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Music Server Advice

I’m an analog guy moving up the digital path and I’m asking for some help from my AGon colleagues with my next move. I currently use an Intel NUC/Rock to run Roon feeding an Esoteric D-05x. It really sounds good! If this sub $700 NUC sounds this good, I’m keen on discovering what can be had in the $4K to $7K range (New or Used) to replace the NUC/Rock. (I’m not letting go of the D-05x!) I’ve used Roon since its inception but I’ve tried other apps from time to time, most recently the Aurender App as well as Innuos, JRiver, and Audvirana.

Recently owned/auditioned:

Aurender N10 - Loved the sound, hated the App (to be fair I was comparing to Roon)

Innuos Pulse - Lots of detail no soul. Couldn’t listen to very long, fatiguing

Auralic Altair G1 - Mid Fi. traded in for Esoteric/added NUC Rock

Under Consideration:

- Go back to the N10 and get used to their app

- Aurender N200...get used to their app

- Antipodes...

- 432evo

I’m open to suggestions!

Digital: NUC/Rock - Esoteric D-05x - Esoteric F-05 - Wilson Sohia.

Listen to 95% Jazz.

Appreciate all responses in advance!

Ag insider logo xs@2xcommunique1
jaybe
732 posts
 

I can't advise between your options but can comment on the Aurenders. I went from a home-built server with a lot of top-end components to an N10 and the N10 blew the server away.

But the app. It's terrible (others will argue). Aurender is not responsive to improvement requests, from me and many others, including on forums where their US tech maintains a presence- yeah, we'll look into it. But nothing. My comparison is to JRiver. I'm not looking for a JRiver experience from their app, but there are certainly many areas where they could make improvements. Bottom line, however, the app works.

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Ag insider logo xs@2x
communique1 OP
64 posts
 

I agree with you jaybe that the N10 sounds much better than my present setup. However, I do a lot of exploring on Roon to find vinyl releases and it is critical that I keep this function. I'm considering keeping Roon through another pseudo-system and using that for the same "discovery" purpose, exporting the list to Excel and searching/auditioning/listening using the Aurender app. Thx for your reply.

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