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Old 12-04-2016, 03:36 PM
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Default Aurender N10 Caching Music Server review

by J.Dan Daniell




I came to computer audio practically kicking and screaming the entire way. I was committed to vinyl LP’s and compact disc playback and wanted no part of reproducing music from a computer. Oh my, how times have changed. Encouraged by fellow audio enthusiasts over the course of six years or so, I gradually overcame my computer audio phobias. After owning several music servers and a laptop connected to a DAC, I am spoiled by the convenience of having my entire digital music library at my fingertips. Computer audio, more accurately described for my purpose as a music server, now provides the lion’s share of my musical enjoyment.

With exposure to music servers I gradually became aware of performance differences between basic laptop or Mac mini setups and fully developed dedicated music servers that are purpose built for premium level performance. Even among dedicated music servers there are differences in sound, build quality, internal parts, power supplies, operating systems, and the manner in which users interface with the component. I own four music servers, a McIntosh MS750, two Olive 04HD’s, and a Sony Vaio laptop running JRiver Media Center. All are enjoyable but each has specific deficiencies that became apparent as my experience and knowledge grew and my requirements expanded. When I began to search for a new music server I wanted one that not only elevated sound quality, I wanted consistently reliable connectivity, plus greater convenience accessing, controlling, and managing my music files. After months of research, discussions with dealers, and advice from experienced audio friends I zeroed in on the Aurender N10 Caching Music Server. It is a beautiful audio component, a visually striking compliment to my existing audio equipment, and satisfies my critical requirements.

Aurender is an audio manufacturer whose design and engineering team are based in Anaheim, California. Their product line includes several different music servers, music server/DACs, DAC/amplifiers, a headphone amp/DAC, and other ingenious audio products. Aurender components are designed at their California headquarters and manufacturing takes place in Korea.

The Aurender N10 caching music server is available in silver or black. It is a purpose built music server designed from the ground up to deliver the highest level of digital audio performance when connected to a premium DAC. The N10 comes equipped with 4TB (2x2TB) of internal hard drive storage plus one 240GB solid state drive cache for playback. It can be configured with an optional 8TB (2x4TB) of internal hard drive storage. Playback comes directly from the 240GB solid state drive cache. The hard drives spin when accessing and transferring files to the SSD cache, otherwise they remain asleep. This minimizes hard drive wear and eliminates any possibility of electrical noise and vibration impacting playback quality. The N10 features two internal linear power supplies that are fully shielded from sensitive digital circuits. One look under the thick aluminum top cover immediately reveals the sophisticated engineering, meticulous attention to detail, and expert assembly that Aurender brings to their customers. A two year warranty is part of the deal.





The Aurender N10 provides a wide selection of digital outputs. These include a dedicated audio grade Class 2.0 USB output that features ultra-low noise power circuitry. SPDIF outputs include RCA, BNC, ABS/EBU, and Toslink. The SPDIF outputs originate from fully shielded proprietary digital circuitry featuring a high precision oven controlled crystal oscillator (OCXO) clock. Aurender does not publish the OCXO specifications so I contacted their engineering department with that request. Aurender responded within hours. The operating temperature for the crystal oscillator is reached within 2 minutes after energizing the N10. The frequency of the OCXO is 12.8MHz with an accuracy of 0.02 parts per million (ppm). This level of clock accuracy is an order of magnitude greater than the 0.5 ppm accuracy of the crystal oscillator used by Esoteric in their premium player/DAC’s, including the Esoteric K-03 that I use as a DAC with the N10. This high precision clock is my reason for using the N10’s coaxial output to feed my Esoteric DAC. From a USB output the DAC controls the time. From a coaxial digital output the server controls the time. I want to take advantage of the Aurender N10’s high precision OCXO clock.

The feature set of the N10 is impressive. Compatible formats include DSD(DSF, DFF), WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC, M4A, APE and others. The music server is capable of DSD to PCM conversion on the fly for those individuals whose DAC does not support DSD decoding. The rear panel provides a gigabyte Ethernet connection and two USB 2.0 data ports for music file transfers from USB thumb drives or USB hard drives. The Aurender N10 supports NAS connectivity with their Aurender Music Manager (AMM) software for Mac OS X or later and Windows 7 or later. There is remote Internet technical support through the Aurender Conductor app. On the front panel there is a lighted power button, the AMOLED display, and four push buttons that provide control of playback functions and display options.








