Anyone Using An Aurender W20?

[SuperD]

Originally Posted by bart

It is supposed to be a better device, so we expect the review to be equally better!!

Final Review - Everything Dan said +1

Originally Posted by Nacho

Congratulations SuperDave.
The W20 is a dream streamer for all Aurender owners.
Are you sending 10Mhz signal from the clock to the W20?

I'm still using the 10Mhz for the CD/SACD but i'll switch it up after I get a little more time on it. Are you using a W20 Nacho? If so, tell me about your setup. Any information would be helpful due to my inexperience with streaming and DACs. I've been used to putting a cd in and pressing play.

Dave

[Nacho]

Originally Posted by SuperDave

I'm still using the 10Mhz for the CD/SACD but i'll switch it up after I get a little more time on it. Are you using a W20 Nacho? If so, tell me about your setup. Any information would be helpful due to my inexperience with streaming and DACs. I've been used to putting a cd in and pressing play. Dave

I'm sorry but i have a N100H.
I bought it to try with a TAD DA1000.
I had an Esoteric X03SE.
I was a cd spinner too but i was so amazed streaming from the N100H that i haven't bought a cd since then (1'5 years).
I was waiting for a reference TAD dac but two months ago i replace the DA1000. Now i have an Esoteric D02X and i'm searching for a reference streamer. I hope a reference Esoteric N01 with new HDMI Esoteric protocol.
Anyway the W20 and Sound Galleries are on my list.
I was looking for the Silenzio but i don't find any information about it.
The Aurender conductor is the same for all models.
If you have any question doesn't doubt to ask !!!!
What DAC are you using?
Regards.

[Cincy2]

I just pulled the trigger on a W2O based on some of this feedback, the dealer's recommendations and my frustration with my Mac Mini and the various sometimes compatible software programs that playback the music. Aurender says I can use the W20 to control my dCS Vivaldi master clock although I haven't got confirmation from them yet on exactly how that works. Should have it in my hands in the next week or so. I'll post the set up if indeed it can automatically select clocks for the Upsampler and DAC.

Cincy

[Nacho]

You need the Aurender Dongle:
http://www.aurender.com/page/manual-w20

[Cincy2]

Originally Posted by Nacho

You need the Aurender Dongle:
http://www.aurender.com/page/manual-w20

Yup. Have one of those coming with the W20.

Thx
Cincy

[SuperD]

Congrats Cincy!

The W20 is still brand new and I couldn't be happier! I'm interested to hear your impressions with the Vivaldi stack and W20 together.

[enatai252]

Originally Posted by Cincy2

I just pulled the trigger on a W2O based on some of this feedback, the dealer's recommendations and my frustration with my Mac Mini and the various sometimes compatible software programs that playback the music. Aurender says I can use the W20 to control my dCS Vivaldi master clock although I haven't got confirmation from them yet on exactly how that works. Should have it in my hands in the next week or so. I'll post the set up if indeed it can automatically select clocks for the Upsampler and DAC.

Cincy

cincy

first congrats on an awesome room and system - lots on new goodies over the last few years - well done

Curious to hear how things are going with your new W20 and the Vivaldi stack. As an owner of the same three Vivaldi components, I am interested to understand your reasoning and rationale for system configuration. The W20 and the Vivaldi upsampler share some of the same functions. Is your thought to run dual XLR from the W20 directly to the DAC and bypass the upsampler altogether. Or are your using USB from W20 to upsampler and by doing so you would basically trade the network card of the upsampler (and ipad control software of dCS for the Aurender right). Without the w20 you would need to use some other server software running in your system (such as Twoonky, or minim) and have a storage device like a NAS to rip/download to and have the server software directed to the NAS folders. the upsampler network input would recognize this server and use the upsampler app to control.

W20 runs on Linux and uses MPD (and their app is based on mpad which I believe Bryston uses as well)

I have been looking into a lot of different options as my current config (Naim HDX SSD acting as server/ripper to NAS) is a little old in the tooth and does not support DSD. I have about 3.3TB of music and 1.3TB is DSD

One of my issues is I have several rooms to serve music to - Vivaldi stack in one room, Rossini in another and a variety of Naim streamers throughout the house.

options include things like the SGM 15 but that only allows for USB direct connection and I find USB to be less than ideal connection method. This like some of the other computer iterations I have previously avoided as I don;t want a computer in the room. many others who are fine using USB seem to really like this unit and it is a uber optimized computer for audio.

