Aurender A30

Mike

Mike

Audioshark
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Apr 2, 2013
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Location
Sarasota, FL
I decided to get the Aurender A30 for the store. This is a superb “all-in-one” digital hub that I’ve had my eye on since I first got to demo it in April.

Many of my clients as asking for something that has a CD ripper built in, streams, etc. A one box solution if you will.

The Aurender A30 has:

- A GORGEOUS full color screen
- A superb DAC in it (AKM’s latest chipset at the time - 4497). It has a CD ripper.
- It has 10TB of storage.
- It has a slew of digital inputs (for connecting say a CD Transport).
- It has two USB inputs for additional storage.
- It has network connectivity and
- It has a USB Digital Output (dedicated for audio), so if you want to use an external DAC, you can. This last bit, is key.

How good is the USB digital output on the A30? “Better than the N10 and very close to the W20SE”, according to Aurender. Although the W20SE has some other bells and whistles to keep it as Aurender’s Premier computer audio transport. But the A30 comes close and has a ripper, more storage and a DAC.

The reviews and rewards for the A30 are piling in. Check it out.

49dd0bc714895d0c71dbf82c9ea49797.jpg
 
Mike said:
- It has a USB Digital Output (dedicated for audio), so if you want to use an external DAC, you can. This last bit, is key.
Click to expand...

so would you say actually it needs an external dac to really shine?
btw a beautiful and very interesting machine. well i think it would be interesting as a one box solution.
 
u-sound said:
so would you say actually it needs an external dac to really shine?
btw a beautiful and very interesting machine. well i think it would be interesting as a one box solution.
Click to expand...

No, it has a dual mono AKM4497 chipset which is used in some very expensive stand alone DAC’s today.

The USB Output is for the person who says “but one day, what if I want to try another DAC?” You’re not “stuck” with the DAC in it. It’s a superb DAC chipset today, but in 5 years, the user may want to try another DAC and they can keep the ripper/streamer part. Very flexible.


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thx.
just wondering how much more expensive it would be to equal same sq with seperate units, cables, racks etc
 
u-sound said:
thx.
just wondering how much more expensive it would be to equal same sq with seperate units, cables, racks etc
Click to expand...

The issue for my clients, many seek out a ripping solution with the true “one box solution.”


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The sound is shockingly good and the ripping is awesome. Aurender A30 has its own app.


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Mike, if possible, can you tell, how the sound compares with lumin x1, luxman-d08u, esoteric k-01x?. Is that close to these levels?
Thanks.
 
myjazz123 said:
Mike, if possible, can you tell, how the sound compares with lumin x1, luxman-d08u, esoteric k-01x?. Is that close to these levels?
Thanks.
Click to expand...

To my ears, it far surpasses the Esoteric K-01x. I keep thinking to myself, “it’s the same chip, but such a better sound.” It has the Aurender “fullness” and “smoothness” characteristics, without any loss of detail. The Luxman D-08u is still, to my ears, very very analog like. Too bad it’s now retired. It truly could trick someone into thinking you were playing vinyl. The Lumin X1 is also, a champion and worthy of all the accolades. It has the toe tapping musicality one has come to expect Lumin while having incredible instrument separation.

The A30’s huge screen, ripping capabilities, storage, etc. are just added bonuses to a phenomenal sounding piece, with loads of flexibility due to its digital inputs and outputs.

Boy, are we in the golden age of digital or what?


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Mike said:
To my ears, it far surpasses the Esoteric K-01x. I keep thinking to myself, “it’s the same chip, but such a better sound.” It has the Aurender “fullness” and “smoothness” characteristics, without any loss of detail. The Luxman D-08u is still, to my ears, very very analog like. Too bad it’s now retired. It truly could trick someone into thinking you were playing vinyl. The Lumin X1 is also, a champion and worthy of all the accolades. It has the toe tapping musicality one has come to expect Lumin while having incredible instrument separation.

The A30’s huge screen, ripping capabilities, storage, etc. are just added bonuses to a phenomenal sounding piece, with loads of flexibility due to its digital inputs and outputs.

Boy, are we in the golden age of digital or what?


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Click to expand...

Digital, what’s that? The numbers on your wrist [emoji2957]


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Mike said:
To my ears, it far surpasses the Esoteric K-01x. I keep thinking to myself, “it’s the same chip, but such a better sound.” It has the Aurender “fullness” and “smoothness” characteristics, without any loss of detail. The Luxman D-08u is still, to my ears, very very analog like. Too bad it’s now retired. It truly could trick someone into thinking you were playing vinyl. The Lumin X1 is also, a champion and worthy of all the accolades. It has the toe tapping musicality one has come to expect Lumin while having incredible instrument separation.

The A30’s huge screen, ripping capabilities, storage, etc. are just added bonuses to a phenomenal sounding piece, with loads of flexibility due to its digital inputs and outputs.

Boy, are we in the golden age of digital or what?


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Click to expand...

Would be interesting to hear about how the Aqua Formula XHD figures in this lineup.
 
Nice looking and sounding piece. I saw it at AXPONA last year and at Mike’s store yesterday. It is a well thought out solution to rip, store and play music. Furthermore, it really simplifies setting up and using a digital music solution for those that are not tech savvy.
 
7b1272b048cf4f8af112726dacc71163.jpg


The screen on this A30 is just beautiful.


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Mike said:
To my ears, it far surpasses the Esoteric K-01x. I keep thinking to myself, “it’s the same chip, but such a better sound.” It has the Aurender “fullness” and “smoothness” characteristics, without any loss of detail. The Luxman D-08u is still, to my ears, very very analog like. Too bad it’s now retired. It truly could trick someone into thinking you were playing vinyl. The Lumin X1 is also, a champion and worthy of all the accolades. It has the toe tapping musicality one has come to expect Lumin while having incredible instrument separation.

The A30’s huge screen, ripping capabilities, storage, etc. are just added bonuses to a phenomenal sounding piece, with loads of flexibility due to its digital inputs and outputs.

Boy, are we in the golden age of digital or what?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Actually, I believe the A30 uses the same chip as Esoteric's newer K1/K-01Xs/K-03Xs.
Also, Mike, any word on the US availability on the recently announced (at least in Asia) Luxman D-08u's replacement, the D-10X?
 
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