aune S1 HIFI Digital Music player

[Deleted]

Jun 7, 2014 10:34:56 GMT johnno said:

Hi I'm new here. I'm seriously considering purchasing an S1 but I'm wondering it it will accept portable hard drives of up to 1 TB capacity that need to be powered from a USB port?

Thanks for relevant comments.

The HiFi World review only mentions USB play from 2 USB memory sticks, thus it seems likely that it is unable to supply the  higher current required for USB powered HDDs. It could however be a different story if the USB HDDs have their own external +5V PSU.

This is a similar route to that I am taking with USB memory stick play via a low noise external +5V supply with an Oppo 103, and a short USB cable with the +5V red wire disconnected in the USB-A plug to the Oppo 103.

Alex

[johnno]

Just in case my comments about the drives are not entirely clear, the two drives in question are USB-powered external Western Digital types (one is a 500 GB 'My Passport' and the other a 1 TB 'Elements') and they contain a mixture of WAV and FLAC files of various resolutions (some are straight rips from my own CDs and others are purchased hi-rez FLAC files of up to 24-bit 192 KHz) and I want the drives to be immediately recognised by the S1 in much the same way as they are via my Windows-based PC.

I may as well take this opportunity to ask a couple of other questions about the S1 while the opportunity presents itself :-

(1) It is possible that Aune will provide support for Direct Stream Digital at a later stage? I am an SACD devotee and feel that DSD files - now being offered by Acoustic Sounds - have great potential.

(2) Does the S1 support "gapless" playback - that is, the ability to play music "between" consecutive files. Foobar2000 and Boom both support it and its incorporation is important to me.

Thank you.

[johnno]

Hi Sandyk,

Sorry I didn't see your reply to my original query and thanks for your reply. I guess the way around the power limitation would be to use a powered USB hub and feed its output into one of the S1 USB ports. However, there is, I guess, still the question as to whether the S1 will recognise really high-capacity drives as memory sticks haven't reached the 1 TB capacity yet - at least I'm not aware of any of that size.

[Deleted]

You could try sending candyhifidiy a PM and ask her.

[chris1967]

I think someone must be crazy to buy two year old digital technology...

[johnno]

Jun 8, 2014 5:11:16 GMT @sandyk said:

You could try sending candyhifidiy a PM and ask her.

I wrote to her over a week ago and she said she was going to ask for technical assistance but I've not heard anything further since then. I was hoping that one or two on this forum who have actually bought an S1 might have been able to answer some, if not all, of my questions.

[Deleted]

Jun 8, 2014 22:27:28 GMT johnno said:

Jun 8, 2014 5:11:16 GMT @sandyk said:

You could try sending candyhifidiy a PM and ask her.

I wrote to her over a week ago and she said she was going to ask for technical assistance but I've not heard anything further since then. I was hoping that one or two on this forum who have actually bought an S1 might have been able to answer some, if not all, of my questions.

In that case I would look for a more recent design, as has already been suggested.

Alex

[johnno]

Jun 8, 2014 23:36:17 GMT @sandyk said:

Jun 8, 2014 22:27:28 GMT johnno said:

I wrote to her over a week ago and she said she was going to ask for technical assistance but I've not heard anything further since then. I was hoping that one or two on this forum who have actually bought an S1 might have been able to answer some, if not all, of my questions.

In that case I would look for a more recent design, as has already been suggested.

Alex

Whether that's necessary surely depends on whether the S1 will do what I want - and I don't know that at the moment.

One other matter has concerned me. I live in New Zealand and sent what ended up being two e-mails to Aune's New Zealand agent. The second e-mail was sent over a week after the first and was in effect a duplicate copy of the earlier message, asking similar questions to those I've asked here. On both occasions, my mail was returned to me. The reason? The agent's inbox was full and would not accept any more mail. I ask you, how can a company expect to do business under such circumstances?

There is a Sony player that looks as if it will do everything I want but it is many times the price of the S1 and is not available here - and apparently is not likely to be.

[Deleted]

Johnno
Quite a few have experienced software problems with some of their gear, and the issues are often hard to resolve satisfactorily.
Their support is quite lacking, especially with older products, although Candy does try to be helpful.
At one stage, Mike was a distributor for them too.

Regards
Alex

[johnno]

Jun 9, 2014 23:05:51 GMT @sandyk said:

Johnno
Quite a few have experienced software problems with some of their gear, and the issues are often hard to resolve satisfactorily.
Their support is quite lacking, especially with older products, although Candy does try to be helpful.
At one stage, Mike was a distributor for them too.

