Solo streamer

@rvpiano Looking at the level of your system components, I think the Aurender N150 is more fitting a streamer than the N200. While the N200 is a considerable step forward, the N150 is also a considerable step forward over the CXN V2. I’m both a Cambridge and Aurender dealer and speak from experience. 
 

Also, while the N150 can accommodate storage, it doesn’t come with any, so you’re not paying for it. 

The original DAC 3 was an excellent DAC for its price point. It is very resolving, and should be capable of rendering what the N200 brings to the table with no issues.

The only thing I would caution is that the DAC 3 is very, very linear, and the difference from going from the CXN V2 to the Aurender is that you may lose a tad bit of harmonics. As the CXN V2 is both warm and unresolving in comparison, the N200 is also very linear, but it is also much more revealing, and transparent. The space of the soundstage is so many levels higher than the CXN V2.

If you do need more harmonics or warmth after breaking in the N200, realize that it is the job of the source to render as clearly as possible, and for the rest of the system to shape the sonics to your preferences. If you instead seek a warmer or richer sounding streamer, try Innuos, but it won’t be as revealing as the N200, and the soundstage will shrink.

I congratulate the you on the N200. While it is a larger investment than many other things in your system, the quality of your source is something that should be worthy investing in, and it will open the pathways for other opportunities for your system to continue to flourish. 

As the OP mentioned, he’s got a 60-day return window. If he does look for advice on a DAC upgrade after keeping the N200, it would mean that he has not only found value in the improvement the N200 made, and it is eye-opening enough for him to be curious and explore the potential of what other DACs may bring to continue the path to improvement.

If the streamer is not worth keeping, he’ll send it back and maybe try something different (maybe not even another streamer). Either way, there will be first hand learning and experience gained in the works, which makes it worth the effort.

We often frown at the idea of continued investment, but these are the types of moments that can also make this hobby quite exciting and fun!

I agree with those that have suggested the mesh router / network system. This is what I do, using the Netgear Orbi 6 around my house. I initially used a high quality ethernet cable straight from the satellite to my streamer but since have put in a few more steps (switch, etc).

Many streamers with wifi will suffer sonically as wifi is a source of noise, and digital signals are quite delicate and susceptible to noise  

Again, as both a dealer for Cambridge and Aurender, I believe you will be surprised at how much more information you will get from any Aurender.

True story - I once had a customer come in with his CXN V2 (streamer only, using its digital outs) to compare to an N200. Both were hooked up to a T+A DAC 200. We first played a few songs on the CXN v2, then we hooked up the N200. It took all of 10 seconds once the N200 was playing music for the guy say “I’m buying it.” The improvement in clarity, transparency, and soundstage immersion is immediately noticeable.

@rvpiano That sounds like it may have been an error with how your dealer provided Aurender with your shipping address. Typically, it is drop shipped directly to you. And interestingly, if it ships via DHL from South Korea, it will get to you faster than when it ships FedEx from California.

I’ve never had Aurender mess up any addressing of any of my orders, and my clients get their units without any shipping issues. Aurender has always confirmed the mailing address with me before shipping, so if there were any errors, I would have had a chance to correct them. So try not to associate this issue with Aurender, but more likely the dealer, who may have made an error in providing the correct info.

Of course, the likelihood of a dealer taking accountability for such a mistake is slim to none!

@rvpiano - Yes, the N200 will take a few weeks to truly settle. It will also benefit greatly from aftermarket digital cables and power cables. What are you using in those areas? Also, I mentioned what you might experience in pairing with your Benchmark DAC in an earlier post.

Sorting capabilities vary by the scope that you're looking at within Conductor, as well as the device you're using (iPad vs mobile phone). What exactly are you looking at when you want to sort alphabetically - songs, albums, or artists?

@rvpiano Interesting that you find Coax to be brighter than USB. In general, it’s been the opposite with me across the board with any Aurender unit that I’ve tried. But it is absolutely cable/model dependent. In my case if I compare the same brand cables, with their coax vs USB, USB is always brighter / more brittle. There are some excellent USB cables, though!

And I should also of course mention that USB is using the DAC’s clock, whereas coax also takes advantage of the clock in the Aurender. 

