N100H to N10 upgrade thoughts
 

I have used the N100H for a little over a year now. I am very happy with
the conductor app and Aurender as equipment. My thoughts are to upgrade
to the N10. I do not need extra storage or MQA. The sole purpose would
be for sound quality. If anyone has experience comparing these or any of the
"100" series to an N10 I would appreciate any input. I am not unhappy with
the N100H in anyway just have a case of upgrade fever. Looking to go to the next level if there are benifits to be had.
Thanks

N100H to N10 upgrade thoughts
 

I can't give you a definitive yes or no. I own both the N10 and X100. I would wager there is very little sonic differences. This is strictly on memory (shaky ground!) as my X100 is boxed up and in off site storage.

Paul.......There is much more to the N10 than the storage difference. I like the separate linear power supplies for the digital and audio sections. I prefer the sophisticated proprietary SPDIF digital circuits that take advantage of Aurender's field programmable gate array phase locked loop system and ultra accurate OCXO oven controlled crystal oscillator clock with its incredible 0.02 ppm accuracy. The coaxial SPDIF output to my DAC is my preferred connection that incorporates the OCXO clock accuracy. Those features are not provided with the N100H. I like the 240GB SSD cache versus the 140GB SSD cache on the N100H. I prefer the 4TB of hard drive storage, with an upgrade available to 8TB. The main motherboard is different and provides features unavailable on the N100H. I also like the full sized case and twin AMOLED displays. The N10 delivers a superior performance that has been testified to by several N100H owners who have upgraded to the Aurender N10. The N10 is an all together different and improved music server when compared to the N100H. The good thing is the Aurender N100H sounds very good, uses the same excellent Aurender Conductor app including Tidal integration, provides NAS capability, and comes at a price point that makes it very attractive. The N100H output is USB 2.0 only for those interested in that type of DAC connection. Only you can make the decision about value versus price. I am comfortable with respect to the features and performance of the Aurender N10 being worth it.

The N10 is better player out of the box, but if you only stream over USB, the N100H + Uptone regen USB gives you the same SQ.

In my experience there is more performance to be gained in the DAC you connect to the streamer.

Cannot comment on the N10 over spdif.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5505/3...a94b7dc2_b.jpg



Paul.......Here are some quotes from other Aurender N10 owners.





Followed shortly with this additional post from docmd2010:

Thank you all for the honest information. Every "upgrade " from preamp to cords has
brought me further enjoyment. A server in this price range is not easy to demo and
I appreciate your imputs. Now just have to decide silver or black.

Dan,

Does the N10 also use the OCXO when using the USB cable?

Thanks

Doug.......No, the USB timing is controlled by the DAC. Only the SPDIF digital outputs on the N10 (coaxial, optical, AES/EBU) are controlled by the Aurender's OCXO clock.

Using a OCXO for timing seems much more superior.

That's the EASY part! Looking at your avatar it's gotta be BLACK. My black N10 looks great in my rack of McIntosh. Personally, I couldn't stand having my silver X100 and silver Esoteric K01X mixed in with my McIntosh gear so I went to great lengths (7 meter interconnect and relocated dedicated 20 amp line) to get them separated from my McGear.

Dan is correct. S/PDIF output of N10 is a definite advantage among other plusses mentioned above. I was originally thinking apple to apple comparison of USB output.

It will interesting to get your opinion on the upgrade. As Dan pointed out there are improvements in certain aspects in the N10. Your question was about sound quality. If you need other outputs besides the USB than you should upgrade. It your still going to only be using the USB than you probably will not notice much of a difference. I say this because I called Aurender and asked this very question and was told the USB section in the N100 is same as the N10. The N100 lacks the other things pointed out by Dan which I am pretty sure are mostly for the other outputs on the N10?

Yes I am little worried that just switching units without taking advantage of the clock
etc. using s/pdif might not be much different. I also just purchased the platinum starlight
USB. Of course I could also purchase s/pdif cable but at more cost. It might be that the
USB audio plug is the same but there is still increased sq thru better power and architecture
in the N10 even without the clock. If I pull the trigger on the N10 then I just have to figure in the s/pdif cable.
Sorry I got sidetracked reading the N10 and D1100 thread which is very helpful.

The N100H also has a linear power supply, USB section is identical to N10, I have tried the N10 it does provide a bit more air and less grain over USB, but with the Uptone Regen included, I get (almost) the same result with the N100H.

If you have a DAC with SPDIF (or Devialet DAC/Amps), I believe the N10 will show it strengths.

