Auralic Aries Mini

[Guido Del Giudice]

I am thinking of putting a 2TB SSD inside the Aries Mini...does anyone have any experience of any sound differences between an internal SSD drive or using an external USB HD?

 

I am using the Aries Mini as a USB streamer only into my KEF LS50 wireless speakers.

 

I have an SBooster LPS powering the Aries mini.

[Jonny]

47 minutes ago, Guido Del Giudice said:

I am thinking of putting a 2TB SSD inside the Aries Mini...does anyone have any experience of any sound differences between an internal SSD drive or using an external USB HD?

 

I am using the Aries Mini as a USB streamer only into my KEF LS50 wireless speakers.

 

I have an SBooster LPS powering the Aries mini.

 

I actually used to have the Aries powered by linear power supply into the Kef’s USB as well. I was mainly just streaming Tidal on the Aries so I can’t comment about the SSD sound quality. I was never happy with the SQ from the Aries though. I get a better sound with Roon on Macbook in Exclusive Mode via optical into the Kef’s. I never tried optical out of the Aries though. Best sound I’ve heard from the Kef’s is iPhone Roon end point into the Kef’s USB. 

[lentille]

Jonny Hi

 

I have 2 x Aries Mini (different rigs). I started with the internal SSD. I then moved to an external NAS drive connected wirelessly as this is what Aurilac recommend. If you are using a linear power supply then I doubt you will hear much difference. Even without an LPS you may not hear much difference as you are not using the internal Aries DAC. (Thumb drives are a different matter of course.). As the Aries Mini Lightning DS player software now uses a small memory cache it is not directly relying on disc read speed  - even Tidal sounds excellent. But only you will know when you compare under your own environment. 

Vincent

[Ajax]

On 16/01/2018 at 8:18 PM, Guido Del Giudice said:

I am thinking of putting a 2TB SSD inside the Aries Mini...does anyone have any experience of any sound differences between an internal SSD drive or using an external USB HD?

 

I am using the Aries Mini as a USB streamer only into my KEF LS50 wireless speakers.

 

I have an SBooster LPS powering the Aries mini.

Hi Guido,

 

I also have an Auarlic Mini with an SBooster power supply. I recently installed a 500G Samsung 850 Evo SSD that replaced a 2Tb external hard drive.

 

The Mini is connected via USB (i.e. digital out so I do not use the Mini's internal DAC) into a Devialet 220, which drives a pair of ATC SCM 19 large bookshelf speakers and a pair of SVS SB 2000 subs in stereo. I use the Devialet's internal DAC to cross over the subs at 65hz.

 

I only have part of my library installed on the SSD, about 10,000 songs, comprising a mixture of Hi Res (24/192 and 24/96) and Redbook. I purchased the Devialet because most of my library is Rebook and I was impressed with the quality of the playback.

 

I have not bothered doing a DBT, or switching back and forward between the external drive and the new SSD, but I can say that I am extremely happy with the sound quality I am getting from the Mini in this configuration. I can say with some confidence that the sound quality is at least no "worst" utilising the internal SSD drive. What does standout is that song loading and indexing is much faster with the SSD. The Lighting DS software is now more responsive and this has greatly improved my enjoyment of the system.

 

With the new 5.3 beta version now incorporating Spotify Connect my family will be able to stream to the several Mini devices I have (one for my main system, one in the kids area and one at the beach house that I share with my brother in law). I will continue to source my music from the SSD and also Tidal.

 

I get the impression from what I have read on this and other forums that the Sonore and SOtM could provide even better sound quality but I would think it must be marginal compared with my mini powered by a  separate LPS and utilising the Devialet's DAC, however, this is pure speculation on my part.

 

Because of the variety of sources now available on the Mini - Spotify Connect and Tidal, combined with my hi res music on the SSD, and controlling it all from my iPhone, I am going to be hard pressed to find a more versatile and compact piece of equipment that also sounds great and I will most likely stay with this configuration for the foreseeable future.

 

Finally, the Mini is inexpensive and is also ideal for travelling. I sometimes use the internal DAC and connect to a hotel's mini system or a friends hifi. A little bit of buggering around but once it is synced to the wifi it is a tremendous device. 

