Aurender A15

A15 High-End sound, lifestyle convenience Ultra High-Performance Analog Output Network Player with Dual-Mono MQA Full-Decoder DAC, RCA + Balanced XLR Analog Outputs Elegant Simplicity The revolutionary A10 changed the paradigm for Aurender by introducing our first music server/streamer with a built-in DAC. A15 is the upgraded replacement of A10, featuring many new features and audible improvements. And, while it’s a true high performance all-in-one Digital Source Component, it is priced to be highly competitive with comparable separate DAC & Transport setups. A15 is performance-packed with balanced analog outputs and a resolving dual-mono AKM4490 digital-to-analog convertor with MQA full-decoder technology. As with all of Aurender’s “A” series, A15 is designed to take full advantage of the vast selection of MQA encoded music available today. It also has two rear panel bays which can accommodate user-installable 2.5″ HDDs or SSDs of up to 8TB each to store the largest of music libraries. An elegant front panel display shows album cover art along with artist name and song title in living color. A15 is a great choice for the devoted audiophile replacing an aging CD player, laptop or just for wanting the inherent simplicity of a great sounding one-box source component.   Key Features Dual Mono MQA Full-Decoder DAC At the heart of A15 is a dual-mono configuration of the exquisite AKM4490 DAC chipset. With a resolved, smooth sonic signature that is free of etched “digital” harshness, A15 is a source of musical purity in any system. In addition to delivering the highest possible audio performance that the MQA process offers, A15’s built-in DAC also decodes PCM up to 32-bit/768kHz, and DSD up to DSD512. Linear Power Supply with Integrated UPS In sensitive digital source components, the power supply plays a critical role in the overall sonic presentation. A15’s fully-linear power supply structure incorporates four audiophile-grade toroidal transformers, along with advanced shielding and isolation, to prevent noise from being introduced to the signal path at this stage. User-Installable Storage Options A15 is built with two trays for user-installable storage. Need a lot of capacity? Load up to 2 8TB SSDs! Not into storing files and prefer to stream? Leave them empty, and don’t pay for storage capacity you won’t use.     FPGA-Based Precision Clock A high-precision clock generation system incorporating Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) runs A15’s DAC section. An extremely accurate sub 100fs clock generator precisely times the digital audio data transmission to reduce jitter well below negligible levels. Variable Output XLR & RCA Outputs A15’s high quality Balanced (XLR) and Unbalanced (RCA) outputs guarantee compatibility with any preamp, integrated amp, or even power amps! DAC-level lossless volume control enables A15 to function as a preamp when connected directly to a power amplifier. Digital Connectivity Coaxial and Optical digital inputs are included for the connection of additional digital sources such as a CD transport, TV, etc. Any device connected this way will take full advantage of the superior sound quality of the DAC within the A15.   REVIEW & AWARDS  Aurender A15 Music Streamer/DAC - Read More "And that’s a fact. Everything I played was rendered beautifully. I was able to connect with each piece of music without worrying about any detractors. The A15 doesn’t force you to focus on pinpointing the musician(s) in the soundstage nor does it (for me) alert you to any deficiency in the reproduction (dryness, edginess, mud etc.). What it does is allow you to sit back and enjoy the music and, in my case, at a level I’ve rarely been able to achieve with my own equipment. Add to this the fact that it is stunningly beautiful and a precision-crafted piece of gear, packed with some serious technology, and this is a network streamer that’s very easy to recommend at this price." - Barry Jones   REVIEW AURENDER A200 AND A15: STREAMING AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL - Read More "Aurender plays at the top end of the market for streamers and network players with its products. The operation is easy and intuitive and the Conductor app from Aurender can be used as a teaching material and example for other manufacturers. This also applies to the build quality of both the A200 and the A15. The A200 and A15 offer a rare level of realism and detail. The A15 tops it off with its dual mono DA converter, symmetrical topology and XLR outputs. " - SINAN KÖKBUGUR     SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions W16.9″ x D14″ x H3.8″ (3.3″ w/o feet) Weight 26.2 lb Material Machined Aluminum Chassis  Front Panel Display 6.9″ 1280 x 480 Wide IPS Color LCD Power Supply Full Linear, 1x50W (CPU), 2x25W (DAC L&R), 1x25W (FPGA) CPU Intel Low Power Quad Core RAM 8GB Library Storage Capacity 2X 2.5″ Compartments (User-Installable Storage) SSD for System & Cache 240GB NVME Data USB Ports 2X USB 3.0 (Rear) Software Suite Aurender Conductor Ethernet Port Double-Isolated Gigabit LAN Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Yes (Super Capacitors) Power Consumption Play (29W), Peak (42W), Standby (7W) CD Ripping Capability N/A Audio Analog Outputs RCA (Unbalanced), XLR (Balanced) DAC Chipset AKM 4490 – Dual-Mono Audio Word Clock TCXO Analog Outputs Supported Format PCM: Up to 32-bit / 768 kHz; DSD: Up to DSD256, + DSD512 (Converted to PCM) Digital Outputs USB Audio (Dedicated) USB Output Supported Format Up To 32-bit / 384 kHz, DSD128 (DoP), DSD256 (Native) SPDIF & AES/EBU Output Supported Format N/A Digital Inputs 1X Optical/Toslink, 2X Coax RCA Headphone Section N/A Master Clock Input N/A MQA Support MQA Full-Decoder On Board Compatible Formats DSD (DSF, DFF), WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC, M4A, APE and others DSD-to-PCM Conversion Not Supported