Why I Sold My Aurender N200

A very fitting end of story for the season; unselfish, generous, noble. Thanks for sharing

Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 👍

Are those Martino Dorse watercolors in your system pics?

DeKay

A nice story to read today. Happy Holidays, and best of luck to your daughter!

Jim

Thanks for the reply - just looked up the artist.

DeKay

Your ears are all that matter!  Merry Christmas!

@navyachts that is the best destination for the money you got back from the N200 sale. Enjoy the Bricasti it’s an awesome DAC that will bring a smile to your face every time you listen to music. Best part about this hobby is if you realize you have made a mistake when you sold something you can always buy it back for around the same price you sold it. I did this with my Bricasti M3 earlier - sold it, went thru 2 DACs and one SACD player with a built in DAC that I used for streaming only to buy the Bricasti M3 back again. All part of the game. 
Be safe and healthy this holiday season!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I've asked my dealer if I can do better streaming from my Bricasti M3 and has told me "maybe" for 15-20k additionally. He said just enjoy your music and if you really want better or different try the Bricasti M21. Love honest dealers.

@navyachts  The worst part about your story is that you used it to fund the creation of another lawyer.

(I keed -- I was a lawyer --just retired)

I heard all these great things about the N200 as well and wasn't impressed when I got one as well. I sold it as well. 

@rsf507 not to take this conversation elsewhere but I’ve owned the M3 with network card and used it as roon endpoint. I also tried it with Mconnect.
It compares well with Lumin U1 Mini that I had and sold because I couldn’t distinguish it from the M3 network card. But I’ve taken the musicality of my system to a completely different level when I bought my Aurender N200. I came to a realization on how inferior streaming with that network card is when I compared it to a cheap Audiolab 6000CDT transport and got the doors blown off the M3 network card. Good streamer is essential at least for me in my system. The Bricasti M3 I bought back is a straight DAC without network. 

I have a Bricasti M21, Aurender N200 and Roon core running on a Dell PC. I also hear little or no difference between the Aurender via USB and Roon on the Dell via Ethernet to the Bricasti.

@navyachts 

Thank you taking the time for sharing your experience—it’s a thoughtful and grounded perspective that adds a lot to the ongoing discussion about streaming quality. Your process of directly comparing the Aurender N200 to the Bricasti M1 SE II’s network card, especially with your wife’s input, highlights an important truth: the best solution is the one that works for your ears and system.

N200 is a great sounding streamer and usually a better value in a system without a robust purpose built DAC with built-in network capabilities. Your experience coincides with mine (sold my N30SA) and highlights that streaming quality depends on context. For some, a dedicated streamer makes a significant difference and for others, it’s redundant when paired with an exemplary Network attached DAC like the Bricasti or Grimm MU1/MU2 and Merging Technology + player. 

Sharing this experience might encourage others to evaluate their setups with a similar mindset. Enjoy your Bricasti, it sounds like you’ve landed on a solution that delivers exactly what you need!

Roon done right (Grimm MU1 or MU2 or Merging Tech are core as well as streamers and purpose built for Roon). 
The problem for me was Roon sound quality which is sterille and not engaging. It is the case with network card in Bricasti as well as using Aurender N200 as Roon endpoint point. Using Aurender Conductor is significantly better. 
So if you are comparing N200 to Bricasti network card using Roon, I can see why you can’t tell the difference. I cancelled Roon for now as after extensive comparison I couldn’t stand listening to dull and sterile sound that Roon produces in my system configuration. YMMV. If you like it, you saved yourself a nice chunk of change. 

That sounds like a good reason to me.  The Bricasti is a great DAC so I'm not surprised .    

The Grimm wins hands down.  Not so dry sounding as the others you mentioned and it runs Roon, which is a necessity in my book.

