Sounds really good, but I don’t need another preamp, phono stage, and DAC. I ‘m very happy with my Esoteric pre and phono and DSD. I need a streamer only and I think I am just going to get the Esoteric N-03T and give it a try. I have 30 days to return it if I don’t like it.
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I’d be interested in hearing from anyone who has used both Aurenders’ UI and Lightning for a while. UI’s are a fairly big deal to me in my work as well as in this application. Especially when it is a program I’m going to use daily, often all day - it had better be good, or at least frictionless.
Having said that, I’m not all the way over to the side of UI being of primary importance, otherwise I’d still use Roon, and not concern myself with whether it alters the sound for the worse relative to the alternatives.
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I think with the Myteks, you really have to like the sound of their DACs. Otherwise all the bells and whistles are for naught.
I have not heard a Mytek, but I really like the sound of the PS Audio DS and have no desire to change it. It sounds, let’s put it this way, so un digital, so natural, so real! As for Esoteric, once you hear it, you cannot go back to whatever you have, it that good!!
I think if you like the PS’s, comparatively Myteks tend to sound clinical. That may have changed with time, dunno. This is a while back now, but I’d tried the Manhattan hoping it might work for both studio and personal listening. At the time it also had Firewire, which a lot of pro gear had. So even though it was on the way out, I owned a lot of gear that could utilize that. But it just was not my thing sonically. Some of their DACs were everywhere at audiophile shows subsequently when DSD got popular, as they were fairly early implementers of it in their DACs.
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Aurender is still on my mind. I’ll probably get the N10 fixed eventually, but I do want to upgrade. Like I said before, the N10 is mind blowing good in my system and I don’t know if there is something that can be better.
If the Esoteric doesn’t sound better, I can still go for the Aurender N20. Overture has both.
Sorry - forgetting if you used the Aurender with Roon, or did/do you use their software?
Same observation here. I have a N100H and I never had a single problem. I come from an Auralic aries and that was a bit problematic … mostly related to Wi-Fi card malfunction.
The Aurender comes with their own app, call the Conductor. It’s the best app I’ve encounter, very easy to use and beautiful looking. I’m really going to miss their app if I change company.
Reason I ask is it seems to get some fairly polarized reviews.
I agree. Conductor is much more stable and usable than lighting (Auralic). The advantage of lighting is the equalization feature, if you need it.
I had the Mytek Brooklyn and I sold it for the DSD. I never warmed to its sound and it gave MQA what I could only describe as “an artifact” I could usually spot the MQA file when playing. I went to my dealer and tried the Manhattan but it didn’t sound that much better maybe just different. So I took a pass.
“Warmed” is a good choice of word.
In a studio context, some would argue that being able to spot the MQA was a feature, not a bug 
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I just ordered an Esoteric N03T, but it is a special order, because they couldn’t find one in the states, so it’s coming from Japan which means longer shipping time and no returns. So no Aurender N20, and I can only compare it to my Aurender N10 from what I remember it’s sound, and it is some sound indeed!! We shall see.
This will be quite an adventure.
Conductor is very good. I only have BlueSound for comparison and Conductor is much better. Also now runs on iPhone as well as iPad! Constantly updated.
The best thing about the Aurender is the sound quality. The next is the Conductor app and it’s no nonsense else of operation and layout. Super smooth!! I will sorely miss this Conductor app.
I’ve never used the Conductor app but have heard great things about it but the Lumin app used by the Esoteric is also very good though appears to operate in a slightly different manner. It does have great support though from Peter and the other software guys at Lumin.
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Good to hear that. I guess I will have to make the adjustments. Thanks for the info.
Peter generally posts info and answers questions on AudioShark and Audiophile Style every day and will usually respond to a question in a matter of hours. Plenty of users on both sites to help walk you through any issues.