The Aurender Conductor iPad app displays a high resolution graphical user interface, enabling full remote control of the N10. Once setup is complete, with the Conductor app and iPad connected via WiFi to your router, wireless control of the N10 functions are immediate. Cover art is displayed, tabs are programmable for genres, searching can be performed at album, artist, or song level. Playlists can be created, named, edited, and saved. Tidal music streaming service is fully integrated into the Conductor app. Once enabled, Tidal becomes an extension of your personal music library with identical cover art views, search functions, and playlist creation. The Conductor app enables control of the music server’s front panel AMOLED display from the Settings menu. This allows remote access for adjusting display brightness, changing display options that include two different pairs of colored (yellow or blue) peak reading meters and the scrolling information screens, as well as turning the display on and off. The Conductor app can also turn the music server on or off.





It is impossible for me to overlook the sheer beauty of the N10 aluminum enclosure and attractive front panel. It is a work of art with the Aurender logo prominently milled into the top cover. The fit and finish, a hallmark of Aurender components, can only be described as close tolerance. Every part mates perfectly without exception. Cooling is accomplished through convection using the aluminum case and cooling fins that run front to rear on each side of the N10 to shed heat. There are no fans to introduce noise. Under continuous use the N10 barely gets warm to the touch. Notably surprising is the music server’s weight, a hefty 27 lbs.

It didn’t take long to unpack the Aurender N10 from its double boxes. It was well supported with shock absorbing foam inserts that float the N10 in the center of its inner box. The music server comes supplied with a stock power cord, a Quick Start pamphlet, and a soft cloth cover with elastic bottom fitted over the Aurender N10 to protect the finish. I found the online owner’s manual more useful in helping get the N10 installed and set up than the supplied pamphlet. There are a few steps one must go through, all quite simple and clearly documented, that get the Aurender paired to the Conductor app. I downloaded the free Aurender Conductor app to my iPad from iTunes. A nice surprise was discovering three songs preloaded on the hard drive. This presented the opportunity to play music immediately before downloading any music files to the Aurender’s hard drive. This is a nice touch and allowed me to immediately verify that the N10 was functioning properly. Loading music files is a simple drag and drop exercise once the N10 is Ethernet connected to your home computer network. Depending on the size of your music collection it can take a number of hours to transfer a large flac library to the N10’s hard drives. Once completed, all my CD’s, high-res files, and cover art appeared in the iPad Conductor app.

After installation I allowed the N10 to play continuously 24/7 on repeat for 150 hours of break-in. Based on experience with his two personal N10 music servers, the Aurender dealer informed me the N10 will continue to reveal pleasurable musical nuances even beyond 500 hours. I feel confident 150 hours is sufficient enough break-in to begin a serious audition and analysis of the N10’s sound. During the break-in I listened to the N10 for several hours each night. The Aurender N10 never sounded the least bit harsh. In fact, night after night I marveled at how analog the N10 sounded, especially with so few hours on it. As the break-in progressed I began to recognize a slight improvement in the layering of instruments and an improved aura of organic life in male and female voices. Beyond those impressions the Aurender N10 has been a champion performer from day one.

The sound system for this review included the Aurender N10 Music Server, a McIntosh C1000C/P preamplifier, an Esoteric K-03 SACD/CD/DAC, a pair of McIntosh MC2301 mono tube power amplifiers, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario speakers, and a PurePower 2000 AC regenerator power conditioner fed from a dedicated 20 amp circuit through a Furutech Flux 50. All cabling is Wireworld and includes Silver Electra power cords on all components, Silver Eclipse balanced interconnects, Silver Starlight digital coaxial cable, Platinum USB cable, and Silver Eclipse speaker cables.





Getting down to the business of how the N10 sounds my first exercise was to compare a CD in the Esoteric K-03’s transport to the same flac file playing from the Aurender N10 music server. I chose Dave Grusin – Homage To Duke, “Things Ain’t What They Used To Be”. Unfortunately, I was unable to synchronize CD playback in the Esoteric K-03 with the Aurender N10 because I discovered the K-03 will not allow digital input changes to the DAC during transport playback. My original intention was to play a CD while simultaneously playing the flac file from the Aurender N10, then make direct A/B comparisons to help identify any possible sonic differences between the CD and the flac file. Unable to do that I did the next best thing. I played Dave Grusin - Homage to Duke, “Things Ain’t What They Used To Be” from the N10 music server followed immediately by playing the same tune from CD in the K-03 transport. I compared the song multiple times from the K-03 and the N10. In every instance the performance of the N10 and the K-03 was a draw. The Aurender N10 was able to reproduce all the openness, clarity, dynamics, bass authority, and sense of the live performance that the K-03 reproduced from the CD. The tune is such a toe tapper it is easy to be drawn into the performance. The Esoteric K-03 and the Aurender N10 each raised goosebumps on my neck and shoulders when Clark Terry performed his scat chat and trumpet skit in the arrangement. It was thrilling to experience the exact involuntary physical response twice while listening to the same music on two separate source components. This bears testimony to the sensational performance of the Aurender N10. Running head to head with the Esoteric K-03 while playing flac files from the N10 music server is an achievement that deserves high praise.

