Auralic – disingenuous or merely incompetent?

manisandher

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Feb 7, 2011
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I've just received a brand spanking-new Aries G1.1. I've got three problems with it:

1. On their website, Auralic claim the Aries G1.1 to be RoonReady. It isn't. When trying to connect, Roon says that the G1.1 is not certified and therefore refuses to connect. I've had an Aries G2.1 (on loan) and G1 (which I own) here, and both have worked perfectly with Roon. I'm sure it wil be just a matter of time before Auralic sort this out, but they really should have been on top of this before releasing the G1.1.

2. On their website, Auralic claim that the G1.1 uses dual 'femto clocks'. The USB oscillator in the G1.1 is the Skyworks Si530, with a measured phase jitter of 0.3ps RMS. I would have expected a 'femto clock' to measure in single-digit fs, not 100s of fs.

3. On their website, Auralic claim that the G1.1 has a galvanically-isolated USB output. Unlike the Aries G2.1, which uses the Silanna chip and does indeed sport galvanic USB isolation, the G1.1 doesn't. There is no galvanic isolation at the USB output.

Problems 1 and 2 above, I could live with. No doubt 1 will get sorted out soon enough, and 2 is probably just a matter of definition. But 3 is a total show-stopper for me. Auralic's claim here is totally false... and in my eyes, unforgiveable.

Unsurprisingly, the G1.1 is going back.

Mani.
 

TDX

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Jan 14, 2020
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Are you listening to the specs or the sound?
 

manisandher

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Feb 7, 2011
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Are you listening to the specs or the sound?

Haha... neither! The G1.1 currently does not play with Roon, as it's not yet certified:

Roon Certification problem.jpg

So, I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet as I use Roon exclusively (I need its DSP for my fully active 8-channel setup).

In any event, this isn't the show-stopper for me - no doubt it'll get sorted in time. The show-stopper is Auralic claiming the G1.1 to have galvanic isolation for its USB output, when it doesn't.

You're OK with a manufacturer falsely claiming something that is patently not the case, are you? I'm not, irrespective of its affect, or not, on the sound.
 

TDX

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Jan 14, 2020
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Lightening ds app is very easy to use. Not sure about specs. I judge by sound. Not saying it’s great but at least have a listen to it.
 

Hear Here

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Feb 14, 2020
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Portsmouth, UK
Haha... neither! The G1.1 currently does not play with Roon, as it's not yet certified:

View attachment 98670

So, I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet as I use Roon exclusively (I need its DSP for my fully active 8-channel setup).

In any event, this isn't the show-stopper for me - no doubt it'll get sorted in time. The show-stopper is Auralic claiming the G1.1 to have galvanic isolation for its USB output, when it doesn't.

You're OK with a manufacturer falsely claiming something that is patently not the case, are you? I'm not, irrespective of its affect, or not, on the sound.
I would no more consider buying a streamer without a competant control app than I would buy a TV without a decent remote control. I'd have liked to upgrade to maybe a Hegel H590 but Hegel offers no proper app for control. Meanwhile I'm happy with my BluOS controlled NAD M33. Its app (available on 5 platforms) is as good and comprehensive as Roon but with no subscription.
 
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manisandher

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Feb 7, 2011
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He is listening to their veracity.

Lack of, in this case.

Shame, because I think the products are good enough to stand on their own, without the need for overly-embellished marketing. I really like my old Aries G1. I suspect I'd like the G1.1 too, if I could get it working with Roon :mad:. But I don't like being told that it has certain design features, when it clearly does not.
 
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manisandher

Well-Known Member
Feb 7, 2011
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www.the2ndtier.com
Meanwhile I'm happy with my BluOS controlled NAD M33. Its app (available on 5 platforms) is as good and comprehensive as Roon but with no subscription.

As I mentioned to you on WAM, when another software player allows me to do this...

Roon Signal Path.jpg

... which I need in order to control all this...

KFJ Subs - whole system.jpg

... I'll consider it.
 

manisandher

Well-Known Member
Feb 7, 2011
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www.the2ndtier.com
Just to wrap this thread up...

Yesterday, when I tried to select the G1.1 from Roon, I got a message saying that it was not Roon certified.

I set the G1.1 back up again today, and the first thing it did was to automatically update its firmware (it didn't do this yesterday). It now works perfectly with Roon. My thanks to Xuanqian Wang at Auralic for suggesting this.

I have no idea why (because they look identical internally), but the new G1.1 sounds so much better than my old G1 (which I bought used a short while ago). And for anyone who's interested, I'll definitely be keeping the G1.1.

Mani (a happy Auralic customer... finally!)
 

Adco

Well-Known Member
Feb 1, 2021
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Excellent that things got running, very little in this hobby causes as much consternation as equipment not doing as it should

I went from the Aries G2 to the Aries G2.1. The only thing I found consequentially different was that on the G2.1 the sonics are ever so slightly better using the lightening app over Roon. I couldn’t discern any difference with the G2

I like Auralic, they are well thought out kit and when stacked with more Auralic components the sun is greater than the individual parts.
 
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