Aurender N20 Ultra High Performance digital output network transport Review

A critical component    

It may seem incredible, but the caliber of the component used for streaming makes as substantial a difference in the system’s sound as do other components like preamps, amps, turntables, DACs, and cables. The DAC to be paired with the N20 also makes a marked difference, which is why the N20 is being reviewed with several DACs. To gain a holistic understanding of a streamer’s potential it must be heard in several systems and preferably with several speakers. Time is wasted obsessing over break in or burn in while ignoring the enormous benefit of building multiple systems in assessment of a component. The audiophile who cannot build multiple systems finds solace in chasing the break in and burn in rainbow. If you wish to see my plain conclusions regarding break in/burn in, read both of my Audiophile Law articles about that subject wherein I conduct comparisons. As these articles are tucked away in a particular area at the Dagogo.com site, you may have to do a search for them, such as “Doug Schroeder Audiophile Law break in”.  During this review the N20 has been paired with four DACs; Eastern Electric Minimax Tube DAC Supreme, Exogal Comet with Plus Power Supply, COS D1 DAC + Pre-Amplifier (this is an earlier version of the current D1 DAC), and the newly arrived Bricasti Design M1 Series II D/A Converter.

One of the surprising aspects of streaming sound is how much the Ethernet cable influences the sound quality. I spent considerable time exploring the influence of various Ethernet cables when I was using the sonicTransporter and the Signature Rendu SE, even to the point of swapping out the approximately 1’ Ethernet cable that ran from the cable modem to the router. While swapping the 1’ cable did not provide a substantial difference, switching the Ethernet cable in the listening room. which runs from the router to the Small Green Computer sonicTransporter, did provide a substantial difference.

For this review I pulled out an inexpensive but well-regarded Ethernet cable, the Supra Cable Cat 8 Patch Cable which I had not used for some time. I started a process of swapping it with the WireWorld Silver Starlight CAT-8 (see my survey of Ethernet cables). In the systems built for this review, the cable which was best varied with the DAC used. Generally, I preferred the Supra Cable in use with the COS D1 DAC and the WireWorld Starlight CAT-8 with the Exogal Comet DAC and the Bricasti M1 Series II DAC. The purpose of this comment is not to promote one or the other as absolutely the best Ethernet cable, but to encourage the audiophile to be open to comparison and perhaps even owning a couple different ones for system flexibility and pursuit of enhanced digital playback.

Let’s proceed to the systems and results!

The giant killer atempt

The first DAC I used with the N20 was the Eastern Electric Minimax Tube DAC Supreme. It is a dedicated DAC, so for attenuation I also used the preamplifier section of the Kinki Studio EX-M1 Integrated Amplifier. Both units have been enhanced with discrete opamps that replaced the stock opamps. Those who wish to explore the world of opamp rolling can read my several articles archived about that activity. Try these to start: https://www.dagogo.com/audio-blast-return-discrete-opamp-roller/  and https://www.dagogo.com/staccato-audio-discrete-hybrid-opamps-review/

Opamp rolling can be a rabbit hole activity with endless options and no clear outcome. It is very time consuming to make thorough comparisons of multiple brands of opamps in multiple locations and in multiple components. Newer discrete opamps are being produced regularly, which makes the chase a bit like phono cartridges, endless. It is, however, a great way to keep upgrading without spending thousands and upending one’s system.

The other elements of this system were the Clarity Cable Supernatural USB (1m); Iconoclast Cable’s Generation 2 RCA Ohno Cast Copper Interconnects split at the DAC with a 2m RCA cable going to the Legacy Audio i.V4 Ultra Amplifiers (two units placed on custom amp stands built into the Sound Anchor stands for Landscape Orientation setup and another RCA Y-cable to facilitate passive bi-amping of each channel) and a 3m RCA cable running to the Perlisten D212s Subwoofers; PureAudioProject Trio15 10 Coaxial Speakers in landscape orientation (turned 90 degrees and lofted onto custom Sound Anchor stands). This is an exceptionally powerful super-monitor setup that, with the Perlisten subwoofers, has presence and scale that is found in large (i.e., 5-6’ and with 12-15” woofers) floor standing speakers.

