Aurender

@dabel Please don’t go to so much trouble here, I appreciate your kindhearted efforts!

Certainly, Aurender end users would know best.

Yw

@dabel  awfully kind of you, Good sir! Although some people are saying now that a DDC may not be the way to go with the Aurender N200, it may be a distraction. I guess I wouldn't know till I try, but if I don't use a DDC I'll be using a USB or coaxial cable, I really don't want to make you goout of your way and make trouble for you. If you do send it, I'm sure I'll definitely use it somewhere down the road if not, thank you so much for you good hearteness!

@oddiofyl Roger that, thanks!

Definitely deal with someone who has a decent return policy. I love how it sounds but at its price imake sure it is something you can listen to then decide if you want to keep it.

I have had people over that preferred the sound of the RME I had in the same room. After spending considerable time with both I sold the RME. It is great but it lacks that meat on the bones and great tone the DAC1 has.

@oddiofyl OK, TMR has no stock. I sent an email to Mike Kaye at Audio Archon yesterday as he sells them, but no response yet. I also see a guy in Canada has 3 of them for sale. I shot him a PM and haven't heard back from him yet either.

@lalitk Hey, I'm starting to shake just thinkin' about it! I did order the DH Labs coaxial cable for now. I am going to need the extra $200 that they want for their USB cable to pay for all the electricity I'm going to use listening to this stuff 24/7.

@navyachts

Most NOS (non-over sampling) DAC are pretty darn good. And LAB 12 DAC 1 uses one of my most revered tubes. If you can score a NOS pair of Telefunken ECC88, you would be in musical heaven with DAC1/N200 pairing.

No. It’s 15 months old.   Has the original EH in there.   I’m thinking of getting a pair of JJ 6922.  They sounded great in my CJ preamp and don’t break the bank.  
 

I will probably get them from tube depot as a matched pair / matched triodes it’s worth the extra bucks and when I test them I’ll be confident they are as advertised 

@oddiofyl - well, that’s awesome, thanks for letting me know!

Did you change any tubes on you DAC as per Terry London?

Hearing and perception is so subjective. I think TMR has an open DAC 1 Reference .   They are great to deal with , sometimes they will list something that’s on clearance , or demo units on eBay and it’s less money than through the website

I bought a new integrated amp through them on eBay.  I couldn’t do the firmware update and they were super responsive, offered another model as a solution.  Turned out to be a simple thing but they were all over it.   
 

You should make them an offer on a DAC , but make sure same terms apply and that’s that you can demo it and return if you don’t like it 

I bought mine with the intention of upgrading in a year , trading up to something 2 X as much but after a short time I said “why ?”   It sounds great and more importantly it’s tone and overall sound was great synergy in my system so I ended up using that money on a Turntable and phono pre

The one he reviewed was the original DAC 1.    The DAC 1 Reference is the current model. 
 

https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2023/03/12/lab12-dac1-review/?amp

@oddiofyl - Off the subject but I was doing some reading up on the DAC you have, the Lab12, interesting. Terry London at Home Theater Review says the Lab 12 could hold its own with $10K - $20K DACs. Have you compared the Lab 12 to any other DACs? 

I would like to upgrade from my Gustard R26 sometime in the future but with the price of the Lab 12, I may be able to do it sooner rather than later.

I think I'll just order the DH Labs coaxial cable this AM too! 

@oddiofyl +1 DH Labs! @lalitk - agree, thanks!

+1, @ghdprentice on trying both SPDIF and USB cables.  

I like DH Labs , sure they have some $$$ cables but most of their stuff is within reach of blue collar guys.   

I also have the Air Matrix Cryo .  I needed a 1.5 m pair and they had a special.   I had to pull the trigger and try them.  They are excellent.   Not that they are cheap , but given the price of the components they are connecting they represent a good value.  

My Dad needed a pair of cables so I picked up their White Lightning ...  really good quality for 90 bucks 

@ghdprentice @oddiofyl @willywonka all good stuff gentleman, I will try both USB & coaxial when the unit arrives (the seller hasn’t even acknowledged payment yet)

@navyachts I'm using the DH Labs Mirage USB cable between my N200 and my Holo Audio May KTE DAC and it sounds great!

I agree try both outputs.   My last DAC worked asynchronously internally with all inputs. The DAC that replaced it uses the source clock with SPDIF like most DACs and works asynchronously with USB , relying on the DAC's internal clock.

I am going to revisit that when I have some time. 

I am currently using a Mirage USB and it sounds great into my LAB 12 DAC.   I also have a D750 coax by DH Labs and it also is a good cable.   Commits no sins.   Excellent quality.   

I am not convinced that USB is better with MY DAC because I think using the Coax exploits the Aurender's clock and may be better than the clock in the DAC. 

I just moved things around and started using my main listening room again.   

I bought a new integrated amp in August and was using it in my main room for about 3 weeks.  It's internal DAC sounded excellent with the N200 as It's source.  I mean really good.     If I had the cash I would put a N150 in my second system. 

When you pick it up and see the build quality , and hear it , you will know why people like ghdprentice, lalitk,  and myself praise Aurender like we do.   Support is excellent too.   Honestly support is the most important criteria when I buy something like a streamer.  

