Auralic Aries Mini as "Endpoint": one experience

Or perhaps open-source it’s own standard, or license it, or give it away (maybe in some limited fashion) to try and sweeten the uptake?

Evan is referring to Logitech Media Server. It’s an extremely robust software based, music jukebox. Originally designed to queue up music to Squeezeboxes, it will serve the music up just as easily to Squeezelite. It’s not as graphically slick as most software jukeboxes out there now, but the number of ways its basic functionality can be extended with various free plug-ins is amazing.

The Roon Ready / RAAT SDK has probably been available for less than a year and then there’s the whole signup process. Knowing product development lifecycles and how quickly corporate elephants move it’d be folly to think you would see an abundance of Roon Ready kit appear overnight. There are already a few names that matter in this list: https://roonlabs.com/partners.html … I don’t count those that whispered in your ear among them.

I agree @evand - I was too skeptical. For myself I went with SOSE plus linear supply as an inexpensive and flexible solution. It will do just fine until it is clearer what is shipped or not. I hate the anticipation and disappointment of changing realities. All I want is my music…

Yep, sometimes we need to remember to enjoy what we have amid all the hype. I’m running Squeezelite on Wandboard Quad’s…a set and forget thing. When Roon Bridge is released those same Wandboards will become Roon Ready endpoints…cost me $129 and 20 mins to install and configure Arch Linux. As things stand today Roon already gives me my music and whilst some things could be better I know they’re being worked on. I look forward to seeing Roon Ready DACs, integrated amplifiers and receivers on the market.

I have not grasped what a Roon Bridge is. I tuned out after Roon Server and Roon Ready endpoints. I think the Roon team have created something lovely and I hope that after all the hardware tooling they can focus on the richness and utility of the software manager/interface.

And quite frankly, if you don’t want to be bothered by setting up something that runs Squeezelite; you could just invest in a real Squeezebox endpoint. They really were amazing pieces of kit. Which is why they are selling now in some cases for more than they were when they were new. With Roon, it really easy plug in and play, either using its own DAC and sending out analogue or using it as a pass through to another DAC.

Yep. And nobody is rushing to recreate a SB Boom replacement, never mind something that’s Roon Ready.

I must say I’m confused by this thread. Why not just get a 3rd gen AppleTV for $69 if all you want to do is use it as Airplay endpoint? Unless you’re using the analog outs (which it doesn’t seem like you are since you mentioned toslink), the Mini is doing nothing to affect the sound. What am I missing?

When Steve started the thread the Auralic Mini was going to be RoonReady. Indeed, at one point a Roon membership was going to be bundled with it.

Also Apple TV messes with the sample rate. Doesn’t output true 16/44.1 but instead will force Roon to upsample to 48khz

nobody can hear the difference. Ears, brains etc.

Saves me needing to find something to watch on TV tonight…… :smile:

Agreed. I am using an Airport Express ($99.00) in my living room for Roon over Airplay and, despite my audiophool-nervosa-demon nagging me, it sounds just great and plays without dropouts over Wi-Fi.

I gave into the demon by running the AE optical output into a Wyred4Sound Remedy (B-stock, $299.00), and then into an inexpensive DAC I had on-hand (Schiit Modi 2Uber, $149.00).

1 Like

Wake up. No other interested in aries?

Given that the Mini still isn’t RoonReady, there’s not a lot to discuss I guess. Personally, I got a $50 Raspberry Pi – which is RoonReady and supports NAA – and am perfectly satisfied.

I have an Altair coming from them (hopefully) next week. RoonReady for my bedroom headphone system. Looking forward to it!

I sold my Aries Mini soon after they were released after being mis-led by Auralic. Lost me as a customer for the foreseeable future.

2 Likes

I think Mr. Wang has ruled out the Mini ever being Roon Ready in an interview with John Darko. Sad. The competition isn’t between the Aries and the Mini, it’s between either and a microRendu, SOSE or Raspberry Pi and board.

Bingo… or a Cubox-i4Pro running code provided by Roon, which works flawlessly.

1 Like