The Eastern Electric DAC and Kinki Studio preamp section built upon the N20’s precision to present a direct, unfiltered sound with forwardness and high resolution. The sound was brighter and not warm like tube equipment, yet because of the 10” coaxial and excellent bass depth and power it did not sound pinched in the upper frequencies. Instruments and voices were charged with a high degree of energy and vividness against a perceptually enormous background. Previously, the EE DAC and the sonicTransporter and Signature Rendu SE combo with certain amps and speakers could creep into an unacceptably bright upper frequency intensity that was not ideal. With an affordable solid-state DAC, the system must be balanced very carefully for it to not skew toward prevalence of upper end energy. The N20 mitigated much of that tendency, bringing grace to certain soprano vocals that formerly were too harsh to be tamed. Points were scored by the N20 for introducing a higher level of information retrieval than the sonicTransporter/Rendu SE while reducing stridency.

I invited over a group of friends who have heard several of my systems; I wanted them to experience this setup. They were floored by the impact of the system and the generous size of the soundstage. Two said it might be the best system they had heard at my place, and that through speakers which sit in absolute performance capacity behind the Legacy Whisper DSW Clarity Edition, King’s Audio Kingsound King III, and the Aspen Acoustics Grand Aspen. One reason the system engaged us so well was the high quality digital of the N20.

As with my friends, if a person heard the N20 with these components, they might be tempted to think it represented the apex of the N20’s potential. In theory, a quality active preamp should give a DAC an advantage of higher output to the amplifier(s) and, thus, potentially more obvious micro and macrodynamics. But there was a great deal more beauty in store as the system building continued and I turned to a more streamlined system with higher end integrated DACs. As the review progressed, and more systems were built, it was clear the giant killer would not topple the more costly DACs.

Second system, with the Exogal Comet DAC 

Keeping the rest of the system intact, I changed out the Kinki Studio preamp and EE DAC for the integrated Exogal Comet DAC and Plus Power Supply. It did not take long to conclude that even without an active preamplifier, the Minimax Tube DAC had been outclassed. The Comet showed itself to be the better DAC with the N20. The Comet was smoother, more resolving, and more balanced across the frequency spectrum. Bob James has an engaging instrumental version of Elton John’s “Rocket Man,” and the Comet and N20 combo captured the intimacy of the recording, particularly the interplay between bass and piano. The tempo of the piece was particularly engaging because of the generous amount of information retrieval.

Though the Comet is no longer available it represents more serious but still attainable DAC performance with the potential for an upside surprise if the right electronics are used. The upside improves if the Comet is paired with the Exogal Ion PowerDAC. The Ion adds two more banks of DAC processing and voltage-driven digital amplification. It is among the most clean and uncolored DAC and amp combinations I have heard. Curious readers can refer to my comments about pairing the Comet with the Aurender A20. It was a good baseline for assessment of the N20.

The Comet is an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) DAC that uses a proprietary algorithm to convert all incoming signals to its own. It is the most agnostic DAC I have used, truly nullifying the differences of input signals for a consistently pleasant result. Its characteristic sound is neither dark nor bright, and is clean without glare. It is less clinical and white sounding than the Eastern Electric Minimax DAC Supreme, but cooler than the COS D1 DAC. Occasionally, perhaps one in four systems, it has been better than the D1, however it usually takes a particular configuration of gear for that to happen. Most often, the Comet and D1 are both pleasing performers such that when optimized the Comet would be equivalent to a succulent apple and the D1 like a sweet peach.

A track I use often in comparing components is Sara Bareilles’ “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” from the Brave Enough: Live at the Variety Playhouse album. Sara has a more nasal voice than a singer like Adelle. Especially with a live album, Sara’s voice on the high notes tells me whether the system is tuned too aggressively in the treble. Having occasion to use the Comet with both the A20 and N20, Sara’s voice took on more warmth while also revealing more nuance with the N20. The crowd noise and reactions to her conversation between songs were more easily picked out from the background.

The N20 nicely elevated the amount of information retrieval while streaming but did not sound contrived or skewed in the frequency spectrum while gaining in resolution. This pairing, while not the ultimate for the N20, gives hope that those who want to stage their improvement of the digital front end can anchor the system with the N20 and experiment initially with some more affordable DACs.

