HifiVoice

Ayre AX-5 Twenty Review by Marc Heijligers, 11-08-2024 A wish fulfilled Since childhood, music and audio have always been among my greatest interests. I owned a CD player since 1984, just two years after its introduction, at prices that were just affordable for a high school student. Over time, I gradually upgraded my speakers and amplifiers. In 1992-1993, I acquired an Audio Innovations Classic 25 Tube amplifier, which underwent numerous modifications, paired with an Audio Note E (DIY) loudspeaker, this setup brought quite some musical enjoyment. In 2003, I embarked on a new DIY speaker project with some friends, to address the shortcomings of the Audio Note E speaker (congested with complex music, coloration). A new amplifier was needed because the new speakers had an efficiency of 85dB/W, compared to the 92dB/W of the Audio Note, and the impedance curve had more dips and peaks. This was too challenging for a ~10W triode-mode tube amp. I appreciated the rich sound of zero-feedback tube equipment and was drawn to Ayre's design philosophy, which promotes zero-feedback balanced circuitry. By 2005, I owned a CX-7 and AX-7, later upgraded to the Evolution (and eMP) versions. I was always amazed at how effortlessly the AX-7 drove the speakers, giving the impression it had much more power than its specified 60 Watts (@ 8 Ω). The treble attack was somewhat muted and the bass was less tight compared to other amps (a topic I discussed at length with Charles Hansen from Ayre). In 2022, I had the opportunity to buy an EX-8 Full demo amp at a good price. Comparing it to the AX-7 revealed a larger soundstage, more accurate projection, fuller bass, and brighter treble. Overall, the EX-8 offered more authority, dynamics, and control. While the AX-7 had a slightly nasal and polite sound, it also had a certain "magic”. However, the benefits of the EX-8 outweighed these aspects, so I acquired it and later upgraded to the EX-8 2.0. A few weeks ago, I saw a second-hand AX-5 Twenty for sale for a fair price. This amplifier, with its Variable Gain Transconductance, had always intrigued me and was high on my hypothetical wish list since it appeared in 2012. The seller was willing to demo the amplifier at my house, allowing me to audition it in my own environment. It took only a few seconds of listening to decide that I wanted to buy it. Let me explain why. System Description My current system consists of an Aurender N200 streamer, an Ayre QB-9 Twenty DAC, and the AX-5 Twenty (latest model with all the latests tweaks). The speakers are DIY speakers, with a pretty flat frequency response (based on an-echoic measurements) and aligned phase response (hence the group delay of the units is the same, and all frequencies arrive at the same time to the listener, contributing to an holographic image). Impedance is amplifier friendly, never going below 5Ω. First impressions In May 2024, shortly after acquiring the AX-5, I had the opportunity to audition the AX-5 Twenty more extensively and with a wider variety of music, along with a friend. In summary, this is the most organic, realistic, and lively amplifier I have ever heard. Its precision, articulation, texture and neutrality are amazing. This amplifier immerses you in the music, regardless of genre, recording quality, or volume. It consistently provides a strong “being there” experience that captivates and inspires. When you are interested in an extensive decomposition of my experiences, read on. Every topic stands on its own, so arguments may be repeated. Tonal balance (timbre) The AX-5 Twenty has a timbre that feels authentic and natural. It maintains harmonic control and balance across bass, mid, and treble under all conditions. There is energy in every region, and no particular range stands out unnaturally as with many other amplifiers. There is no electronic haze, no exaggerated details, and no masking of details, resulting in a feeling of ultimate naturalness. This allows you to forget you are listening to electronic equipment and become fully absorbed and emotionally connected to the music. The amp does not exaggerate anomalies in certain frequency components of a recording; instead. This ensures the amp performs well