New Aurender N100H - total newbie Q's
 

Took the plunge and am looking at a new N100H - Silver, 2TB model in my living room that I am sure will meet my modest collection needs. I am TOTALLY new to this and have some early questions before this even gets out of the box! Thanks in advance for your patience here - I've jumped in and apparently need water wings.

:)

1. Ripping my CD's. I have a PC (Microsoft Surface laptop) without a CD drive. I'll need to pick one up to rip my library. Anything specific I should look for or are all outboard CD drives for this purpose essentially the same?

2. Software to create my digital library - is there specific software that I need to buy for this? Recommendations appreciated.

3. Format - based on some reading, I think AIFF is a good format to use. Thoughts on this? Better ideas?

4. I now have maxed out all my electrical outlets. I need a second power strip. This is a condo that we will be leaving, so would be glad to purchase something with some meaningful surge/spike protection that is very well made and does not degrade sound. If it can be repurposed in a new home, so much the better. Recommendations?

5. UPS - I am thinking ahead and wondering if a UPS would be a good idea for the Aurender to avoid hard restarts. Thoughts or recommendations?

6. USB cable - I will be running into the K-03 as DAC. Looking for a good quality cable that will be on par with what the N100 delivers. Not looking for something too esoteric (pardon the pun :D)

That's it for now, but as you can sense, this is going to be a steep learning curve for me. Thanks in advance for the assistance!

Best regards,

Matt

Hi Matt-

Congratulations on your N100H. While I do not own one, over the past year I have been seriously incorporating "computer audio" into my system using a 2010 MacBook pro.
So painting a picture in these broad strokes may be of help to you.

To rip CD's, i used a 2008 MacPro desktop. When the built in CD/DVD crapped, I used with a Version Tech USB external DVDRW from Amazon for about $30 until installing a new internal built in unit. The Version Tech worked well.

I began the ripping in I-Tunes but later switched to dbpower amp after reading Dan's (AKA JDandy) comments on this software. It works great and has a trial period. Upon registering, it seemed smoother and able to hunt album art better. It also makes use of the MacPro's dual processors.

Ripping format has many options but I prefer AIFF. It is uncompressed and although the files are larger than FLAC, they can always be converted to other formats if your HD gets full. External storage for the master collection is cheap these days.

Plugs; again lots of options. You could keep it simple and use a simple extension, say a short high current one a contractor may use for power tools. Hubbell also makes one with "hospital grade" sockets. PS Audio has the "Dectet Power Center" that looks very interesting and Ivan has offered from time to time at a very good price. Perhaps someone that has used the Dectet can chime in. UPS seems like a good thought but I'll leave that to others as well.

USB cable. In my system, I prefer using the Toslink out of the MacBook. Experiences with USB have shown a shorter, better cable is more reliable; going from a Belkin Gold 5 meter to a Straight Wire 3 foot. Neither of these would be considered "premium audiophile choices." Shielding seems important as is the separation of power and data lines within the cable itself.

I hope you are able to gleam some useful information from this.

John, thank you for taking the time to respond in such detail. All good ideas which I will look into further. The external DVDRW sounds like a no brainer. And I already started researching the Dectet based on Dan's review - sounds like a good option for me.

Hoping for more input from those that have 'been there, done that'!

Cheers

Matt

Matt.......Congratulations on your new Aurender N100H. It is a super music server.

This Dell external USB DVD/RW drive will do you just fine. https://www.amazon.com/Dell-DW316-Ex...BJVPECMDSFCVMR

Download dBpoweramp and use their CD ripper. It allows you to select the file format you wish (FLAC is what I use), does bit-perfect rips, and captures meta data and cover art.

A UPS Backup is a good idea. I have uninterruptible power supplies on both my Aurender N10 and N100H music servers. It is important to protect the operating system from hard crashes from a power loss. An APC Backups 650 will suit your needs. https://www.amazon.com/APC-Back-UPS-...PC+Backups+650

There are lots of good USB cables. You want to keep the maximum length to about 3 meters. I have used Wireworld Silver Starlight and Platinum Starlight USB cable with great success.