It was during use of the Comet that a pleasant surprise about the Aurender Conductor’s operation surfaced. As I was playing back some streaming tracks on Tidal, a message popped up indicating that my sound quality setting was not at the highest! That was a surprise to me, as I thought I had worked through all the options available in the Conductor’s Advanced settings. The gist of the message was that Tidal’s Master playback setting was available but not selected. It suggested better playback performance if the Master setting was selected. Perhaps at the time I set up the DAC I thought it was a setting that coordinated with playing Tidal’s Master recordings. For whatever reason, I had not engaged it, perhaps because I was aware the N20 offers less user-selectable playback settings than the A20. The pop-up window had a link to take me to Tidal’s playback settings, and one click later I had changed the sound quality setting to Master.

Wonders of the universe never cease! Perhaps not a ka-boom moment, but a pleasing burst of beauty followed. It resulted in another mental check mark in the “I like the N20” category. It did not strike me as an AI robotic chaperone experience, but it was the first time a component told me how to enhance the rig. Kudos to Aurender for including such smart features!

 The N20 with the COS Engineering D1 DAC

A surprising insight that comes from building many systems is how malleable the performance of any given component can be. One might think that a streamer or server would have an innate sound, but you’ll never know it, not in an absolute sense. Whatever other gear is used with it changes the outcome. I chuckle when I hear people refer to cables as being system dependent, because every component is system dependent! I have yet to find any component or cable that could not be altered by swapping in different elements of an audio system.

When combined with various DACs, the N20 can seem to change to a surprising degree. As preamplifier and amplifier combos can yield surprising results, so the N20 and various DACs can yield surprising results to the degree that its performance spectrum can properly be called broad. To assess the N20 with different speakers, I switched to the Legacy Audio Whisper DSW Clarity Edition Speakers. [See thorough discussion of this “crossover speaker” in my reviews at this site.] This change of speaker necessitated a more complex amplification scheme. This was achieved by employing both of the Comet’s outputs, XLR and RCA. To achieve passive tri-amping and tri-wiring I had to rearrange the Exogal Comet’s outputs as follows, per channel L and R, using all Iconoclast Cables:

• RCA outs split at the DAC, with 3m RCA going to the Perlisten D212s Subwoofers and the other going to one channel of the Legacy Audio i.V4 Ultra Amplifier.
• XLR single cable from the Comet split at the amps with Audio Sensibility XLR Y-cables to achieve the second and third channels of amplification for the Whisper speakers.

As a formidable hybrid quasi-line source speaker, the Whisper is capable of arresting dynamics and low-end presence, especially when used with the Perlisten D212s subwoofers! It has similar gentleness in the treble as the PAP 10” Coaxial, but even more fullness due to the array of four 7” midrange drivers. I worked with the Comet DAC and this speaker for a while, then switched to the COS Engineering D1 DAC, which also has both single ended and balanced outputs, allowing me to keep the system configuration the same.

Like the Exogal Comet, the team at COS Engineering developed a proprietary algorithm for its DAC, but they also incorporated a selector switch to give the option of employing upsampling. When the upsampling is defeated, the D1 takes on a sound character more like the Comet. When the upsampling is engaged, the D1 becomes like a tube DAC. It does not acquire the degree of tonal warmth typical of many tube DACs but moves in that direction. It results in a more laid-back sound with fatter notes with fewer sharp edges. The attack of the notes is not as sharply defined, but the fullness of the notes is enhanced. In that respect, the N20 brought out from the D1 DAC the fullest sound I have achieved with it.

The N20 has a goldilocks character to it such that it was not too edgy with the Exogal DAC and not too soft or mushy with the COS DAC. In both instances, given their strengths, they were appealing. I have been working with two versions of the song “Madness,” both of which are group acapella performances. The version by The Harmonics features a female lead vocal and the version by Street Corner Symphony has a male vocal lead. These two performances show the wide range of style and interpretation that exists when performing the same piece of music of the same genre.

Much of what we consider correct, or pleasing, is subjective when it comes to assessing performances by artists we have not heard live. I suspect that were a random sampling of audiophiles to hear these two performances rendered differently by the N20 paired with the Comet or the COS D1, the opinion of which one was most accurate and pleasing might be split evenly. Whether female or male vocal, the N20 fed both DACs an impressive amount of information, such that the Comet highlighted the transients of the voices as they popped in and out of the soundstage. The voices were brighter, as though performed by a bit younger group of artists. Perceptually, that resulted in a sense of quickness and briskness.

On the other hand, the voices rendered through the D1 DAC were more weighty and darker, giving the impression that the group was a few years older. The smoothness of the performance made it seem the group was well familiar with the songs and comfortably sang them. The performances were to be appreciated as somewhat relaxing versus stimulating or exciting.

