Aurender N150 vs N200

“the Aurender is not a Roon core”
@blisshifi

That, right there is a deal breaker! I won’t bother with off the shelf PC or laptop to run Roon core with Aurender. That kinda defeats the purpose and goes against the very principles Aurender built upon, i.e. to keep the noise floor as low as possible.

@lalitk Well, like I said, they do have some other integrations in the works. I’m not sure what that means but I’m looking forward to them.

Speaking of Roon cores, I will have a Synergistic Research Voodoo streamer/server coming around end of month to compare to the Aurender units I have on my floor. You can be sure to hear from me next month when I have it up and running.

I wont give too much away yet and will start another thread in a few days, but I also received the new Aurender AP20 integrated for my floor. I’ll evaluate in detail, but all I will say for now is “WOW!”. :)

@blisshifi

The AP20 is a great alternative for anyone considering a one box digital front end that does everything exceptionally well. If I ever downsize from my current 5 box digital front end monstrosity or build a 2nd system; the AP20 + MC10 would be my first and last choice.

I have tested quite a few ROON options and came away disappointed. It is my belief, unless you step up to Taiko/Pink Faun level, ROON sound quality remained a step or two behind the Conductor App.

@lalitk Yes, in short if I ever had to close down my dealership and downsize everything, I'd likely sell most of my components and just stick with the AP20. That's how impressed I am with it. But more to come later.

Lackluster Roon core options and implementations are precisely why I've stayed with Aurender, but the Synergistic Research Voodoo server looks promising, and SR claims it will best the Taiko at half the price. Since I'm a dealer for both brands, I'll be evaluating the Voodoo directly against the Aurender N30SA and will be honest about my findings.

“I’ll be evaluating the Voodoo directly against the Aurender N30SA and will be honest about my findings.”
@blisshifi

Looking forward to your review! Just read this off SR website 🤣

“For the highest possible digital audio quality, use one Voodoo unit as the core and another as the bridge, allowing each unit to focus on their respective functions separately. This setup enhances the overall performance by dedicating each server to a specific task within the digital audio playback process.”