The PS Audio Dectet is a good quality power distribution center. It will give you the extra outlets you need, and provide you with surge protection, as well as over and under voltage protection.

PM Ivan (Masterlu) for pricing on Wireworld UPS cables and the PS Audio Dectet.

Hope this helps you out.

How bad is a power crash for aurender?
Do these fail from power loss? Or just take longer to reboot?

Mouse.......An unexpected power interruption requires the Aurender to perform a complete reboot and file index. It takes some time. There is always the possibility of file corruption when the server is not properly shut down. It is good practice to provide power to a server from an uninterruptible power supply.

Dan, thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Based on my reading as much as I could find, and your advice below:

1. I am looking into the external drive you mention below - curious, will this do BluRay and/or SACD as well - and does that even matter, insofar as what the Aurender can use?

2. Thanks - dBpoweramp sounds perfect, and easy to use too. May I ask why you chose FLAC vs. AIFF or other lossless formats? Prefer to do this once and 'do it right'.

3. Thanks for the UPS recommendation. Definitely want one of those on the Aurender.

4. WW USB Silver Starlight en route from Ivan.

5. Same for a Dectet!


Still in the shallow end of the pool, but looking forward to

:dive:

Cheers

Matt

Matt.......You're getting it together. Do it once, do it right.

The Dell DVD/RW external USB transport does not support Blu-ray or SACD. It will serve you for ripping your CD collection to your surface tablet, then you can network the N100H with the tablet to drag and drop your files to the Aurender hard drive.

I chose FLAC because it provides high-quality decoding and the file size is reasonable. I figure if FLAC is good enough for HDTracks downloads, which for all other formats it is converted from their FLAC files, then FLAC is good enough for me. You will always find an on going discussion where others believe WAV or AIFF sound better. All I can say is I get excellent results with FLAC files on both of my Aurender music servers. Ultimately, the choice is yours. There is nothing to stop you from using dBpower amp to rip the same CD to FLAC and AIFF so you can make the comparison for yourself.

New Aurender N100H - total newbie Q's
 

The big fear for me on the Aurender is power interruption, I did not think of using a UPS to power down the Aurender.

Does the UPS actually shut down Aurender?

From an audiophile perspective, does audio suffer from plugging a high end cable into the UPS and it’s fixed cord into the wall, or maybe the P10?

Dan, please don't answer this question.........:nono:

Ed.......No, my UPS Backup does not shut down the Aurender. I would not use it like that even if it could. I use it for providing power to the N100H during momentary utility drops that happen occasionally, most often during high wind or rain storms. It's those 15 second to one minute drop outs I am protecting my music server from. On the other hand, when power goes down for an extended time like it did last week for 18 hours during an ice storm, the UPS gives me time to go through the Aurender's shut down routine safely, then leave it off until power is restored and stable. That happens in the living room system. How I handle the upgraded power cords goes like this. My living room system has a PS Audio Power Plant Premier installed and is using a Wireworld Silver Electra power cord to a dedicated 20 amp circuit terminated to a PS Audio Soloist Premier SE outlet. I power the UPS Backup from the Power Plant Premier. In that way it is getting clean power despite its attached power cord. Then I go from the UPS to the Aurender N100H with a Wireworld Silver Electra power cord. That 2 meters of premium cable to the N100H provides shielding and an excellent electrical path between the music server and the UPS. I leave the server and the DAC powered continuously

In the studio I use a PurePower 2000 AC power conditioner with internal batteries that provide uninterruptible backup power to the entire system. The PurePower 2000 is fed from a 20 amp dedicate circuit terminated to a PS Audio Soloist Premier SE outlet, then with a Wireworld Silver Electra power cord to a Furutech Flux 50 Filter, then to the PurePower 2000. The power to the Aurender N10 in that system is backed up along with all the other components, and all components are powered using Wireworld Silver Electra power cords. I leave the N10 and the K-01X powered continuously. If an extended power outage takes place I have time to shut those components down just like the living room system.

Ron....... . :redface-oops-6: . . .Too late! . :lmao:

Poppyhome, in all respect the question was not meant to hijack or veer the thread on power cords but rather to get a perspective if the battery would degrade the flow of power in anyway along with understanding how the UPS works.

