Aurender N10

But that is the N100, right?

The N10 only comes in one configuration, which has internal storage, as far as I know.

Correct. I think Joe is debating between the N100 and N100H. I think he needs to go for the N10!! [emoji41]
 
Correct. I think Joe is debating between the N100 and N100H. I think he needs to go for the N10!!
emoji41.png

:scholar:
 
Wow this thing can convert DSD to PCM on the fly via fpga!! Since it uses fpga I presume PCM to DSD is just down the road via software downloads and upsampling will be too. If so, this thing could be a match made in heaven for the Lampi's. (Then the only thing left to reach nirvana is an i2s DSD connection between the two.)

Anyone have any news on the program used for conversion??? Think if its at the HQP level; OMG can you say game changer.

I've made the request for PCM to DSD.

Mike, Bryan or anyone have an update on this topic???
 
Joe - all my customers are delighted with their N100H's. The N10 offers sonic improvements, more outputs, and a case that in the rack, nicely matches the size of a preamp. But for three times the price, the N10 should be better - and it is! I love it.

Can I extend the comparison to the X100L - which has 12 TB storage
and now can connect with a NAS .... Anyone compared SQ with the
N10?
 
Mike, Bryan or anyone have an update on this topic???
Paul,
I haven't heard anything but will ask.

If you're going to be around next weekend come up for our open house on Saturday the 18th or Sunday the 19th, when we'll be demonstrating the N10 into the Bricasti M1 along with the Bricasti M28 monoblocks. Here's a link to the latest newsletter sent out earlier today with details.
 
Can I extend the comparison to the X100L - which has 12 TB storage
and now can connect with a NAS .... Anyone compared SQ with the
N10?
The X100L has the advantage of more internal storage, but the N10 has a significant advantage in sound quality that takes very little time to hear.
 
Paul - the N10 is a digital destination piece for me. I can't even imagine how good the W20 must be. My clients looking for a world class digital server to use with their favorite DAC in the under $10k range will be strongly encouraged to look at the N10. The Aurender app is brilliant. The build quality is top notch.
 
Wow this thing can convert DSD to PCM on the fly via fpga!! Since it uses fpga I presume PCM to DSD is just down the road via software downloads and upsampling will be too. If so, this thing could be a match made in heaven for the Lampi's. (Then the only thing left to reach nirvana is an i2s DSD connection between the two.)

Anyone have any news on the program used for conversion??? Think if its at the HQP level; OMG can you say game changer.

Paul - the N10 is a digital destination piece for me. I can't even imagine how good the W20 must be. My clients looking for a world class digital server to use with their favorite DAC in the under $10k range will be strongly encouraged to look at the N10. The Aurender app is brilliant. The build quality is top notch.


Any feedback on your request regarding getting those fpga's dialed in to take PCM to DSD???
 
Is it possible that with the N10 being the latest generation, could be as good as W20???? Maybe better. Digital technology keeps marching on.
 
Paul,
I haven't heard anything but will ask.

If you're going to be around next weekend come up for our open house on Saturday the 18th or Sunday the 19th, when we'll be demonstrating the N10 into the Bricasti M1 along with the Bricasti M28 monoblocks. Here's a link to the latest newsletter sent out earlier today with details.
Aurender president Harry Lee replied to me, essentially saying they are not confident whether PCM to DSD will give better sound quality with 80 to 90% of DAC users, so they do not plan to do it. One can believe that PCM to DSD will give better sound quality, but if there is no improvement or it even decreases, the implementation may be blamed. Sound quality depends on the DAC used. So there are many factors involved.
 
Chris Connaker of Computer Audiophile also was asked about PCM to DSD conversion. He feels in virtually all situations native conversion of files is preferred. He thinks there is a great deal of the "placebo effect" going on regarding upsampling and conversion in general.
 
Chris Connaker of Computer Audiophile also was asked about PCM to DSD conversion. He feels in virtually all situations native conversion of files is preferred. He thinks there is a great deal of the "placebo effect" going on regarding upsampling and conversion in general.

I would have to agree!
 
Aurender president Harry Lee replied to me, essentially saying they are not confident whether PCM to DSD will give better sound quality with 80 to 90% of DAC users, so they do not plan to do it. One can believe that PCM to DSD will give better sound quality, but if there is no improvement or it even decreases, the implementation may be blamed. Sound quality depends on the DAC used. So there are many factors involved.

Chris Connaker of Computer Audiophile also was asked about PCM to DSD conversion. He feels in virtually all situations native conversion of files is preferred. He thinks there is a great deal of the "placebo effect" going on regarding upsampling and conversion in general.


Bryan,

First thank you very much for making this enquiry. It is much appreciated. I understand the comments of both Harry and Chris. Harry is making a business judgement; Chris an SQ judgement. Harry's I respect (its his pocket book); Chris's makes me laugh (in spite of how much Myles loves him).

IMO, Chris has a propensity for getting over his ski's. There is a rapidly growing group of audiophiles that prefer the sound of "true" (single bit) DSD to PCM (particularly on the new DSD dacs) and an even faster growing group of those members that prefer PCM converted to DSD on those single bit DSD dac's.

