Auralic Aries

George, I think what you’re referring to is the quality and number of linear power supplies in the component and the impact on the quality of the signal output (noise on the signal). The N’s have 3 while the Auralic Aries G2 has 2. As you go up the chain in Aurender, you have more linear power supplies with the W20SE utilizing battery power.
However, as you said, “Ultimately the performance depends on the system the component is in.” I completely agree. Even the quality of a USB cable makes a difference…at least in my system…just got my Uber expensive Shunyata today. ;)

@jond 

Yup...still digging it.  It is the source I listen to the most...whether CDs I've ripped or Tidal (sometimes Spotify).  I've got very similar years on mine as you.  Don't want it to die but if it does, will have to try out that G1.

Well I’m reading a lot about the mini and g2 here, not so much RE the original Aries like I just bought. I do find it curious that the mini has provision for adding internal storage whereas the full sized Aries does not. I read on another site that the G1 wasn’t much in the way of a step up in SQ from the original Aries, but of course anyone can write anything on the Internet.

in regards to the noise floor, am I incorrect in my understanding that this becomes a more critical issue as one moves into more highly sensitive speakers?

Oh and for the record... looking at units like the W20SE and Simaudio 650d makes me feel like one of the chimney sweeps from Mary Poppins 😣

I’d like to restate that others have a very different experience with the Auralic Aries G2 series.  My own experience (and in direct A/B comparison with other units from Aurender, Lumin and Simaudio) indicates that it does not have a high noise floor - but a low noise floor.  Feel free to seek out the very thorough review by Hans B on YouTube as he’s far more impartial than most.  If @ghdprentice experienced otherwise, I can only suspect something was wrong with his unit.  It happens. Or, perhaps he/she had more noise coming into the Auralic than it was able to handle.  That too I can easily imagine.  Why?

I have the ENO Network filter and an upgraded network switch.  When I inserted these into the system, the the noise floor dropped  considerably - frankly I was shocked.  Regardless, this indicated that any noise was upstream of the streaming transport - not within it.  I get that part of the reason to go to a unit like this is to avoid needing tweaks.  It doesn’t need the tweaks.  But, it turns out that the best of units reveal the benefits of such efforts whereas lessor units do not.

Lastly, I actually compared the streaming transport function of the G2 against one very well respected unit costing close to $40k.  Was it better? No.  Was it a big difference?  No - surprisingly minor as a matter of fact.  

I mention all of this not to defend a brand I purchased but to remind people that experiences are both subjective and situational.

Well, my Aries arrived today. Was actually kind of a pain in the nuts to get up and running. Phone wouldn’t connect to the unit’s network, then set it up with Ethernet in the other room, brought it into the listening room, settings gone, wash rinse repeat. Scary moment when after finally getting it on the network, I was getting no audio. I thought  maybe  my DAC wasn’t compatible. Tweaking some settings fixed that.

Now that I have it squared away and driving my Black Ice Glass FX DAC... HOLY CRAP! This thing sounds amazing! Night and day difference moving to the Aries from PC/USB connection. What was grainy before is now almost liquid, way more low level detail, rock solid center image, at one point I actually thought the sound was coming from BEHIND me 😄. I really couldn’t be happier; Although, I’m thinking a quality USB cable might be in order. The DH Labs Mirage currently has my attention.