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Aurender N20 Music Server Comments and Observations

My Aurender N20 Music Server is installed and working great.  The N20 is supplied WITHOUT hard drives installed. This means hard drives are the customer’s choice. Each of the two rear panel mounting sleds accommodates a 1, 2, 4 or 8TB 2.5-inch SSD or up to 5TB 15mm height 2.5inch HDDs. Since users have different storage requirements, Aurender feels this is the best way to satisfy everyone.  Aurender recommends Samsung EVO (I used Samsung EVO) or QVO series internal SSD drives, and Western Digital or Seagate HDDs.

The SSD Disk installation means you loosen the screws on the back of the unit, pull out the slot, insert the SSD, push in and tighten the screws (top slot is Music1).  After I installed the SSD, I went to the Conductor App, settings, disk information tab to format the SSD (please see instruction links below).   If, for some reason, the format command does not appear, please power down (turn electrical power off) and restart manually.  Restarting takes time since the N20 has UPS circuitry inside.

I checked for software updates on the N20 (there were none) and deleted my old Conductor App and installed a new copy from the App Store on my iPad.

My First impression is it sounds excellent. The music is clearer, the bass is better, has more air and it has more musical details. The overall musical presentation is much improved.  I am listening to jazz now and the SQ is much improved.   I really like it.  

You know the music is great when I am typing my message and music catches my attention and forces me to look up.  This unit is truly outstanding.  I am very impressed. Cranking the volume and this unit is truly amazing. It is much improved over the N10.  The music has more feeling and depth.

I copied my albums from my LaCie external hard drive (backup drive) to the N20 okay.  I also ran the scanner, scan for newly added files, so all my albums appeared okay.  This worked perfectly.  Please note the scan for newly added files takes time to run (watch for messages on your App).   

A miracle!  Next, I restored my music1/backup and all my Qobuz links were returned. This is needed since my main library includes BOTH my stored CD’s and Qobuz links.  Previously, I used the backup my Music1 tab and also copied all my albums to my LaCie external hard drive.  For this step, I restored my settings from Music1/backup file.  This is a required step to ensure all my QoBuz related links were restored.  

In summary, my N20 is breaking in but out of the box, the N20 sounds terrific.   For startup purposes, the N20 displays a six-digit code that must be entered into the Conductor App.   The Aurender N20 Music Server is highly recommended.

Useful Aurender Users Guides and Web Manuals links are below:

https://aurender.zendesk.com/hc/en-us

SSD/HDD Installation Guide

https://aurender.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045605693-SSD-HDD-Installation-Guide


I hope the above is useful.  


 

 

 

 

 

 


hgeifman
garybart
2 posts
 
I just hooked up my Aurender N20 and I’m not sure what the deal is but it doesn’t sound nearly as good as my SimAudio mind 2. It sounds thin and bright and not as much bottom end as I had with mind 2. I’m using a Kimber Kable XLR Silver Streak to connect the Aurender to my Levinson 526 preamp which has a dac. Could it possibly be the cable that I’m using. Also what digital output are you guys using on the N20 to send the signal to your dacs. Any help would be appreciated. 
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,104 posts
 
@garybart,

Did you buy new or used? I have tried my N20 with both AES (Acrolink Cable) and USB (Network Acoustics USB III) and it sounds phenomenal through EMM Labs DA2. Jumping from N10 to N20, the N20 clearly excelled in terms of low frequency extension and slam. The N20 has definite edge in terms of perceived detail compared to N10, which has a laid back presentation. 

Assuming your N20 fully broken-in, I would try different brand of cables. Also there is a ‘Critical Listening Mode’ under Advanced setting menu….I encourage you to use it.
highstream
204 posts
 
In terms of tonality, i.e., “neutral” to some degree of warmth, where does the N20 stand? Someone told me the N10 sounded rather cool and digital on his one listen, but I don’t know how seriously to take that.  Thanks
yyzsantabarbara
4,573 posts
 
I have a question for all the folks with the nice music servers. I have not done this myself because I only have a cheap computer as my ROON Core. Though I hope to test a music server out in the future.

Have you compared the music server with a Fibre Optical based streaming solution? Such as with a Sonore OpticalRendu, or a more direct test, with a Lunim X1 or the new Linn DAC which both have Fibre Optical inputs on the DAC.

My understanding of why you would want to use a audiophile music server for sonic purposes is to eliminate noise getting into a DAC. There is also the ease of use considerations but I am only asking from a sonic perspective.
romney80
150 posts
 

I recently got aurender n20 and currently feeding esoteric k-01xd via usb. Have fiber optic > sotm > English electric 8s > ENO acoustic to aurender n20. I can say without doubt n20 is amazing in all aspects. Before this I had antipodes CX > S30. It was good for sure, but seemed more digital. Don't know how to explain, but I feel aurender n20 to be more natural and organic in addition to being dynamic and resolving. I will try using spdif output to esoteric k-01xd by next week. 
Also waiting for arrival of esoteric g-02x masterclock to be connected to k-01xd and aurender n20. Can't imagine how much more better it can get, when it is already sounding outstanding. 

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