Aurender A20

A20 Flagship sound with Aurender’s best DAC built-in. Reference Analog Output Network Player with Aurender’s best built-in DAC, dedicated Headphone Section, User-Installable Storage Options, XLR and RCA Analog Outputs Redefining the relationship between Digital Audio and Music A20 is derived from A30 and delivers the very same reference-level audio performance, but without the CD ripping and library management functionality. A20 also replaces A30’s factory-fitted 10TB HDD with two user accessible bays to install one or two 2.5” HDDs or SSDs for the music storage capacity needed or desired. Employing the same renowned dual-mono AKM 4497 chipset as that found in model A30, you can expect nothing but the best in sound quality. A20 is ideal for the user seeking exceptional audio performance from files and streams without the fuss or complexity of separate components. A20’s scaled back design makes no compromise where audio performance is concerned. Music lovers who have no need for CD ripping functionality and want a high-end DAC without adding more boxes will find A20 to be a stellar foundation to any system.     Key Features Aurender’s Best DAC Aurender designed the A20 for those seeking the simplicity of an all-in-one unit without sacrificing a high level of resolution, transparency, and the reproduction of inner detail. Built around an integrated dual-mono AKM4497 DAC module, A20 delivers MQA full-decoding to get the best performance out of MQA content, as well as every other major digital audio format. Linear Power Supply with Integrated UPS A fully-linear power supply architecture with extensive shielding prevents noise from being delivered to sensitive DACs. Four discrete toroidal transformers power the server system, digital outputs and dual-mono DAC respectively. A “super capacitor” based UPS system stabilizes A20 in the event of an abrupt loss of power. FPGA-Based Precision Clock A20’s precision clock generation system incorporates a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) with sub 100fs jitter-reducing clock generator to precisely time digital audio data transmissions and minimize jitter to below negligible levels.     Variable Output XLR & RCA Outputs A20’s high quality Balanced (XLR) and Unbalanced (RCA) outputs guarantee compatibility with any preamp, integrated amp, or even power amps! A20’s DAC-level lossless volume control enables it to function as a preamp when connected directly to a power amplifier. Dedicated Headphone Section In addition to being a stellar Analog Output Network Player for loudspeaker systems, A20 also features a 1/4″ headphone output for quiet times. Upsampling DAC Option A20 is capable of upsampling non-DSD files up to 705.6/768kHz to the analog outputs. Or leave upsampling off (default setting) for an untouched bitstream.     User-Installable Storage Options A20 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. Digital Connectivity Four digital inputs are provided: one RCA Coax, one BNC Coax and two Optical. These inputs allow 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 A20.     REVIEW & AWARDS Aurender A20 reference analog output network player Review - Read More "There are well-regarded competitors to the Aurender way, and I cannot comment about them as I have not used them. What I can assert is that the Aurender A20 has upscaled my digital listening massively, and I will not surrender that upscaled streaming experience. For now, an Aurender in some form is going to be my source for both personal and reviewing purposes, maybe for the next five years!" - Doug Schroeder     SPECIFICATIONS Dimensions 16.9″W x 14″D x 4.4″H (3.9 w/o feet) Weight 31.3 lb Material Machined Aluminum Chassis  Front Panel Display 8.8″ 1920 x 480 Wide IPS Color LCD Power Supply Full Linear, 1x50W (CPU), 2x25W (DAC L&R), 1x35W (FPGA & Headphone) CPU Intel Low Power Quad Core RAM 8GB Library Storage Capacity 2X 2.5″ Compartments (User-Installable Storage) SSD for System & Cache 480GB 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 (47W), Peak (80W), Standby (6W) CD Ripping Capability N/A Audio Analog Outputs XLR (Balanced), RCA (Unbalanced) DAC Chipset AKM 4497 – Dual-Mono Audio Word Clock  OCXO  Analog Outputs Supported Format PCM: Up to 32-bit / 768 kHz; DSD: Up to DSD512 Digital Outputs USB Audio (Dedicated) USB Output Supported Format Up To 32-bit / 384kHz, DSD128 (DoP), DSD512 (Native) SPDIF & AES/EBU Output Supported Format N/A Digital Inputs 1X Coax RCA, 1X Coax BNC, 2X Optical/Toslink Headphone Section 1 x 1/4″ (6.5mm) Unbalanced 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 N/A