Auralic Aries Vs Aurender X100

[Charlemagne]

Hello amabrok, wellcome to the Devialetchat!

Today I attended a presentation of the Auralic Aries. It's a streaming 'bridge' i.e. a kind of computer, running on a stripped Linux OS specialiced in audiostreaming. It needs a server, like MinimServer or TwonkyMedia on a NAS to run. It's using its own variety of the uPnP/DLNA-protocol. It doesn't have a DAC. It connects with a DAC via s/pdif cinch, symmetrical AES and also USB, allowing the assymmetrical protocol to run.

It was demo'd with the brandnew Dynaudio focus XD (active LS with digital amps of 150 W per component) I heard the XD 400 LS. It sounded very well, I can tell you.

The Auralic streamer bridge might be an interesting match with Devialet as well. The iPad (Lightning DS) app worked very well and quick. Much better and faster than the Kinksky app for instance. Online lossless streaming is possible as well with Qobuz or WiMP. And even internetradio is integrated. Very impressive! All of it was demo'd at the occasion and it worked flawlessly.

More specifications is here to be found on the website of Auralic

I can't tell you about the Aurender. It wasn't demo'd at the occasion. But pricewise I would give it a try with the Auralic Aries, the one with the external linear PSU.

Of course there are also other options as well, like mine: a supersilent fanless HTPC in a Streacom housing with SSD, running on W8.1 and using JRiver and the AIR-ethernet streamer of Devialet. And the JRemote app on your iDevice. I'm happy to say that I don't experience any hiccups in the sound or the feared 'white noise', like many others do. Devialet has to work on this, I assume.

The ARIES serves as a “bridge” between music files on network storage or high quality online streaming services and the consumers’ DAC — enabling DACs for the first time to stream high-resolution music quickly and wirelessly in virtually any sampling rate, including DSD, Double-Rate DSD and DXD.

The inputs of ARIES include Dual-Band high-speed WiFi, Gigabit Ethernet and USB 2.0 port. The outputs are USB audio host buffered by AURALiC’s patented ActiveUSB technology; low jitter digital audio outputs: AES/EBU, Coaxial and TOSLINK. The USB audio host can deliver PCM from 44.1 to 384 KHz at 16-, 24- and 32-bit resolutions as well as DSD, Double-Rate DSD for compatible USB DAC. The other digital outputs are limited to 192 KHz at 24-bit in maximum according to S/PDIF standard.

ARIES is bundled with AURALiC’s Lightning DS App. The App has the capability to fully control ARIES to browse your music libraries on your network-attached storage (NAS), to steam high quality music content from service providers like Qobuz and WiMP, to control the playback and to select the hardware settings such as output channel and WiFi network, etc. The App also supports Songcast, a music distribution service that allows users to map computer’s sound to any Lightning-equipped system and to map sound between different Lightning systems in the house and streaming sound though Apple AirPlay.

The ARIES Streamer Bridge will be available in two models:

· ARIES LE: The standard model with low-phase noise crystal and standard external PSU.

· ARIES: The set-up model with two individual FemtoClocks for both USB audio host and digital outputs, low noise internal design to eliminate jitter and AURALiC Purer‐Power based 10uV low noise external linear PSU.