even with less-than-ideal recordings. Bass (16-125 Hz) The amplifier sounds majestic, with a lot of grandeur, solid and powerful. The pace and rhythm are excellent, making the bass coherent with the rest of the frequency range and sufficiently dampened. Off Topic: There are many stories online about the higher output impedance of zero-feedback amplifiers resulting in less controlled bass. The effect of the 0,15Ω output impedance of the AX-5 is less than 10%, and will not be audible. See appendix 2 if you want more insights in this topic. Fundament (125-500 Hz) & Midrange (500-2000 Hz) The amplifier ensures that each instrument's and voice's fundamental and harmonic components are well-integrated, resulting in a coherent sound that is both full-bodied, and lifelike, avoiding an overly warm and mellow sound. It is a rich sound, which at the same time is not coloured at all. Presence (2000-4000 Hz) This is the region defining the articulation of voices and attacking energy of cymbals. Excessive emphasis in this range can result in harsh and fatiguing sound, while insufficient presence makes the music sound dull and muted. The AX-5 Twenty delivers ample energy in this specific segment without becoming overpowering. This significantly enhances the realism of voices and instruments, without inducing listener fatigue. Treble (4000-20000+ Hz) The treble is powerful yet refined, allowing instruments like for instance harpsichords to stand out subtly in a baroque orchestra, akin to real-life performances. It avoids sounding harsh, metallic, or overly magnified, which may initially impress but eventually becomes tiring. The treble is far from muted; recordings with significant sibilance on female voices sound fierce and clear without being rounded off. Dynamic range, Grip (scale) This amplifier operates without limits, effortlessly delivering without any compression or congestion. This capability remains consistent across all volume levels, showcasing the amp's absolute control. With energy consistently distributed across the whole frequency range, it maintains a balanced contrast between loud and quiet passages, allowing each to develop and decay naturally in the soundstage. An implicit indicator of its correct dynamic performance over the whole range, is its ability to facilitate conversation without requiring a reduction in volume, akin to the experience of live acoustic music. Attack & Decay (temporal development) The speed at which the amp can accelerate is very impressive. Such attack emerges from complete silence. Sound also decays into a black background without compromising brightness and details (it’s not disappearing and loosing details as with some mellow sounding amplifiers). What's particularly striking is the precision of the harmonic development. When for instance a string is plucked, the journey begins with the energetic release of the string, resonating from its fundamental area. This initial pluck sets the wooden front plate and the surrounding air into motion, resulting in a rich harmonic palette where the subtle nuances of the snare and wooden cabinet resonate alongside the primary tone. It can transition between notes with astonishing fluidity, capturing the dynamic nuances of the music with precision. Details, Texture, Resolution, “micro-dynamics” (fine details) What sets this amplifier apart is its exceptional ability to seamlessly integrate timbre, scale, dynamic development, and details throughout playback. Unlike many amplifiers that tend to exaggerate details, resulting in a constant haze that can become irritating over time, this amplifier maintains a perfect balance. This coherence is what truly brings the performance to life, making it feel realistic and deeply engaging, and drawing you into the music. Sound stage (sense of space, 3D) The AX-5 creates a deep and expansive holographic soundstage, characterised by air around the sound sources and multiple layers where the musical setting takes place, all while maintaining excellent imaging and separation. There are amplifiers that may project a deeper image, this is often achieved at the expense of an excess in the treble region. Upon careful listening, one may notice that the decay of sound