Dan.......your thorough explanation of your power connections is very HELPFUL :thankyouspin:

Ron

Thanks Dave.....I will definitely order one for my N100H. The price is reasonable as well. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

I know......I see your list......just making sure Dan is on his toes.

Dan, thank you.

The Aurender states something to the affect that it’s internal drives can be corrupted with loss of power if not properly shutdown even the threat of crippling or rendering inoperative.

Having battery backup is a no brainer especially hearing the brief drops in power from what you experience.

In the end, there’s not much you can do if one is not available before the battery drains on the UPS other then shut the unit off before you leave, and I’m talking more along the lines out for the 8-10 hours versus the holiday.

Understand the power path you illustrated, just was seeing if there was any sacrifice or concern of reducing current.

Ed.......The idea of backup power for the Aurender, or any music server for that matter, is to protect the operating system and music files for being corrupted due to improper shut down, not to keep the server playing. As for being away for extended periods, the Aurender can be turned off from its front panel power button or from the Conductor App without having to switch off its main power switch on the rear panel. Then if a power interruption happens, there is no problem.

Understand on not allowing continuous play.

And this reply helps me realize complete clarity on the power off process, I was thinking that the rear/main has to be shut off as well to prevent a problem, and that’s what had me on pins and needles as it’s not practical in a cabinet and maybe some rack settings

Well, I finally connected everything today - and modest success - I heard the 1st music notes from my first music server!

:music:

I know I don't have everything figured out, but wanted to at least take the plunge to get to the next steps - even if I make some mistakes along the way. Thanks for being patient and explaining clearly!

I ripped 2 test CD's to AIFF using dbpoweramp - seems easy enough. I used "secure rips" and think I got AccurateRip verified results. The file sizes, even in uncompressed AIFF are about 10MB per minute of music. My 2TB should be more than enough for my collection (1,000 CD's?) Before I go any further and rip more CD's - I want to confirm AIFF is in fact a good choice vs. FLAC. Also want to make sure the naming conventions and meta data all work properly with the Aurender. Anyone else use AIFF care to comment?

I installed with my new USB cable (WW Silver) and plugged into the K-03 as DAC. Seemed easy enough.

As for the router - I am a little confused.

I just plugged generic cable into my ISP provided router (it's a new one). Seems to work fine. Reading the Aurender manual, I don't understand the purpose of the intermediate Wireless Router (Bridge/Access Point mode) that they illustrate. Asked a different way, why would you not connect directly to your ISP router?

I paired the Aurender to the Conductor app on two separate Android devices - check. I know this is Beta, and an iPad is in my future soon. How soon depends on the answer to the next question:

I was able to read an album from USB stick directly into the Aurender. I was able to navigate the tracks and play it. I was not however able to save the album to the Aurender HD. When clicking 'folder' I could navigate to the USB drive and see all the tracks, but the only options were to add to the queue and/or replace the queue. I was thus able to listen (it works) but not able to save. So... can the limited Android app even be used for this limited functionality of loading/saving music? (I know it does not do streaming).

A couple of ancillary questions - the manual shows an external HD as the basis for USB album uploads. Does the USB stick that I tried even make sense to use? I don't have a 'network' per se - just a PC laptop, and the ISP router. What's the best way to do this with my limited setup?

Finally, I just used some pre-packaged cable to connect the router to the Aurender. Is there a specific quality I should be looking for here? I assume it will make more of a difference when I am streaming from Tidal vs. just using the Conductor app.

Thanks again for the assistance - getting close!

I've shut everything down for now and am spinning some Richard Thompson the old fashioned way. For now...

:)

Matt.......An Ethernet connection from your Aurender N100H directly to the router is the way to go. I would also connect your laptop in the same way to your router. Then you will only need to drag and drop your music files from the laptop hard drive to the Aurender hard drive. Here is how to do that.

