Test of the Auralic Aries G2 streamer, Vega G2 DAC and Leo GX master clock: a stellar trio

At the moment, this set is the senior bunch of devices produced by Auralic. With the exception of the Sirius G2 upsampler announced and shown in Munich, which has not yet gone on sale. This option seemed to me very difficult and very interesting: in comparison with the average test, there were many unusual things here.

Auralic equipment was not on our market quite recently - the first copies were brought only for the spring exhibition in Moscow this year. Something came into the country in small quantities, but I, for example, remember only old copies, since the release of which a lot has already changed.

For those who are not at all familiar with the brand’s technology, I will give a short historical background. The company was founded in 2009 and initially specialized in digital sources. The company has Chinese roots, but even with its early models it stood out from many other manufacturers. And it’s not only in technology that there are differences.

The founders, Xuanten Wang and Yuan Wang, are open people, visible to everyone. Professionals from several educational backgrounds, including Western universities, gave several interviews from which you can learn about their philosophy and approach to development. For this reason alone, they are very different from most Chinese manufacturers who lead a reclusive, non-public life.

Auralic Aries G2, Vega G2 and Leo GX

It is very likely that Auralic was originally conceived for the Western market and Western musical culture and aesthetics. There are plenty of positive mentions in the American and European audio press. The brand’s products even received the title “Stereophile class A”, and this title is not given to anyone just like that, and there are almost no mentions of Chinese manufacturers in these lists. And the Vega and Aries models are there.

Neat assembly and wide functionality

The line, which includes the Auralic Aries G2, Vega G2 and Leo GX, is relatively new, and significant progress can be seen in it both in terms of hardware and design. At the beginning of its existence, Auralic could definitely notice a certain uncertainty in style and not the best external expressiveness. Although many people liked those devices not so much for their appearance as for their functionality and sound. But I really liked what the company is doing now. Let's put it this way: they have raised the appearance to the level of the filling, but they do not stop developing the latter.

All devices have perfectly finished black matte milled cases. The standard decoupling legs have excellent properties. The attention to such little things is very reassuring.

There are a minimum of control elements on the cases. The streamer has buttons for navigating the menu and controlling playback, while the DAC has a turn-and-push knob

Everything inside is located, so to speak, upside down. We remove the steel bottom plate and see that all the filling is attached to the body from below. The cases themselves are smaller in size than standard ones, but larger than “halves”. It may be a little unusual, but the execution is neat and of high quality.

Looking at the filling, you understand that the cases were selected in size exactly so as to place everything neatly, but without emptiness. The cases themselves of this type and manufacturing are not cheap, and in the case of a full-size implementation this would affect the final figures. But the savings here are no more than necessary - everything inside is correctly arranged, decoupled and shielded. All fastenings of the filling are not directly to the body, but to separate steel plates. And in some cases, when transistors need radiators, the external aluminum casing acts as a radiator. In general, the assembly is so neat that even if you wanted to, you couldn’t find fault with a single screw. There are also no questions about implementation in detail - excellent boards, not at all cheap components.

The power supply is linear everywhere, in transport and shroud you can find a couple of decent transformers, and in the DAC there is even a custom-made torus made by the Canadian Plitron, on which it is written in plain text that this is a custom one for Vega G2.

Then you need to look not so much at the implementation, but at the functionality. But these devices are not simple: this is the case when it is not superfluous to study the instructions in order to understand not only how things work, but also to understand the logic of use and control. In addition, we consider three devices as a system or digital source, but in fact they can be used in other combinations.

For example, Vega G2 can be used simply as a DAC or as a DAC with a streamer (and there is also a preamplifier on board). And Vega G2 can work both independently and with an external Leo GX master clock. The Aries G2 streamer can also be imagined either as part of its native ecosystem, or as a completely independent entity. And with all these configurations you need to understand the details. Therefore, first we will consider the devices individually, and then in combinations.

Auralic Leo GX

If you want ideal

Perhaps you can start with the Auralic Leo GX master clock. In general, not all manufacturers have separate pieces in the form of independent devices: of those that are well-known and visible, we can primarily recall Esoteric and dCs. It will be easier to find a master clock in the catalogs of studio equipment manufacturers than from home equipment manufacturers. But with studios it is more or less clear where, no matter how, to use high-precision synchronizers. At home, this approach is less common.

In fact, a digital player must have a clock generator in any case. The only question is its implementation: from simple quartz or a separate part of the device circuit to such independent devices. And from the implementation follows the accuracy of operation and accuracy of synchronization. By the way, the influence of this node, whether it is part of the board or an independent value, is very audible, and replacing the clock with a better one sometimes gives an effect no less noticeable than the effect of modifying the analog output stages.

The Auralic developers approached the issue of clock generators from two sides at once. Firstly, the devices themselves have quite decent standard generators on board, and sufficient attention was paid to their development and integration into the system. Well, for those who want a state of affairs close to the ideal, Leo GX is available as a separate device - moreover, a device designed specifically to pair with its own DAC.

What's interesting and unusual is that studio oscillators often operate at 10 MHz, but Leo's frequency characteristics are different - it uses frequencies of 90.3168 MHz for signals based on 44.1 kHz and 98.3040 MHz for signals based on 48 kHz. The power supply for the clock itself and for control are separate, and control signals to the clock are transmitted via optics. To connect to the DAC, the clock uses two connectors: a proprietary Lightning Link, which looks like HDMI, but is neither it nor an i2s connector, and a high-frequency coaxial connector designed to transmit the clock signal. Lightning Link in this application becomes not a signal connector, but a control connector.

Auralic Leo GX

The clock has no manual settings - the connection with the DAC works automatically. It should be noted that shred is a temperature-dependent thing, especially when it comes to appropriate frequencies and accuracy. And Leo’s functionality takes this into account: after connecting and plugging into the network, the clock will not start immediately, but will begin to count down the hour until the start. And only then the device will work. Otherwise, the device does not require turning off and is completely controlled by the head unit associated with it. At the same time, this entire system cheerfully clicks the relay and cheerfully displays information on the screen about which signal is currently being processed.

