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Auralic Aries vs Aurender X100 vs Melco N1Z
#21
(27-Feb-2015, 20:56)Jnan_devi Wrote: Amabrok - If possible can you do USB output from Aries to Devialet "audio quality"?. dont hesitate for honest response. I have D120  (Cannot extend) which does not have AEB/EBU.

I also like your opinion on the app functionality? ease of use etc.

A Big Thank you for doing all this !

HI Jnan

This is exactly what I intend to do. USB connection for all three streamers


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Aurender X100L / Transrotor Crescendo TT / Denon DCD1520 / Macbook Pro >> D400 >> Martin Logan Montis
amabrok's system - Latest update (May 2015, Page 11, Post #109)

Dubai, UAE
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#22
(27-Feb-2015, 17:07)amabrok Wrote:
(27-Feb-2015, 16:31)miro Wrote:
(27-Feb-2015, 11:31)amabrok Wrote: Thanks David. It is sorted out!

Now Aries is working with USB (a side note: much better vs Aries digital coax)

In Lightning DS i had to change the operation mode from OpenHome DS to uPnP Renderer to enable USB Audio 2.0 out

How about with AES/EBU vs. USB?

Theoretically speaking AES/EBU would sound better than USB on Aries with Devialet. Unfortunately at the moment I have no  AES/EBU cable at hand.

Also the group test is biased towards USB commention as it is my current reference setup.

Also I have no access to Bryston to add to the group test.. Sorry!




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You should search for the best possible setup, not just USB, and so you should compare
the Aries with an AES/EBU as well.
D400; Stereolab Tombo Tron coaxial for master -> slave; Kubala-Sosna Elation interconnects, power, and speaker cables; Spendor D7 speakers; Bryston BDP-2 w. latest sound card & upgraded fuses; Bybee Stealth Power Purifier conditioner connected with IsoTek EVO3 Syncro SE to wall socket
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#23
(28-Feb-2015, 03:35)amabrok Wrote:
(27-Feb-2015, 20:56)Jnan_devi Wrote: Amabrok - If possible can you do USB output from Aries to Devialet "audio quality"?. dont hesitate for honest response. I have D120  (Cannot extend) which does not have AEB/EBU.

I also like your opinion on the app functionality? ease of use etc.

A Big Thank you for doing all this !

HI Jnan

This is exactly what I intend to do. USB connection for all three streamers
Wonderful! Thanks once again.
Rock OS (Roon) on NUC 2016 Model (ETH Wired to Router) > Cat8 from Router to switch to 220Pro (CI) > RAAT/AIR > Monitor Audio PL300 II
Ipad Mini 4/iPhone for Roon Remote"
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#24
(28-Feb-2015, 05:18)miro Wrote:
(27-Feb-2015, 17:07)amabrok Wrote:
(27-Feb-2015, 16:31)miro Wrote:
(27-Feb-2015, 11:31)amabrok Wrote: Thanks David. It is sorted out!

Now Aries is working with USB (a side note: much better vs Aries digital coax)

In Lightning DS i had to change the operation mode from OpenHome DS to uPnP Renderer to enable USB Audio 2.0 out

How about with AES/EBU vs. USB?

Theoretically speaking AES/EBU would sound better than USB on Aries with Devialet. Unfortunately at the moment I have no  AES/EBU cable at hand.

Also the group test is biased towards USB commention as it is my current reference setup.

Also I have no access to Bryston to add to the group test.. Sorry!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


You should search for the best possible setup, not just USB, and so you should compare
the Aries with an AES/EBU as well.

I fully agree with you miro. However I have to operate within the boundaries of available resources. I do not have access to all components and interconnects all the time.

Also I am keen to make the group test as much as focused to allow for a relatively more precise outcome vis-a-vis spreading the test wide open.


