Music Server to Aurender

[Bartype]

Hello guys.

I am on the streamer and Windows PC route for many years already. From our tests I have learned that no stock streamer sounds better than a nicely build up Windows / JPLAY setup.

Moreover did we learn in the years when we suffered under the LINN DS sources that an external NAS plus ethernet cables reduces the SQ very much.

Nowadays we know how much influence a good linear PSU has on digital sources. The SATA cabelling is important, as well as the digital signal cable (i.e. USB). Moreover you can hear differences between SSD brands (don't even consider HDDs) and finally we have learned a lot about reclocking and anti-jitter-devices.

18 month ago I have compard for example the AURENDER W20 with our PC source on the same day with the same Devialet 800, PS Audio P10, Wilson Audio Sasha, Analysis Plus, Artesania setup and even at that time the PC source was clearly better. Since that day we have improved a lot of small items and the level of SQ we have reched has passed our imagination.

And many small changes were only software tricks or cheap components which we use on "standard" mainboards. Now consider if you can do this on any stremer from the shelf?

I have been following the route of buy and sell for many decades now and never found the satisfaction I was hoping for. Today I rely on my Devialet and a moded Windows PC and the level of saisfaction is close to nirvana!

So don't give up the PC stuff to easily. Find yourself a specialist whom you can trust in the same way as you trust your prefered old-school hifi dealer and your source problem will be fixed soon.

In Dubio Pro Audio

Jan

That's all very interesting, do you have some more info and/or links to info which we can use in building this perfect PC?
And that being said, to my experience a self build PC can become very costly fast when you delve into special cables, clocks and that kind of things. Thus coming in the price range of the Aurenders and Melco's without the insurrance you get the same or better SQ from it.
I hope you are willing to share the info to avoid this road and surely getting something which sounds really great without costing the massive ammounts of money the top-end Aurenders, Melco's and the likes do.