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Aurender N20 or A15

After many loops through the Aurender product selector, and paying attention to what I am willing to spend, I have landed at a likely choice between the N20 or A15.  For any who've had the chance to listen to these two critically with the same external DAC, can you ascribe any difference in sound quality?  

While I can certainly see that the N20 is a more flexible component in terms of digital connectivity, and has some additional hardware refinement, maybe the A15 is very very (i.e nearly indistinguishably) close to the same sound quality?  I realize I might or might not choose to use it's onboard DAC (my current DAC is the DA2 module installed in my C2700 preamp) depending on how it sounds, and indeed the DAC might be "wasted", but there is no N15...

Thanks for any first-hand advice,

 

Mark

mhwilliford
mhwilliford OP
30 posts
 

Thanks everyone.  I think I am going to buy an N200 and connect it to the DA2 via coax for the short term, and audition more DACs (PSA DSD MkII, T&A DAC 200, Aqua) in the longer term.  Should I later find that the DAC has now exceeded the source then I will look at trading-up to the N20.  The digital playback realm is a microcosm of our insane hobby is it not?

lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,436 posts
 

@mhwilliford 

I agree, N200 makes a wise investment if you plan on auditioning high quality DAC’s. Also try DAC’s with VC so you can A/B with and without C2700 in your system.  Good luck! 

marco1's avatar
marco1
518 posts
 

The N200 is a great unit.  Even though its worthy of more I'm sure it will sound fine with the Mac DAC.  Plus I don't think you could have found a better reason to spend even more money, lol.

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,803 posts
 

I love my N200.   Aurender did a recent firmware that added even more virtual stations via "V-Tuner"    They are constantly refining them through software,  their support is excellent overall.   

 

mhwilliford OP
30 posts
 

Thanks @oddiofyl I don't mean to start a discussion of Roon vs Conductor, but there are some simple things about Conductor that I am looking forward to - namely rock-solid stability and paused tracks fading out and then back in when un-paused.

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