in the depth of such amplifiers is limited to the upper frequency ranges, rather than the full frequency range. In contrast, the sense of space rendered by the AX-5 is impeccable, offering a balanced and natural representation of the music's spatial dimensions. Imaging & separation (pin-pointing) The AX-5 exhibits excellent pinpointing capabilities, ensuring that sources within the soundstage maintain a stable position and are accurately sized and delineated. Even in complex pieces, there is no tendency for the sound to smear or blur, allowing for precise localisation and separation of individual elements within the music. Long-term impressions After spending some months with this amplifier, my impressions remain unchanged. With every listening session, I continue to be amazed by the exceptional sound quality it delivers. Many friends, who now have also experienced the amp, share my sentiments—they've all been genuinely impressed. Conclusion Overall, each note is delivered with precision and clarity, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the music, and to find yourself on the edge of your seat, exploring the different elements of the performance and uncovering the wide range of emotions and nuances that the artists are trying to convey. It's a reminder that there's so much more to music than just rhythm and melody; it's about emotion, expression, and the profound connection between the listener and the music. Appendix 1: Comparison to the EX-8 2.0 The AX-5 Twenty outperforms in every aspect. It delivers a more organic sound, extracting richer textures without becoming “electronic”, while maintaining greater control, weight, and grandeur. The AX-5 excels in integrating timbre, dynamic development, and transparency, offering a beautifully cohesive experience. Vocals, violins, and pianos are articulated with a natural continuity, energetic drive, and harmonic richness that feels just right. While both amplifiers ramp up sound effectively, the AX-5’s attack is more precise, emerging from complete silence and decaying with grace. In contrast, the EX-8’s decay lacks the same depth, with a less black background. The AX-5 also creates a deeper and broader soundstage with more layers, enhancing imaging and separation without compromise. It feels like it has a proper cross-feed. With challenging music, I often find myself lowering the volume on the EX-8, but with the AX-5, I can comfortably increase it, even with demanding tracks. Both amplifiers provide a lush and warm midrange, but the AX-5 truly captivates with sources like voices due to its harmonic structure and timing of harmonics. Does this make the EX-8 2.0 a disappointing amplifier? Not at all. It is a very good amplifier, the best I know for its price! I’ve compared it to many alternatives up to and above its price range, and it always came out as the best amplifier. It reminds me of a previous experience that stands out in my mind; a visit to Peter van de Willenswaard with Guido Tent, around 1998. The reason for our visit was to listen to an Audio Note Ongaku amplifier that Peter had for service at his company, AudioMagic. At that time, the Ongaku was a €100,000 amplifier with a strong design philosophy regarding circuits and components. When we arrived, Peter’s push-pull pentode amplifier (a modified Philips HF309) was playing Stravinsky's "Sacre du Printemps”, on a pair of Audio Note E speakers. The sound was marvellous, captivating, and I was wondering “what could ever be improved”? When we played the same music through the Ongaku, a whole new world opened up. Compared to the previous setup, the sound was so “organic” and reached your soul so much deeper that it was almost a spiritual experience. Upfront, Guido warned me that after this session I wouldn't be able to listen to my own setup for weeks, and he was right. This is exactly the experience I had with the AX-5 Twenty versus the EX-8 2.0. The latter is very good (best at its price range), but the AX-5 Twenty is a point of no return (but at more than twice the price). Appendix 2: Terminology & Tech Frequency range The following table can serve as help for the terminology I use to describe certain frequency ranges Output impedance There