?

I just saw that they removed the prices (modesty? ...), now it is necessary to ask for the price.

[Norton]

Not sure this is actually an Ayon product,  I found this webpage:

https://www.roonservers.com/products/music-server/rs9-roon-server/
 

I wonder if Roon have OK’d name use?

 

 

The product is from USA Labs - Editor

[JJSim]

Look inside most "audiophile" servers and you be will underwhelmed. Mostly off-the-shelf components with "custom" OS's that are just Linux distros. The most impressive thing about them is the power supply, which often isn't even that great. On top of that most servers on the market are severely under-powered when it comes to upsampling capabilities. If I am going to spend $3000+ on a server it better have everything. Aside from a few exceptions (Taiko SGM Extreme, Pink Faun 2.16x), building a DIY server nets similar or better results.

[botrytis]

I bought a Ryzen 9 mini-PC with 256 GB SSD and 16 GB of RAM for under 800 USD. That is more HP than most music servers need