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Aurender X100L / Transrotor Crescendo TT / Denon DCD1520 / Macbook Pro >> D400 >> Martin Logan Montis
amabrok's system - Latest update (May 2015, Page 11, Post #109)

Dubai, UAE
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#25
I am glad to report to you guys that our friend Eric (AKA EricDH) from our forum is here with me today to help with the group test Smile

we are currently in the middle of some blind testing A/B/C games between the three streamers.

it is tough but great fun. we will report later
Aurender X100L / Transrotor Crescendo TT / Denon DCD1520 / Macbook Pro >> D400 >> Martin Logan Montis
amabrok's system - Latest update (May 2015, Page 11, Post #109)

Dubai, UAE
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#26
Excellent stuff! Looking forward to hearing your opinions.
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#27
(28-Feb-2015, 16:29)amabrok Wrote: I am glad to report to you guys that our friend Eric (AKA EricDH) from our forum is here with me today to help with the group test Smile

we are currently in the middle of some blind testing A/B/C games between the three streamers.

it is tough but great fun. we will report later

It is tough! I find these comparisons exhausting, but fun!

Look forward to reading your findings! 

Guillaume 
Industry disclosure: UK distributor for Shunyata Research

220 PRO, totaldac d1 server with additional external power supply, totaldac d1-seven, Echole PSU for Totaldac, Wilson Audio Sasha 2, Shunyata Research cables, Shunyata Hydra Alpha A10 + DPC-6 v3, Various Entreq ground boxes and cables, Entreq Athena level 3 rack, 2 X SOtM sNH-10G with sCLK-EX + 10MHz Master Clock input + sPS-500 PSU, i5 sonicTransporter w/ 1TB SSD

UK
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#28
(28-Feb-2015, 16:29)amabrok Wrote: I am glad to report to you guys that our friend Eric (AKA EricDH) from our forum is here with me today to help with the group test Smile

we are currently in the middle of some blind testing A/B/C games between the three streamers.

it is tough but great fun. we will report later

I am just home from my visit to amabrok. I want to thank him for his hospitality, I had a very nice evening. It was very interesting to compare "my" streamer with two very strong contenders. And I have heard some nice music that was completely new to me. That is always the fun part of these shootouts. I will have to let the impressions sink in a bit, and will report on my findings later.
NAS: LaCie Cloudbox
Streaming bridge: Auralic Aries
DAC/Amplifier: Devialet 200
Speakers: Magico S1
Digital cables: Audioquest Cinnamon
Loudspeaker cables: Vertere Pulse-X Mini
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#29
Any updates ?
Devialet 800| B&W 802 Diamond | JL 113 | Linn Akurate DS + Denon HEOS for Spotify | Stealth Reverie speaker cables| Audioprana AES/RCA | DH LABS PC 
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#30
   

I finally managed the time to sit down and do this write up.
 
The contenders
o   Auralic Aries
o   Aurender X100L (8TB)
o   Melco (Dela) N1Z (1TB)
 
 
The group test was focused on USB connection and all three streamers where connected to my system (D400 + Martin Logan Montis) via an AudioQuest Cinnamon USB cable. The units were all stacked in a way to allow for unplugging the A terminal of the USB cable from one streamer and plug it into another while leaving all other system variables unchanged to ensure a level field.
 
In the review I will cover build quality, setup, operation and of course sound quality. In every aspect of the aforementioned the best streamer will get a score of 10 on a 10-point scale where 0 is N/A, 1 is very bad and 10 is excellent. It is important here to understand that the scale as such is relative. So a streamer scoring 10/10 in terms of let us say ease of operation does not mean that it is the best streamer out there in the market to operate, but it simply means that it was the best in this aspect among the three tested streamers. Accordingly the other two streamers will get a score of 0-9 depending on how they were rated relative to the winning streamer.
 
This review/impression is based on three extensive setup/operation/listening sessions over three days. The last of which I was with Eric (AKA EricDH) where I got the chance to run a blind test A/B/C and Eric had to give his opinion not knowing which was which!
 
