Aurender N10 Caching Music Server review

[scirica]

Originally Posted by jdandy

Mike.......I appreciate your comments. Lets remember this thread is about the Aurender N10 music server.

Tough call Dan. Seems like his post was focused on extolling the virtues of the N10.

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by scirica

Tough call Dan. Seems like his post was focused on extolling the virtues of the N10.

Steve.......Not at all. I want to keep this thread focused on the original topic. As we all know, it's quite easy to drift off topic if not occasionally guided in the right direction. It was a general comment. I believe Mike understands my comment without offense. Certainly none was intended.

Mike's comment about coaxial and AES/EBU connectivity was a strong factor in my buying decision and I agree with him on that point.

I will admit I am surprised my thread went 107 posts before anyone asked when I would be comparing my Aurender N10 to Emile's offering. Hopefully without offending anyone I made my position clear.

[John Jordan]

Dan-

I continue to follow this post with wide open eyes. Appreciate the unbiased responses to all quarries and keeping it focused the N10. Despite being a ways away (at best) from a N10 commitment, it's all being processed.

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by John Jordan

Dan-

I continue to follow this post with wide open eyes. Appreciate the unbiased responses to all quarries and keeping it focused the N10. Despite being a ways away (at best) from a N10 commitment, it's all being processed.

John.......Like you, I spent the better part of the last year researching different music servers. I knew my older music servers were getting long in the tooth so I began considering a new more modern music server as a replacement. I talked to dealers and owners, read reviews and studied manufacturer's websites, and spent time in forum discussions. As time went on and my list grew shorter my focus came to bear on two particular music servers, the Aurender N10 and the LUMIN U1. It took me an additional five months or so to become fully aware of each music server's strength and weakness. I ultimately made the final decision on the Aurender N10 for several reasons. One, no NAS required because the N10 could be configured with 4TB or 8TB internal hard drives. Two, I didn't want to deal with the LUMIN U1's external power supply brick and cabling. The Aurender N10 has two internal linear power supplies. Three, the amazing accuracy of the oven controlled crystal oscillator clock that serves the proprietary SPDIF outputs on the Aurender N10. A firend of mine owned the LUMIN U1 and sold it. He now owns two Aurender N10 music servers. He told me they would be the last audio components to leave his home if everything else went. Then there was the $2k price increase for the N10 over the U1 to come to terms with, but that difference dwindled in importance as I compared the value of the features that were most important to me.

So, like you I did not come to my final decision impulsively. It took me quite a bit of time to cross all the T's and dot all the I's. It also took some time to build the audio budget up to the task of covering the entrance fee. I'll admit it, that stung a bit but I am over it now. The pleasure the Aurender N10 delivers to my listening satisfaction will be around much longer than the initial impact of the purchase.

[justubes]

What do you use to rip your cds?

I am deeply worried that one wound have to get into using good power cables usb, the lastest spec'ed pc to obtain a good rip to sound at its best areter ripping, whether on a CAPs setup or Aurender and forbid myself to get into that.

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by justubes

What do you use to rip your cds?

I am deeply worried that one wound have to get into using good power cables usb, the lastest spec'ed pc to obtain a good rip to sound at its best areter ripping, whether on a CAPs setup or Aurender and forbid myself to get into that.

justubes.......I use the transport in my desktop PC in conjunction with dBpoweramp software for ripping bit perfect flac files of my CD's to an external hard drive. I access the hard drive in the Aurender N10, then drag the flac files from my external hard drive to the N10's hard drive.

[j3brow]

Originally Posted by j3brow

Owning the X100, I had no doubt you would love the N10 server Dan. I will be ordering my N10 before the month is up. FWIW, I also found zero difference comparing Tidal via X100L vs local file X100L vs cd spinning in my K01X. The Aurender is fantastic.

I pulled the trigger today. Aurender N10 8TB, black, has been ordered!

[scirica]

Another!

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by j3brow

I pulled the trigger today. Aurender N10 8TB, black, has been ordered!

Jason.......Fantastic. Get ready to be impressed. You better glue your socks on.

I'm listening to my N10 right now. Just fabulous.

Break-in hours now total 466.

[jdandy]

My new Aurender N10 music server break-in is officially complete. I now have 513 hours on the N10. It has been playing non-stop from the moment I turned it on and tonight will be the first time I turn N10 off when I finish listening. The sound exceeds my original expectations by a wide margin. Its musical presentation is mystifying, liquid, holistic, and real. The Aurender N10 is truly a wonderful music server on all levels. I am beyond happy, I am astonished every time the music begins. Highly recommended.