AURALITI_the different ONE :)

[znorter]

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/Auraliti-PK100-File-Player-Review

 

 

Sorry for this kind of reply, but reading the comments I can not find what I need, so let me write here althought for asking to you if there are CA lovers that have some impressions to share.

I am very interestead about different data storage difference: USB powered or not...the inside DAC sound...

 

thanks.

 

[20hertz]

Your post is not very clear, are you asking about the Auraliti only or other options?

The Auraliti does not contain a DAC.

As for a good evaluation of its sonic performance against similar products or a well sorted computer I am also waiting for Chris or someone else to provide a detailed comparison.

I will buy the Auraliti anyway so will report on the performance as soon as I have a good impression of the sonic ability.

 

[Audio_ELF]

The Aurality does contain a 'DAC'. It's digital outputs are provided by an ESi Juli@ card which is quite well respected. Alternatively it can be connected to any other DAC via SPDIF.

 

Eloise

 

[znorter]

...I think Chris was not tried the Dac inside...but looking at the back of the device...I see an analog out!

Do you?

 

[znorter]

Eloise...my eyes still working )

 

[Vade_Forrester]

Znorter, in my SoundStage! Hi-Fi review of the PK100, I found the PK100's internal DAC sounded very pleasant, but other DACs I tried with it provided what I regarded as improved sound. Those DACs were more expensive than the PK100, so one would doggone well hope they sounded better. I thought it was great that the PK100's sound can be improved by using a better DAC with it - you can start with the internal DAC and move up when your wallet permits.

 

The PK100's Type A USB ports provide power, but I used an external USB hard drive which had a separate power supply. It didn't occur to me to try a USB flash drive, which I regard as too small to serve as serious music file storage. The USB port recharged my iPod Touch, which was the remote control for the PK100. I didn't recharge the iPod while music was playing.

 

Hope this answers your questions.

 

Vade Forrester

 

[Lazenby]

Vade, the PK100 contains a PCI soundcard (ESI Juli@) that:

 

a) Provides the digital data to an external dac, as per Chris's review.

 

b) Performs the DAC conversion and outputs the analogue signal to an amplifier.

 

The soundcard may be powered by the PCI bus. If so, it may be the case that the PCI bus is powered by its own dedicated PSU module. Alternatively, Auraliti may have chosen to power the soundcard via its own dedicated PSU directly, and not by the PCI bus.

 

If the long term goal is to use an external dac, then I would not be overly concerned about the D-A conversion done by the soundcard, nor by how it is powered.

 

Ron

 

 

 

[Vade_Forrester]

Ron, my apologies, but I think I'm missing your point. Why does it matter how the internal soundcard is powered? If I understood his question, the OP was concerned about powering drives via the USB bus. I guess there are external USB drives which can be powered by the USB bus, but I don't have one. Perhaps an email to Auraliti would provide an answer about external vs USB power to the hard drive. In my experience, they are very responsive to customer inquiries.

 

Vade Forrester

 

[Lazenby]

Sorry Vade, not with it this morning. I was meant to reply to the OP, but missed the main jist of the thread anyway. Just ignore my last post Nice review of the PK100 BTW.

 

[znorter]

...the deep night of the EU

Yes, my doubt about to use an external USB powered disc vs one with main power adapter is that the first can transmit some noises or something wrong to the player or better to say to the audiophile ears.

I got a mail from Ray of Auraliti that told me that they will start to make some comparisons after this long time they "loose" to fix firmware bugs.

Anyway thanx for another review of the gear...

L.

P.S. How do you think it may be the "distance" from the Auraliti's internal dac card and the iPod/iPad little chip? (hope my English is readable...)

 

[Vade_Forrester]

Znorter, if you have discussed this issue with Ray Burnham of Auraliti, you are talking to the right guy. He knows his equipment much better than I ever will. I did not detect any noise from my powered USB drive, and would expect that Auraliti would use a filter or other means of isolation on their USB input to eliminate noise from the drive. I always wonder if a USB connection can provide sufficient current to power a drive.

 

I'm not sure I understand your P.S. question. If you're asking how the Auraliti PK100 internal DAC compares with the iPod/iPad internal DAC, I can't help you there. I've only listened to the Apple DAC through headphones, not my main system.

 

Vade Forrester

 

 

 

[znorter]

No news...no gear...to me...I know that there are some problems due to upgrade firmware...but...

 

[1audio]

Sorry to have missed this earlier, been busy.

