Aurender N100 v AIR

[Womaz]

I do not want to moan on abouy my AIR issues as i am tired of it. I think I have give up on Devialet helping me with this sO a few weeks ago I decided to bite the bullet and look at getting a dedicated steamer.
After looking at the Aries I then did a lot of research and the app gets a bit of a slating, so just as I was about to buy I changed my mind. I may consider the Aires Mini as at the cost is a no brainer.
Other considerations are the Lumin D1, but I dont know much about this. Melco N1A but no app yet so scared to look at this as I am not brillaint with technology
The Aurender I feel looks an option too although be it a rather expensive solution for me after I got the 200 to be a one box solution

The app looks excellent and I like the look of the product and the reviews are very favourable. I already have a NAS so not sure I would be paying for something I do not need.
So I have decided to spend the cash but what still stops me making a decision is I love the SQ of AIR when it works. Does the AurendeR give much of an imorivement in SQ? I may not be able to audition it so I am concerned that i fork out all that cash for imorived app and functionality, I am not prepared to do that.#

So anyone out there use it and does it step up from AIR sound quality. Any comments or ideas appreciated.

[rwjr44]

I have never tried AIR since so many folks here were having problems. If you have a NAS then the N100 is a very good choice. My X100L is the best sounding solution I have found (within budget) and I have tried a few. I would have bought the N100 but it wasn't in Aurender's product line when I made my decision. I still advise more research since there are now so many alternatives. The Elac unit (if available) seems to be impressive.

[Bob Ryan]

[quote='Womaz' pid='26557' dateline='1444389761'] Other considerations are the Lumin D1, but I dont know much about this. Melco N1A but no app yet so scared to look at this as I am not brillaint with technology
The Aurender I feel looks an option too although be it a rather expensive solution for me after I got the 200 to be a one box solution.

The N1A functions good with free Lumin app (although you cannot use all of the Lumin app features with the Melco). I sold the Lumin A1. Though a beautiful chunk of heavy CAD aluminum, I really disliked Lumin display and sound quality was not really 'better' than the N1A. I like fewer pieces and liked getting my Synology DS214 play out of the audio system entirely. Tried the X100. The Aurender is a well made device. Don't care for the brown app background. Didn't like being not being able to use my iPad in vertical and horizontal view with the Aurender app. What were they thinking? Did they fix this oversight yet? I really preferred N1A for simplicity in setup and operation. Used N1A with Devialet 120, router, iPad + Lumin app. A very small footprint and the setup and control champion IMO. For those highly impressed by build, go with Lumin and Aurender. If standard consumer audio component case is good enough and sound quality, ease of use matters more than case, consider the N1A.

[PhilP]

I home demoed the N100 together with an absurdly expensive Chord Sarum TA USB cable in the summer and in my system it does sound significantly better than AIR. The sound is open, relaxed, full and smooth with no hint of digital edge - very nice really.

I posted a long list of Pros and Cons on here back in June/July - I will try to find it. If Aurender supported Qobuz then I would have bought it. Also the high price differential between the U.S. and the UK is very annoying.

Edit : http://devialetchat.com/showthread.php?t...0#pid19430

[Womaz]

Other considerations are the Lumin D1, but I dont know much about this. Melco N1A but no app yet so scared to look at this as I am not brillaint with technology
The Aurender I feel looks an option too although be it a rather expensive solution for me after I got the 200 to be a one box solution.

The N1A functions good with free Lumin app (although you cannot use all of the Lumin app features with the Melco). I sold the Lumin A1. Though a beautiful chunk of heavy CAD aluminum, I really disliked Lumin display and sound quality was not really 'better' than the N1A. I like fewer pieces and liked getting my Sinology DS214 play out of the audio system entirely. Tried the X100. The Aurender is a well made device. Don't care for the brown app background. Didn't like being not being able to use my iPad in vertical and horizontal view with the Aurender app. What were they thinking? Did they fix this oversight yet? I really preferred N1A for simplicity in setup and operation. Used N1A with Devialet 120, router, iPad + Lumin app. A very small footprint and the setup and control champion IMO. For those highly impressed by build, go with Lumin and Aurender. If standard consumer audio component case is good enough and sound quality, ease of use matters more than case, consider the N1A.

