1. Home
  2. digital
  3. 198667-225146

Aurender N30SA or Jay's Audio CDT3-MK3

I have the Jay's Audio CDT3-MK3.  I have a lot of CDs but I also have made a lot of recordings from FLAC files bought on Presto and burned to CD-R.

I recently replaced the Philips CD Pro2 with a new one.  Now I notice that my Maxell CD-Rs are noisy in comparison to commercial CDs which are very quiet.

I bought a different brand of CD-R Verbatim and they are quiet like the commercial CDs.  Now I want to replace all the Maxell with the Verbatim and that is a lot of CD-Rs which I burn at 4X so it will take a long time.

So I considered getting an Aurender N30SA to play the FLAC files from the server.  I was hoping the sound quality would equal or be better than what I was getting from my burned CD-Rs played on the Jay's.

I asked AI which would sound better and got the following response (see below for a summary).  I know to be careful accepting what AI has to say and try to do more research to confirm.  What are your thoughts on what AI had to say?

I also found this thread where Brandonhifi likes his Jay's over his Aurender W20SE but he was streaming rather than playing the files from the server  https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/jay-s-audio-cdt3-mk3-wins-over-aurender-w20se/by_member?username=lordmelton  

AI 

So which one “sounds better”?

If the disc is perfect (AZO, Taiyo Yuden, MAM‑A Gold, or a flawless pressed CD):

➡️ Jay’s CDT3‑MK3 will sound more natural, more dimensional, more “live.” It has a drive and immediacy that even the N30SA can’t quite duplicate.

If the disc is average or flawed:

➡️ Aurender N30SA will sound cleaner, quieter, and more stable. It removes all mechanical variables and gives you a blacker background.

If the rip is bit‑perfect and the DAC is excellent:

➡️ N30SA will be more consistent and more neutral.

If you value “musicality,” “drive,” and “presence”:

➡️ CDT3‑MK3 wins with a great disc.

If you value “silence,” “precision,” and “effortlessness”:

➡️ N30SA wins every time.

 

Thanks, Kent

kent10
kent10 OP
8 posts
 

I appreciate your candor and agree with you.  I know the R30 is well respected for its price range but it won't take advantage of the highly resolving N30SA.  I had hoped there wouldn't be such a disparity but I see from a quick search that you are correct.  Kind of depressing but I need to know.  Thanks for your advice.

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
7,877 posts
 

You will get much more out of a DAC with a built in streamer in a $10,000 + category, and run it with jplay for under $50 per year. I am running a Meitner MA3i as roon endpoint as well as jplay. Separate streamer in this case is simply not justified. 

pindac's avatar
pindac
3,884 posts
 

Maybe a SD Card Transport might be the solution to enable the FLAC Files to be used as a very good Source material. 

The differences in user interfaces may be another consideration when deciding on options. 

lordmelton's avatar
lordmelton
1,179 posts
 

@kent10 Oh, forgot to mention that you can also store DVD-A, BLU-RAY Audio and SACD in native .DSF on the Aurender.

If you are getting a new DAC get one with an I2s input.

kent10 OP
8 posts
 

Thanks lordmelton.  I am really thinking a lot about all of this.  I only quickly looked at possible DACs and the I2S is one connection I checked because I use it on the Jay's.  However, I have also considered selling the Jay's if all goes well with something else I purchase though I probably wouldn't get a lot for it and I might still enjoy using it.  Difficult to know and a lot to think about.

I wonder if there is a DAC that would take advantage of the N30SA without costing a fortune.  Holo May or Terminator Plus?  Have to do a lot more research.

I am really attracted to Aurender's Conductor app to keep track of all of my files but I don't know much about what else is out there except Roon.  

Thanks again everyone.  So much to consider to do it right.

More to discover