Best thing ever to give your daughter some well deserved cash for a good project.you should be proud of her.i still member the trauma of going through dental and because they wanted me to be the first with dds and MD in a new program not tested I just went to med school.bless the vets when I was at the va doing surgery the cafeteria would close prior to us finishing the surgery day.the vets would order extra food for us residents.we would our nightly rounds to check on patients and they would feed us. The cost of professional school is hundreds of thousands of dollars today.that deters some of our brilliant people.enjoy the music stay healthy

A great Christmas story.  Good for you.  Best of luck to your daughter.  Hope everyone enjoys the next week through New Years.  A great time of year to be with friends, family and enjoy the music you love! 

Personally I would keep the Aurender because of the hard drive capability. In my Aurender N150 I have a few hundred albums on the SSD drive, my entire CD collection ripped in WAV format. I use the streaming with Qobuz a fair amount but mainly play my CD collection that’s inside the unit on the hard drive and that sound quality blows away anything streaming can offer.

Try adding a Baaske MI2005 or MI1005 to the ethernet cable to clean up the signal before going into the Bricasti.  

Congratulations on raising a high functioning daughter.  When we are older and needy our well-raised children pay dividends. 

After buying, borrowing, trying a lot of digital front end pieces my conclusion is this: My ear keeps changing. What sounded like butter 5 years ago sounds like silverware being dropped in the commode today.  I guess it’s age related however my hearing tests show no loss.  
 

My conclusion is this:  play what makes me smile- or tear up. This is a luxury hobby and I’ll never achieve “value” in trading gear- just the thrill of the next thing that aids me in discovering the music.
 

Now just sit back and enjoy a good glass of wine and listen to music with your wife. It’s hard to put a price tag on a level of improved sound quality. Like you, if I’m going to upgrade a component and spend several thousand dollars more, I expect to hear a significant difference. A percentage that I always keep in mind is 30-40 percent. Is 10-20 percent improvement in sound quality worth $3, 5 or 7K more, probably not. This is where your ears and gut kick in. Don’t look back, enjoy your system and life. 

The nice thing about this hobby of ours is that there is no right and no wrong.  It’s all about our ears and our musical tastes.

Congratulations on your daughter.

I think many people place too much importance on the streamer and not enough on the DAC.  Sounds like a positive move on your part all around, eliminating something that has no sonic impact on your listening experience and providing a wonderful opportunity for your daughter.  I tip my hat to you sir.

You’re kinda of comparing apples and oranges when comparing a network card which is Ethernet based and a dedicated streamer that is USB based to the Dac. I had a Bricasti M3 w/network card and switched to a Melco server/streamer. The Network card made for a much cleaner solution but the Melco was a nice upgrade in streaming.
Of course there is different cabling involved and the difference between Ethernet and USB but I think the Bricasti M3 will always benefit from a high quality streamer.

Very interesting findings.  Thanks for reporting in. Just goes to show you that it really doesn’t matter what the reviewers tell you or what you read on these forums.  The only way to know is by putting it in your system and listening for yourself.

Thank you all for your informative comments and kind words. Some say the more money you throw at it, the better it will sound (especially when it comes to Aurender) but @marco1 says it best:

The only way to know is by putting it in your system and listening for yourself.

“Some say the more money you throw at it, the better it will sound (especially when it comes to Aurender)”

@navyachts

That’s has not been my experience regardless of brand and Aurender is no exception. I have come to an understanding that the relationship between cost and sound quality isn’t always linear. There are numerous factors one must take into account such as system synergy, choice of downstream or upstream components, room acoustics, tweaks and personal listening preferences….they all play significant roles in the overall perceived improvement.

While higher-priced models often incorporate advanced tech and superior parts that can enhance performance, the actual degree of auditory benefits may vary given each listeners audio system and listening skills. 

@lalitk +1 (sorry, but I wasn't referring to you) 

I have the N100 and when I added it to my system I finally felt like my digital sounded as good if not better than my high end vinyl rig. So if your card sounds equal than great it’s all about your ear and taste! 