Let us start…
 
Build Quality


o   Auralic Aries comes in this unique curvy design, but this is not the first thing that strikes the eyes of the beholder, rather the small form factor. This thing is really small and lightweight. Power supply is external and housed in a black metal case, not as heavy as you would expect it or want it to be. The front has no physical buttons and is almost fully occupied with the green mono display. The back has power socket, digital outputs (AES/EBU, Coax Digital, Optical and USB). Also there is an additional USB port for directly attaching external HDD. Finally the Ethernet port for wired connection.
o   Aurender X100L is a shoebox size and oh boy it is solid and heavy. It is built like a tank and it screams high quality and feels premium. The thick front metal plate, the solid side grills for heat dissipation feel like armors. The front has a big clear screen, a power/sleep button that also doubles as a LED indicator and 4 buttons for basic operations and setup. The rear has a socket for power cord, Ethernet port, a USB for additional storage and finally the only output in the form of the USB Audio 2.0.
o   Melco N1Z comes in the more traditional full chassis box, albeit thinner if compared to the Aurender. The N1Z is heavy and feels solid with heavy metal plates to the front and the sides. On the front there is a power button, a power indicator, a display and 4 physical buttons for basic settings and control of the unit. On the back there is of course the inlet for power cord, two Ethernet ports, one for network connection and one for direct mode connection with network player. 3 USB ports, one for backup, one for importing from external storage and the third is for audio out. Also there is a USB power port.
o   Verdict: Aurender 10, Melco 8, Auralic 5


Setup
o   Auralic Aries installation in the system was a little bit tricky. First off, I tried with no Ethernet cable with the assumption that I will be able to use the supplied remote to navigate a setup menu to configure the Wi-Fi SSID password but I assumed wrong. The physical remote was almost useless, and I say almost as it was still capable of turning the Aries on and off. Second attempt I had to plug an Ethernet cable, once wired to the network LightningDS on iPad was able to detect Aries as one of the devices. Following that I was faced with the second challenge of getting audio out on USB to no avail! Firmware was up-to-date and LightningDS was also the latest version. Later, and after several attempts I figured out that operation mode has to be changed in setting from OpenHome DS (the default) to Legacy UPnP for the USB out to work. Once this was ironed, selecting a library on the app and streaming from a NAS to the Aries and in turn to the D400 was easy. Anyone familiar with UPnP Library/Control Point/Renderer concept will feel at home with Auralic Aries and LightningDS. LightningDS is very aesthetically pleasing and looks very elegant and would be the best option for iPads. Android users may also consider BubbleUPnP.
o   Aurender X100L is as simple as plug and play. Connect power, USB out to Devialet and plug in the Ethernet cable and you are done. Once on the network, X100 appears as a NAS where transfer of music files is as simple as copy and paste. Also the Aurender Conductor App (while not the most aesthetic) is very reliable and easy to use and offers all the functionality expected from a streamer barring built in streaming services (Tidal beta integration is out but not stable yet). The App is available for both iOS (iPad only) and Android. The App detects the Aurender on the network and allows users to manage libraries on built-in storage or on external storage or NAS. Also settings and maintenance can all be managed from the app.
o   Melco N1Z physical installation to the network was straight forward, just plug in the Ethernet cable and the unit takes care of all network settings and it appears on the network as a network drive where one can simply copy and paste music tracks. Now that you have the N1Z hooked up to the network, you look around yourself and you say “Now what?!!!”. The N1Z comes with no physical remote, there is no dedicate app and when you consult the user manual’s operations section it simply says “for operation check your network player instructions”. Go figure! Seriously, a premium device with a premium price tag and this is what they offer! After several attempts and frustrations, finally I figured it out. When paired with the right player via the right USB port (in that case it is the port labeled USB 3.0) the combo Devialet/Melco appears on the network as a UPnP Renderer and the built in storage appears as UPnP Library and then the user has to choose a UPnP Control Point of choice. In this case I test both LightningDS for iPad and no surprise BubbleUPnP for Android. And it worked relatively fine (more on that later)
o   Verdict: Aurender 10, Auralic 7, Melco 5