There is also a N100C now, will be interesting to hear that one compared to the N10 over spdif

What is the Uptone Regen USB is the ISO Regen the same just improved. I'm confused. Their site has both listed. Thanks.

Jim

Jim.......You can check out the Uptone Regen here: uptoneaudio.com/products/usb-regen

Lets keep this thread focused on the original topic.

I thought I would reach out to Aurender and get there input.

Hello, I am considering upgrading to your N10 from my N100H. My question is
will I get increased sound quality from the USB output or do I need to use the
s/pdif output to hear any difference? I understand that the clock is not used
with the USB output but wondering if there is still a benefit because of better
architecture in the N10. I am using a McIntosh C2600 preamp. I am very happy
your products and support.
Thank You, Paul Hertz

Hello Paul,

Thank you for contacting us about this.

We receive this question from time to time and it’s not very easy to answer since each environment and system are different.

Technically speaking, there is no difference between the N10 and N100H’s USB audio output. The same architecture is used for both.

The N10 has a larger power supply, more storage, a larger caching SSD, and a specially designed SPDIF output board. The N10 also has a thicker chassis and larger AMOLED displays.

The only real difference you may hear in your system using USB would therefore be due to the additional vibration reduction due to the thicker aluminum chassis, and possibly lower noise offered by the power supply in the N10. How much of a difference this will make is highly system dependent so we suggest arranging with your dealer to audition the difference before making a purchase. This way you can know for sure how the N10 might improve performance in your particular application.

I hope this helps and please let us know if you have any other questions.

Best Regards,

Jesse

I thought others might be interested in the factory's reply.

That's exactly what I think, N10 is a great buy if you use spdif, if you use USB only, the N100H does the trick. With a little tuning (Uptone Regen or TotalDac USB cable) and a nice powercable you get the best out of the N100H.

The connected DAC is were you can get more performance out of your system.

Yes I agree. I think I probably have a pretty balanced system with my N100H,
Platinum USB, C2600. The N10 would be best utilized with the next level up Dac
thru spdif into a D1100, Esoteric etc. Will have to rethink the total commitment
of that route. Thank you all for the great knowledge here.

Great thread. I'm going to be in the market soon for a music server. I have the Sony HAP 1Zes..and its good. Until I heard the same files through my MacBook Pro with Audirvana Plus. Just felt like a veil was lifted. Tighter and more air...I can only imagine what the N100H and N10 would be. I used USB...

I am somewhat new to digital audio so pardon the newbie digital question. I always thought that SPDIF Coaxial was inferior in terms of high rez audio. So now reading the N10 benefits from this caught me off guard. So if I went with the N10 it would send all the high rez glory to my McIntosh C2600?

I need to go demo these. There's a dealer 'somewhat' close. Baton Rouge. Only 3 hours or so away. Hey I can do this. Drove 4.5 hours to demo my Martin Logans. :)

hahahahahahaha.....well I've only had the c2600 for about 9 months. :)

And I have a huge vinyl collection. ;)

The dealer in Baton Rouge who carries Aurender has been sending me emails...I truly need to go down to demo.

I have a C2300 and use the D1100 strictly as a DAC because I also listen to vinyl. If you need analog inputs keep the C2600 and ad the D1100. If you do not plan on needing analog inputs now or in the future get the D1100 and sell/trade to the D1100.

Does anyone have experience between the N10 clock controlled spdif sound vs the esoteric clock control of the k01x?

True...but I wonder how much of an improvement it would be to use the D1100 DAC vs the C2600 DAC. Its the same DAC. I realize the new D1100 has separate power supplies etc...

I just emailed a Aurender dealer. Going down soon to demo...Great thread.

The c2600 is not the same DAC as the D1100. The D1100 is fully balanced and duel mono power supplies, there other differences in the circuitry, solid state quiet components vs tubes.

I thought it was the same 9018s DAC in both.

This is helpful for me as well as I have an N10 and am using USB only right now. Sounds like i need to invest in a coax/aes-ebu cable and a high end dac.

Now with the N100C does this bring it closer to the N10? Both now have SPDIF.

Paul-

According to the folks at Aurender, the coax on the N100C is the same as adding their usb to coax adapter to an N100 only built in. The coax is not "as sophisticated" as the N10.

I recently read somewhere that a fellow with an N100C did not detect much difference between the coax and usb on the N100C.

Thanks John!

