Aurender N150 vs N200

@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!”. :)

@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.

Luckily I will have two. :) I’ll evaluate it on its own and will compare experiences to the two box approach. 

@saulh I am an authorized Aurender dealer and was just on another thread where the OP was contemplating between an Aurender N150 and N200. Given his current components, I provided guidance for him to start with the N150.

Given your current components, the N200 is a more fitting streamer. The N150 is a very admirable entry level streamer and a higher performer than many other competitors at its price point (Lumin, Innuos). The N200 however has a significantly better linear power supply and clocking architecture that will result in a wider, deeper and more holographic soundstage with a lower noise floor. The image will snap as well more due to its improved timing. And the best part is, you have great taste in components and speakers that are resolving enough to take advantage of the performance gains evident in the N200.

@vthokie83 The N10 is sonically very close to the N200, with the N200 being a bit more detailed. The challenge with the N10 is that it is quite a dated unit, and at this point Aurender is not supporting it with upgrades anymore. It is on a completely different chipset vs the new generation (ARM vs Intel), so it is difficult to manage both architectures. As of a few months ago, Roon became certified on Aurender, so now Aurender units can act as a Roon endpoint. This is a feature that is not available on the N10, and I am aware that Aurender has additional third party integrations in the works.

Also, I mention it in other threads, but to make sure I communicate openly, Aurender has a non-transferable warranty. This means if you buy used and experience issues, you will likely be paying for service and repair. For most electronics and speakers, I love the used market. For Aurender, I find the warranty to be worth it. It is a sophisticated computer, and who hasn’t had an issue with their computer at some point?

For the most part Aurender is very stable, but I’ve had a few customers that are very glad they bought it new.

@vthokie83 Yes, opinion is split on which is better, N200 and N10, depending on the priorities (resolution vs tonal density, etc). Unfortunately, I don’t know what is in the works in terms of third party apps, and if I did, I probably wouldn’t be allowed to share it. 

@lalitk Yes, the Aurender is not a Roon core, so at this time another box is still required to run as a core. But you should already be able to go to your Aurender app and enable Roon under Streaming settings. 

@ghdprentice Thanks! I got a bit busy with life for a while and haven’t been on the forums much in the last quarter, but in trying to get myself back regularly once again. :)