OP,

You should try both USB and coax inputs. DACs vary highly in their abilities between the two. USB puts a lot more processing on the DAC. You have to try it, but I would think Coax would be a better bet. The Aurender is a very high quality component and I’m guessing the more it does… the better the sound will be. 

@oddiofyl Thank you! So, I'm guessing (at my price point) USB out from the N200 to my DAC would be the best? If so, I was thinking DH Labs Mirage would be OK?

I may go with a DDC at some point, which would be i2s to the DAC, but still USB N200 to DDC. 

You will love the Aurender N200   It is an awesome machine.   

@navyachts 

I completely understand. I have been at this pursuit for a while and believe that I have reached the summit as far as my digital front end. Technology keeps on evolving; for now, I am in a place where music matters more than the gear. 

@lalitk $20K for DAC and power supply (Merging+Nadac) not in my lifetime afraid, but thanks for the info, looks pretty cool though.

“I presume you use the AUDIO USB 5V - 0.5A output to the DAC?”
@navyachts

I am not using USB or vulnerable SPDIF/AES protocols. There are very few who realizes how well designed Aurender products are in their implementation of hardware and software. One of the very unique features of any Aurender streamer is their seamless integration with carefully chosen high end DAC’s. Merging Technologies, MSB and DCS are among the few I know of, I am sure there are more out there. My Merging Technologies DAC and Aurender allows seamless integration between the two over Ethernet. In addition, I am also taking advantage of amazing capability of external re-clocking available on higher end models like N20, N30SA and W20SE. I can stream files upto DSD256 from my Aurender server over Ethernet.

If you want to learn about RAVENNA protocol, read up on Merging Technologies DAC. The DAC with Ethernet Card are the way to the future. An important consideration since you are going to be looking DAC’s in near future.

@lalitk Thanks! N30SA...WOW! I'm done at the 200! With all that Aurender experience I presume you us the AUDIO USB 5V - 0.5A output to the DAC?

@navyachts 

Congratulations on purchase of N200 and if I may say so, wise decision towards building a solid digital from end that will give years of joy. One of the things I appreciate about Aurender is shelf life of each model. I enjoyed the N10 for 5 plus years before I decided to step up to N20 and finally N30SA. I’m done for a while :-)

@navyachts 

interesting, I have purchased many items from Canada, had them shipped and never paid a duty on them but sshhh, don’t tell anyone! Glad you found a good deal.

@dabel that would be awesome, that is super kind you, thanks dabel! Can I pm you my address? Maybe tomorrow? Exhausted now, need to sleep!!!

@soix will do and thanks for all your help and support (as usual).

Very much appreciated!

Congrats on the N200!  Great choice and I’m sure you’re gonna be thrilled.  Please let us know your thoughts if you could.  

👍😊

You are very welcome.

@ghdprentice +1. Thanks for the recommendation!

OP,

Congratulations. Tell us about your experience when you get it.

@j_andrews Thx for the congrats. The only differences I can see is about $2800 LOL! @ghdprentice recommended it, so I just bought it!

@falconquest ha ha yes, I saw this ad, I work in Canada (live in the US). This guy is about 25 minutes away from my office. His price works out to $70 less that what I paid, but shipping international or crossing the border and paying duty on it would have taking the price way over what I paid. On top of that, I purchased it through a dealer with the full 2-year warranty in place. But, thanks for lookin’

No dig on Bluesound products, they are great but going from a Vault 2i to my N200 was a step up.  

I still use the Vault in my second system.   It's been great.  But Aurender machines are next level

I suggest you look at the N200 on Canuck Audio Mart.  Look up the exchange rate and you’ll be smilin’!

Congrats on the n200 purchase!

Curious how the n150 and n200 are different …

wasn’t able to quickly glean that from the aurender site…

is it power supply? Clock?

I actually like the form factor and black and white display of the n150 much better than the n200.

Is the consensus that the n150 and n200 are essentially indistinguishable until a top tier dac is in place as @marco1 intimated?

Im currently deciding between a Aurender n150 and an Innuos Pulse to replace my Ifi Zen stream and lps.

I won’t be making the purchase until mid November when I’m starting a new job.

plenty of time to obsess over the decision .

Kinda thought that’s the direction you were headed.  Congrats.

Went with the Aurender N200 for now and will look at upgrading the DAC (or at least adding a DDC) at a later date. Thanks to all for your input!

Oh, didn’t realize there was only a $700 difference.  Carry on :-)

@marco1 ok, thanks for the clarification. I think I am building out my last system and with the demo N200 only $700 more than a new N150 I thought I'd go for it now. As far as a better DAC, I can always dream!

@navyachts sorry if I wasn’t clear.  In my case, I really don’t hear a meaningful difference between the 150 and 200 until I use them with a DAC in the $5k -$7k range.  If that’s where you’re going to be soon, go for the 200.  If not, imo you’re probably not going to hear much difference between the 150 and 200 until you are in that range of DAC’s.  What order you do things in it a personal decision.  My preference would be to use the difference in cost for a better DAC NOW and realize the benefit of both upgrades NOW.  YMMV but who knows what you might be doing or thinking in a year or two or three.