Network transport AURALiC ARIES G1 BL

After four years since the launch of the ARIES transport, the time has come for a complete technological upgrade of this unusual and ahead of its time device. The ARIES G1 wireless transport is based on the advanced AURALiC developments tested in the “top” G2 line, and using Wi-Fi provides your audio system with connection to network music sources: NAS drives, Internet subscription music delivery services, for example, TIDAL and Qobuz, the Internet -radio, USB drives, etc. Like other AURALiC transports, ARIES G1 has a rich set of functions, including local playlists, caching, pause-free playback, and multi-zone audio. It can also receive music from external devices using Spotify Connect, AirPlay and Roon (Roon Ready certified). As a result, the range of possible music sources for the ARIES G1 is wider than ever, and the updated hardware platform provides a significant increase in both technical characteristics and sound quality. The ARIES G1 is fully prepared to accept high-resolution music - DSD up to DSD512 and PCM up to 32-bit/384 kHz. The advent of ARIES wireless transport at one time revolutionized digital audio, globally expanding user access to high-quality content on the local network and the Internet, and even in a wireless Wi-Fi connection. By upgrading ARIES to Generation “G”, AURALiC has once again brought its revolutionary product to the forefront of technology. In the G1 version, the ARIES transport is at the same level of high technology as the components from the flagship AURALiC G2 series: just mention the most powerful hardware platform and modern industrial design. At the same time, you can add the latest networking and Internet capabilities to your audio system with a very reasonable financial investment - ARIES G1 network transport is affordable.

Specifications:

The art of streaming Lightning OS is a new operating system with a unique distribution of resources and protocols for the needs of sound reproduction. Dedicated cache memory, local playlists, bit-accurate signal transmission to sound zones is not a complete list of unique capabilities for transmitting audio content. Lightning OS embodies the audiophile's dream of the ideal "streamer" - with the ability to connect all possible high-resolution sources and control through convenient user applications such as Lightning DS or Roon. Bright display A 4-inch diagonal color LCD display with a resolution of more than 300 dpi displays playback status, settings, and a music library browser. Tesla G2: a hardware platform specifically for high-quality sound In 2014, AURALiC engineers introduced their own development - the first generation Tesla hardware platform, which made it possible to create a scalable (with the possibility of upgrades) computing architecture optimized for working with audio signals. It, together with the software, media player and control, formed a unique, ultra-powerful hardware and software environment specifically for the transmission and playback of digital audio content. The new Tesla G2 platform is 50% faster and has doubled the computing power. The Tesla G2 is the processor foundation on which the G2 series' outstanding audio achievements are built. Limitless Connectivity ARIES G1 is versatile and ready to accept a wide variety of digital music sources. Network connections ARIES G1 - Wi-Fi (three bands) and Ethernet - will open your audio system the way to UPnP/DLNA media servers, shared folders, Internet services, Internet radio, allow you to connect with other devices via AirPlay, SongCast or Bluetooth, become an endpoint Roon Ready. Dual Femto Clock The ultra-precision clock generator uses two femtosecond crystals for record-breaking low jitter. One generator powers the digital outputs (SPDI/F, AES/EBU) and the other powers the USB output, so you can be sure that your music signal is always stable. Smart-IR Remote Control The Smart-IR Remote Control allows your AURALiC device to map its functionality to any remote control you need. Simply tell the device which remote control you prefer, and all its operations (play/pause, volume control, track selection, etc.) can be assigned to the buttons just the way you like. 1 GB Cache Active network packet traffic can introduce additional electrical noise and interference that can adversely affect the audio signal. In the Tesla G2 hardware platform, 1 GB of RAM is allocated for data caching, which reduces the load on the electronic components of network cards and protects the music signal from interference. Separate stable power supply A dedicated power supply supplies the needs of the ARIES G1 “computer” nodes: display, digital signal processing computing circuits, storage devices (internal and external). Another dedicated power supply supplies stable voltage to circuits directly related to the audio signal: clock generator, USB-Audio output, etc. Galvanic isolation of two blocks from each other reduces interference interference to zero. Galvanic Isolation of USB Connections Like Active USB, Galvanic USB bypasses the noisy USB power supply for improved sound quality. Accurate re-clocking reduces jitter, and new electrical isolation provides even greater immunity to electromagnetic interference. This is the quietest and best sounding USB connection AURALiC has ever offered. Two stable power supplies The ARIES G1 uses two low-noise stabilized power supplies, galvanically isolated from each other. AURALiC engineers spared no effort and expense to minimize noise and interference in the system - this really improves sound quality. The digital signal processing module and display module are completely isolated from sensitive audio circuitry and are powered by a dedicated power supply. Noise and interference are eliminated, and therefore the audio part of the circuit operates under the most favorable conditions.

App control

Pleasant exception

Next we'll look at the Auralic Vega G2 DAC. Perhaps this is the most independent and most complex device in our trinity. The body and appearance of the device are the same as the others. The visible difference is only in a pair of headphone outputs and a control knob-button. At first, it took me a long time to adapt to this particular pen. It is very multifunctional: it can be both a volume control and a navigation knob through the device’s fairly extensive menu. Its device is not very user-friendly: the handle not only turns, but also presses at the same time, and you need to get used to this in order to get what you want.

Finishing with this unit, I’ll tell you about the pre-amplifier function. It is built much better than one would expect. Typically, in similar devices we will find microcircuit assemblies, a digital regulator, or, at best, a motorized ALPS. Pleasant exceptions rarely happen. There are also two separate modules made up of resistors, with switching relays, and also output stages in class A using discrete elements (the circuits of the output modules are supposedly made based on the circuits of the studio analog console Neve8078).

Everything is divided into channels, in fact, according to the principle of dual mono. That is, each channel has a volume control module and an output stage module. Very beautiful. And it works well - the preamplifier, as such, turned out to be very clean and neutral in sound. The only negative is that the preamplifier only has one unbalanced input, otherwise it works with the DAC hardware.

However, if the topic of a digital source is covered by Auralic itself, then with a high degree of probability the third-party source will be a phono stage, and in this case, for most models, an unbalanced input will be more than enough. By the way, you can use the preamplifier function from the application, and in the process you can hear the regulator clicking the relay - the adjustment is not super-fast, but with such an implementation scheme it cannot be any other way.

Auralic Vega G2

The DAC itself is also quite unusual: according to the description, it is built on a modified circuit of some Saber chip, which is not specified. In other words, the circuit is assembled using discrete elements. This is sometimes done, but not all companies have the qualifications and imagination of developers for such solutions. I can’t say unequivocally whether this is good or not - here you need to listen to what happened - but simply the fact itself says a lot about the hardware. In addition to the custom converter, the list of engineering solutions includes a serious approach to clock construction (even without taking into account the presence of a separate external “option”), sophisticated galvanic isolation and a complex jitter minimization system.

