The following guide is intended as an overview of your Aurender's hardware interface. Detailed installation information is found in the included Quick Start Guide and a comprehensive Conductor App Overview and How-To guides are found in the Aurender Knowledge Base.
• Aurender N20
• AC Power Cord
• Quick Start Guide
Not included: An iOS (iPad or iPhone) or Android device is required to interface with and control your Aurender. The Aurender must be connected to a Local Area Network (LAN) via Ethernet (CAT5 or higher) in order to facilitate communication between your remote device and the Aurender. Please review the "Connect to Local Area Network (LAN)" section of the included Quick Start Guide for more information on network connectivity.
This model is a high performance digital audio transport. It features digital outputs only - there are no analog outputs on board this model. Pair this model up with a high performance Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) for a complete digital front end solution.
AES/EBU and SPDIF outputs & inputs are universally compatible. However, with USB, compatibility between any two devices is not always guaranteed! Sometimes, special drivers or software provisions must be made to establish compatibility over USB. DACs that fully adhere to the USB Audio Class 2 (UAC2) protocol will be supported without issue.
For DSD playback, if the DAC supports the industry standard DoP protocol, then it will be compatible with Aurender's DSD output. DoP is a lossless, unadulterated transmission of DSD from source to DAC. It is NOT to be confused with DSD-to-PCM transcoding, which is usually less desirable from an audio performance perspective.
On some Aurender models (see "File Type & Resolution Support" comparison table below), "Native" DSD output is available via USB. However, only a very small handful of select DACs support "Native" DSD input FROM A LINUX BASED SOURCE. Most DACs that report Native DSD input only work with ASIO drivers for Windows computers. Native DSD compatibility must be detected and enabled on a case-by-case basis.
In general, if a DAC works with a Mac computer without the need for any custom drivers, it will work beautifully with Aurender servers as well. Consult your DAC manufacturer for confirmation of USB compatibility with a Linux based sourced component like Aurender.
1. On/Off
With the AC switch on the rear in the ON position, simply press and release the front panel On/Off button to turn the Aurender on or off. The surrounding LED light will pulse while the unit is starting up or shutting down, and it will stop pulsing when fully turned on or off. Pressing and holding the On/Off button will trigger a forced shut down and this should be avoided. More information on proper shut down procedure is found here: What is the proper way to shut down my Aurender?
2. 8.8" Wide Front LCD Display
Front panel display preferences can be adjusted in the Conductor app in the "Front Display" section of the Settings menu. The display will automatically go dim after no playback or other activity has occurred for a period of 3 minutes.
3. Display Menu