It seems that you have made a wise trade up. Enjoy your new sound, but since you are coming from bits are bits perspective, I can tell you, from my own experience, that the high dollar investments into wall to component power, router to component Ethernet, streamer to DAC digital cable can cost many times what you have spent on your Aurender, but have an even greater positive improvement in the presentation. It is very hard to spend big money on cables that common sense tells me are snake oil improvements..bits are bits..last six foot of power..etc.., but some of the most experienced members on this forum convinced me to give it a go and it transformed my system as much as my Aurender N20 improved things.. I worked with a dealer that allowed sixty day money back on cables and boy that was an expensive, but worthwhile journey. Have fun with your trade up.. This is a never ending and very expensive hobby. Luckily for me, I’ve run out of money, so I can just enjoy the music.
Streamer upgrade?
So after following these discussions for the last year or so about the importance (or lack of depending on ones stance) of the steamer itself for sound quality Ive decided to take the plunge. I had previously been in the “ bits is bits “ camp , so I purchased a Pontus Two to use with my Aurender A100 which is they’re entry level offering with a built in Dac. Both of the local high end dealers tried to convince me that this would not amount to much of an improvement in SQ, well…… they were right in my estimation. So I took another member’s recommendation to contact TMR about a trade in on an Aurender N200 and just as his experience was great so was mine ,they really made it too good to pass up. So if anyone is interested I will report my findings when my new unit arrives, it’ll be a straight change out same Dac,same Dh labs cable and same system ,it should be a really easy comparison, too bad I couldn’t keep the old unit to test them side by side but it’ll still be easy enough.I’ll post my findings.