The computer component of the device, called the Tesla platform by the authors, is based on a 4-core processor, a gigabyte of DDR3 RAM and 4 GB of memory for data storage. The platform is not only responsible for the streaming component of the DAC, but is also significantly integrated with it, and does not exist as a separate addition. I have seen indications that all digital inputs are somehow connected to this core.

But since I don’t have the opportunity to run the device through processor performance tests or measure the jitter level, I won’t retell all this in the language of brochures - this is not enough to understand the details, and to understand the device itself, it’s better to listen to it carefully. How to evaluate the functionality of a device is even more obvious.

Auralic Vega G2

Network player with DAC Auralic Altair G1

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Auralic ALTAIR G1 is a network player with a built-in DAC.
The device is the most affordable in the Auralic line, but is capable of much: it is characterized not only by excellent sound, but also by advanced functionality.

Auralic ALTAIR G1 plays music from networked physical storage devices, as well as a connected USB drive. Optionally, Auralic ALTAIR G1 can have a built-in drive for storing files and playing them.

The device supports Internet radio stations, Airplay, Bluetooth, Qobuz and TIDAL.

The device is controlled through the proprietary Lightning DS application or the regulator on the front panel.

Auralic ALTAIR G1 also boasts full support for wireless file transfer, third-party control panels, as well as advanced implementation of digital volume control.

Although a proprietary, feature-rich application has been developed to work with the Auralic ALTAIR G1, you can also control the player using Roon .

It is also worth noting that you can use any infrared remote control to operate the player. This is possible.

The display on the front panel (4 inches) shows all the necessary information in high resolution (300 ppi): playback status, device settings and the contents of the music library.

Auralic ALTAIR G1 has enough power to fully realize its functionality. The Tesla G2 processor is the heart of the device. The upsampling function in DXD format is implemented in Auralic ALTAIR G1 by default, and the user can also use one of the options for built-in DSP filters to customize the sound to suit themselves.

The player supports files up to 32/384 kHz and DSD512 (DoP and Native).

If you have a lot of CDs in your music collection, you can connect an external USB CD player and play the discs through Auralic, and the device will also allow you to rip them.

CDs, like files, are played back by the Auralic ALTAIR G1 using its proprietary "memory playback" technology. It involves reading the disc and repeatedly checking for errors in the device cache before starting playback. This solution allows you to remove jitter, eliminate the influence of the drive used and generally improve sound quality.

To operate the femto oscillator in Auralic ALTAIR G1, a low-noise 3uV power supply has been developed. The temperature is maintained at a stable level, which improves the efficiency of the shredder.

Auralic ALTAIR G1's clean linear power supply reduces DC noise by 90 dB. The custom transformer and its connections reduce the noise level to 1uV, which provides an even blacker background when playing music.

Specifications

Playback

from a USB flash drive, USB external drive, built-in hard drive (optional), USB CD player

Inputs:

Optical: up to 24 bit/192 kHz (PCM)

Coaxial: up to 24 bit/192 kHz (PCM)

AES/EBU: up to 24 bit/192 kHz (PCM)

USB: up to 32 bit/384 kHz (PCM), DSD64-512 (DoP and Native)

Formats AIFF, ALAC, APE, DIFF, DSF, FLAC, OGG, WAV, WV,AAC, MP3, WMA

UPnP/DLNA Media Server, Amazon Music Unlimited, HighResAudio, Qobuz Sublime+, TIDAL, AirPlay, Spotify Connect, Internet Radio, RoonReady

Output Level: 4.5 Vrms (XLR, 0dBFS, 10 ohm output impedance), 4.5 Vrms (RCA, 0dBFS, 50 ohm output impedance) Headphone Output: 6.35mm (5 ohm output impedance)

Frequency response: 20 - 20KHz, +/- 0.1dB THD+N: Dynamic range: 124dB, 20Hz-20KHz, A-weighted

Wired: Gigabit Ethernet Wireless: 802.11b/g/n/ac Tri-Band WiFi

Power: AC 220-240V 50/60 Hz

Consumption: 50W (max)

Weight: 7 kg

Size: 340*320*80 mm

Contents: power cable, Wi-Fi antenna (2 pcs), USB cable

Deep functionality and a lot of nuances

Next, let's look at the Auralic Aries G2 streamer. Everything here is as it should be for a streamer. The inputs, of course, are network, and in addition to a wired connection, you can use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. However, Wi-Fi does not have any restrictions compared to a wired connection. Outputs - for every taste, there is everything that may be required in different situations. In addition, you can connect a storage device with data to the USB connector and use it in this mode.

Or you can even put a 2.5-inch disc inside and store your music library on it. There are no difficulties or restrictions here; inside there is a high-quality drive cage and a connector for connecting it. Transferring music is also not at all difficult: the disk is visible over the network, or you can attach an external disk to the streamer itself and copy everything to the internal memory using the Lightning DS application.

The most interesting thing about the streamer is not in the hardware - it looks confident (and at the core is the same Tesla platform of the latest version, only here with 2 GB of RAM and 8 GB of working memory) - but in the functionality. Here two components come together into a single whole: control of the device itself and control of the music library. And if you start to understand and try, it becomes clear that the functionality here is worked out very deeply.

In addition to all the basic settings, there are also a lot of additions - here I would generally advise the potential owner to study the multi-page instructions to understand what the system can do. Because it will not be possible to describe all the functionality within the framework of a test - there really is a lot of it. And with such nuances as, for example, quite advanced parameters built into the streamer, or the ability to customize the rules for indexing the music library (ignoring prefixes, different ways of arranging uppercase and lowercase letters in names, or working with CUE files in encoding other than UTF8) you need understand in detail to understand how everything needs to be configured in each specific case. In general, all this is not as important as upsampling settings, buffering parameters and other most pressing settings, but without nuances the picture will not be complete.

The control application is a very important component for such devices. However, you can configure the hardware and its functionality both through the screen menu and over the network via the web interface from a regular computer browser. And you can manage your music library either using the same native Lightning DS, or use Roon. The specificity of Lightning DS is that this application is created exclusively for iOS. In other cases, you can consider Bubble UpnP, Bubble DS, LinnKazoo or Lumin as an alternative - something that runs on OpenHome and can control Auralics. Although, in my opinion, only Lightning DS or Roon look like real options. But here, of course, you need to try.

In terms of working with the music library, I liked the Lightning DS interface. Lightweight, not overloaded, fast enough. While working with the catalog and playback, the application did not slow down or crash. But the process of setting up the hardware sometimes turned out to be thoughtful. Everything worked quickly, but there are a lot of settings, they are located in different places and tabs, and first you need to figure out what is where. Although, in a good way, 90% of the settings will need to be walked around once - when setting up the system, and then not touched.