I do also agree that the N200 is worthy of a DAC $5K+. This is what I mentioned at the very beginning of this thread (not the $5K, but that this may result in the search for a better DAC). I’ve seen this journey pan out so many times with my clientele, it doesn’t surprise me anymore. :)

@rvpiano This is an accurate assumption. The A200’s streamer is more on par with the N150, and the A15 utilizes more of what’s in the N200. I would not recommend the A200 in lieu of your DAC and N200. While there is synergy in that unit, it will not solve what you want to accomplish. 

I should have chosen better words in my first post in this thread. I spoke of your potential need to seek warmth and harmonics as I mentioned the DAC3 is very linear. I should have also mentioned that you may want to seek an extra level of refinement. There are a few areas where you may be able to find this.

First is in a more refined sounding DAC. I have long been recommending the well-regarded T+A DAC 200 to pair with the N200. It is still my DAC of choice in the $15K and under market. The DAC 200 has six different filters for  upsampling and non-oversampling that help to further shape your sound. The magnificent imaging, soundstaging enlargement, musicality, and sheer resolution of the DAC is a number of levels above your DAC3. Other DACs that may be of note are from Meitner/EMM, MSB, Aqua, Bricasti, or the DACs in Luxman’s transports. Lampizator also sounds very good, but in my experience you have to go up the chain and spend more to get the resolution that some of these other units can deliver.

Your choice of USB cable matters a lot. The 5V DC lead that runs parallel to the signal can add to the noise factor, which makes USB sound more brittle and fatiguing. It may sound financially disproportionate, but the FTA Sinope is an excellent, full-bodied, grain free and wonderfully musical USB cable. Their older Calisto is also very good and can be had for less, but it is not quite as resolving as the Sinope. Still a very good choice for its price used or new. I used FTA USB until I purchased my $6K USB cable (no need to get into those details).

There are other areas, like power cables, interconnects, Ethernet cables/switches, which can all help as well, but I would focus on the two above as they will get you furthest, and then tweak with the rest. 

I know I mentioned “best under $15K”, but many of the DACs I mention make models in the $4-7K range that are worth considering. Not inexpensive as you just paid a good amount for your streamer, but it’s something to consider as you move forward in your journey.

@lalitk I agree between the N20 and N30SA but I’ve spent time with all of the analog output series DACs except for the new A1000, and I heard pretty big steps between the A200, A15, and A20. You have experience with the dedicated streamers, so likely you know the improvement of the N150 to the N200 is there, and worthwhile, whereas the jump to from the N200 to the N20 is fairly substantial, with the N20 adding richness, density, refinement etc. With the analog output series, the DAC and analog stage play a large part in the overall performance, and while synergy in the combined unit is very good across all products offered, the performance gains are notable and audible. Depending on the system it’s going in, results may vary.

@lalitk The difference is pretty substantial, sonically. I don’t think the A200 would deliver any better than what he’s got going now. The DAC3 is a good DAC at its price point, and the N200 is a more transparent and engaging streamer than what is in the A200. 

Overall, Aurender’s analog output units (with DACs built in) are an attractive way to have a single box for digital, but being the critical listener that I am, I think there are better solutions out there to solve for what the OP wants to accomplish. The DAC in the A15 is quite good, but very linear and detailed, much like a Mola Mola Tambaqui, vs focusing on the natural harmonics and refinement that makes music emotional and tangible. This is not a criticism so much on the Aurender, as the A15 is an incredible value as a combo. It’s basically the $6,300 N200 paired with a ~$3,500 DAC. The $15K A20 is much more realistic sounding, in my opinion, as it should be given almost double the price, and I have a high affinity to that.

My suggestion would be to stay the course with the N200 and find the right digital chain to complement. I think of it as matching a phono stage to a cartridge. The N200 is a stellar source, and the DAC needs to complement the N200 in ways the rest of his system can benefit from. 

@lalitk Most of these comparisons were completed on my reference system over the last 2-3 years, which is pretty much up to date on my virtual systems page, aside from additional accessories and tweaks that have been added since:

https://www.audiogon.com/systems/11410

DACs used are primarily the T+A SDV 3100 HV and the T+A DAC 200.

With the analog output series, I tested all A200, A15, A20 and A30 all with their DACs to preamps as well as DACs as preamps going straight into the amplifier.

Other amplifiers I swap in from time to time are Cambridge Audio EDGE M monoblocks, the T+A S10 Hybrid Tube Stereo Amplifier, and the T+A R 2500 R and Aurender AP20 all in ones. I have a few others on the floor, but they don't nearly get as much play time.