Aurender N200

@oddiofyl 

Thanks for the update. It definitely sounds like digital board issue in your Lab12. I had a similar issue with my ARC DAC9 board, which ARC replaced for a very nominal cost.

@oddiofyl 

Congratulations on your N200 purchase. Just make sure your Ethernet is robust and you will be rewarded with amazing SQ out of N200. 

“The problem I feel with Aurender is again being locked into a proprietary system that’s not nas friendly.”

@dinov

I don’t know why anyone still consider external NAS when you have the flexibility of onboard storage? Aurender is built around the idea of simplicity. Set it and forget it! I never felt ‘locked’ out when I’m downloading or transferring files from my computer to Aurender internal drives. I enjoy the complete freedom to edit metadata, album art. I can perform all of the edits from my iPad. As @blisshifi pointed out, there is a distinct advantage to store music on internal SSD drives. 

@dinov 

No hard sell from me on Aurender.  You buy what works best for you, it’s as simple as that. I don’t contaminant my music files with any other type of files. There is a reason I chose to rely on Aurender for 10 plus years. For me, I do not want any source near my system that unnecessarily induces noise and add clutter to my space. I subscribe to ‘less is more’ approach. 

“Your Toolshed SET is going to be amplifying a high quality digital signal path.”

@charles1dad 

Great point! Having high quality downstream components is just as important as upstream source. My Accuphase Integrated E-650 is godsend for my digital front end.

@oddiofyl

I bet you can hardly wait to plug-in N200. Here are few things you can do to further enhance your experience with N200 (allow 200-300 hours of break-in)

1. Sign up with Qobuz

2. Try both USB and Coax outputs and decide which output sounds best to your ears

3. Use high quality USB or Coax cable

4. Use high quality PC, preferably the one uses PCOCC copper.

5.  Listen to N200 in ‘Critical Listening Mode’

@oddiofyl 

Forgot to add, get Samsung SSD drives. They are slightly more expensive than HDD but offer quieter and faster operation. 

@oddiofyl 

So what are your initial thoughts?

“Aurender does not support Roon”

Thank goodness! Each time I met with chief designer and owner of Aurender at audio shows, I thanked them for not caving into Roon and sticking with simple yet very robust Conductor app.

Consumer always wins when there is a healthy competition!

“When I play a MQA track into my non MQA DAC it identifies the sample rate as 96k on the DAC but the Aurender says “44.1k MQA”

@oddiofyl

With MQA license, the Aurender MQA Core decoder in N200 can only unfold first layer of MQA files, thus the 88.2kHz or 96kHz sample rate reading on your non-MQA DAC. Technically, there is no audible difference between 88.2kHz or 96kHz files. Only you can access if there is a ‘value’ in keeping both subscription. I tossed out Tidal after extended A/B in favor of Qobuz.

@budburma @jmlm

The older generation models, N100, N10 has a laid back, less dynamic and not as lively sound as newer generation models, N200, N20, N30SA. I have transitioned through few Aurender’s over the years and while N10 is a pretty darn good streamer, it’s now dated. I would get N200 even if it cost bit more money. The newer generation models are clearly an improvement especially in the areas of low frequency extension and slam. I recently transitioned from N20 to N30SA and I’m done for a while.