Once your laptop and N100H are connected to your router press and hold the Windows key while you press the R key. The Run window will open. Type two back slashes like this \\ in the Run Window. A window will pop up with your N100H name. Click on it then click OK. This will open a window that shows your Aurender hard drive. Click on the hard drive and your music folders will be shown. These are the folders where you will drag your music files. Leave that window open and resize it if necessary to occupy the left third of your monitor. Now open Documents and click on Music. This will open your music folder on your laptop where your FLAC files for ripped CD's should be listed. Resize that window so that it sits beside the open window with your N100H folders. Now it is just a matter of dragging and dropping the music files to the N100H folder of your choice.

The Aurender Conductor App for Android is useful but not fully functional. You should consider using an iPad, then download the Aurender Conductor App from the Apple Apps store. It is free. That is the best way to go.

Thanks- I've picked up an iPad today.

Looking at my MS Surface laptop, I've only got a USB output. My router also has USB slots, so maybe that's the best link?

Will need to test and see.

Will report back. It's a journey!

Cheers

Matt

Eureka! I've got the basics set up and am loving it!

Thanks for all the help in getting here. I was in fact able to connect my MS Surface laptop to the router by Ethernet cable after all, there was a bridge available in the docking hub after all. These new laptops are so small now that a lot of older connectivity we'd come to expect needs to be outboard.

As an observation, I was initially trying to work off the hard copy printed Quick Start guide. I actually found the online Aurender user guide to be much more helpful.

So far so good, I've ripped about 20 albums to AIFF using dbPoweramp, and counting. Dan - it really is as simple as dragging and dropping to the Aurender. Nice. I also find the Conductor app to be plenty intuitive - though I am still figuring out how to navigate it best.

A few questions have come up - glad to hear your thoughts.

1. I am running into the K-03 DAC. I started playing music right away and then remembered the various filter settings. By default, I was playing on USB Normal setting. What prompted me to look into it was that there are some sample 192kHz material already loaded on the Aurender, and everything was playing at 44.1 (capped?). I then tried the HS 1, and HS 2 asynchronous inputs (the latter has been recommended elsewehere as a good choice.) That enabled 192 resolution in the sample tracks. In reading the manual, it talks about downloading drivers for HS1 and HS2 - is that even required, or did the Aurender take care of this natively? So far HS2 seems to work fine with no clicks or anything. Dan, I am interested in your personal setup choices here.

2. SO far I am ripping just my CD's. I don't know what options there are for SACD's. Can someone elaborate?

Thanks for sharing my excitement - the convenience is really off the charts. I have been spinning CD's for SO many years, this really improves the experience. It makes my collection, which was stored and strewn over the house, truly accessible again.

:music:


https://www.audioaficionado.org/atta...0&d=1516560672




.

Matt.......Happy to hear you are up and running. Your sound system looks great.

As for asynchronous HS2 setting on the K-03, the Linux operating system Aurender uses does not require a Windows driver. The HS2 setting on your K-03 is the one you want to use with the N100H.

I can't help you with ripping SACD's because I listen to SACD's by spinning them in my Esoteric player. My library of SACD's totals 68, all stored together, so I have no issue finding them or playing them. The DSD files from SACD's and DSD downloads are huge. I don't see any reason to load up my hard drive with those files when I can just place a SACD in the tray. The overall catalog of recordings on SACD that appeal to my musical taste is limited at best, so I am good with listening to DSD recordings via SACD physical media.

Thanks for clarifying - HS2 it is!

Good point about the SACDs - I too only have probably 3 or 4 dozen titles and don't expect that will change much... was just wondering if it was even an option.

PS - I looked into the Aurender online help and it did not explain what the HDD light means - it is blinking (slowly) from time to time on the display. I assume since all my content is new, it's just moving stuff around?

Cheers

Matt

Matt.......That HDD symbol lets you know when the hard drive is loading files to the solid state drive for playback. Once the music files you have selected are fully loaded in the SSD that symbol will stop appearing and the hard drive is put into sleep mode.

Do a search on the forum for ripping SACDs. Also check other websites like computer Audiophile dot com.
Older models of Sony Playstation and certain brands/models of CD players allow you to rip SACDs. The process is not difficult and not much different that ripping a regular CD. However you need certain hardware (For example Oppo 103 or 105 CD players) and (free) software available online.
One nice thing about ripping your CDs and your SACDs is that you will be able to stream all your digital music without having to get up from your seat. [emoji3]

Ripping SACDs is no harder than ripping CDs but as NICOFF pointed out, you need a specific model of Pioneer SACD player or an OPPO 103/105.