Regards
Alex

Alex,

Do they not care if they succeed or fail in the long term?

[Deleted]

Jun 13, 2014 0:08:40 GMT johnno said:

Jun 9, 2014 23:05:51 GMT @sandyk said:

Johnno
Quite a few have experienced software problems with some of their gear, and the issues are often hard to resolve satisfactorily.
Their support is quite lacking, especially with older products, although Candy does try to be helpful.
At one stage, Mike was a distributor for them too.

Regards
Alex

Alex,

Do they not care if they succeed or fail in the long term?

They appear to lose interest in support of previous products when something new arrives. It's a shame, as many of their products look very nice indeed and perform well. It's very hard to recommend a new product of theirs when support of previous products isn't as good as it should be. Most of their problems appear to be software related problems.

.

[johnno]

Jun 13, 2014 0:20:05 GMT @sandyk said:

Jun 13, 2014 0:08:40 GMT johnno said:

Alex,

Do they not care if they succeed or fail in the long term?

They appear to lose interest in support of previous products when something new arrives. It's a shame, as many of their products look very nice indeed and perform well. It's very hard to recommend a new product of theirs when support of previous products isn't as good as it should be. Most of their problems appear to be software related problems.

.

I believe Sir Clive Sinclair had a similar philosophy about operating a business and I don't think it did him any good in the long term either. Surely you have to be committed to your customers if you want to build up a good reputation - although, having said that, I was really disappointed when the front panel display of a very expensive Denon SACD player I had bought started dimming badly after only a few months of use and I was to discover that there were no replacements available anywhere. Some adjustments to power supply voltages etc that fed it have improved the display a little but it will never be as bright as it was originally. Not good enough, in my opinion.

It seems as if Aune needs to take a good, hard look at itself too. I presume it doesn't make any other player like the S1 which, as I've already mentioned, appeared to look almost ideal for my requirements and with a performance to match. (The lack of DSD support is probably my only real disappointment). Did they price it too low? If it had been more expensive, would its support have been better?

[Deleted]

Hi Johnno

 

 Interesting that you mentioned Sir Clive Sinclair, as there has been quite a bit of discussion elsewhere recently about LPCM being degraded by typical internal DAC filtering and output filtering. IIRC, Sir Clive had a design that only needed filtering by the capacitance of the output leads.

Quite a few people are now claiming that even hi res LPCM sounds better after conversion to DSD for playback.

Perhaps they just like a few rough edges smoothed ?

Regards

Alex

[johnno]

Jun 13, 2014 23:14:52 GMT @sandyk said:

Hi Johnno

 

 Interesting that you mentioned Sir Clive Sinclair, as there has been quite a bit of discussion elsewhere recently about LPCM being degraded by typical internal DAC filtering and output filtering. IIRC, Sir Clive had a design that only needed filtering by the capacitance of the output leads.

Quite a few people are now claiming that even hi res LPCM sounds better after conversion to DSD for playback.

Perhaps they just like a few rough edges smoothed ?

Regards

Alex

Alex, regarding LPCM, what you say is maybe true up to a certain quantizaton level - such as RBCD standard of 16 bit 44.1 KHz sampling (BUT read below) - but I think 24-bit sound would suffer adversely.

However, I have just purchased a VERY expensive, locally-designed and hand-built preamplifier to match my home made class A monoblocks and Acoustat electrostatic speakers and I've only played one CD through it so far - a recent Naxos recording produced locally of two works by a New Zealand composer and played by one of the country's professional symphony orchestras - and I was absolutely staggered at the realism of the sound and the stereo imaging (no centre speaker!!). The internal clarity was also amazing yet the whole was set in an almost ideal acoustic environment. I was on cloud nine as I was listening to it.

The CD player is actually a recent Sony SACD ES player that has been extensively modified

[Deleted]

Hi Johnno
You really need to try the PC route. It can easily outperform all affordable spinners, modified or otherwise, if done properly.
You will get better results by extracting the data to memory first for playback.
Regards
Alex

[johnno]

Jun 15, 2014 21:40:57 GMT @sandyk said:

Hi Johnno
You really need to try the PC route. It can easily outperform all affordable spinners, modified or otherwise, if done properly.
You will get better results by extracting the data to memory first for playback.
Regards
Alex

Hi Alex,
I have already thought about that and I guess it's success will depend on getting a suitable sound card that will handle all the various hi-rez formats I'm interested in. Do any handle native Direct Stream Digital, for instance?