Operation
o   Auralic Aries operation is as simple as a standard UPnP. On the Control Point, in that case LightningDS as recommended by Auralic, you specify which Library to stream music from, that could be a directly connected external HDD via the USB port (not tested) or from a NAS (test with a WD MyCloud NAS). LightningDS does a very good job in terms of searching capabilities, browsing and sorting by the expected attributes (e.g. Artist, Album, etc…). Also one can batch queue songs or queue up songs one by one. The fornt green monochrome display shows a simple progress bar for the currently played track and its time along with a count of the Song of Songs and that is it. No additional useful info and as such one is fully reliant on the app. While the LightningDS app seems to play very well with Auralic Aries, it was noticed that gapless playback was not supported while it was supported on BubbleUPnP on Android!
o   Aurender X100L has no physical remote and it is solely dependent on the Aurender Conductor App. The App works as advertised and is absolutely reliable and very stable. Sorting, searching, browsing and/or queuing are all there making navigation of music libraries very smooth and efficient no matter how big they may be. The front display is bright and big enough to legible from the listening position (in my case approx. 3m) where one can see singer name, track title and track progress bar. Once a song is selected, it is only a matter of 2 or 3 seconds to buffer the track from the HDD to the SSD for playback. Next songs in the queue will be buffered in advance so when it is time to play them there is no delay or gaps. Aurender supports gapless playback from music on built-in HDD (tested) or from local NAS (not tested in this group test)
o   Melco N1Z in the indirect operation mode can stream music from NAS as equally good as from built-in storage (both tested) with negative effect on quality. Of course the challenge is to settle on a Control Point App since there is no specially developed app nor does Melco suggest a particular app. In the group test, both LightningDS and BubbleUPnP were tested. The latter seem to be more reliable while the former had some glitches with N1Z, like a track has to be tapped twice before it starts playing or the play now section does not show the album art nor the progress of the song being played. The front display was not without flaws as well. It suffers from small text and there seems to be a big lag between when the song starts playing and the track name being displayed on the front display. But the biggest turn off is no gapless playback support! Using both apps there were those nasty gaps between tracks that were supposed to play as one.
o   Aurender 10, Auralic 9, Melco 4


Sound Quality


o   Auralic Aries is a solid network bridge that adds UPnP functionality to DACs and of course to Devialet. It seems to be designed around the principle of practicality and functionality (think of the plastic body to offer reliable Wi-Fi connectivity) and this seem to be on the expense of sound quality. This is not to say that it does not do a very decent job, but it clearly falls short compared to the other two contenders. It appears as if the Auralic Aries has a corridor of operation in the middle of frequency range. Notes that are either very high or very low always sounded washed. In tracks with wide dynamic ranges the sound was flat and a bit compressed. Also sound stage sounded smaller and narrower. In less demanding tracks, Auralic Aries seemed to be on par with the other two streams in reproducing the notes within the boundaries of that virtual corridor.
o   Aurender X100L has this tube like signature but it is neither washed nor sloppy. It still gives the digital precision one would expect from a digital streamer, but the tube like signature gives it a pleasant warmth and extends it lower notes deep contrasting higher notes drawing a very crisp sound image. Mids and highs seem to be more forward and sound stage is big and dynamics are as high as those of a good record player.
o   Melco N1Z is tonally balanced. Every note, every beat, every bit is just right. Low notes are not too deep to be boomy and high notes are not too high to be harsh. Lower notes seems to be warmer and more natural compared to Aurender whereas its higher notes where slightly flattened. Sound imaging and stage are perfectly painted and portrayed. Dynamic range is there in its full glory and frequency response is accurate throughout the spectrum.
o   Melco 10, Aurender 9, Auralic 6


Final words

While Melco N1Z is the best in terms of SQ, I believe what the Aurender X100 loses in terms of slight SQ difference is well compensated in terms of setup, operation and reliability. For me gapless playback is a must and Melco N1Z cannot be pardoned for missing out on that. Also considering that X100 is an entry level of Aurender, it makes me wonder how the W20 sounds! For the money, Auralic Aries does a very good job. Initially it was tested using the coax digital and later switched to USB and the sound improvement was phenomenal. If you are an Auralic Aries owner and still use Coax digital you owe it to yourself to migrate to USB and you should also test AES/EBU.

My overall winner would be Aurender on counts of SQ, ease of setup and reliable and friendly operation.
 
Cheers!
 
Amgad
Aurender X100L / Transrotor Crescendo TT / Denon DCD1520 / Macbook Pro >> D400 >> Martin Logan Montis
amabrok's system - Latest update (May 2015, Page 11, Post #109)

Dubai, UAE
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