Note that your K-03 will not natively decode the DSD files that result from an SACD rip.

This is all great information - thanks everyone for sharing (and being patient!)

Cheers

Matt

Is there a simple way to rip DSD from SACD without command line or scripts? I have an Oppo 105 and a load of SACD that I would like to transfer as DSD to my Aurender N100H

Not that I know of. Must use the ISO2DSD software and the SACD.exe script. But it is no harder than ripping CDs and copy/paste to your Aurender.

Any links that I can look into for the exe file? Thanks in advance

New Aurender N100H - total newbie Q's
 

Within AA, search for the thread titled ‘Ripping SACDs, Possible?’ While it started in 2009, the last four or five pages are from 2016/17 and provide good insights.

The source of the actual scripts can be found on ‘computeraudiophile dot com’. Find the Software forum then search for the thread ‘SACD Ripping using OPPO or Pioneer? Yes, it’s true!’

It is a huge thread. Start at the first post by ted_b. For instructions. The second page has a post by ted_b that points to a Dropbox with the auto script. Make sure you get the autoscript for the SACD player you will use to rip. OPPO or Pioneer...

What SACD player and PC operating system will you use?

Good luck and start another thread here with further questions so this thread can get back on point.

Thank you for the information, appreciated.

Would N100 owners please comment on the break-in period if any? My N100C has about 150 hours and although the sound quality is very good, I find it to be a bit fatiguing currently. My N100C is connected to a Yggy Dac (Gen 5) via an AQ Diamond usb cable. Thank you in advance and happy thanksgiving...

Aksel.......Since you own the Aurender N100C with the SPDIF output option, try using a digital coaxial cable between the music server and the Yggy as an alternative to the USB cable. In general I almost always prefer a coaxial connection over USB.

Hi Dan, thank you, I actually have both usb and spdif (WW Gold starlight 7) connected to the dac and have been listening to both interchangeably. I am curious to know if these units have a break in period during which the sound quality improves. Currently I hear great detail in mids and highs and tight low end. But the sound is a bit on the aggressive side and is a bit fatiguing. The digital cables I use are broken in. Thanks..

Aksel.......Before I wrote my Aurender N10 caching music server review I played the N10 continuously for 150 hours. At that time I considered the music server break-in complete, although my Aurender dealer informed me that the server would continue to have performance improvements up to 500 hours based on his personal experience with the two Aurender music servers he owned. I can tell you that at 150 hours I thought my N10 was sounding astonishing, but I must admit that as additional hours were logged the sound continued to open and the sound stage focus grew more dimensional.

You did not say how many hours are on your Schiit Audio Yggdrasil DAC, so it may be possible it is still going through the break-in process. Before I wrote the Schiit Audio Yggdrasil Review I logged 500 hours of continuous play on the DAC before I considered the break-in complete.

Both components definitely experience a transition in their performance as the hours pass, and there is no short cut to break-in. You have to log the hours. What you are describing as a sense of listener fatigue may simply be that these two source components are still settling into their permanent voices. Another point I'd like to make is you are not just listening to the N100C and the Yggy, you are listening to your entire sound system. There is a possibility that what you are experiencing may not be originating in those two components. Just something to consider. Perhaps a minor speaker placement adjustment may yield some positive improvements.

My suggestion at this time is to simply be patient. Continue to listen to and enjoy your sound system. Log as many hours on the Aurender N100C and the Yggdrasil as possible. Put the music serve on repeat and let a playlist feed a continuous signal to the Yggdradsil. Turn your amp off if you don't want to be listening but let the music server and DAC play. Leave both components energized 24 hours a day. That makes a difference in how they sound. I haven't turned off either of my Aurender music servers, or the Esoteric K-01X's DAC or the Yggdrasil DAC since putting them into the two systems. I keep them warm and ready to go. Hope this helps.

Dan thank you for your suggestions. My Yggy dac is almost a year old so it is well broken in. I will give the N100C more play time as you recommended.