are many stories online about the higher output impedance of zero-feedback amplifiers resulting in less controlled bass. The measured output impedance of the AX-5 Twenty is about 0.15Ω in the audible frequency range. Passive filtered loudspeakers typically have an inductor in series with the woofer; in my case, it's 4.7mH. At 35/50/100Hz, this inductor causes the woofer to see a series resistance of 0.75/1.5/3 Ω to the amplifier, in addition to the output impedance of the amp. This 0.15Ω output impedance has a 20/10/5% effect on the damping factor. I consider those values to be inaudible. For the novice: see below the relationship between the speaker enclosure QTC (an indication of dampening), and the total series resistance that a woofer sees (amp + wiring + filter choke). It show that a series resistance of 5Ω even doesn’t bring a speaker with QTC=0,5 (in my case) to a speaker with QTC=0,7 (also ignoring room reflections disrupting the impulse response even more) So the 0,15Ω output resistance of the AX-5 is completely negligible. Appendix 3: Music Auditioned In the initial session, we have listened to the following tracks to review the amplifier (and enjoy the evening and music): Jordi Savall - Couperin: Le concert Royaux; Track 4: No. 1 - IV. Gavotte. Notes égales et coulées AliaVox AV 9840 Susanne Abbuehl; The Gift; Track 3: If Bees Are Few ECM 2322 Lukas Geniušas - Rachmaninov: Piano Sonata No. 1 & Preludes Op. 32 Track 1: Rachmaninov: I. Allegro moderato Alpha 997 Michael Wollny - Nachtfahrten Track 14: Nachtfahrten ACT 9592-2 Pink Floyd - The Wall CD2, Track 2: Is There Anybody Out There EMI CDS 746036 8 Teodor Currentzis - Mahler: Symphony No. 6 Track 1: I. Allegro energico, ma non troppo Sony G010003865622Q Reinhard Goebel - Heinichen: Dresden Concerti CD 1, Track 1-2: Concerto In F, S 234 Archiv 437 549-2 Sera Una Noche - Sera Una Noche Track 6: Nublando M•A recordings M052A Sera una Noche - Otra Noche Track 5: Golondrinas M•A recordings M092A Valery Gergiev - Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Track 13: Act 2: Character Dances: Russian Dance Track 14: Act 2: Character Dances: Dance Of The Reed Pipes Philips 462 114-2 Teodor Currentzis - Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 Track 4: IV. Finale. Adagio lamentoso Sony 88985404352 Angus & Julia Stone - Down The Way Track 11: Draw Your Swords Discograph 3241882 The Hot Sardines - Live At Joe's Pub Track 8: St. James Infirmary (Live) Hot Sardines 888295004237 Youn Sun Nah - Same Girl CD2, Track 1-3: Bitter Ballad, Avec le Temps, Peace ACT 9024-2 Tord Gustavsen - The Ground Track 5: Colours of Mercy ECM 1892 Miles Davis - Kind of Blue (remaster) Track 3: Blue in Green Sony 01-064935-10 Chet Baker - Chet Track 1: Alone Together Analogue Productions CAPJ 016 Schuppanzigh Quartet - Ries: String Quartets Vol. 1 Track 5: WoO 10 - I. Allegro molto moderato CPO 777014-2 Ella van Poucke; Caspar Vos - Rachmaninoff: Sonata for Cello and Piano Op. 19 Track 1: Sonata for Cello and Piano Op. 19: I. Lento - Allegro moderato Challenge Classics CC 72930 Dudok Quartet Amsterdam - Solitude: Mendelssohn, Weinberg & Shostakovich Mendelssohn Track 2: Mendelssohn: String Quartet in F Minor, Op. 80: II. Allegro assai Resonus RES10215 Kronos Quartet - Tan Dun: Ghost Opera Track 4: Act 4: Metal & Stone Nonesuch 7559-79445-2 La Real Cámara - Boccherini: String Trios Op.14 Track 1: Boccherini: String Trio in F Major, Op. 14, No. 1, G. 95: I. Allegro Glossa GCD 920308 Reinbert de Leeuw - Gubaidulina: Jetzt immer Schnee Track 3: Perception - Wir Philips 442 531-2 David Zinman - Rimsky-Korsakov: Great Orchestral Works CD1, Track 12: Tale Of Tsar Saltan - Tsar's Farewell & Departure Philips 442605-2 Philips - Compact Disc - Pure, perfect sound forever Various Tracks Philips 810 027-2 (this CD was in the box of the first generation of Philips CD players) Audio Physics - Sampler Track 2: Dean Peer - Mars Turtle Records TRSAS01 Timothy Seelig - Rutter: Requiem; Five Anthems Track 11: Rutter: Requiem - Lux Aeterna Reference Recordings RR-57 Eiji Oue - Mephisto Track 8: Saint-Saëns: Danse Macabre Reference Recordings RR-82CD Melanie De Biasio - No Deal Track 7: With All My Love PIAS Le Label 962.A023.022