I was given a reasonably good laptop some time ago in which the hard drive had been cleaned out and I managed to buy Windows XP Professional for it very cheaply and it's working well. Physically, however, I don't think any PC system is ideal when one is integrating it with other gear. It can end up looking very untidy.

I'll have to check out some laptop-suitable external cards, but if you have any specific suggestions I'd be very grateful. Thanks.

BTW, I'm really enjoying that new pre-amp!

Regards,
John

[Deleted]

Jun 16, 2014 23:20:06 GMT johnno said:

Jun 15, 2014 21:40:57 GMT @sandyk said:

Hi Johnno
You really need to try the PC route. It can easily outperform all affordable spinners, modified or otherwise, if done properly.
You will get better results by extracting the data to memory first for playback.
Regards
Alex

Hi Alex,
I have already thought about that and I guess it's success will depend on getting a suitable sound card that will handle all the various hi-rez formats I'm interested in. Do any handle native Direct Stream Digital, for instance?

I was given a reasonably good laptop some time ago in which the hard drive had been cleaned out and I managed to buy Windows XP Professional for it very cheaply and it's working well. Physically, however, I don't think any PC system is ideal when one is integrating it with other gear. It can end up looking very untidy.

I'll have to check out some laptop-suitable external cards, but if you have any specific suggestions I'd be very grateful. Thanks.

BTW, I'm really enjoying that new pre-amp!

Regards,
John

Hi John

I try to keep the PC out of the equation after the initial ripping and saving. except for play directly from the PC.

I save my best .wav files to Corsair Voyager GT USB memory sticks using an external low noise linear +5V PSU and a short modified USB cable,  then play them from the Corsair Voyager using a dedicated external +5V supply of the same type into a USB port of an Oppo 103.

 It is pretty decent in it's own right, but I get further improvements by using it as a transport via coax SPDIF into a highly modified Silicon Chip magazine designed DAC, and then into my Class A preamp, 15W/ Ch. Class A power amplifier and then into old DCM QED speakers. 

 The Class A preamp,  modified 15W Class A amp, and DAC are all featured in the DIY section of R.G.

With music videos saved to the Corsair, I am also able to plug the Corsair directly into my Samsung 40" LED backlighted LCD TV, and Toslink from the TV into the same DAC, which has 2 Toslink, and one coax inputs.

Incidentally, in my experience, many laptops don't do a good job with audio at the highest quality due to compromises in the PSU area. Running them off battery often seems to improve results. I am not aware of any souncards that can also handle DSD directly, although there MAY be a few recent ones that are able to do so. (?)

Kind Regards

Alex

[johnno]

Hi Alex,
Thanks again. I'll bear what you've mentioned in mind while I look around and see what's available.

When I spoke to the manager of the retail outlet from whom I bought my new pre-amp, he mentioned a range of "file players" by the name of Arenda and was enthusiastic about them (not surprisingly, I suppose). Unfortunately, the cheapest model is NZ$5,500 and I just don't want to spend that sort of money.

Best regards,
John.

[jc]

I couldn't find anything on the Arenda players you mention, do you have a link?
Having recently changed from an older laptop to a very up to date desk top I can only second Alex's comments. Ripping quality has leaped forward and without many of the extra tweaks that alex uses in his setup, as has PC direct playback.
I use external an sound card via USB (love it or hate it, I'm pleased with the results) in the form of an "Amanero" with various tweaks done to it, you can find details on the DIY Audio forum. This board has very impressive support from the desingers and has had many firmware upgrades to expand its funtionality.

As for the S1, the specs state it supports USB flash drives, there is no mention of HDDs. I also second the worry of ineffective support from Aune on their products, which is a great shame. The software/firmware seems to be badly implemented and promised updates/fixes never materialise. They would apparently prefer to discontinue a product rather than support it and get it right, at least to claimed functional capability. This IMO is unforgiveable in any market but more so in this realm.

