Auralic Aries (Hardware) - Impressions and Information

[ksalno]

22 hours ago, mfalcon said:

Has there been any news recently about when the Aries might get an update to firmware 5.2 like the other devices?  Has there been any mention in the past year or so of the Aries possibly working as a NAA?

thanks

My Aries was automatically update to firmware 5.2 a few weeks ago, I believe. My Lightning is running 4.5 under auto updates on my iPad. I think those are both the current production releases. 

[Blade1001]

No, it looks like older Aries (i.e. not the G2) are still stuck on 4.1.0:

 

https://support.auralic.com/hc/en-us/articles/206579677-Current-Device-Firmware

[oldzorki]

29 minutes ago, Blade1001 said:

No, it looks like older Aries (i.e. not the G2) are still stuck on 4.1.0:

 

https://support.auralic.com/hc/en-us/articles/206579677-Current-Device-Firmware

They list 5.2 as beta, just choose to join beta program and you will be all set. 5.2 is very stable

[conqubite]

I have a silly question. I have been experimenting with my settings on the Aries in the lighting app. But now my dac (mytek brooklyn) is fixed on 32 bit and the music sounds not as good as it should... I don't know how but I might have changed the upsampling settings????. But I can't find where I can change it back..................... I have no idea what i did wrong..... How can I change it back?

[oldzorki]

What version of Lighting DS you are running? In 5.3 on main screen you need to go to settings (button on left bottom corner->Lightning Device-> (choose your device)->additional operations->processor setup

[conqubite]

This is what I see. 

[conqubite]

I run version 5.3 btw

 

[mjb]

7 hours ago, conqubite said:

This is what I see. 

Everything appears default, I don’t think you’ve detrimentally changed anything here.

[conqubite]

It was the volume control in the streamer setup. I had enabled it but apparently that made it upsample everything to 32 bit 44 khz.. Ik disabled volume control again and it was ok after that. Even MQA on my Mytek Brooklyn dac works ok..

[mjb]

1 hour ago, conqubite said:

It was the volume control in the streamer setup. I had enabled it but apparently that made it upsample everything to 32 bit 44 khz.. Ik disabled volume control again and it was ok after that. Even MQA on my Mytek Brooklyn dac works ok..

Glad you found it. Disable software volume to stay “bit-perfect”, as the MQA light shows.

[vlomdmdiv]

As noted by others there is a 5.3 Beta Version for the Aries, Aries_LE, but still at 4.1 Release Version. Not sure why Release Version hasn't been updated in a while.

 

https://support.auralic.com/hc/en-us/articles/206579677-Current-Device-Firmware

[oldzorki]

My guess is that some people had network issues with 5.1 and such they never wanted to upgrade. Dunno about 5.3.

Keeping 4.1 and 5.3 separate give them a choice.

I personally think 5.3 is far superior version

[Guido Del Giudice]

Has anyone tried an SBooster BOTW 15-16V LPS with an Aries Femto and compared it to the supplied Aries LPS?

[Naka]

1 hour ago, Guido Del Giudice said:

Has anyone tried an SBooster BOTW 15-16V LPS with an Aries Femto and compared it to the supplied Aries LPS?

No, but I have a Sbooster BOTW in my Uptone Audio Regen connected to the Teac UD 501 Dac, and I think it performes very well.

 

I have use this Sbooster on the Squeezebox Touch with amazing results so I didn't sell it figuring that someday I would use it again.

 

I have though about upgrading the LPS but in the end my choice was the Uptone Regen and USB mini-cable (on the dac) and Audioquest Jitterbug (on the Aries Femto) and connecting both with Audioquest Carbon USB cable.... great sound!

[MNG]

On 23/01/2018 at 2:05 PM, Guido Del Giudice said:

Has anyone tried an SBooster BOTW 15-16V LPS with an Aries Femto and compared it to the supplied Aries LPS?

 

Yes - I preferred SBooster Ultra to the Aries LPS which I now use with my Aries SE. That gave a nice improvement to the SE, so I got a double benefit from getting the SBooster. I don’t use the SBooster anymore since I replaced the Femto Aries in my main system with a Zenith SE. 

 

If anyone is interested in buying a Femto Aries and SBooster Ultra, PM me. I am in the UK.

[The Computer Audiophile]

12 minutes ago, MNG said:

If anyone is interested in buying a Femto Aries and SBooster Ultra...

Feel free to list it here. No cost to list, pay only if it sells.

 

https://superphonica.com

 

 

[MNG]

1 hour ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Feel free to list it here. No cost to list, pay only if it sells.

 

https://superphonica.com

 

 

 

Ah, great, many thanks. Will do.

[FIndingit]

I didn’t know both usb connections in the Aries can be used to output to dac (of course, but not simultaneously).

 

What is strange the one assigned as “input” sounds different. Imaging is more precise, which is typically a sign of less jitter. 

[mjb]

I think only one port (DAC) has galvanic isolation, and so will sound better for audio.

[FIndingit]

There’s galvanic isolation in G2 only. And I’m actually withdrawing my remarks, the images may be sharper,  but the sound is less relaxed. 

[Jay Tee]

I have a query: has anyone here with an Aries femto tried the SoTM USB reclocker and compared it with the Regen or ISO Regen?

[FIndingit]

My Aries has recently started playing music by itself without any commands from ipad or remote. Always the last played album.

[Doak]

On 1/29/2018 at 10:04 AM, MNG said:

 

Yes - I preferred SBooster Ultra to the Aries LPS which I now use with my Aries SE. That gave a nice improvement to the SE, so I got a double benefit from getting the SBooster. I don’t use the SBooster anymore since I replaced the Femto Aries in my main system with a Zenith SE. 

 

If anyone is interested in buying a Femto Aries and SBooster Ultra, PM me. I am in the UK.

What is "Aries SE" model?

[Dr Tone]

11 minutes ago, Doak said:

What is "Aries SE" model?

 

I'm thinking typo.

 

· ARIES LE: The standard model with low-phase noise crystal and standard external PSU. 

 

· ARIES: The step-up model with two individual FemtoClocks for both USB audio host and digital outputs, low noise internal design to eliminate jitter and AURALiC Purer‐Power™ based 10uV low noise external linear PSU. 

[MNG]

On 05/03/2018 at 7:52 PM, Dr Tone said:

 

I'm thinking typo.

 

· ARIES LE: The standard model with low-phase noise crystal and standard external PSU. 

 

· ARIES: The step-up model with two individual FemtoClocks for both USB audio host and digital outputs, low noise internal design to eliminate jitter and AURALiC Purer‐Power™ based 10uV low noise external linear PSU. 

 

Yes, correct, thank you. I am confusing with my Innuos Zenith SE which is my main device.