750$ Intel NUC vs $6000 Aurender N200: I don't hear the difference

@jallan, please check my second last post, they were both tidal in the latest test.

@lordmelton It's okay if you don't approve my testing methodology of playing my favourite songs and some audiophile test tracks that I and a friend know in and out and A/B test the two servers. I am not sure how your method is different, plus I would test streaming because I want to listen to streamed music who cares if aurender sounds better on a USB stick if I only listen to Qobuz or Tidal.

Not sure why you are so angsty, did you just drop 10K on an Aurender or something? :)

Just reporting my findings in case somebody is in the same boat as me. My same friend who auditioned with me, is happy with the listening tests we did, because he was seriously considering picking up N200, and now I have saved him $6000.

I will keep an open mind and audition the N20 whenever my dealer has it available (soon he says), or other servers, maybe a 432Evo or Grimm or Fidata. But for now Roon ROCK it is.

@sns That was the first thought me and my friend had. We immediately called up the dealer who said the N200 was in the showroom since July and has had at least 100 hours play time.

@essrand I honestly don't care less what you think about me but you are not giving an honest in depth review. It's just you and your mate who came over on Saturday afternoon and chilled and played some tracks and thought "Hey man this is the same as six grand."

Do you really believe such bargains exist? I don't think so and neither does anyone else.

Anyway carry on in ignorance.

We should better understand this as one was better only in terms of subjective sonic preferences and system synergy. The system and owner ears/preferences wanted more full bodied warmth. His comments clearly said this. In audio, nothing is ever universally better. It often comes down to system and room synergy coupled with subjective sonic preferences. I owned the same Roon server and my Innuos Zen was a clear step upwards sonically. Just so much better to my ears in my system. No right or wrong here. Always best to hear a piece in one’s own system to determine for yourself. Glad the OP did this.

In a system with plenty of warmth and body and an owner looking for more speed, detail and resolution, the other server may have been preferred. Welcome to the wonderful world of subjective tastes and all manner of variables inevitably leading to differing conclusions!

The conclusions found in this one instance have absolutely no bearing on what you would determine with the same two units in your system.

Streaming is not hard. Any modern commercial computing device does it well. Dac is where the big sound differences come in.  It’s been this way for years.

Take for example your common Roku streamer that cost less than $100. Does high res video and sound which is way more challenging than streaming say cd res audio alone. Case closed. You will find good sounding audio streamers at most any price point. Just because historically good quality music sources were expensive vendors leverage that to bring modern products to market. But the value proposition of high price streamers alone is highly questionable IMHO.