Aurender Conductor app reliability and user experience

I've owned a N100H since new about two years ago. I had difficulty at first to get up and running due to old software, but my experinence with customer support was excellent and have had no issues since.

I purchased my Aurender N20 Music Server on September 20th, 2020. I had a couple of user errors that Aurender Customer Support solved and one technical issue and so I entered a remote request service. Aurender was able to fix my issue that required a software upgrade. I recommend the Aurender N20 music server for its excellent sound quality, build quality and an easy-to-use interface that makes finding your music simple. The Aurender Conductor App enables me to quickly find the album I want and play it. Aurender Customer Support has been excellent, especially their remote support request service.

I previously own the Aurender N10 Music Server and had some issues converting my iTunes files to use the format required my my Aurender. The issue was the album cover information was in the wrong format since iTunes does NOT STORE the album cover art within the song folder but "HIDES" it in another encrypted and hidden folder. This means the Aurender setup coming from iTunes requires you to run Doug Scripts to extract the album cover art in your transfer. Unfortunately, I had to determine most of these instructions myself to compete my album transfer including the album cover art (my dealer was NOT very helpful). Aurender Customer Support was very helpful in getting my files transferred to my N10.

I find the Conductor App very easy to use and find the albums to play. I can very easily navigate between my stored CD albums, QoBuz and Internet radio stations. The Aurender N20 Music Server is highly recommended.

10 plus years of Aurender, the Conductor app is still the same. Flawless in its operation and does what it is intended to do…stream your digital bits faithfully to original source without any coloration.

As others have pointed out, step up to N series, like N200 or N20. 

@lalitk +1

Some people have mentioned using Conductor to tag files. Well TBH this should have been done when you ripped your CDs.

However you can always change your tags by using a computer to access your Aurender's HDDs/SSDs via it's IP address.

My CD collection was ripped using an Aurender ACS 10, it did a great job ripping, but it could only tag a few bootlegs and zero Japanese CDs.

This only applies of course if want to show the correct release pics in the Aurender's display.

At least half my CD collection are bootlegs and Japanese issues. There's no tagging program that can do this with accuracy.

The only way I know is to use MP3 Tag to tag the CD then enter it's Discogs ID. Discogs is the greatest resource  to ID music and both MP3 Tag and Discogs are free.

Just an update from my side. I had the opportunity to listen to an N200 renderer+Berkeley alpha series 3 DAC and compare the SQ with an A200. I'm the kind of person that prefers to spend more money on amplifiers and speakers rather than digital components. I was wrong.

The A200 sounded good, better than the Bluesound Node 2i+Topping Dx7 I have at home. The bass is controlled, the trebles sound great, and the instrument separation is good. Then I listed the N200+Alpha series 3 and the SQ improved noticeably. The bass was heavier and more controlled, the reverberations of cymbals were more prolonged, and the piano chords were better separated.

I think I'm going to buy a separate DAC and renderer. Maybe start with the DAC and later add a renderer.