Buy more powerful NAS and run as Roon core - would work for both dCS units but leave all my Naim music streamers out. I need to spend more time understanding Roon functionality as I do use both Tidal and my stored files for listening. This would just require I rip CDs via my computer to the NAS

Aurender W20 Intrigued by the battery supply but this also is a single room only player and I bought the Upsampler in part for its network streaming ability which I would not be using if I get a W20 so very curious as to your results

just add Twonky or Minim to by current Qnap NAS - simplest but in testing against the HDX server, I have always preferred the SQ of the HDX server - I do not know what Naim uses but I believe its inhouse code

I am currently testing the new Naim Core - with this unit Naim moved from a Windows platform in the HDX to a Linux platform and it includes ripping SW/functionality directly to my NAS. The new Naim server SW now supports 2X DSD. in this scenario, I fully leverage the dCS units streaming cards along with the Naim streamers and have a backend server/ripper/storage structure which server the entire house. dCS apps for Rossini or Vivaldi control the music and playlists and the master clock of each controls the ansynchronus network input switching seamlessly between 44k and 48k

So many options and so many variables. Again sorry for the long post. If you get a chance let me know your findings. I don't think I will move to USB as I have not found that to be the quietest or best interface given the ethernet or direct AES/EBU options...but if a single sourced player like the W20 somehow improves on the current Vivaldi stack I am willing to try all options

good luck and cheers

[Cincy2]

Originally Posted by enatai252

Is your thought to run dual XLR from the W20 directly to the DAC and bypass the upsampler altogether. Or are your using USB from W20 to upsampler and by doing so you would basically trade the network card of the upsampler (and ipad control software of dCS for the Aurender right).

Right now, I intend to keep the Upsampler in the loop and feed the DAC with the dual AES connections I currently use.

If the W20 can control both Vivaldi clocks independently changing upsampler input clock to match the sampling rate automatically, then all is good. If not, I will use the W20 as an asynchronous USB source and be happy. I bought it primarily because it is a fan-less file storage device designed to operate with high end equipment. There were probably other cheaper alternatives but just the power supply architecture was enough to sell me. We all know that the best audio equipment begins with a properly designed, low noise power supply.

The unit arrives next week. I'll be able to experiment and will report the results.

Eric

[enatai252]

Originally Posted by Cincy2

Right now, I intend to keep the Upsampler in the loop and feed the DAC with the dual AES connections I currently use.

If the W20 can control both Vivaldi clocks independently changing upsampler input clock to match the sampling rate automatically, then all is good. If not, I will use the W20 as an asynchronous USB source and be happy. I bought it primarily because it is a fan-less file storage device designed to operate with high end equipment. There were probably other cheaper alternatives but just the power supply architecture was enough to sell me. We all know that the best audio equipment begins with a properly designed, low noise power supply.

The unit arrives next week. I'll be able to experiment and will report the results.

Eric

Thanks Eric

Let us know how it goes. I am very interested in the results. It does look like the battery supply and fanless cooling system of the W20 is nicely designed.

[enatai252]

Originally Posted by SuperDave

I finally picked up the W20 after a few extra days in Colorado due to weather and got it setup using a Transparent USB. Right out of the box, I was blown away at the sound quality. It is too early to give definitive feedback against the K-01X transport but I didn't feel I was missing anything. Streaming TIDAL is a pleasure. My wife is so happy she doesn't have to wait for me to scroll through hundreds of cds anymore. Just about anything you want is at the touch of a finger and the quality from the K-01X Dac IMO is superb! I'm using the G-01 as a master clock with the W20 & K-01X and feel it adds a level of refinement that to me is totally unexpected from a streaming service.



There is more break-in time needed and I need to make sure I have the optimal settings for the W20, K-01X, and G-01 to make sure I get the most out of the combo but half the fun is experimenting. Any feedback, good or bad, is more than welcome. Stay tuned

Dave

Congrats on the new digital setup. By all accounts it should provide you with very satisfying and high quality results. I moved to primarily digital files over 8 years ago...before there were even iPads and have not looked back. The ease of use today and the availability of higher quality streaming services and highrez files make it a no brainer today. (Although I still enjoy and buy vinyl as well).

I was curious if you have tried the SPDIF electrical connection and compared results to the USB output of the W20. (I don't believe the K1 has AES/EBU). The reason I ask is the USB input is asynchronous meaning the DAC clock controls the stream. So using the G1 connected to the DAC makes sense....but I don't see why you would even connect the G1 to the W20 as it is not clock dependent in async mode as far as I understand....that qualifier is huge as I am not an engineer and I am genuinely interested to understand if running a clock signal to the computer source of an async input does anything. I would expect if you used the SPDIF output than your K1 DAC would be looking for the transports clock signal and having both DAC and W20 connected to a high quality clock would make sense.

In my experience using separate 75ohm clock signals from master clock rather than using the clock signal included in the data stream provide real improvement. In my case I stream music through Ethernet into various renderers....Vivaldi upsampler and Rossini player are two I have. This is also an async input. I use external clocks for both of these systems but only the DAC and upsampler in Vivaldi case are connected to the clock (Rossini is really a combined upsampler DAC so just that unit is connected to external clock....but the NAS and controlling server sending the data over the Ethernet is not.

Anyone with the w20 have information that would help me understand if the external clock connection has any impact when using An async input like USB

I know Eric also is about to receive an W20 and he has same Vivaldi stack I have....I am hopeful he at least tries the single AES/EBU to upsampler with clock connected to W20 or even duel AES directly into the DAC

I will say some of the features like SSD caching and battery power supply make the Aurender product interesting.