I have no experience with the N20. From what I hear is that USB-wise they should be similar, if you use coax the N20 has a better clock system, which seems to outperform the N200. But this will also depend on the DAC you use. Bruno Putzeys tells me that the Mola Mola Tambaqui is pretty insensitive to sources, as it has a decent re-clock strategy. In that case the N100H should also be fine. During my own search, I found the following comparisons: The N20 runs very hot source: https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/aurender-n20-music-server-comments-and-observations/post?highlight=aurender%2Bn20%2Bn200&postid=2278851#2278851 N20 is especially interesting of you use the coax/AES-EBU outputs. For USB, the N200 would be equally good. source: https://forum.audiogon.com/posts/2453104 N20 twice as good as a N200 source: https://www.audioshark.org/threads/aurender-n20-vs-n200-usb-output.20968/ N200 is an 80% N20 source: https://www.audioshark.org/threads/new-aurender-n150-and-n200.20469/ The only way to find out, is to try.

If would call the N100H a bit more "diffused" instead of warm. The N200 projects a bit more precise, with more texture to it, but keeping the nice dark background intact. I did write more about my experiences here:

I would say, thx to Aurender for the quick support.

W.r.t. the update, for me the queue is OK, I also see all albums in the album view. What I do see, is that the album art and the artists disappeared in the "last 2000" for the albums that are local on the Aurender. The Qobuz albums are OK. I have a N200.

I see that all feature requests submitted to the beta test Aurender site have been removed? What would be the reason for that?

ROON support for more devices now: “we are pleased to announce that Roon Ready mode will now be a free upgrade for all Intel-based “N-Series” (N200, N20, N30SA) and “ACS-Series” (ACS100, ACS10) models” https://aurender.com/roon_ready/

Just curious; what do you have in mind as replacement?

I have the same experience, in some setups it gives a positive effect (e.g. N100H-QB9 Twenty), on some no effect (e.g. N200-QB9 Twenty), and in other setups a negative effect (e.g. customised PC-DIY DAC). So it depends a lot on your setup. Luckily the expenses are reasonable (especially 2nd handed), so you can always give it a try, and re-sell it when it doesn't work for you.

I am the one who made the claim that the differences are "not enormous", and when you leave the room and someone arbitrarily switches between ROON and Aurender, you will have a hard time guessing without dedicated source material. With such statement I don't say the difference is not relevant, I agree to your statement that the accumulation of many improvements can be significant. Hence, for serious listening of good source material I'll select the Conductor trajectory. But listening to the same material via ROON is still a very enjoyable and nice experience.

What to me is important, is that the black dark backgrounds is maintained, as this is one of the strong indicators of the absence of "digital noise" (e.g. jitter, PSU influences, DSP artefacts).