Geezzzz what does this even mean "....I prefer the sophisticated proprietary SPDIF digital circuits that take advantage of Aurender's field programmable gate array phase locked loop system and ultra accurate OCXO oven controlled crystal oscillator clock with its incredible 0.02 ppm accuracy."


Here is the bottom line, you asked the question so you have the itch to buy one so just do it and then you can tell us if the upgrade was worthwhile :D

A wise man once said everything sounds good until you hear something better.

David.......It means exactly what it says. If you don't understand it, you really should try to get a home audition of the Aurender N10 and do a head to head comparison with the USB output on your N100H to the coaxial output on the N10. USB output is clocked by the oscillator in your DAC. The SPDIF coaxial, Toslink, and AES/EBU outputs in the N10 are clocked by the oven controlled crystal oscillator with an astonishing 0.02 ppm accuracy. That is a huge improvement in clock accuracy over even the DAC clock in the Esoteric K1 Grandioso, and I am certain is also a huge improvement over whatever clock is in the McIntosh D1100 DAC. Less error in clock accuracy means substantially lower jitter. Lowering jitter dramatically improves digital playback sound quality.

I know you are satisfied with your Aurender N100H and rightfully so. It is a fine music server. I am considering one for my living room system. I certainly do not think the N100H is a weak performer. Despite that, in many head to head comparisons by N100H owners who moved up to the N10, the discovery of improved audio performance was apparent. It has been detailed by a number of members on this forum and on others forums. The N10's proprietary SPDIF output circuitry and oven controlled crystal oscillator are unique to the Aurender N10 and W20 music servers. It is not an afterthought tossed in to drive up the price. The SPDIF output section and specialized clock on the N10 produces genuine audible improvements that are readily discernible.

None of this makes the Aurender N100H, or the new N100C less attractive. They both outperform their price points by a wide margin and are huge hits among Aurender music server owners. I have no doubt I would be satisfied with the N100H in my living room system. None the less, this doesn't negate the fact that moving up to an Aurender N10 will deliver an even higher performance level.

This got me curious to check the accuracy of the Grandioso G1 Clock:

Frequency Precision Within ±0.05 ppb accuracy. That’s parts per billion, just crazy.

Ivan.......Yes, the Esoteric outboard clocks are astonishing with exceptional accuracy. Every post I have read where Esoteric DAC owners are using external Esoteric clocks, the comments all support substantial sonic improvements with the clock running the show. From the K-03 all the way up through the newest models that include the K-01X and the K1, Esoteric states that the clock accuracy is 0.5 ppm. Obviously that level of accuracy shines with all of those player/DAC's, but as you have revealed from your own personal experiences adding an external clock substantially raised the performance bar. Clock accuracy in the digital domain matters. The differences are audible.

The OCXO clock in the Aurender N10 is just one of many reasons it is an exceptional performer and a good value when all things are considered.

Esoteric's Rubidium clocks (G01, G1 and legacy G0s and G0Rb) are ppb stable. The OCXO models are ppm rated.

For clocking stability is one important factor; as or more importance is phase noise as that directly drives calculations of effective jitter in the circuit. Esoteric makes excellent clocks in regards to both criteria and the related measurements of jitter and Allen Variance.

:dunno:

I am no doubt the N10 is excellent .

David.......That's alright. You could probably quote me a sentence or two from one of your patents that would leave me scratching my head. It's all good.

I’m thinking of upgrading from the Aurender N100h to the N10.
I will be using the Aurender N10 with the McIntosh C52 Preamp. I will be using a Nordost Heimdall 2 digital cable 75 Ohm S/PDIF Terminated with BNC and has RCA adapters. The McIntosh Preamp has Optical and COAXIAL not BNC. Should I use Aurender BNC to COXIAL using RCA adapter on the McIntosh or Aurender COAXIAL to McIntosh COAXIAL. Is there a difference going from BNC TO COAXIAL. Which is the best way to Hookup for the BEST Sound. I don’t even know if hooking up BNC TO COAXIAL will work. Thanks so much for everyone’s help and I wish you all a Very Healthy And Happy [emoji2] New Year.
Jim

Jim - BNC is generally the preferred connector for coaxial digital cables over RCA due to its more accurate 75 ohm impedance resulting in lower jitter. So the answer to your question is to use the Nordost Heimdall 2 S/PDIF cable with its BNC termination from the Aurender N10 to the McIntosh coaxial digital input connected with the BNC to RCA adapter. That should work well, and a Happy and Healthy New Year to you as well. Enjoy the tunes!