@navyachts audirvana has Bricasti in the list of “Plays” approved partners. 
Have you tried Audirvana vs Roon via network/ethernet? 
I’m curious if you hear any differences there. I’ve tried audirvana long time ago before Bricasti in my system and my current M3 is DAC only no network. If you get around to do this comparison please either post here or message me. 

Just don’t buy aurender in the 1st place, I didn’t, I bought an Auralic instead for both sq and especially the Lightning DS software. I sold the Auralic because usb sucks and went with a great sounding dac with an Ethernet card in it, much better sq than usb. I heard my dac with i2s instead of using Ethernet and I went with a streamer this year that it’s only job is to be a Roon endpoint, accept Roon data from a server outside of the audio room, and outputs i2s to my dac.

@rbstehno what streamer did you go with?

@audphile1 I have not tried Audirvana vs Roon and may not get to trying that as I have a lot of stuff going on right now, so time to do so at present. If I get a chance, sometime in the future, I will let you know!

@rsf507

I’ve asked my dealer if I can do better streaming from my Bricasti M3 and has told me "maybe" for 15-20k additionally. He said just enjoy your music and if you really want better or different try the Bricasti M21. Love honest dealers.

LOL re. the honest dealer comment. Just a quick note on this, it’s the same network card in all the Bricasti models so the better sound is obviously related to other/better components in their upper line with the M21 being $10K more than the M3. I have the M1 so $4K short of the M21, it would be cool to try and hear the difference $4K would make. Maybe I can ask my daughter for a loan! 

Try Audirvana. If you don't have Roon, then you won't mind its interface and its getting better with every release.. 

It's the software that makes a difference in sq. When I had the Auralic, I went back and forth using Lightning DS (Auralics software) and Lumin's GUI, yes, Lumin software worked on the Aries.

I used to use Pure Music 15 years ago instead of iTunes, then went with audirvana when it came out. When I get rid of the auralic and the usb dac, I went with roon. I have retested audirvana off and on the last few years and it is a little bit better in sq, but I can't go backwards in the GUI.

I only use my streamer to interface ethernet (data from roon server) then galvanically isolates the signal to i2s to the dac. This streamer only has i2s and spdif, no other outputs, and since 99% of dac users use usb, this wouldn't be a good fit for most.

@bigby

Try adding a Baaske MI2005 or MI1005 to the ethernet cable to clean up the signal before going into the Bricasti.

Will this affect the quality of my Purist Audio Design CAT7 Ethernet Cable, making it irrelevant? I guess I would have to purchase another to plug in downstream. Or, would I be better to go with a couple of Fiber Media Converters and a patch cable set up?

@fpomposo

Personally I would keep the Aurender because of the hard drive capability

I don’t have so much music so if I want to listen to my ripped CDs they are on my Seagate hard drive and I can play them from there.

@rbstehno I sold my Roon Nucleus but still have some time left on my subscription so the only way to access Roon and Audirvana would be via a computer, which is supposedly a no no. Is this what you suggesting?

@navyachts as long as you are running roon core on a computer and streaming to bricasti over network it will be fine. If Audirvana site is accurate about Bricasti compatibility, it should work exactly the same way - audirvana on your computer, streaming over network, computer away from your system. 
 

Somehow I have a feeling Audirvana sound quality may be better than Roon but I can’t check that in my system as I mentioned earlier my DAC is not equipped with network card. 

As to the difference between M21 and your M1S2, I’m pretty sure the delta sigma and DSD sections are identical and the 2 DACs will sound the same. What sets the M21 apart is the R2R section. And many who own M21 prefer its R2R DAC over the delta sigma. Don’t take my word for it though if you’re looking to upgrade confirm this with Joe. 

@audphile1 

as long as you are running roon core on a computer and streaming to bricasti over network it will be fine

lol, this was the answer that I was looking for on my last post regarding streaming quality. Thank you!

And also thank you for clarifying the difference between the M1 and M21, I did not know this. I don't think I will be upgrading any time soon, but if I do, I will most certainly check with Joe.