From what was not at hand at all, although it should have been, I can note the DAC filter modes and inputs. Sometimes you want to switch filter modes depending on recordings and music. But in order to switch you need to go through several menu items. Although this is not supercritical: go through the points, and sort through the filter options, listen to which one you like best. In this case, playback does not fail, nothing untoward happens. And you definitely don’t want to turn on and off the external clock during the process, as well as constantly switch between adjustable and non-adjustable volume - this is configured once. As a last resort - until the composition of the system changes, in which a separate preamplifier suddenly appears or, conversely, disappears.

General menu of the music library, regardless of where the data comes from - from local storage or from a streaming service

Album display

The side menu is not always present on the screen, but is displayed when necessary

First level of settings menu

Here all the interesting things are hidden behind the “Additional operations” item

Device settings tabs. The input switching is hidden approximately at this level

Part of the streamer settings

Equalization settings

Switching DAC filters is also hidden here

General settings - power mode, screen brightness

Customizing the display of the music library Even such little things are taken into account here, and that’s not all

Quick access to functionality seems limited

Playlist - everything is familiar here

If individual devices are disabled, their configuration functions are also disabled.

But there are some issues with the functionality of the DAC. This only applies to configurations where the DAC operates either independently or only in conjunction with a clock. Here you need to choose what is preferable - a streaming operation option or an option using several familiar “DAC” inputs such as AES/EBU, optical and USB.

If you enable the streaming module in the DAC menu, then the functionality in the application and everything else is quite accessible and manageable, although, for example, there are no parameters that a separate streamer has. But if you switch from the application to any input other than LAN, the application is turned off along with the streaming function (and in the device menu, streaming also goes into an inactive state). As I understand it, when other inputs are used, the streaming part of the circuits is taken out of operation. In this case, you will have to control the device either from the menu on the screen and using the knob, or using the remote control, but without the participation of the Lightning DS application.

A strange, not entirely familiar solution. But you can understand its logic and get used to this operating mode too - I already advised you to think carefully about the working configuration in advance, precisely because of this not entirely standard functionality. And once again I would like to point out that if the DAC is paired with an external streamer, then there is no such feature, and the functionality turns out to be end-to-end and fully controlled by the native application.

Auralic Aries G2

One more important point needs to be mentioned. Usually, I don’t write about things like the remote control at all. Many users have remote controls lying around unpacked since the moment they purchased the devices. Auralic has solved the problem with remote controls in an unusual way. There are no remote controls in the kit at all, nor in the catalogue. Perhaps this is more logical than the options when a cheap remote control is included in the kit. But in some cases, when, for example, the DAC is used separately from the streamer and outside of connection with the control application, a remote control is needed. Switch inputs or change volume remotely (but not from the app).

To do this, Auralic devices can be easily trained to work with a third-party remote control - both custom and regular - the devices understand the Philips RC-5 protocol. In addition, you can adapt to the remote control in one of the menu items of the device itself, and the manufacturer provides a list of IR codes on its website. Although, summarizing the previous few paragraphs, I will say that in future versions of the application I would like to see end-to-end control of the DAC both in streaming mode and when working with other inputs. It is very likely that this will happen, especially since the DAC and streamer combination works without any problems at all and has common end-to-end control.

Auralic Aries G2

Test of the Auralic Aries G2 streamer, Vega G2 DAC and Leo GX master clock: a stellar trio

At the moment, this set is the senior bunch of devices produced by Auralic. With the exception of the Sirius G2 upsampler announced and shown in Munich, which has not yet gone on sale. This option seemed to me very difficult and very interesting: in comparison with the average test, there were many unusual things here.

Auralic equipment was not on our market quite recently - the first copies were brought only for the spring exhibition in Moscow this year. Something came into the country in small quantities, but I, for example, remember only old copies, since the release of which a lot has already changed.

For those who are not at all familiar with the brand’s technology, I will give a short historical background. The company was founded in 2009 and initially specialized in digital sources. The company has Chinese roots, but even with its early models it stood out from many other manufacturers. And it’s not only in technology that there are differences.

The founders, Xuanten Wang and Yuan Wang, are open people, visible to everyone. Professionals from several educational backgrounds, including Western universities, gave several interviews from which you can learn about their philosophy and approach to development. For this reason alone, they are very different from most Chinese manufacturers who lead a reclusive, non-public life.

Auralic Aries G2, Vega G2 and Leo GX
It is very likely that Auralic was originally conceived for the Western market and Western musical culture and aesthetics. There are plenty of positive mentions in the American and European audio press. The brand’s products even received the title “Stereophile class A”, and this title is not given to anyone just like that, and there are almost no mentions of Chinese manufacturers in these lists. And the Vega and Aries models are there.

Neat assembly and wide functionality

The line, which includes the Auralic Aries G2, Vega G2 and Leo GX, is relatively new, and significant progress can be seen in it both in terms of hardware and design. At the beginning of its existence, Auralic could definitely notice a certain uncertainty in style and not the best external expressiveness. Although many people liked those devices not so much for their appearance as for their functionality and sound. But I really liked what the company is doing now. Let's put it this way: they have raised the appearance to the level of the filling, but they do not stop developing the latter.

All devices have perfectly finished black matte milled cases. The standard decoupling legs have excellent properties. The attention to such little things is very reassuring.

There are a minimum of control elements on the cases. The streamer has buttons for navigating the menu and controlling playback, while the DAC has a turn-and-push knob

Everything inside is located, so to speak, upside down. We remove the steel bottom plate and see that all the filling is attached to the body from below. The cases themselves are smaller in size than standard ones, but larger than “halves”. It may be a little unusual, but the execution is neat and of high quality.

Looking at the filling, you understand that the cases were selected in size exactly so as to place everything neatly, but without emptiness. The cases themselves of this type and manufacturing are not cheap, and in the case of a full-size implementation this would affect the final figures. But the savings here are no more than necessary - everything inside is correctly arranged, decoupled and shielded. All fastenings of the filling are not directly to the body, but to separate steel plates. And in some cases, when transistors need radiators, the external aluminum casing acts as a radiator. In general, the assembly is so neat that even if you wanted to, you couldn’t find fault with a single screw. There are also no questions about implementation in detail - excellent boards, not at all cheap components.

