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Aurender Reference Music Servers |
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#1
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One of the things I like about Roon was you can run it as an app from your Macbook/Macbook Pro. Personally, I do not like using smartphones and even tablets to control my streaming content. Some folks may disagree and that's fine...I taught Voice of the Customer for product development for 10 years and key principle is that all customers' needs are equally valid.
Personally, I REALLY prefer using my Macbook Pro. And if I were to put forth a hypothesis, I'm not alone in that preference. Anyhoo, moving to the main point... Well, it turns out if you have an Macbook Pro, Mac Mini, or iMac with M1 silicon...you can run the Aurender Conductor app from your M1 Mac!... ![]() Just download the iPad app, for example, from the iOS app store, install it, and...it runs! Here's a screenshot directly from my 2021 Macbook Pro M1 Pro running the Aurender Conductor app. ![]() Another feature I personally just discovered the other day is...if you click on the album art in the upper left corner of the app (which manages the playback Queue), you get a full size pic of the album with controls that let you start, stop and reset playback as well as the track name, and other pertinent info. ![]() And...if you click on the small icon with three lines at bottom right, it brings up the entire album tracks, overlaid on the album art. ![]() Now...that is cool... ![]() Some Aurender owners already likely already know about this feature, but I just found out about it recently, and as I'm very much an "album-oriented" music-listening kinda guy, this makes the experience, for me, more Roon-like in terms of interface and overall experience. Pretty cool... ![]()
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. Last edited by Puma Cat; 01-02-2022 at 03:51 PM. |
#2
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We really are enjoying our Aurender N30SA and ACS10. The app is awesome. IMO, control of your streaming (ripped CDs and Qobuz, etc) has never been easier. You can also use TestFlight and see what new things Aurender is working on.
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Jazz Junkie Magico M3s; Vitus Masterpiece Components; TechDAS Air Force One; 2 x SME 3012-R; Airtight Opus 1 and MSL Platinum Signature; Taiko Audio Extreme + Switch; Albedo Metamorphosis Signature cables. |
#3
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![]() Plus, if you're listening in Critical Listening Mode, the soundstaging, imaging and spatial cues are notably improved and pretty spectacular. Really a fabulous line of products. I'm finishing up my review of the N20 today for publication in TAS, and then I'll have to send this unit back...sniff. I may buy the new N200, though.... ![]()
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. |
#4
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Jazz Junkie Magico M3s; Vitus Masterpiece Components; TechDAS Air Force One; 2 x SME 3012-R; Airtight Opus 1 and MSL Platinum Signature; Taiko Audio Extreme + Switch; Albedo Metamorphosis Signature cables. |
#5
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. Last edited by Puma Cat; 01-02-2022 at 04:02 PM. |
#6
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How good is the Aurender app in comparison to Roon?
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#7
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Depends. What specific functional or qualty attributes are you referring to, specifically?
BTW, let's not forget that using one foregoes the use of the other. You can still use Roon with a good network bridge if you like, and then just select a different input on your DAC when you want to listen to the Aurender. That's what I'll do if I end up getting an Aurender N200. All I have to do with my Lampizataor is press a button on the front panel to switch from Roon using a network bridge to using the Aurender with a S/PDIF input, for example. Easy-peasy.
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. |
#8
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First of all, thank you for your articles in TAS and your posts here at AA on digital and streaming subjects. I recently followed your recommendation to add Roon core running on my PC -> ethernet->fiber->opticalRendu->usb as source. I just recently picked up a used Shunyata Research Alpha USB cable from this forum, again, due to your recommendation. I decided to take Roon route recently as I got the impression that Roon has much higher adoption vs. Aurender. I am concerned if Aurender has sustain ability to do high quality application development - however this is just a conjecture on my part, not my own experience since I never own Aurender. Still, Aurender is attractive since it does not charge monthly subscription. I am curious if you can contrast Roon vs. Aurender in these areas: 1. Application side - how seamless the application is in browsing local music vs. streaming service e.g. Qobuz, providing recommendations, saving playlist, bookmarking, etc. 2. Sound quality - music server running Roon core + opticalRendu (as Roon endpoint) vs. Aurender N100 or N200 (closer to opticalRendu path as far as pricing vs. N20). 3. How frequent does Aurender update its app? Any experience with Android version as I don't own any Apple device? 4. Many people may not have the luxury to run both, if you have to pick one, ![]() |
#9
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I find this feature to an easy and compelling way to use the Aurender Conductor app to play an album ![]() And selecting content from files on an internal hard drive or from a streaming service e.g. Qobuz, Tidal, Spotify, etc, is really easy, too. And...you can easily make custom playlists that are a mix of files from files resident on a drive or streamed via Qobuz, for example. The one thing that the Conductor app is missing that Roon has is Radio mode. OTOH, you can always stream music from the online "radio stations" with the Conductor app to discover new content. 2. I can't speak to the N100 or N200 as I have not heard them. The audio quality from the N20 is superb, amongst the very best I have ever heard. Better than my streaming setup with my SOtM SMS-200UltraNeo. And, for it's price...it should be. But, boy, it sure as hell delivers the "audio goods". 3. The Aurender updates it own internal software pretty frequently, seems like the N20s software updates itself every 6-8 weeks. As for the Conductor software, it hasn't changed much in the 4-5 months I've had the N20. 4. Hmmm...if I had to pick one, and if I could afford it...I'd get the Aurender. I used to think differently when I first got the Aurender in for review, but as I've spent more time with it, and discovered more features and functions of the N20 (e.g. the album art with access to tracks overlaid over the album art), and gotten more familiar with the Conductor software and how to use it in a way that works most effectively for me, and the fact I can add all of my ripped content to an internal hard drive and listen to content from that SSD, the audio quality from the Aurender is too superior to ignore. When I discuss the Aurender with friends who use and like Roon they keep thinking that it's a one "road" or the other "road" decision and...it's not. Not by any stretch. I really think it's possible to both easily and affordably. Here's a way... 1) Get an N100 or N200 or N20 (whichever is in your budget) and an SSD. Put all your ripped music content on the SSD. Sign up for your favorite streaming service in the Condutor app (which is a piece of cake, BTW). 2) If you want to also use Roon, get subscription to Roon, a Sonore microRendu for $399 (or a Raspberry Pi4 or an IFi Zen streamer for $399) and put together a Roon-ready streamer and NUC that functions as a music server if you want to stream from an HD while in Roon. You can use an exisiting computer or build an NUC for $600 or so. Or forego the NUC entirely, and just use the Radio mode in Roon to discover new music content. 3) Connect from the Aurender to your DAC via S/PDIF, as an example. 4) Connect to your microRendu to your DAC via USB. When you want to listen to digital music content at the highest level of audio quality, use the Aurender. If you want to enjoy a very good-sounding solution while exploring new content in Roon Radio mode or need to stream to different nodes or zones, use the microRendu, IFI Zen, etc. You can switch between them easily. In my case, it would simply involve pushing a button on the front panel of the Lampizator. So, why not have both? You can, easily. ![]() Job done. What's not to like? ![]()
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. Last edited by Puma Cat; 01-04-2022 at 10:43 PM. |
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