[johnno]

Jun 21, 2014 11:44:11 GMT jc said:

I couldn't find anything on the Arenda players you mention, do you have a link?
Having recently changed from an older laptop to a very up to date desk top I can only second Alex's comments. Ripping quality has leaped forward and without many of the extra tweaks that alex uses in his setup, as has PC direct playback.
I use external an sound card via USB (love it or hate it, I'm pleased with the results) in the form of an "Amanero" with various tweaks done to it, you can find details on the DIY Audio forum. This board has very impressive support from the desingers and has had many firmware upgrades to expand its funtionality.

As for the S1, the specs state it supports USB flash drives, there is no mention of HDDs. I also second the worry of ineffective support from Aune on their products, which is a great shame. The software/firmware seems to be badly implemented and promised updates/fixes never materialise. They would apparently prefer to discontinue a product rather than support it and get it right, at least to claimed functional capability. This IMO is unforgiveable in any market but more so in this realm.

Hi CJ,

Firstly apologies for the spelling of 'Arenda'. The product came up during a telephone conversation and I never thought to ask the person I was talking to for the correct spelling.

The correct name for the brand is, in fact, Aurender and the two models locally available are the W20 and the X100L, where the former is VERY expensive and roughly four times the price of the latter. I think you'd need to have deep pockets to even consider it.

Thanks also for the information on the sound card ("Amanero"). I think I'm still a member of the DIY Audio forum (I haven't visited it in ages) so I'll check it out. I note that one of my preferred on-line hi-rez outlets is bringing out more DSD files all the time so the ability to decode them is becoming more important to me as time passes.

Best regards,
John M.

[johnno]

Hi CJ,

I've done some research on DIYAudio (my log-on details were accepted) and I eventually came across information about a DAC model ES9018S that I assume is from Amanero and there is mention of another company (?) named Quanghao being involved too.

Am I on the right track?

The options available from this DAC appear to be exceptional with sampling rates from 44.1 KHz right up to 384 KHz and quantization handling from 16-bit up to 32-bit. I guess it could handle native DXD files!! In addition, DSD64 (2.8224 MHz) and DSD128 (5.6448 MHz) are also supported. What I wasn't expecting - indeed I wasn't even aware that they existed - are DSD256 and DSD512, which I assume would have sampling rates of 11.2896 MHz and 22.5792 MHz respectively. Anyway, this certainly seems like an out and out winner.

I'd appreciate any other comment you might like to make about it, how you've connected it to your computer etc.

Regards,
John M.

[Deleted]

John
The ES9018 is a DAC chip now used in numerous different designs, including DIY designs in DIY Audio etc.
As usual, it's how well the implementation using this chip is done, especially in the power supply area.
Several members including Allan Pagan have experience with this chip.
Regards
Alex

www.esstech.com/PDF/ES9018%20ES9012%20Product%20Brief.pdf

[jc]

I think the one you found is a more recent, full on DAC board by different people that I have not read up on.
The one I refered to was this Amanero on DIY Audio. It's purely an USB to I2S converter that requires a DAC with I2S input. I have one linked to a "PK DAC" in the diy pages here and another I'm going to partner to a "Curryman" DAC, also on DIY Audio, as an add on USB input for my "SC DAC", again in the diy pages here. These DACS would not appeal to you due to not having the important feature you're after. However, the Amanero can be linked to any DAC with I2S in.

After a quick look at the one you mention it does seem to be nicely put together....

[jc]

Jun 22, 2014 2:04:04 GMT johnno said:

Hi CJ,

Firstly apologies for the spelling of 'Arenda'. The product came up during a telephone conversation and I never thought to ask the person I was talking to for the correct spelling.

The correct name for the brand is, in fact, Aurender and the two models locally available are the W20 and the X100L, where the former is VERY expensive and roughly four times the price of the latter. I think you'd need to have deep pockets to even consider it.

Computer Audiophile had one for these at the end of last year, not sure what happened to the review though, went mad onthe W20 and seemed to forget about this one CA link .

Prices    !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[johnno]

Jun 22, 2014 8:03:56 GMT @sandyk said:

John
The ES9018 is a DAC chip now used in numerous different designs, including DIY designs in DIY Audio etc.
As usual, it's how well the implementation using this chip is done, especially in the power supply area.
Several members including Allan Pagan have experience with this chip.
Regards
Alex

www.esstech.com/PDF/ES9018%20ES9012%20Product%20Brief.pdf

Hi Alex,

I assume that the ES9012 is, apart from being stereo only, capable of doing everything that the ES9018 does? (I only have stereo and am most unlikely to move beyond it).

I'll check out CJ's link on DIYAudio too.

Regards,
John M.