The power supply is linear everywhere, in transport and shroud you can find a couple of decent transformers, and in the DAC there is even a custom-made torus made by the Canadian Plitron, on which it is written in plain text that this is a custom one for Vega G2.

Then you need to look not so much at the implementation, but at the functionality. But these devices are not simple: this is the case when it is not superfluous to study the instructions in order to understand not only how things work, but also to understand the logic of use and control. In addition, we consider three devices as a system or digital source, but in fact they can be used in other combinations.

For example, Vega G2 can be used simply as a DAC or as a DAC with a streamer (and there is also a preamplifier on board). And Vega G2 can work both independently and with an external Leo GX master clock. The Aries G2 streamer can also be imagined either as part of its native ecosystem, or as a completely independent entity. And with all these configurations you need to understand the details. Therefore, first we will consider the devices individually, and then in combinations.

Auralic Leo GX

If you want ideal

Perhaps you can start with the Auralic Leo GX master clock. In general, not all manufacturers have separate pieces in the form of independent devices: of those that are well-known and visible, we can primarily recall Esoteric and dCs. It will be easier to find a master clock in the catalogs of studio equipment manufacturers than from home equipment manufacturers. But with studios it is more or less clear where, no matter how, to use high-precision synchronizers. At home, this approach is less common.

In fact, a digital player must have a clock generator in any case. The only question is its implementation: from simple quartz or a separate part of the device circuit to such independent devices. And from the implementation follows the accuracy of operation and accuracy of synchronization. By the way, the influence of this node, whether it is part of the board or an independent value, is very audible, and replacing the clock with a better one sometimes gives an effect no less noticeable than the effect of modifying the analog output stages.

The Auralic developers approached the issue of clock generators from two sides at once. Firstly, the devices themselves have quite decent standard generators on board, and sufficient attention was paid to their development and integration into the system. Well, for those who want a state of affairs close to the ideal, Leo GX is available as a separate device - moreover, a device designed specifically to pair with its own DAC.

What's interesting and unusual is that studio oscillators often operate at 10 MHz, but Leo's frequency characteristics are different - it uses frequencies of 90.3168 MHz for signals based on 44.1 kHz and 98.3040 MHz for signals based on 48 kHz. The power supply for the clock itself and for control are separate, and control signals to the clock are transmitted via optics. To connect to the DAC, the clock uses two connectors: a proprietary Lightning Link, which looks like HDMI, but is neither it nor an i2s connector, and a high-frequency coaxial connector designed to transmit the clock signal. Lightning Link in this application becomes not a signal connector, but a control connector.

Auralic Leo GX

The clock has no manual settings - the connection with the DAC works automatically. It should be noted that shred is a temperature-dependent thing, especially when it comes to appropriate frequencies and accuracy. And Leo’s functionality takes this into account: after connecting and plugging into the network, the clock will not start immediately, but will begin to count down the hour until the start. And only then the device will work. Otherwise, the device does not require turning off and is completely controlled by the head unit associated with it. At the same time, this entire system cheerfully clicks the relay and cheerfully displays information on the screen about which signal is currently being processed.

Pleasant exception

Next we'll look at the Auralic Vega G2 DAC. Perhaps this is the most independent and most complex device in our trinity. The body and appearance of the device are the same as the others. The visible difference is only in a pair of headphone outputs and a control knob-button. At first, it took me a long time to adapt to this particular pen. It is very multifunctional: it can be both a volume control and a navigation knob through the device’s fairly extensive menu. Its device is not very user-friendly: the handle not only turns, but also presses at the same time, and you need to get used to this in order to get what you want.

Finishing with this unit, I’ll tell you about the pre-amplifier function. It is built much better than one would expect. Typically, in similar devices we will find microcircuit assemblies, a digital regulator, or, at best, a motorized ALPS. Pleasant exceptions rarely happen. There are also two separate modules made up of resistors, with switching relays, and also output stages in class A using discrete elements (the circuits of the output modules are supposedly made based on the circuits of the studio analog console Neve8078).

Everything is divided into channels, in fact, according to the principle of dual mono. That is, each channel has a volume control module and an output stage module. Very beautiful. And it works well - the preamplifier, as such, turned out to be very clean and neutral in sound. The only negative is that the preamplifier only has one unbalanced input, otherwise it works with the DAC hardware.

However, if the topic of a digital source is covered by Auralic itself, then with a high degree of probability the third-party source will be a phono stage, and in this case, for most models, an unbalanced input will be more than enough. By the way, you can use the preamplifier function from the application, and in the process you can hear the regulator clicking the relay - the adjustment is not super-fast, but with such an implementation scheme it cannot be any other way.

Auralic Vega G2

The DAC itself is also quite unusual: according to the description, it is built on a modified circuit of some Saber chip, which is not specified. In other words, the circuit is assembled using discrete elements. This is sometimes done, but not all companies have the qualifications and imagination of developers for such solutions. I can’t say unequivocally whether this is good or not - here you need to listen to what happened - but simply the fact itself says a lot about the hardware. In addition to the custom converter, the list of engineering solutions includes a serious approach to clock construction (even without taking into account the presence of a separate external “option”), sophisticated galvanic isolation and a complex jitter minimization system.

The computer component of the device, called the Tesla platform by the authors, is based on a 4-core processor, a gigabyte of DDR3 RAM and 4 GB of memory for data storage. The platform is not only responsible for the streaming component of the DAC, but is also significantly integrated with it, and does not exist as a separate addition. I have seen indications that all digital inputs are somehow connected to this core.

But since I don’t have the opportunity to run the device through processor performance tests or measure the jitter level, I won’t retell all this in the language of brochures - this is not enough to understand the details, and to understand the device itself, it’s better to listen to it carefully. How to evaluate the functionality of a device is even more obvious.

Auralic Vega G2

Deep functionality and a lot of nuances

Next, let's look at the Auralic Aries G2 streamer. Everything here is as it should be for a streamer. The inputs, of course, are network, and in addition to a wired connection, you can use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. However, Wi-Fi does not have any restrictions compared to a wired connection. Outputs - for every taste, there is everything that may be required in different situations. In addition, you can connect a storage device with data to the USB connector and use it in this mode.

Or you can even put a 2.5-inch disc inside and store your music library on it. There are no difficulties or restrictions here; inside there is a high-quality drive cage and a connector for connecting it. Transferring music is also not at all difficult: the disk is visible over the network, or you can attach an external disk to the streamer itself and copy everything to the internal memory using the Lightning DS application.

