The N100 Owners Thread

Very nice. DoP v1.2 too. Looking forward to hearing others impressions.
 
Wow, Mike once again you have my attention.......the N100 or the Sonore SSD are both on my short list for different reasons??????

Regarding the Aurender, their web site explains a lot, but I am trying to understand how the N100 clock and phase control architecture compares to the S10's. (I think these two parameters are a big part of the S10's magic.) The web site explains the S10 uses an OCXO clock which I know to be excellent. Also the S10 uses a custom FPGA Digital Phase-Locked Loop System. The site is silent on these parameters for the N100. At some point it would be great to find out if the N100's clock and phase control system are comparable to the S10's or if the N100 represents a step down given the price difference.

Part of me wonders if the clock and phase control in the N100 are on par or even better to whats in the S10 because some of the other parameters (at least based on the web site specs) appear to better on the N100 like:

1) USB with noise free circuitry borrowed from the W20 versus standard circuit(?) USB in S10.
2) Linear power for both digital and audio versus smps for the digital side in the S10.
3) 4 GB Main Memory versus 2 GB in S10.
4) Solid State Cache 120 GB versus 64 GB in S10.

Any insights you get would be welcome.

Thanks,
 
FlexibleAudio said:
Regarding the Aurender, their web site explains a lot, but I am trying to understand how the N100 clock and phase control architecture compares to the S10's. (I think these two parameters are a big part of the S10's magic.) The web site explains the S10 uses an OCXO clock which I know to be excellent. Also the S10 uses a custom FPGA Digital Phase-Locked Loop System. The site is silent on these parameters for the N100. At some point it would be great to find out if the N100's clock and phase control system are comparable to the S10's or if the N100 represents a step down given the price difference.
Click to expand...

The clock is only for the SPDIF out on the S10. No SPDIF out on the N100 (it is USB out only), so no clock.

datas


Hope this helps.
 
Crucial question that somebody somewhere really needs to answer... which sounds better the N100 or the X100?.. or at least describe the sonic differences.

They have different power supplies so there is probably a difference in sound quality.

Somebody has tried here, but the translation isn't good: Google Translate
 
Withouh hearing both, my vote would go towards the N100.

Linear PSU and no noise generating spinning drive.

But the devil lies in the details.
 
That's what logic is telling me too... but, the poorly translated review I posted above appears to indicate the N has smaller soundstage and less warmth than the X.

This is 'doing my head in' as I want to buy right now, but I want to buy the right one.

;-)
 
RWW...You should find a dealer and listen to both. It would be worth the train ride if that's what it takes. Besides, you would be there in a jiffy. :D
 
Elberoth said:
Mike - how is the app working ?

Any problems with reading the CD artwork from the NAS for example ?
Click to expand...

That is the biggest surprise, with the unit so far. I was disappointed...that it wasn't just "plug-n-play"; with regard to cover-art and meta-data, from the NAS.

Here is how I conveyed it to Mike:

- TIDAL doesn't need a PC running, any kind of media server.
- For your own files, on an NAS...it doesn't need any media server; for "folder view" playback.
- For your own files, on an NAS...it does need Aurender's Media Manager running; if you want Meta-data, cover art, etc.
- For your own files, on local USB...it doesn't need AMM running; for "folder view" playback.
- For your own files, on local USB...you need to run AMM once; if you want Meta-data, cover-art, etc.

Clear as mud?

I have yet to try the AMM.
 
Elberoth said:
The clock is only for the SPDIF out on the S10. No SPDIF out on the N100 (it is USB out only), so no clock.

datas


Hope this helps.
Click to expand...


Thank you Adam. As a neophyte, I was under the mistaken understanding that asynchronous connections (usb or i2s) still need a clock in the server/streamer that plays an important role at the server/streamer, but is controlled by the clock in the DAC. This is not the case?
 
Elberoth said:
Withouh hearing both, my vote would go towards the N100.

Linear PSU and no noise generating spinning drive.

But the devil lies in the details.
Click to expand...


This makes sense to me. Stream lining the digital side by excluding a spinner both reduces the noise of the spinner (which admittedly is already minimized by caching) but also eliminates the need for smps which to me might be a big deal.
 
CDLehner said:
That is the biggest surprise, with the unit so far. I was disappointed...that it wasn't just "plug-n-play"; with regard to cover-art and meta-data, from the NAS.

Here is how I conveyed it to Mike:

- TIDAL doesn't need a PC running, any kind of media server.
- For your own files, on an NAS...it doesn't need any media server; for "folder view" playback.
- For your own files, on an NAS...it does need Aurender's Media Manager running; if you want Meta-data, cover art, etc.
- For your own files, on local USB...it doesn't need AMM running; for "folder view" playback.
- For your own files, on local USB...you need to run AMM once; if you want Meta-data, cover-art, etc.

Clear as mud?

I have yet to try the AMM.
Click to expand...

I think I can live with AMM running somewhere on a computer. Sort of a "set and forget" type of thing.
 
Mike said:
I think I can live with AMM running somewhere on a computer. Sort of a "set and forget" type of thing.
Click to expand...

I agree Mike; as long as it's stable.

That was a point of contention, for some; with the Squeezebox. That you needed the LMS (Logitech Media Server) running. They were like "you mean I have to have a computer on all the time"? LOL; I'm like "who doesn't have a computer on...somewhere...all the time anyway". Of course, maybe not everyone does; and in fairness...this is going back a few years.

The LMS was fairly stable; but it was a PITA when it would crash. You'd have to get up from your comfy listening chair, and do "computer" shite. At least with AMM, you can still play music; you'd just lose meta-data, etc.

I'm still hopeful...that down the road; Aurender can find a way to host it, at the player. That way...it's 100% independent.
 
It is a common problem with the Linux player they are using. Not sure they can solve it, unless Linux guys do.

I'm surprised it had been dragging for so long ... the problem has been known for years. It is like with Windows, who doesn't support USB Audio 2.0, when everybody else does.
 
Please pardon the stupid questions but I'm a bit unclear. NAS to computer running Aurender software then out to DAC? Can the software be installed on the NAS?

Thx
 
Etunes said:
Please pardon the stupid questions but I'm a bit unclear. NAS to computer running Aurender software then out to DAC? Can the software be installed on the NAS?

Thx
Click to expand...

You are correct on the first part. As for the software, my understanding is that it needs to be installed on a computer. AURENDER - Reference Music System

Note the PC version is coming soon. Mac version is out now.
 
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