Marian Hill’s “Differently” has an unexpectedly heavy synthesized bass substrate. The Comet DAC rendered the piece cleanly enough that I could hear the echo effect in the LF. There were many times I thought that the degree of detail achievable with the lowest frequencies would not be detected were it not for the N20 feeding the 168” of total woofer cone surface (eight 15” woofers in the Whisper speakers and four 12” drivers in the Perlisten D212s Subwoofers) between the Whisper speakers and Perlisten subs. Truly, there is no replacing air displacement when it comes to a sense of overwhelming ease and majesty in bass. No system utilizing puny bass drivers can mimic the effect. It is one of the most impressive feats of a high-end audio system.

Occasionally, when I assemble a system with a high degree of precision, vocals turn rough, harsh. That never occurred with the N20. Paula Cole’s “Saturn Girl” is a song I can’t play at higher levels with most systems, but I could with the N20. Simple Minds’ Good News from the Next World is a harsh sounding album, but the N20 and D1 DAC especially tamed “She’s A River” and “7 Deadly Sins.”

The N20 can be pulled toward a more stripped-down sound and the Comet made the performances of Ellie Goulding’s “Your Song” and U2’s “One (Songs of Surrender)” feel raw and unpolished. The D1 put more polish on these tracks but kept the general sense of them being unadorned. These are lovely pieces of music to assess how a system sounds with simple, uncluttered music. These comparisons showed the N20 operates with a wide range of compatibility with DACs having distinct sonic attributes, drawing out the best of them.

Another step up with the Bricasti Design Model 1 Series II DAC

Toward the end of the review, the Bricasti Model 1 Series II (M1S2) DAC arrived fresh from the 2023 California Audio Show. The show system featuring Bricasti Design components, Sound Lab Majestic 945 PX Speakers, and Audio Reference Technology (A.R.T.) Cables can be seen in detail here (https://www.dagogo.com/2023-california-audio-show-a-r-t-bricasti-design-sound-lab-system-details/). The M1S2 is an integrated DAC with optional streaming capability when it is ordered with the electronics of the Bricasti Model 5 (M5) Network Player built in. As such it is suitable as a complete digital front end for a system that would only need amplification and appropriate cables added to drive speakers. If one chose to use active speakers having internal amplification, the M1S2 might be connected directly to the speakers to achieve a minimalist signal path.

As this review focuses on the Aurender N20’s capabilities, I will spend my time here discussing the use of the M1S2 as a DAC serving the Aurender. The Bricasti will get its own thorough treatment in a separate review. I am not interested in a quick conclusion of whether it is more advantageous to buy the N20 and an external DAC or the M1S2 with its capacity to run Roon or Audirvana and forego the N20. A more appropriate comparison would be between the A20, which I just reviewed, and the M1S2. The Bricasti review was not set up at the time I returned the A20, or else I would have done that comparison.

Complicating things, the music provider software and user interfaces for these units are not parallel. Making proper conclusions regarding system options takes time and building many systems. I will not do a simple comparison and proclaim one product or configuration superior. As time passes and I build many systems, I would not be surprised if they both have merit such that either one could be the appropriate choice for select audiophiles. It is doubtful, at this level of performance that one would completely overshadow the other, but it is more likely that purposeful system building might make one or the other preferable.

Given the previous DACs mentioned, what was the outcome of turning to the Bricasti DAC? The M1S2 was the best by a sizable margin. It is a grand example of the principle I discussed regarding upscaling the DAC used with the N20. The M1S2 brought deeper tonal color and additional openness without sacrificing a sense of precision. The characteristics of generosity, weight, richness, and fullness were accentuated. On all these tracks that I revisited, the M1S2 was distinctly more robust and precise. I found it to be addictive and neigh unto unassailable with the N20. The Aurender N20 and M1S2 are an outstanding, highly recommendable pair. This was an experience far advanced over the integrated A20. Though I did not spend time working with alternative cables, these components would reward exploration. I have been very pleased with the systems built using the Iconoclast Cables. The itchiness to keep swapping cables has all but disappeared, an unusual development for me, as through the years I have relentlessly pursued novel cables.