 

All the best,

 

Ajax

 

 

 

[bruny]

Hi all. Last few times I’ve tried to use my Aries mini it is not connecting. I.e when I open the LDS app. It shows the mini but won’t play any tracks. I have to run through set up every time. Im using firmware 5.3. Not had any problems for a while. This has just started. I didn’t change anything as it has been stable for a while now. Any ideas. 

[Cornan]

1 hour ago, bruny said:

Hi all. Last few times I’ve tried to use my Aries mini it is not connecting. I.e when I open the LDS app. It shows the mini but won’t play any tracks. I have to run through set up every time. Im using firmware 5.3. Not had any problems for a while. This has just started. I didn’t change anything as it has been stable for a while now. Any ideas. 

 

Try to remove the DC power cable from Aries Mini and insert it again. I had similar problems that was "cured" this way.

[bruny]

thanks Cornan. this is how I have been getting it to connect. but next time I go to use it again I get the same problem. Surely I won't have to perform this ritual every time I want to listen to music. 

[Cornan]

11 minutes ago, bruny said:

thanks Cornan. this is how I have been getting it to connect. but next time I go to use it again I get the same problem. Surely I won't have to perform this ritual every time I want to listen to music. 

 

Your welcome bruny! ?

No, if it happens again it is time to look down the Ethernet/wifi path. If you use a wireless extender/bridge. Power it on/off as well. Ethernet switch can give these symptomes as well. When all the Ethernet devices close to the aries (or connected to it) power on/off the Aries Mini again. I hope that helps! ? 

[bruny]

thanks Cornan. I'll give it a go. see how it goes next few times I connect.

[nnck]

This is an EXTREMELY newbie question but...

 

I'm considering buying an Aries Mini on the used market. I understand the Lightning DS app is available to control the Aires Mini via iphone/ipad. But can you control it also via a laptop? Can you connect to the server kind of like you do with a Squeezebox Touch, and control your playlist via laptop?

[mfin]

On 19/02/2018 at 12:29 AM, nnck said:

This is an EXTREMELY newbie question but...

 

I'm considering buying an Aries Mini on the used market. I understand the Lightning DS app is available to control the Aires Mini via iphone/ipad. But can you control it also via a laptop? Can you connect to the server kind of like you do with a Squeezebox Touch, and control your playlist via laptop?

 

https://support.auralic.com/hc/en-us/articles/222512407-Is-Lightning-DS-available-on-Windows-PC-or-Mac-

 

Don't think so, it is coming though.

[nnck]

6 minutes ago, mfin said:

 

https://support.auralic.com/hc/en-us/articles/222512407-Is-Lightning-DS-available-on-Windows-PC-or-Mac-

 

Don't think so, it is coming though.

 

If this is true will it also be available for the ARIES Mini? I ask because I heard the AriesARIES Mini is no longer being manufactured. Are they still going to support it in this way?

[mfin]

6 minutes ago, nnck said:

 

If this is true will it also be available for the ARIES Mini? I ask because I heard the AriesARIES Mini is no longer being manufactured. Are they still going to support it in this way?

 

I don't know. I would have thought they will make it available for all the Aries series, they still have to support them all.

 

It would make sense I think as going forward it will be easier for them to continually develop a web based interface than having to push new features and tweaks to the apps through Apple's app store.

[pl_svn]

a web interface, still limited to device settings only, is already there and working under firmware 5.x (beta for Aries and Aries mini)

[nnck]

1 hour ago, mfin said:

 

I don't know. I would have thought they will make it available for all the Aries series, they still have to support them all.

 

It would make sense I think as going forward it will be easier for them to continually develop a web based interface than having to push new features and tweaks to the apps through Apple's app store.

 

Awesome if true. Look forward to it.

 

But After doing a little more research it seems what I was asking for is already available via minimserver - am I right about that? Maybe this isn’t a favored solution as it wasn’t mentioned by others?

[nnck]

25 minutes ago, pl_svn said:

a web interface, still limited to device settings only, is already there and working under firmware 5.x (beta for Aries and Aries mini)

 

So this limited web interface still offers no control over searching music library, creating playlists, etc?