 

1) Firmware. I got carried away upgrading the firmware to use the latest code. As usual I got bit by some firmware bugs and by a nasty external issue. The firmware bugs got fixed really quickly BUT Comcast's DNS (the name to ip address figure-outer) really screwed up the automatic networking stuff. It took weeks to identify it and then to figure out how to defeat it. It will all be gone from Comcast in a few months (they decided they don't like it either). The new firmware is working well now. We did a demo today for over 30 members of the Bay Area Audio Society without a blip on our side with the new firmware. Everyone seemed to like what they heard. (At least they were polite if they didn't.) The new firmware doesn't seem to have any positive or negative effect on the sound (as it should) and is more stable and supports the latest driver code for the Juli@ and USB audio.

 

2) USB power. The PK100 can support the USB 2 power requirements from the USB connectors, enough for a 2.5" hard drive in a USB enclosure, not really enough for a 3.5" hard drive. That would require an external power supply. The usb related noise is a very small issue when used as a digital source. When used as an analog source its much more important to have a quiet power source since that noise can be coupled to the connected equipment.

 

3) The analog portion of the Juli@ card has pretty extensive local linear regulators. They do an OK job of isolating the internal supplies on the card from the PCI buss supply noise. On the L1000 we do have an extensive power supply isolation and regulation system. We do make some mods on the Juli@ analog section to improve it but nothing radical.

 

As Vade points out the analog outputs are pretty good. A premium DAC should be better since they cost more than the PK100. The on board analog outputs will drive headphones with the control interface controlling the volume if desired making for a pretty compact high resolution audio system.

 

[znorter]

...still busy?

unt.2day...may...no_ thing...

 

[znorter]

Please, because from looong time I have no news (sorry for using this forum like personal message board...) from Auraliti's staff, I mean no mails nothing...nothing...

I am asking to you if you can from USA (I am writing from Europe) have a contact with them: I payed in advance (2 mounths ago) the gear but after to wait for some problems...(some weeks ago...they said it works...) still nothing.

Maybe there are some email problems with us.

Thanks for all to everybody.

 

Luca

 

 

[auraliti]

Hello Luca,

 

I've sent several emails to you trying to confirm delivery info. Have gone back to older communication and noticed you were using a different email address so have also sent emails to find if that gets through. None of my sends are bouncing back so not sure what is going on. If you are not receiving any of my emails please call us at 001.510.686.3295 so we can discuss. Sorry to put you through this difficulty.

 

Ray

 

[znorter]

...sorry to use this forum like personal board...but yes, it seems this is the only way to have a contact!

Please is the device ready? Have you send it?

Thanks, Luca.

 

[znorter]

Until today.. (closer to JUNE!) nothing...please...what's happend???

 

L.

 

[PeterSt]

But did you try to call them ?

 

If you are not receiving any of my emails please call us at 001.510.686.3295 so we can discuss.

 

[auraliti]

Hello Luca,

 

As stated in emails sent from three different addresses including my personal Gmail account. The package was sent via Fed Ex Priority at increased expense to expedite delivery to you after the delay in getting the PK100 out to you. I do not want to post the tracking number here for obvious reasons. If you have not received any of my emails or the private message sent via Computer Audiophile please call me as indicated above or send an email to me with a different address and I will reply to that.

 

At this time FedEx tracking indicates the package has cleared customs and is in transit from LONATE POZZOLO IT. I do hope you receive the package soon and can start enjoying the product.

 

Best regards,

Ray

 

[znorter]

I got it!!!

Thank you all...and Chris for the patience...

Now after some time of "burn in" I will try to' share my impressions...

These are my devices... ;-))

 

Luca

 

[1audio]

Sorry for the communications problems. We are delighted it made it to you. (This reminds me of international transactions pre-internet, they were quite the hassle)

 

Do let us know how it works and contact us directly, if you can, if you have any questions or problems, we will see the communications faster.

 

Demian

 

[znorter]

I don't know...

For me a "Connect failed" is what I see most of the times I try to start the device...

Please do you know if there are some problems with tha iPad

(NOT iPod/iPhone) app?

 

I wrote a manual server conection for MPD (198.168.x.xxx) like I found on the screen main welcome page (http://aurality-player.local/

but...one time was ok the rest 50...nothing!

 

Can you help me?

Step by step.

Thanks

 

L.

 

 

Q: Must be every time "on" the PC where I set the main welcome page?

 

 

[vortecjr]

If I may ask....is this a 3g iPad?

 

Jesus R

www.sonore.us

 

[znorter]

Its a iPad wifi 1st gen. Not 3G.

It was connected one time only and I do not know really how I made the connections.

But it was the first and the last time, then, no way!

 

I tried to insert first the Ethernet, tien main and USB...nothing.

Create a new connection with manual ... Nothing.