The most interesting thing about the streamer is not in the hardware - it looks confident (and at the core is the same Tesla platform of the latest version, only here with 2 GB of RAM and 8 GB of working memory) - but in the functionality. Here two components come together into a single whole: control of the device itself and control of the music library. And if you start to understand and try, it becomes clear that the functionality here is worked out very deeply.

In addition to all the basic settings, there are also a lot of additions - here I would generally advise the potential owner to study the multi-page instructions to understand what the system can do. Because it will not be possible to describe all the functionality within the framework of a test - there really is a lot of it. And with such nuances as, for example, quite advanced parameters built into the streamer, or the ability to customize the rules for indexing the music library (ignoring prefixes, different ways of arranging uppercase and lowercase letters in names, or working with CUE files in encoding other than UTF8) you need understand in detail to understand how everything needs to be configured in each specific case. In general, all this is not as important as upsampling settings, buffering parameters and other most pressing settings, but without nuances the picture will not be complete.

The control application is a very important component for such devices. However, you can configure the hardware and its functionality both through the screen menu and over the network via the web interface from a regular computer browser. And you can manage your music library either using the same native Lightning DS, or use Roon. The specificity of Lightning DS is that this application is created exclusively for iOS. In other cases, you can consider Bubble UpnP, Bubble DS, LinnKazoo or Lumin as an alternative - something that runs on OpenHome and can control Auralics. Although, in my opinion, only Lightning DS or Roon look like real options. But here, of course, you need to try.

In terms of working with the music library, I liked the Lightning DS interface. Lightweight, not overloaded, fast enough. While working with the catalog and playback, the application did not slow down or crash. But the process of setting up the hardware sometimes turned out to be thoughtful. Everything worked quickly, but there are a lot of settings, they are located in different places and tabs, and first you need to figure out what is where. Although, in a good way, 90% of the settings will need to be walked around once - when setting up the system, and then not touched.

From what was not at hand at all, although it should have been, I can note the DAC filter modes and inputs. Sometimes you want to switch filter modes depending on recordings and music. But in order to switch you need to go through several menu items. Although this is not supercritical: go through the points, and sort through the filter options, listen to which one you like best. In this case, playback does not fail, nothing untoward happens. And you definitely don’t want to turn on and off the external clock during the process, as well as constantly switch between adjustable and non-adjustable volume - this is configured once. As a last resort - until the composition of the system changes, in which a separate preamplifier suddenly appears or, conversely, disappears.

General menu of the music library, regardless of where the data comes from - from local storage or from a streaming service

Album display

The side menu is not always present on the screen, but is displayed when necessary

First level of settings menu

Here all the interesting things are hidden behind the “Additional operations” item

Device settings tabs. The input switching is hidden approximately at this level

Part of the streamer settings

Equalization settings

Switching DAC filters is also hidden here

General settings - power mode, screen brightness

Customizing the display of the music library

Even such little things are taken into account here, and that’s not all

Quick access to functionality seems limited

Playlist - everything is familiar here

If individual devices are disabled, their configuration functions are also disabled.

But there are some issues with the functionality of the DAC. This only applies to configurations where the DAC operates either independently or only in conjunction with a clock. Here you need to choose what is preferable - a streaming operation option or an option using several familiar “DAC” inputs such as AES/EBU, optical and USB.

If you enable the streaming module in the DAC menu, then the functionality in the application and everything else is quite accessible and manageable, although, for example, there are no parameters that a separate streamer has. But if you switch from the application to any input other than LAN, the application is turned off along with the streaming function (and in the device menu, streaming also goes into an inactive state). As I understand it, when other inputs are used, the streaming part of the circuits is taken out of operation. In this case, you will have to control the device either from the menu on the screen and using the knob, or using the remote control, but without the participation of the Lightning DS application.

A strange, not entirely familiar solution. But you can understand its logic and get used to this operating mode too - I already advised you to think carefully about the working configuration in advance, precisely because of this not entirely standard functionality. And once again I would like to point out that if the DAC is paired with an external streamer, then there is no such feature, and the functionality turns out to be end-to-end and fully controlled by the native application.

Auralic Aries G2
There is one more important point to mention. Usually, I don’t write about things like the remote control at all. Many users have remote controls lying around unpacked since the moment they purchased the devices. Auralic has solved the problem with remote controls in an unusual way. There are no remote controls in the kit at all, nor in the catalogue. Perhaps this is more logical than the options when a cheap remote control is included in the kit. But in some cases, when, for example, the DAC is used separately from the streamer and outside of connection with the control application, a remote control is needed. Switch inputs or change volume remotely (but not from the app).

To do this, Auralic devices can be easily trained to work with a third-party remote control - both custom and regular - the devices understand the Philips RC-5 protocol. In addition, you can adapt to the remote control in one of the menu items of the device itself, and the manufacturer provides a list of IR codes on its website. Although, summarizing the previous few paragraphs, I will say that in future versions of the application I would like to see end-to-end control of the DAC both in streaming mode and when working with other inputs. It is very likely that this will happen, especially since the DAC and streamer combination works without any problems at all and has common end-to-end control.

Auralic Aries G2

Neatness and cleanliness

The audition was long - not even a week or two - so we listened to a lot of all kinds of music and formats. My notes turned out to be very voluminous, and I decided not to go into detail and not consider each recording I listened to, but to immediately move on to the sum of my impressions. Fortunately, time and volume of materials allow. I listened to the devices in different versions and combinations, checking the capabilities of all kinds of inputs and functionality. Of course, when the Auralic Vega G2 DAC was paired with a streamer, the connection between them was via Lightning Link, since this is the recommended connection. I tried the streamer separately and the DAC separately in different combinations.

As in the case of analyzing the materiel, I’ll start with the scrap. Formally, it cannot be listened to separately - only in conjunction with a DAC. If you connect a clock, the difference for an untrained listener will be noticeable, but not much. But if you listen to the nuances and the basis of the sound, the increase is obvious. This is expressed in the fact that the result is almost extreme transparency of the sound. He is cleaner and slimmer.

The opposite effect - if you let an untrained person listen to the system with a glitch and then turn it off - will be much more noticeable. Again, not by formal characteristics, but by subtle, but at the same time, completely obvious changes. Perhaps an unprepared listener will not be able to describe point by point what exactly has changed, but he will definitely ask to turn the clock back on. So at this point I will consider the question closed: all further experiments, except for studying the streamer itself, I carried out using the Auralic Leo GX clock.

