2. digital
  3. 180615-174247

Aurender N20 Streamer & Holo May DAC vs Analog

A couple of caveats..

1. My retail analog system is 2x $ of my digital.

2. Power cable to phono preamp > to Aurender

3. Analog signal interconnects $$$>$ digital cables.

Analog is much more musical with regards to tonality, airy soundstage with great imaging, detail, impact .. in every way.

Aurender/May DAC USB vs AES/EBU is source dependent and I haven’t figured this out completely, but CD likes AES with upscaling. Most other sources benefit from USB with regards to imaging, airy presentation and detail/tonality. Still early, but, for example, playing “Friday Night In San Francisco” these differences were quite apparent with Qobuz 176/24. I was definitely favoring USB, but Analog was so much more of everything and much more involving. Analog was amazing.

Aurender is major upgrade from iFi Zen Stream with their best power supply and fiber optic Ethernet isolation.

vonhelmholtz

Showing 5 responses by vonhelmholtz

vonhelmholtz OP
911 posts
 

@blisshifi 

At 100 hours.  Agree, too soon.  Also, pretty sure USB and AES/EBU cables can be improved upon.  Lastly, have Shunyata Sigma and Alpha NR cables on other components, but Delta on Aurender.  Shunyata just had a huge price increase on their cables.

vonhelmholtz OP
911 posts
 

@ghdprentice 

Trial and error seems to be an expensive hobby.

Juan @blisshifi  texted the same suggestion.

vonhelmholtz OP
911 posts
 

@soix

Yes, good plan. but I will first upgrade USB since that is what is working best at this point.

@lordmelton

Is there an advantage to an external clock when the Aurender already has a quality clock and the May hasn’t any clock input? Is Silver critical with USB?

@baylinor

Sounds good to me.

vonhelmholtz OP
911 posts
 

@lordmelton 

I am within my 60 days at Music Direct, so will return Delta NR power cable.  I’ll look for used Sigma v2 NR cable. 

vonhelmholtz OP
911 posts
 

@lordmelton

I have the same analog cables from DAC to preamp and phono preamp to preamp, but I have higher quality power cables on all components, but only Audioquest Delta NR on Aurender.

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