I compared the same Dave Grusin tune again, this time via USB from my Sony Vaio laptop. The laptop’s Wireworld Platinum USB cable included a Wired 4 Sound Recovery in the signal path to the K-03 DAC. I played the flac file from the laptop first, then again from the N10 music server. The Aurender N10 made the laptop performance seem less engaging. Without the N10 for comparison the laptop sounds good, but as soon as the same tune is played from the N10 a brand new yardstick appears making it evident that presented with a choice one would always choose the Aurender N10. What stood out most in the N10’s sound compared to the laptop was dimensional integrity. A three dimensional characteristic found in voices and instruments when played back with the N10 became diminished when played back from the laptop. The illusion developed in my mind that helps create the sensation of experiencing a live performance was not fully realized from the laptop/USB performance. The condensed version is it sounded flatter. No amount of wishful thinking or imagination can alter that impression once you have experienced the Aurender N10.

In my quest for accuracy in this audition I continued the laptop/USB versus N10 comparison. I played the 24Bit/192KHz flac file of Norah Jones – Come Away With Me, “Cold, Cold Heart”. Playing from the laptop first, the opening sounds of the double bass and piano sounded impressive, as did Norah’s voice. The soundstage seemed well developed. This was the performance level of hi-resolution sound I was familiar with to this point. Once the song ended on the laptop I played the same hi-res flac file again from the Aurender N10. The double bass sounded more vibrant with a stronger presence. Norah’s piano gained finer focus on the leading edge sounds of piano notes and the N10 contributed an expanded sense of space around diminishing notes. When Norah began to sing my attention was taken by a stronger sensation of her presence in the room. Depth and width of the soundstage felt reinforced. This is not to suggest the laptop/USB performance was less than enjoyable. That would be untrue. What became noticeably different was my emotional connection to the music. The N10 gripped my attention from the first notes and never relinquished that hold until the performance ended. I did not experience the same elation from the laptop/USB performance once I heard the Aurender N10.

I performed another comparison with the 24/192 file of Norah Jones. I wanted to compare the SPDIF coaxial output on the N10 to its USB output. I connected both output configurations from the N10 to the K-03 DAC. Switching between the N10’s coaxial and USB outputs on the K-03 DAC confirmed there is very little difference in the sound, although I did detect what I sensed was a minuscule softening of the midrange from the USB output. It was so minor that I had to intently focus on Norah’s voice when comparing the USB to coaxial outputs, and even then it was difficult to put my finger on the actual difference. It may have even been a placebo effect due to my preference for the coaxial output. Both outputs sound exceptional. The N10 had no issues synchronizing with the Esoteric’s USB normal (NOR), USB high speed (HS_1), and USB asynchronous (HS_2) settings.





The final comparison was accomplished listening to 16Bit/44.1KHz flac files played from the N10, then streamed from Tidal. I began with Holly Cole – Night, “Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues”. The double bass, piano, harmonica and Holly’s voice from the N10 were essentially identical to the Tidal stream. I had some concern that Tidal may be compressing or equalizing their tracks, but I detected nothing to indicate this was the case. Dynamics, tonal accuracy, and frequency response were mirror images of the N10 performance. The same held true when I played James Taylor – October Road, “October Road”, and Jeff Beck – Emotion & Commotion, “Hammerhead”. Playback quality of 16Bit/44.1KHz flac files from Tidal sounded equivalent to the same songs played from the N10 flac files. Not knowing what to expect when I began the Tidal comparison, the results were impressive. The sound quality of both sources returned captivating musical experiences, and Tidal’s integration with the Aurender Conductor app is seamless. I now find myself encouraged and looking forward to enjoying Tidal’s streaming music catalog. My music library just grew much larger.