Vibration decoupling support legs with a ball inside

Now about first general impressions. The sound is very transparent, harmonious and honest. I was unable to achieve any noticeable coloring from the devices. There is no warmth or coldness, no raised mids or accentuated highs. In some ways the sound reminded me of some very good and expensive examples of studio equipment.

However, many of those studio samples, at the same time, demonstrated an honest sound, but linearly boring. But here everything is different: the sound is tasty, rich, perfectly detailed, but not colored. The texture is very good, the dynamics are at an excellent level, and it is precisely due to such a detailed, but not detached presentation that the sound turns out to be good in any genre - and at the same time equally interesting and not tiring.

The bass always turns out to be rich in details and nuances, full and varied. And then everything depends on the material. If something is written down, you can hear it. Where it is written well is the same.

The middle and highs do not fall out at all in terms of speed and other characteristics - the entire range is presented seamlessly and legibly. The scene does not strive for a very large scale, but is not at all small; it is constructed correctly, proportionally, with very good spatial elaboration and fullness. The images are very natural, although both mono and early stereo, and the flaws in the recordings are quite noticeable and distinguishable.

The tendency towards averaging or simplification is not noticeable at all: the sound is not angular, nothing sticks out anywhere, but then everything, again, depends on the music. It should be noted that the problems of the material are clearly audible, but not annoying. Even old recordings on the radio can be listened to with interest and pleasure, if the music itself is worth it. At the same time, there is no brightness or intrusiveness. Accuracy in presentation is constantly observed, but this does not make the sound boring.

Auralic Aries G2, Vega G2 and Leo GX

Perhaps this is the case when the more correct the device sounds, the less its personal features can be described. And Auralic achieved exactly this level. I heard the features of other components in the system, experimented a little with cables and even with software players on different operating systems. Everything is perfectly audible, but the Auralic kit’s own influence is almost not noticeable - it seems to dissolve in the overall picture. Although, when I disconnected the set from the system, for some time I did not want to turn on my digital source (which is long overdue for an upgrade).

Another feature is that both a streamer with a third-party DAC and a DAC with different sources work very well in almost any switching options. My transport has clearly distinguishable preferences, but if you take a device devoid of such features, you might think that Auralic does not have residual inputs (or streamer outputs). Even in terms of optics, everything is very successful. However, you also need to take into account that full high-resolution is supported via USB and Lightning Link, and the same AES/EBU has a cutoff at 24/192.

But, if desired, you can use several DACs with the streamer: for example, something old for 16/44 and something else for high-rez. Similarly, several different sources can be used with a DAC. The main thing is that the level will be very decent everywhere, and I didn’t find any failed combinations.

In terms of how the system worked with 16/44, high-rez, and DSD, there are practically no questions either. The difference is audible, but the devices do not give priority to one or the other. DSD has a velvety texture and microdynamics, but well-made recordings in 16/44 are listened to perfectly well - adjusted for the format, but without a feeling of inferiority.

In addition, the DAC has four types of digital filtering, and you can experiment here too. Dynamic gave a slightly dryer, sharper sound, with the Balance option there was a little more volume - reverbs and flangers on recordings became a little more noticeable - in the Precise mode there was more detail, but a little less volume, and in the Smooth mode everything was a little softer and the sound was a little darker . In general, these are very neat changes - they do not change the sound, but only place emphasis slightly differently.

Finally, the Auralic Aries G2 streamer. Not only does it give the system a complete form, but I also really liked this streamer separately - even in comparison with a well-built playback system from a computer via USB. I, of course, disabled all the parameters, used the same files and services, and alternately Roon and the native application as controls. I liked the sound: the same purity and clarity, obviously high detail and dynamics. With various non-native DACs, the difference is audible: the influence and character of the DACs themselves is felt, but it is also noticeable that it could easily become an argument in favor of replacing even a not-so-basic audio computer with such a box. Especially considering its storage functionality.

conclusions

In hardware, the devices look equally good - both on the outside and on the inside. Very pleasant performance in general and in small details, it’s difficult to find fault with anything. The devices are very advanced in terms of functionality and can really do a lot. The number of settings and capabilities is significantly higher than the statistical average. This is certainly good, but it will require attention.

In terms of switching, selection of inputs, I can’t imagine what would be missing here. In terms of material, the devices understand and process everything you could wish for. Again, I don’t see any difficulty. DSD1024 is not announced, but that’s probably good - otherwise this race of numbers is already starting to get boring. And the source code in this form does not really exist.

Let me draw your attention once again to the fact that the Auralic Vega G2 DAC is also a very good preamplifier that can work both on its own and with one unbalanced analog source.

The controls - with some reservations that have already been mentioned - are implemented well, and you quickly get used to the application. As an alternative, of course, we can recommend Roon. Here you rather need to look at your taste and personal habits.

Finally, about the sound: such neutral and unadorned sources are quite rare, and almost never in a more affordable price category. So if you put neutrality and purity of sound at the head of the sound hierarchy, Auralic is undoubtedly worth paying attention to.

Official site:

https://us.auralic.com/products/aries-g2 https://us.auralic.com/products/vega-g2 https://us.auralic.com/products/leo-gx

Passport details

Auralic Aries G2

• Type: network transport with storage capability
• Sampling rates: 44.1 - 384 kHz/32 bit (352.8 and 384 kHz/32 bit via Lightning Link and USB only)
• DSD support: DSD 64-512 (DoP or native, via Lightning Link and USB)
• Inputs: LAN, USB. Additionally - WiFi 802.11b/g/n/ac and the ability to install an internal 2.5-inch HDD or SSD
• Outputs: Lightning Link, AES/EBU, Coaxial, Toslink, USB
• Supported formats: AIFF, ALAC, APE, DIFF, DSF, FLAC, OGG, WAV, WV, AAC, MP3, MQA, WMA
• Supported services: UPnP/DLNA, TIDAL, Qobuz, AirPlay, Bluetooth, Songcast, RoonReady, NFS, USB Drive, Internet radio
• Power consumption: 10/50 W
• Dimensions (WxDxH): 340x320x80
• Weight: 7.2 kg

