Aurender S20SE digital outputs
 

I have Auralic Aries G2 in my main system and a Aurender N100 for my headphone system. My main system’s analog end is still considerably better. But I am listening more to my music server. So after some research I decided to order a W20SE. The order went in today. I should have it within a couple weeks. It will be interesting to see if the USB or AES/EBU digital connection will be better. I think the major factor is which clock is better as I think the USB is reclocked by my DAC and the AES/EBU is not. What have members experience been? I suppose a high quality AES/EBU is essential.

Not sure if you saw this review but it touches on some of your questions.

Sounds like there will be quite a few earlier W20 for sale soon. :D

https://www.theabsolutesound.com/art...-music-server/

Thanks. I have read all of the reviews.

You may wish to give some thought about using the Aurender W20SE dual AES/EBU outputs to your DAC. "The highest output frequencies of 352.8kHz and 384kHz require dual-wire connection to a dual-wire-capable DAC. The upsampling works only on the AES/EBU, TosLink, and SPDIF outputs, not on the USB output".

George, congrats on the W20SE, I love mine and thought it was a significant improvement over my N10 but at a significant increase in cost. In my system, I prefer using the USB connection but my system is set up a little different. I have the W20SE going out via USB to my separate Berkeley Alpha USB and then going via AES to my Berkeley Ref 3 DAC. I am not able to do a dual wire with my DAC.

Thanks. I appreciate the comment. Nice and clear. One of the reviews alluded to that... but muddied the comment with some add on box he was using because his DAC had some restriction.

Thanks, got it.

I have been theorizing that the choice between which output sounds better is dependent on the quality of the clock in your DAC vs the Aurender. Given the very high quality of your DAC and your preference for USB would seem to support this.

If just thinking about the cost as a proxy for the quality of the clock in my DAC... then the AES would likely sound better... letting the Aurender have more control over the data stream. So as a working theory I’ll assume AES... my DAC has only single AES capable.

Has anyone compared AES digital interconnects between the W20SE amd their DAC?

Not yet but it’s pending: USB vs XLR for the W20SE.

And I have the word clock slaved to the MSB Select 2 DAC. I need to listen for that demo too (word clock slaved vs no word clock; it’s easy to unplug that cable).

The weather has been so nice here (70s and sunny the past 10 days) that I haven’t listened much recently ... but it will tank soon so lots of music - and comparisons - in the near future. I assume the unit is breaking in too since it’s only a couple weeks old. Will report back!

Aurender just released a major firmware update for the W20SE it is a significant improvement for free.