Once the comparisons were complete I focused on simply enjoying music from the Aurender N10. I played Peter White – Good Day, “Ramon’s Revenge”. The opening cymbals rang crisp floating in the air. The accompanying hand claps could have been my own hand claps, they were that realistic. The impact of the drums and the rapid rise in dynamics as the song progressed riveted my attention. Peter White’s nylon string acoustic guitar floated over the percussions, rhythm section, and piano without a hint of smear. The music server effortlessly created identifiable space between every musician. The Aurender also conveys absolute silence. There is literally no sound from the loudspeakers unless it has been recorded. Bass is robust, vibrant, and goes deep when a recording encompasses the lowest octaves. It faithfully reproduces the recording, and nothing but the recording. I am reminded of Joe Friday’s famous line from the old Dragnet television shows, “Nothing but the facts, ma’am, just the facts.” That is precisely what the Aurender N10 delivers, exactly what has been recorded, nothing more, nothing less. After all is said and done, isn’t that exactly what we want a high-end audio component to deliver? The answer seems self-evident.

My listening session continued for an additional three hours and could have easily gone longer. The Aurender N10 blissfully played recording after recording, Fourplay, Santana, Melody Gardot, Joe Bonamassa, Halie Loren, Liz Story, Stacey Kent, Jamie Cullum, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and more. I bounced back and forth between streaming from Tidal and listening to recordings played from the N10. I found absolutely nothing to nitpick about. It seemed like a requirement of an audition to find and point out at least one thing that could be improved upon with the N10, but quite frankly I failed. The Aurender N10 is a meticulously thought out and beautifully conceived audio component in every respect. It is beautiful to gaze upon, silently responds to finger touch commands with the iPad Conductor app, and is built to a connoisseur’s level of perfection. Above all else the Aurender N10 effortlessly gifts us with world class performance. In my humble opinion this outstanding music server is a jewel, perhaps a diamond in disguise. Its cut, color, and clarity are phenomenal. I am thrilled to own this amazing audio component and expect the Aurender N10 music server to be showcased and enjoyed in my studio sound system for many years. Color me ecstatically happy.
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STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario
LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113
VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A

Last edited by jdandy; 01-17-2018 at 09:38 PM.
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Old 12-04-2016, 04:04 PM
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Dan,

Awesome review and I have found very similar results with a similar setup. Enjoy.

Where are the December avatars?

Scott
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Old 12-04-2016, 04:26 PM
2fastdriving 2fastdriving is offline
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Dan, fantastic review. Congratulations on your purchase. Your writing and review skills are top notch. Stereophile should hire you

I prefer the hs_2 driver with my k03. I really need to do some experimenting with different sources and drivers through my k03 to see if I'm fooling myself by thinking the k03 clock is better than some other sources I could plug into it.

What is the retail price for this beauty?
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Old 12-04-2016, 04:45 PM
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Great review!
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Old 12-04-2016, 04:55 PM
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Oh I see it is 8k retail, yikes... Pretty spendy. Have you tried the DSD conversion feature?
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Old 12-04-2016, 04:57 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 2fastdriving View Post
dan, fantastic review. Congratulations on your purchase. Your writing and review skills are top notch. Stereophile should hire you

i prefer the hs_2 driver with my k03. I really need to do some experimenting with different sources and drivers through my k03 to see if i'm fooling myself by thinking the k03 clock is better than some other sources i could plug into it.

What is the retail price for this beauty?
$7999.00
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Old 12-04-2016, 04:57 PM
matt_zak matt_zak is offline
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As expected, that was a great review Dan!
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Old 12-04-2016, 05:03 PM
John Jordan John Jordan is offline
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Hey Dan-

Thank you for the review and overview of your quest in the digital realm. I enjoyed each of your three threads.

For me, they read like a how to guide and I will refer to each several times as I continue to pursue my pursuit. Your contributions to this site are invaluable and help us all make more informed decisions before plunking down our hard earned cash.

Cheers to you!
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Old 12-04-2016, 05:09 PM
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Great review Dan.
Glad to know you're enjoying that master piece of audio. As i told you, is so great that i'm really satisfied playing from Tidal without loosing anything.
I think you have exposed all the benefits of the Aurender as i have experienced with mine.
I'm on the way to upgrade to a W20 one or a future Esoteric N01.
Congratulations.

Last edited by Nacho; 12-04-2016 at 05:16 PM.
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Old 12-04-2016, 05:10 PM
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Nice write-up Dan... very informative AND accurate! It's very apparent you are loving your new toy. I too grew increasingly frustrated with using a MacMini and laptop as my main music source. The N10 has been a welcomed change and so easy to use.

Curious, have you compared a 24Bit/96KHz FLAC file on the N10 to playback quality of 16Bit/44.1KHz FLAC file of the same song from Tidal? I know it's not an apple to apple fair comparison, but curious if your ears hear a difference.
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