Summing up

This article may have sounded a bit like a DAC review, but its purpose has been to show the beauty and relative flexibility of the N20. It can sonically shape-shift with a variety of DACs while maintaining high precision and musicality. I was able to guide it toward a wide range of preferred sounds with different genres of speakers. The suspicion that the N20 scales up sound quality as better DACs are used with it was confirmed.

The N20 is a component that earns its place in the Aurender lineup for its extended performance potential over the A20. While I did not spend time working with alternative USB cables and power cords, I believe the owner of an N20 would be rewarded to try a variety of them. With the stable, straightforward Conductor user interface and the capacity to work with Tidal and Qobuz (the music services I use in reviewing), the audiophile is assured a dependable streaming experience with the flexibility to chase a higher end DAC while not upsetting their music collection. The N20 seems positioned in the sweet spot between being a music source suitable for other family members to use and a break the bank effort to attain state-of-the-art sound.

I strongly suggest that those who are putting more than $25K into their audio system and who envision continued build out of their rig to focus on the N20. It is a highly commendable choice for both the system builder and upper end enthusiast, with an open path for future growth of one’s streaming music (and optionally, file playback, too)!

Associated Components:

Digital Source: Small Green Computer sonicTransporter and SONORE Signature Rendu SE with systemOptique; Wireworld Starlight CAT-8 Ethernet Cable

Analog Sources: Realistic LAB 400 Turntable with Schiit Audio Mani Phono; Nakamichi CR-1A Cassette Deck

Streaming Music Service: Tidal

Interface: Roon

DAC:  COS Engineering D1 DAC Plus Pre-Amplifier; Eastern Electric Minimax DSD DAC Supreme with Burson, Dexa NewClassD or Sparkos Labs discrete opamps; Exogal Comet DAC and PLUS power supply

Preamp: Kinki Studio EX-M1+ Integrated Amp in dedicated Preamp mode

Amps: Legacy Audio i.V4 Ultra; Kinki Studio EX-M1+ Integrated in dedicated Amplifier mode; Exogal Ion PowerDAC (used exclusively with Comet DAC)

Integrated: Redgum Audio Articulata; Kinki Studio EX-M1+

Speakers: Legacy Audio DSW Clarity Edition; Kings Audio King III electrostatic speakers; Pure Audio Project Trio15 10” Coaxial version and Horn1 version; Kings Audio King Tower omnidirectional; Aspen Acoustics Grand Aspen; Wharfedale Opus 2-M2 Monitors

Subwoofers: Perlisten D212s Subwoofers

IC’s: Iconoclast RCA and XLR Generation 2 with Ultra-Pure Ohno Continuous Cast Copper conductors; TEO Liquid Splash-Rs and Splash-Rc; TEO Liquid Standard MkII; Clarity Cable Organic RCA

Speaker Cables: TEO Cable Standard Speaker; Snake River Audio Signature Series Speaker Cables;

Digital Cables: Clarity Cable Organic Digital; Snake River Audio Boomslang

USB: Clarity Cable Supernatural 1m;

Power Cables: Clarity Cable Vortex; Snake River Audio Signature Series; Belden BAV Power Cord

Power Conditioning: Wireworld Matrix Power Cord Extender; Tice Audio Solo

Copy editor: Dan Rubin

Manufacturer’s Comment:

Doug,

I’m delighted that you enjoyed your previous time with the Aurender A20. It sounds like we had similar impressions of the unit.

I think it sounds great with all types of music (I’ve actually been playing with it as a preamp/Dac for movies with great results). I also prefer to keep upsampling off, but I think that all depends on the associated gear in the system, as well as user preference.

In reference to the N20, you wrote:

“It is more limited than the A20 in terms of the systems I can build with it but is a step up from the A20 as regards its streaming and file playback”.

I agree with this 100%. The N20 is going to be put in a higher caliber system, with seperates, so you’d be spending more money to get better sound. But I think having an N20 is not limiting in what types of systems you can build with it. If anything, I would think the N20 would allow for MORE flexibility and system configurations by introducing more separates in the system chain. It’s a great option for those who already have invested in a preamp and/or DAC, but now require a premium source.

“In my world, if Redbook is not already dead, it’s on life support.” This line made me smile! I’m a media guy, so I’ll probably never sell my CDs, but it does make me want to rip them with my ACS10 (or A30), so it is more convenience to listen to them all.

Thanks again for the time you put into the article.

Kelly Scheidt
Aurender American Sales