Auralic Vega G2

• Type: DAC with streamer, preamp and headphone amplifier functions
• Sampling rates: 44.1 - 384 kHz/32 bit (352.8 and 384 kHz/32 bit via Lightning Link and USB only)
• DSD support: DSD 64-512 (DoP or native, via Lightning Link and USB)
• Analog input: 1 x RCA (2V max)
• Analogue output: 1 x RCA, 1 x XLR, headphone output 2 x 6.3 mm
• Digital inputs: Lightning Link, AES/EBU, Coaxial, Toslink, USB, LAN, Master clock
• Supported formats: AIFF, ALAC, APE, DIFF, DSF, FLAC, OGG, WAV, WV, AAC, MP3, MQA, WMA
• Supported services: UPnP/DLNA, TIDAL, Qobuz, AirPlay, Songcast, Spotify Connect, RoonReady, Internet radio
• Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz, ±0.1 dB
• Dynamic range: 130 dB
• Output voltage: 4.8 V (RCA/XLR)
• Output Impedance: 5 ohms/RCA, 50 ohms/XLR
• Power consumption: 10/50 W
• Dimensions (WxDxH): 340x320x80
• Weight: 7.8 kg

Auralic Leo GX

• Type: Thermally controlled rubidium atomic clock
• Allan Variance: 2E-12 (for 1 second)
• Operating frequencies: 90.3168 MHz (44.1 kHz); 98.3040 MHz (48 kHz)
• 44.1 - 384 kHz/32 bit, DSD 64-512
• Designed to work in tandem with the Auralic Vega G2 DAC in bypass mode of the DAC's own synchronization circuit. Connection via Lightning Link
• Power consumption: 15/30 W
• Dimensions (WxDxH): 340x320x80
• Weight: 8.1 kg

Source: stereo.ru
Go to the manufacturer's catalog

Neatness and cleanliness

The audition was long - not even a week or two - so we listened to a lot of all kinds of music and formats. My notes turned out to be very voluminous, and I decided not to go into detail and not consider each recording I listened to, but to immediately move on to the sum of my impressions. Fortunately, time and volume of materials allow. I listened to the devices in different versions and combinations, checking the capabilities of all kinds of inputs and functionality. Of course, when the Auralic Vega G2 DAC was paired with a streamer, the connection between them was via Lightning Link, since this is the recommended connection. I tried the streamer separately and the DAC separately in different combinations.

As in the case of analyzing the materiel, I’ll start with the scrap. Formally, it cannot be listened to separately - only in conjunction with a DAC. If you connect a clock, the difference for an untrained listener will be noticeable, but not much. But if you listen to the nuances and the basis of the sound, the increase is obvious. This is expressed in the fact that the result is almost extreme transparency of the sound. He is cleaner and slimmer.

The opposite effect - if you let an untrained person listen to the system with a glitch and then turn it off - will be much more noticeable. Again, not by formal characteristics, but by subtle, but at the same time, completely obvious changes. Perhaps an unprepared listener will not be able to describe point by point what exactly has changed, but he will definitely ask to turn the clock back on. So at this point I will consider the question closed: all further experiments, except for studying the streamer itself, I carried out using the Auralic Leo GX clock.

Vibration decoupling support legs with a ball inside

Now about first general impressions. The sound is very transparent, harmonious and honest. I was unable to achieve any noticeable coloring from the devices. There is no warmth or coldness, no raised mids or accentuated highs. In some ways the sound reminded me of some very good and expensive examples of studio equipment.

However, many of those studio samples, at the same time, demonstrated an honest sound, but linearly boring. But here everything is different: the sound is tasty, rich, perfectly detailed, but not colored. The texture is very good, the dynamics are at an excellent level, and it is precisely due to such a detailed, but not detached presentation that the sound turns out to be good in any genre - and at the same time equally interesting and not tiring.

The bass always turns out to be rich in details and nuances, full and varied. And then everything depends on the material. If something is written down, you can hear it. Where it is written well is the same.

The middle and highs do not fall out at all in terms of speed and other characteristics - the entire range is presented seamlessly and legibly. The scene does not strive for a very large scale, but is not at all small; it is constructed correctly, proportionally, with very good spatial elaboration and fullness. The images are very natural, although both mono and early stereo, and the flaws in the recordings are quite noticeable and distinguishable.

The tendency towards averaging or simplification is not noticeable at all: the sound is not angular, nothing sticks out anywhere, but then everything, again, depends on the music. It should be noted that the problems of the material are clearly audible, but not annoying. Even old recordings on the radio can be listened to with interest and pleasure, if the music itself is worth it. At the same time, there is no brightness or intrusiveness. Accuracy in presentation is constantly observed, but this does not make the sound boring.

Auralic Aries G2, Vega G2 and Leo GX

Perhaps this is the case when the more correct the device sounds, the less its personal features can be described. And Auralic achieved exactly this level. I heard the features of other components in the system, experimented a little with cables and even with software players on different operating systems. Everything is perfectly audible, but the Auralic kit’s own influence is almost not noticeable - it seems to dissolve in the overall picture. Although, when I disconnected the set from the system, for some time I did not want to turn on my digital source (which is long overdue for an upgrade).

Another feature is that both a streamer with a third-party DAC and a DAC with different sources work very well in almost any switching options. My transport has clearly distinguishable preferences, but if you take a device devoid of such features, you might think that Auralic does not have residual inputs (or streamer outputs). Even in terms of optics, everything is very successful. However, you also need to take into account that full high-resolution is supported via USB and Lightning Link, and the same AES/EBU has a cutoff at 24/192.

But, if desired, you can use several DACs with the streamer: for example, something old for 16/44 and something else for high-rez. Similarly, several different sources can be used with a DAC. The main thing is that the level will be very decent everywhere, and I didn’t find any failed combinations.

In terms of how the system worked with 16/44, high-rez, and DSD, there are practically no questions either. The difference is audible, but the devices do not give priority to one or the other. DSD has a velvety texture and microdynamics, but well-made recordings in 16/44 are listened to perfectly well - adjusted for the format, but without a feeling of inferiority.

In addition, the DAC has four types of digital filtering, and you can experiment here too. Dynamic gave a slightly dryer, sharper sound, with the Balance option there was a little more volume - reverbs and flangers on recordings became a little more noticeable - in the Precise mode there was more detail, but a little less volume, and in the Smooth mode everything was a little softer and the sound was a little darker . In general, these are very neat changes - they do not change the sound, but only place emphasis slightly differently.

Finally, the Auralic Aries G2 streamer. Not only does it give the system a complete form, but I also really liked this streamer separately - even in comparison with a well-built playback system from a computer via USB. I, of course, disabled all the parameters, used the same files and services, and alternately Roon and the native application as controls. I liked the sound: the same purity and clarity, obviously high detail and dynamics. With various non-native DACs, the difference is audible: the influence and character of the DACs themselves is felt, but it is also noticeable that it could easily become an argument in favor of replacing even a not-so-basic audio computer with such a box. Especially considering its storage functionality.