[Luvdac]

So is it true that the aries mini is discontinued? I was thinking of getting a 2nd one. Anyone knows if a MK2 is in the offing or is it going the way of the sqeezebox?

[alandbush]

17 hours ago, nnck said:

 

Awesome if true. Look forward to it.

 

But After doing a little more research it seems what I was asking for is already available via minimserver - am I right about that? Maybe this isn’t a favored solution as it wasn’t mentioned by others?

 

Minimserver is a music server similar to the Lightning server.  They are not control points on any platform so you are mistaken.

 

However, I presume Aries mini is similar to the Aries and can operate in Open Home mode, in which case, you can use the web based music controllers from Linn, either Kinsky or the later Kazoo.  Both, I believe, run on Windows or Mac.

[nnck]

7 hours ago, Luvdac said:

So is it true that the aries mini is discontinued? I was thinking of getting a 2nd one. Anyone knows if a MK2 is in the offing or is it going the way of the sqeezebox?

 

Luvdac- I've  been searching online for an answer about this for a couple months...it seems like most are saying it has been discontinued. It's been out of stock at most places I've checked. A handful have come for sale on the used audio sites.

 

3 hours ago, alandbush said:

 

Minimserver is a music server similar to the Lightning server.  They are not control points on any platform so you are mistaken.

 

However, I presume Aries mini is similar to the Aries and can operate in Open Home mode, in which case, you can use the web based music controllers from Linn, either Kinsky or the later Kazoo.  Both, I believe, run on Windows or Mac.

 

Thank you for the clarification alandbush. I'm still trying to get all this stuff straight.

So I'm guessing JRiver is another of these web based controllers, like Kinsky and Kazoo that you already mentioned? Are there any clear favorites among these or just personal preference?

Will these all work with Lightning DS as the server, and do you need to download any thing else to get one of these controllers to work from your laptop of computer?

 

If Auralic is really coming out with their own web-based controller that will work with the mini, maybe I would prefer to go that route anyway.

[Pablomontanero]

10 hours ago, Luvdac said:

So is it true that the aries mini is discontinued? I was thinking of getting a 2nd one. Anyone knows if a MK2 is in the offing or is it going the way of the sqeezebox?

 

In the Auralic Forum I found the following message from Xuanqian written in December 2017:

 

We no longer sell ARIES MINI in some countries, but the rest areas are fine. This product is still in our line and we still deliver hundreds of them each month.

In some countries, the people whom are buying ARIES MINI are not the group of people we are trying to target at. For example, they do not have home network that is stable enough to stream music via WiFi and they do not want to invest a reasonable amount of money to improve their home network. I can not say all customers are like that but if more than 50% customers fall into this situation in particular area, then we will think carefully and decide if the market is actually right for us.

[mfin]

59 minutes ago, Pablomontanero said:

 

In the Auralic Forum I found the following message from Xuanqian written in December 2017:

 

We no longer sell ARIES MINI in some countries, but the rest areas are fine. This product is still in our line and we still deliver hundreds of them each month.

In some countries, the people whom are buying ARIES MINI are not the group of people we are trying to target at. For example, they do not have home network that is stable enough to stream music via WiFi and they do not want to invest a reasonable amount of money to improve their home network. I can not say all customers are like that but if more than 50% customers fall into this situation in particular area, then we will think carefully and decide if the market is actually right for us.

 

Ah, they mean Wales.

[Luvdac]

9 hours ago, Pablomontanero said:

 

In the Auralic Forum I found the following message from Xuanqian written in December 2017:

 

We no longer sell ARIES MINI in some countries, but the rest areas are fine. This product is still in our line and we still deliver hundreds of them each month.

In some countries, the people whom are buying ARIES MINI are not the group of people we are trying to target at. For example, they do not have home network that is stable enough to stream music via WiFi and they do not want to invest a reasonable amount of money to improve their home network. I can not say all customers are like that but if more than 50% customers fall into this situation in particular area, then we will think carefully and decide if the market is actually right for us.

Ah hah! But I even found some online retailers in the US who previously carried it no longer keeping it. Wonder if the US falls into the ' bad home network ' category.

[bruny]

Still available here in UK. ?

[misterdog]

Including Wales 

[bruny]

Definately in Scotland. Not sure about Wales. They talk funny down their. Lol