The N100 Owners Thread

[j2020]

So if I'm reading this correctly the issue is with the Aurender interfacing with IOS 11.

To summarise,
1. there are issues with updates in general
2. there are specific issues with Esoteric N-05, iOS11, Conductor/W20/Tidal
3. only Aurender can explain/fix the specific issues
4. these issues do not detract from the great SQ of Aurender products
5. we need to read all of the above correctly.

 

[Mordante]

Currently I use a Auralic Aries LE with Sbooster power supply. If I were to switch to the N100h 2TB would there be an increase in SQ or would it sound the same. Right now all my music is stored on a NAS. I don't use Tidal, Deezer or any streaming service.

 

[russellbobby]

Currently I use a Auralic Aries LE with Sbooster power supply. If I were to switch to the N100h 2TB would there be an increase in SQ or would it sound the same. Right now all my music is stored on a NAS. I don't use Tidal, Deezer or any streaming service.

I moved on from an Auralic Aries femto w/ their upgraded PS to a Aurender n100S ( solid state dr.) Night and day. Aries bright and upfront. Aurender
Laid back, Huge soundstage and non fatiguing. Like comparing CD to Vinyl. No brainer.

 

[Mordante]

I moved on from an Auralic Aries femto w/ their upgraded PS to a Aurender n100S ( solid state dr.) Night and day. Aries bright and upfront. Aurender
Laid back, Huge soundstage and non fatiguing. Like comparing CD to Vinyl. No brainer.

To be honest I don't think my Aries LE sounds fatiguing.

The main reason why I might switch to Aurender is the build in HDD. Currently all my music is stored on a Synology NAS. I hope that with local storage the system will be more robust.

 

[hellrider77]

Could not agree more with the above post. Since introduction of mqa in the previous fw, the sound degraded. I don't care about mqa as it is only a gimmick as it is well known that one of the "requirements" of mqa certification is to add their crappy filters to all content played, mqa or not. So, back to the factory firmware. Another bummer is that in newer fw, when playing internet radio, artist and song name is not displayed anymore on the Aurender OLED display. Also switching between custom added stations takes forever in the new fw.

 

[russellbobby]

To be honest I don't think my Aries LE sounds fatiguing.

The main reason why I might switch to Aurender is the build in HDD. Currently all my music is stored on a Synology NAS. I hope that with local storage the system will be more robust.

The Aries changed sound sig with every firmware update. I have not owned it for over 2.5 years. The current firmware could sound better. Still an upfront sound where the Aurender has a much pushed back and layered soundstage.
Try to find a N100h used and if you don't like it you wont lose anything.
You will need a wired connection for the Aurender.
Good luck!!

 

[russellbobby]

Could not agree more with the above post. Since introduction of mqa in the previous fw, the sound degraded. I don't care about mqa as it is only a gimmick as it is well known that one of the "requirements" of mqa certification is to add their crappy filters to all content played, mqa or not. So, back to the factory firmware. Another bummer is that in newer fw, when playing internet radio, artist and song name is not displayed anymore on the Aurender OLED display. Also switching between custom added stations takes forever in the new fw.

Sorry to hear that. The European firmware is different as is the MQA Tidal selections. My A10 has never changed sound signatures. Has always sounded great.
Check out Brad Mehldau's Blue and Ballads in MQA. Try the song My Valentine. What do you think?

 

[hellrider77]

Well, I do not know about differences between European, US or Asian firmware. The same perceived degradation versus factory fw is present in the latest and previous fw.
I agree that when comparing Tidal non MQA version vs Tidal MQA version, MQA sounds much better but, IMHO, Tidal sounds crappy in the first place.

Unfortunately I do not own any of Mehldau's recordings so cannot make any comparison. I checked his recordings last night and I really like what I hear, guess I have to add him to my shopping list.
Last night I have made some more tests, what seems to be improved in the new firmware is the rendering of lossy internet radio streams.

I am not a native English speaker and I do not posses a developed "audiophile vocabulary" in order to correctly express what I feel is wrong with the new fw's rendering of non MQA material. Maybe the combination of soundstage slight collapse, overemphasis of high-mids and highs but a bit blurred in the same time. When I first played a well known Sheffield Lab track, the initial impression was that it sounds much better and was really excited, by the end of the track my excitement turned into disappointment as I felt there was something missing even though PRAT seemed improved.

As far as I am concerned, it is not a clear conclusion as there might be nothing wrong with the new fw's rendering for other listeners, after all it is a matter of flavor and not a deal breaker. Should I have listened Aurender with the new fw in the first place? I would still love it.