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Top music streamer for 2019? Aurender N10’s?

I will shortly be purchasing a Gryphon Diablo 300 integrated with its internal DAC module.  I’m now wondering what to do about a music streamer, as I’m doubting that my current stock Mac Mini with Audirvana will do justice to the Gryphon.  My budget is < 10k.  After scanning forums this is what I’ve found consistently:  1) Aurender is frequently recommended, seemingly more so than other brands, 2) the Aurender N10 sounds much better than the much less expensive N100H, 3) Any higher end dedicated streamer will elevate sound significantly over my Mac Mini.

So it appears my best option is the Aurender N10 other than the price tag.  My questions are:  1) Do people agree with the statements above?  And, 2) How do the much less expensive Moon Mind 2 and Bluesound products compare with the Aurender N10?  Is the difference large?  And, 3) How big is the sound quality increase going to a N10 from a Mac Mini, and what specifically are the differences I should expect? 

Thanks

nyev
audiotroy's avatar
audiotroy
1,621 posts
 
Thanks Nyev, we do a lot of evaluation on a lot of different products and tweeks. 

Roon supplanted Jriver as being a better more user friendly platform with a supeior user experience. 

The nice thing about Roon is that the product keeps on evolving, hopefully that will gain Spotify, we would also love to see XM radio intergration one can only hope.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ
pophaudio
33 posts
 
Thanks for response, I’m fan of accuphase nothing will change my mind, but what streamer would you recommend for accuphase dac , I’m using vault 2 right now.???? Thanks 
audiotroy's avatar
audiotroy
1,621 posts
 
Pop you have a few choices:

1: Aurender No Roon, no native CD ripper, priced from $2700-$16k

2: Innous: Roon Server, CD Ripper, suberb sound quality from $1,200-$13k approx. The new Statement is one of the finest digital servers on the market today expensive but mind blowing

We sell a lot of the Zenith the $4300 model because of its fantastic sound qality and price point.

3: Nad M50.2 good streamer with back up raid drive but not a huge upgrade from a Vault.

4: Lumin  U series from $2200 to $6k fantastic OS, no native storrage very good sound quality if you want to run Roon you need another device

5: Auralic Streamers: good OS, good sound quality, does not hold Roon so again you need another device. 

6: Antipods and Wolf: we don't know enough about these units to make a good assesment.

7: Baetis servers: can be expensive very good sound quality Roon servers and CD rippers

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ Innous, Batis, NAD, Lumin dealers


rugyboogie
178 posts
 
AudiotroyLooking at a used Innous SE mk2 but the hard drive is to small for the music that I presently have.
Can the SSD  drive of a Innous SE be changed from a 2T to a 4T ?If so can it be done here or does it have to go back to Europe?Thanks,
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
4,946 posts
 
As far as I aware you should be able to change that ssd out yourselve as long as you buy a compatible 4tb ssd.

Whatever brand the present 2tb is just replace with same brand 4tb.

It should not be any more complicated than that unless Audiotroy knows different?

I did exactly same on my Auralic Aries, I just scanned the Auralic forums to see what make of drives was recommended and went with a Crucial unit.
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