Then let me then add some other comparisons I did. N200 verus N100 Introduction I'm testing to see if there's a big difference in sound quality between the Aurender N200 and the N100H. System Overview Here's how I've got my Aurenders set up, as shown in the picture below. They're hooked up to an AirPort Express WiFi point so I can control them and stream Qobuz. Then, they're plugged into the USB input of my Ayre QB-9 Twenty DAC. Aurender N200 vs N100H Switching between the two devices is as simple as unplugging and plugging the USB and Ethernet cables, and then selecting the device again in Conductor. The N200 delivers a bigger spatial projection, more openness with enhanced resolution and refined treble, while also adding texture without compromising the nice black background of the N100H. While the N100H focuses mainly on the black background, the N200 takes it up a notch, providing more definition and texture while keeping that serene vibe intact. Adding a JitterBug Adding an AudioQuest Jitterbug to the N100H-QB9 interface does wonders for the N100H. It elevates the refined treble aspect to almost the same level as the N200 and also enhances the spatial projection a bit. I'd definitely recommend the Jitterbug for this particular combination. Adding a Jitterbug to the N200-QB9 connection doesn't seem to have any noticeable effect on the sound. N200 optimisations Introduction I'm running this test to figure out which items or settings can help me get the best sound quality out of my Aurender N200 in my setup. System Overview Here's how my Aurender is set up, as you can see in the picture below. It's hooked up to an AirPort Express WiFi point for control and Qobuz streaming, and it's connected to the USB input of my Ayre QB-9 Twenty DAC. Jitterbug The AudioQuest Jitterbug is designed to filter out frequencies above the USB2 port bandwidth, getting rid of unnecessary noise. While it had a positive effect with the N100H setup, in this configuration, there's no noticeable difference in sound. Aurender Conductor - Critical Listening Mode In Conductor, there's a setting called "critical listening mode" that disables as many processes as possible, including the display, for an optimal listening experience. Enabling this function results in a "deeper black background," more serenity, and a grander sound. It also eliminates any lingering "digital haze." Aurender Conductor - DSD vs. PCM The new (2024) Sera Una Noche from the MA Recordings label is now available in native DSD128 format. I've also converted it into traditional 44.1kHz PCM using a tool called XLD. The DSD version offers a deeper and wider soundstage, with improved pinpointing and separation of sound sources. Plus, it adds more tranquility to the listening experience. We're not entirely sure what the main contributor is, but it's possible that the ESS DAC chips in the Ayre QB-9 respond better to the DSD format, resulting in superior conversion. The fact that even up-conversion of PCM streams to DSD with ROON yields better results is a strong indication in this direction. Aurender - local file vs Qobuz streaming With the Aurender Conductor, you can stream audio from services like Spotify, Tidal, and Qobuz, although I've had the best experience with Qobuz. The Aurender always caches local files to an internal SSD and plays from there. Qobuz streams are buffered in memory (due to legal restrictions preventing storage on a local HD) and played from there. Aurender claims that SSD playback sounds better. While I haven't listened very carefully and in-depth, at first glance, I couldn't detect any differences when playing the same tracks via both paths. Although there might be audible differences after more thorough investigation, they seem so small to me that I consider them hardly relevant. Conclusion In conclusion, for maximum sound quality: Aim to acquire DSD sources for playback. Consider enabling critical listening mode. Addendum The XLD conversion has been done with the following (default) settings

I found out I have the same problem when the Aurender is in Critical Listening mode. I also need to restart the Aurender to get it back alive. Disabling critical listening mode is also enough.