Great post thank you. Strange as I love the Lumin display, and the Aurender too. But yes for me SQ is the ultimate factor. This is why i keep getting to the point where I am ready to buy and pulling out as i am scared it will not be as good as AIR. And if its not I will be gutted if I have spent the cash on functionalty and the app. I agree about the Aurender app, awful awful colour and the lack of vertical/horizontal too. The JRiver app I use is excellent and also makes me stick with AIR. Would also be just my luck to spend the cash and Devialet sort the AIR issues

Melco N1A £1600 with the Lumin app could be an option. I am not wanting to do Tidal or anything as it sounds poor to me even on the highest standard.

[Womaz]

I home demoed the N100 together with an absurdly expensive Chord Sarum TA USB cable in the summer and in my system it does sound significantly better than AIR. The sound is open, relaxed, full and smooth with no hint of digital edge - very nice really.

I posted a long list of Pros and Cons on here back in June/July - I will try to find it.  If Aurender supported Qobuz then I would have bought it. Also the high price differential between the U.S. and the UK is very annoying.

Edit : http://devialetchat.com/showthread.php?t...0#pid19430

Great post thank you. The I pad app is now up and running. Great summary though, and SQ is the most important. £1000 more than the Melco!! I know Guillaime loved the Melco when he demoed it.

Trouble for me again is no dealer up here and the thoughts of getting all my music from my NAS to the Melco and setting up the new CD rips to go to the Melco terrifies me. Not sure how easy all of that is. I do feel i have reached the point where i just need to take the plunge

[Bob Ryan]

I meant to add that the more affordable Lumin D1 (vs Lumin A1) is actually a pretty darn good option. You get the quite good, natural Lumin sound, you don't pay for an expensive case, and that great Lumin app (my favorite app of all the ones I've tried). I found the Lumin (or other devices that have capability) to up-sample music tracks not as wonderful as it had been suggested by others on forums. After a year of use discovered my overwhelming preference for no up-sampling (preferring the native resolution), or in 20-30 percent of instances preferred up sampling only to the next higher resolution. Most important is quality of original recording. No silk purse from sows ear IME.

[Womaz]

I meant to add that the more affordable (vs Lumin A1) Lumin D1 is actually a pretty darn good option. You get the quite good, natural Lumin sound, you don't pay for an expensive case, and that great Lumin app (my favorite app of all the ones I've tried). I found the Lumin ability to up-sample music tracks not as wonderful as it had been suggested by others on forums. After a year of use discovered my overwhelming preference for no up-sampling (preferring the native resolution), or in minority of instances preferred up sampling only to the next higher resolution.

Yes the Lumin D1 app looks great and like i say I love the display, for some reason the track name and the circle with time elapsed looks great to me.
Like I say what is stopping me is I love the SQ of AIR. I have tried Tidal on the highest quality and it sounded awful to me. Bright, bright and brighter
I am so non technical I am not sure I would use the upsampling function. AIR and JRiver sound great to me

[Morten]

Hallo Womaz

You have been speculating long, I understand you.

I started with AIR, I then tried Jplay, it sounded better but was not stable over AIR, hence a USB cable was introduced. Jplay over USB is in my opinion better than AIR.

Jplay then introduced Tidal, and I was hooked on this, but is it not so stable hence I invested in a Aurender N100H it sounds just as PhiliP described in my system, it is just brilliant.

I could have chosen the version without HD, I only use Tidal, you say you do not like the sound of it, I can only recommend that you give it a try if you decide for a Aurender to my ears it is fabulous. As I have stated earlier in a different thread does it load the whole track to memory, I guess it doesn't matter if the flac file comes from a HDD or the Internet

Kind regards Morten

[Womaz]

Thanks Morten, so are you saying you only use your Aurender for Tidal? No FLAC rips or anything else?
The beauty of the Aurender is my local dealer can get it. That means the onus would be on him to set it up and get all my FLAC files on to it. The idea of getting rid of my NAS drives is also starting to appeal. Melco and Aurender would do that.