The sound difference between the newest dac's that play true DSD and dacs that play multi-bit PCM is not subtle. This difference exist regardless of whether the file played is native DSD or converted PCM. I am not saying one is better than the other. Some enjoy the bite of PCM and some prefer the analog sound of true DSD (vast oversimplification). I am simply making a statement about the reality of the market place. In this regard, I feel Harry will be changing his mind on this issue in due course, but I feel Chris is simply dead wrong.

In fairness to Chris, he may be referring to converting and upsampling DSD and then playing it on a multi-bit dac??? This is a different animal. What I am referring to is converting PCM so it can be played on a single bit DSD dac which sounds better to many than a multi bit dac.
 
:scholar:

Joe and everyone else,

You owe it to yourselves to audition the Bryston BDP-2 streamer with the new sound card (released as of May 15).
Now all new units come with it.

I received such a new BDP-2 on Friday (yesterday), and am very impressed.

Very quiet background, wide soundstage, incredible details.
Cellos and organ music sound incredible.
My comparison is on a Devialet 400.
Previously I used a Bryston BDP-1, which has the same card as the models of the BDP-2 from before May 15.

The new sound card can stream DSD64 (and I believe DSD128) over the AES/EBU output.

There is also BNC output, and 6 USB connections on the outside + possibility to install an internal SSD (which was very easy to do).

The BDP-2 is like $200 more than the AurenderN100 with internal hard disk.

I highly recommend auditioning one!
 
Miro,

I will take a look at the Bryston too. The BDP-2 looks great. Glad you are happy.
 
Miro,

I will take a look at the Bryston too. The BDP-2 looks great. Glad you are happy.

Joe, just ask the company that ships it to you to confirm that the unit will have the new sound card introduced May 15.
I purchased mine from audioadvisor.com (not affiliated with them in any way).
Enjoy!
 
Bryan,

First thank you very much for making this enquiry. It is much appreciated. I understand the comments of both Harry and Chris. Harry is making a business judgement; Chris an SQ judgement. Harry's I respect (its his pocket book); Chris's makes me laugh (in spite of how much Myles loves him).

IMO, Chris has a propensity for getting over his ski's. There is a rapidly growing group of audiophiles that prefer the sound of "true" (single bit) DSD to PCM (particularly on the new DSD dacs) and an even faster growing group of those members that prefer PCM converted to DSD on those single bit DSD dac's.

The sound difference between the newest dac's that play true DSD and dacs that play multi-bit PCM is not subtle. This difference exist regardless of whether the file played is native DSD or converted PCM. I am not saying one is better than the other. Some enjoy the bite of PCM and some prefer the analog sound of true DSD (vast oversimplification). I am simply making a statement about the reality of the market place. In this regard, I feel Harry will be changing his mind on this issue in due course, but I feel Chris is simply dead wrong.

In fairness to Chris, he may be referring to converting and upsampling DSD and then playing it on a multi-bit dac??? This is a different animal. What I am referring to is converting PCM so it can be played on a single bit DSD dac which sounds better to many than a multi bit dac.
Paul,
I've been out of town on business and just now have a chance to respond to your post regarding converting PCM to DSD, so here goes:

You still have to make the low pass filter, lets say it's 44.1 CD (95% of content is 44.1). You still have to make the 20 kHz filter, so you either do it when you play it out or do it when you resample to DSD, and when you convert to DSD you should make a DSD post filter too upon play back. So there is no real win, it will just change things a bit and sound different, i.e. different filters and different sound. So really there is no point to doing this other than it being another way to do things, or the only way if the DAC can only play true DSD of which there are very few, for example EMMlabs and Playback have been doing this for years in their DACs. If this were the magic bullet everyone would be doing it and it would have been done 10 years ago. There is a reason why one bit has issues. The AES paper (linked below) on it and why multi-bit devices became the norm makes for interesting reading.

http://essentialaudio.com/1-Bit-Is-Bad.pdf
 
Ok Brian and how much time have you spent listening to PCM converted to DSD then upsampled with HQP and played on a chip-less dac?

Paul,
I've been out of town on business and just now have a chance to respond to your post regarding converting PCM to DSD, so here goes:

You still have to make the low pass filter, lets say it's 44.1 CD (95% of content is 44.1). You still have to make the 20 kHz filter, so you either do it when you play it out or do it when you resample to DSD, and when you convert to DSD you should make a DSD post filter too upon play back. So there is no real win, it will just change things a bit and sound different, i.e. different filters and different sound. So really there is no point to doing this other than it being another way to do things, or the only way if the DAC can only play true DSD of which there are very few, for example EMMlabs and Playback have been doing this for years in their DACs. If this were the magic bullet everyone would be doing it and it would have been done 10 years ago. There is a reason why one bit has issues. The AES paper (linked below) on it and why multi-bit devices became the norm makes for interesting reading.

http://essentialaudio.com/1-Bit-Is-Bad.pdf
Bryan, we still are not on the same page. What you refer too is an old school view on DSD and not the same in a chipless DSD dac which is the heart of my point. Answer my post above and then weigh in.
 
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