@oddiofyl Interesting you mentioned "I still think my transport sounds better than the Aurender with 44.1k material." I still own and stream allot of 44.1k material and think the same the same thing, but assumed it was my sub-par Streamer. It has made it difficult to leave disc-spinning behind. Thanks for input.
Aurender
I have a Korean car, watch KDramas and even listen to some KPop, but I don’t get what Aurender is doing.
I’m currently in digital hold given that my new Holo DAC died, but intend on listening to my IFi Zen stream and look at upgrade paths.
Some of the most respected members of this forum swear by Aurender, so it must deliver, but here is my point of confusion:
1. Coax and AES are the preferred outputs, but higher bandwidths require dual AES out, but I don’t have dual in on my DAC.
2. Aurender’s top models claim to have great clocks, so why not pass this on to the DAC via I2s?
3. Top Aurenders accept external clocks and I assume this is used with a DAC that accepts external clocks, but why bother when I2s would take care of this?
4. The argument against I2s is that there isn’t a standard, but this isn’t a problem in most implementations.
I’m sure that I have misrepresented things above, so please correct my understanding.
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@oddiofyl and @audiostick, if you’re not already doing so, I’ve found that the streaming quality can be further improved by using a high quality switch and Ethernet cable upstream. In my case, many streams outperform the redbook when using the same DAC, but some CDs are still better sounding than their streaming counterparts. Keep in mind I’m also using the N30SA, and comparing it with transports up to $25K. I also am now currently evaluating the new N50, which is just on a whole other level. FML! |
I see the Aurender N50 adds another box housing toroidal transformers and takes a more modular approach with its LAN/USB/I²S boards (much like MSB’s design philosophy). What’s a little disappointing, though, is the lack of any major upgrade to the internal clock. Yes, I realize you can use an external clock, but with all that real estate in the new design they could have easily provisioned a Rubidium 10 MHz clock module. It feels like a missed opportunity at this price point. That said, I’d really love to hear your impressions—especially how the N50 stacks up against the W20SE, which still remains my favorite piece in their lineup. |
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