My suggestions in reply to your questions about my post are:

1) Leave the other cables in-place. No need to change them.

2) I decided not to go with fiber optic.   It seems like Baaske MI1005/2005 devices do the same thing using a different method.

3) I don't know about putting one downstream, but it can't hurt.

@bigby thank you!

@navyachts you got it! 
Since you are running Ethernet straight into Bricasti you can try iFi LAN iSilencer. 
I have it connected to my erro node then connect purist Ethernet cable into it on one end and into my N200 on the other. The iFi gizmo doesn’t do 💩 in my system but it definitely doesn’t hurt it - multiple extensive sessions comparing sound with and without it proved it’s harmless so I left it in. Given the fact that the N200’does a better job isolating network, plus it caches the songs onto SSD, I’m not surprised the iFi thingy has no effect but on your system now it’s worth trying. With Amazon return policy it’s a no brainer. 

 

https://a.co/d/bEAiPrM

@audphile1 Thanks for the iFi gizmo tip.I thinkk i'm going to try @bigby's suggestion of using this: Baaske MI1005 It's similar to what @erik_squires recommends: Ethernet Galvanic Isolator which is about the same price as the iFi. The Baaske is $195 on the tech sites but only $45 on the link that bigby offered. Not sure which is better but at $45 I thought I'd give it a shot.

I was kinds wondering about this iFi product though:  Ethernet Noise Filter

I use the IFI LAN iPurifier Pro that you’re wondering about above with my Aurender N150. Also use the IFI Silent Power (additional $70) instead of the supplied USB adaptor. Both help to lower the noise floor and improve staging and imaging. I have not tried it with my N200 yet (the 150 and 200 are in different systems in different locations) but I would expect similar results.

Very Interesting posts. I have a Bricasti M1 SE DAC with network card. Using qobuz and Audirvana. Couldn't be happier. Listen to solely Rock and Roll at 85 to ow 90 db. System: Amp Pass X250.8, pre amp Benchmark LA-4, Project RS2T with LTA LPS A brand new 200 hrs or so on them, A new Special Tekton Encore speaker, Serial # 5 & 6 (175lbs, not including Hernia) with BE tweeters. Flanked by twin SVS SB 4000 subs. System it totally balanced. Decent cabling. You are at the concert!!!!  For the first time in a long time, DESIRE NOTHING ELSE!   Happy New Year   Robert TN

@navyachts the iFi noise filter is very interesting. It converts copper to fiber then back to copper. Galvanic isolation should reduce noise and jitter. Only way to know is to try. You can also upgrade to linear power supply later.
With this iFi LAN purifier you would need a good Ethernet cable for the input though. Keep that in mind.

oh and with the galvanic isolator recommended by @erik_squires and @bigby you need a second Ethernet cable as well. With the iFi $89 gizmo you don’t as it has a connector of its own. Definitely try these though.

@marco1 if you get to try the iFi purifier with N200 please ket us know or message me. Much appreciated. 

@audphile1 will do, but the N200 is at my shore house so soonest I would probably have an opportunity to try will be during the summer.

Cool. Thanks!

Well if the additional cable matters that much to you, get the $2 upgrade here. 

I should point out that one of the most important features for me is the 4kV galvanic isolation which provides best type of Ethernet surge protection.  An important feature when you have 30' or more between your home router and your components.  This is shown by EN60601 compliance, which audiophile isolators may or may not meet.  AFAIK the EverStar is the least expensive option I know of with this compliance.  The other model is by TrippLite at 2x the price.

I guess these galvanic isolators would make my Purist Audio Design CAT7 Ethernet Cable redundant. @audphile1, you in the market for a second one?

@robshaw thanks for chiming in, you should post some pics in your virtual system her on AG. Enjoy your bliss!

@navyachts no but you should be. The galvanic isolators need two cables. You only have one. Or is your thought process that with the galvanic isolator you can use a $3 cable? Lol

@audphile1 no, but I sure wish PAD offered a shorter cable than 1 meter!