Although I'm not comparing a N20 here, but an N200, it may give an impression. Introduction I've conducted this test to determine if there's a notable difference in sound quality between the Aurender N200 when playing local files via its Conductor software versus streaming music with ROON. It's important to note that these tests are being conducted with beta software, so there's a possibility that things may change over time. System Overview ROON operates with a separation between the server and the client. The server handles the music database and processes the music into a stream for one of the clients. In my setup, the ROON server runs on an iMac Intel i9 from 2019, which appears to have ample processing power to handle any options I select. The Mac is connected via Thunderbolt to a docking station, which is then connected via Ethernet to an AirPort Express (enabling WiFi in my study room), and finally, a long 12m cable connects to the main cable modem router in our house. The cable modem also functions as the WiFi point for the ground floor of the house. The cable modem streams to a small AirPort Express via WiFi. The AirPort Express serves the sole purpose of creating an Ethernet point for my HiFi devices, specifically the Aurender in this case. Despite the long and complex interconnectivity involved, the system runs incredibly stable at all audio speeds. Aurender Conductor versus Aurender ROON When comparing the same music played locally from the SSD versus via ROON, there's a noticeable difference. The music streamed via ROON sounds "flatter" and has less openness, air, and space. Playing the same file directly from the Aurender HD is smoother, with more micro dynamics, timbre, and intonation. For example, a hobo piece (like Couperin, Savall) has more "tube" and reed texture with the Aurender, allowing for greater space for intonation and decay. Using ROON with the Aurender doesn't mean the sound quality is bad by any means; it still sounds spacious and holographic. However, with ROON, the members of an orchestra seem to sit closer together. With the Aurender direct, the soundstage expands, providing the orchestra with more width and depth, including the reverberations from the hall. It's like listening to the orchestra perform in a hall where you can also hear the side walls of the venue. Aurender ROON versus Ayre EX-8 2.0 ROON As a sanity check, I listened to the Ayre EX-8 2.0 as a ROON end-point. The differences compared to using Conductor are similar, but even more pronounced. The EX-8 conversion sounds slightly more "oppressive" on top. In contrast, using ROON via the N200 and QB-9 setup sounds noticeably better. This is probably because the QB-9 has some additional re-clocking compared to the EX-8, which for the rest has essentially the same circuitry. Aurender ROON - sample rate conversion At the ROON server, there's an option to perform sample rate conversions. One of these options is to convert PCM files to DSD streams, which are then transferred. The Aurender passes this DSD signal to the Ayre QB-9. The differences are quite audible; there's more tranquility and authority in the sound. While it still doesn't quite match the native playback from the Aurender, it comes closer with the DSD conversion. There are more settings that can be adjusted for sample rate conversion and sigma-delta modulation, and I haven't tried them yet. It might be worth experimenting with them to see if any further improvements can be made. ROON retrospective Reflecting on ROON, even though Aurender Conductor with local file playback offers the best sound quality, there are three main reasons why I still find ROON valuable: Encyclopaedic interface; ROON simply provides a fantastic interface for exploring music, offering all sorts of background information. If you're interested in a specific drummer, for example, you can easily find all the records where they've played. However, it's not flawless; sometimes it struggles to recognize, find, or organize albums properly. So that’s why I categorise my music using Apple Music (aka iTunes) on my main computer, and copy this to the Aurender. Database; ROON is directly connected to my main music database on my computer, ensuring it's always up-to-date. If I haven't yet copied files to my Aurender, they are still accessible via ROON. While there are alternative methods, such as using a NAS, they introduce additional devices that require maintenance, updates, and management. Equalizer; My main point; ROON offers DSP capabilities, including an equalizer. In my listening room, where I have a high peak (+10dB) around 30Hz, ROON allows me to correct this peak. This is especially helpful for busy music with low-energy information, as filtering out excessive low-frequency rumbling can greatly improve the listening experience, and for that type of music is always a better trade-off. Conclusions Although there are noticeable differences in sound quality between local playback and ROON playback, I wouldn't describe them as enormous. If you were to leave the room for a few minutes and people switched between the two, you might find it difficult to tell what's playing when you return. The most significant difference lies in the excellent control and the deep black background with native playback from the Aurender. To fully appreciate it, you need high-quality source material and to pay explicit attention. In practice, this means I'll use a combination of ROON and Conductor depending on the music and whether I'm exploring a wide range of music or listening intently to a particular piece. Thanks to Aurender for making this versatility possible and available to the existing Aurender community.

The original question was given a particular answer by me, the original questioner responded it was not the solution he was looking for (which is OK of course), after that a Flemish person gave a similar answer again. The original questioner then replies pretty blunt to the Flemish person that he did not read the history correctly, and whether he should "educate/correct" him in his own language. There are indeed some sensitivities between Dutch and Belgium cultures. Belgium people are considered to be "dumb" and "funny pronouncing the Dutch language", and Dutch people are considered to be "frugal" (think of "going Dutch"). The Belgium person could have been blunt as well by for instance saying "Why don't you spend just €200 more for an SSD on a ~€7000 Aurender, or are you married to a Zeeuws Meisje?" (hinting at a frugal person; Google Translate is your friend). The latter part adds an unnecessary potential cultural sensitivity. Let's be friendly, show mutual respect, and let's talk about our passion and hobby here! Back to Aurender.