Aurender A15

Posted 04 August 2023
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A15

Ultra High-Performance Analog Output Network Player
MQA Full-Decoder DAC
2 x Slot for 2.5" HDD or SSD Drive (user-installable)
Variable-Output Balanced XLR and Single-Ended RCA Analog Outputs
USB Digital Output / Coaxial and Optical Digital Inputs

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A15

High-End sound, lifestyle convenience

Ultra High-Performance Analog Output Network Player with Dual-Mono MQA Full-Decoder DAC, RCA + Balanced XLR Analog Outputs


Elegant Simplicity

The revolutionary A10 changed the paradigm for Aurender by introducing our first music server/streamer with a built-in DAC. A15 is the upgraded replacement of A10, featuring many new features and audible improvements.

And, while it’s a true high performance all-in-one Digital Source Component, it is priced to be highly competitive with comparable separate DAC & Transport setups. A15 is performance-packed with balanced analog outputs and a resolving dual-mono AKM4490 digital-to-analog convertor with MQA full-decoder technology. As with all of Aurender's "A" series, A15 is designed to take full advantage of the vast selection of MQA encoded music available today. It also has two rear panel bays which can accommodate user-installable 2.5" HDDs or SSDs of up to 8TB each to store the largest of music libraries. An elegant front panel display shows album cover art along with artist name and song title in living color.

A15 is a great choice for the devoted audiophile replacing an aging CD player, laptop or just for wanting the inherent simplicity of a great sounding one-box source component.

a15-1

 

Key Features

Dual Mono MQA Full-Decoder DAC

At the heart of A15 is a dual-mono configuration of the exquisite AKM4490 DAC chipset. With a resolved, smooth sonic signature that is free of etched "digital" harshness, A15 is a source of musical purity in any system. In addition to delivering the highest possible audio performance that the MQA process offers, A15's built-in DAC also decodes PCM up to 32-bit/768kHz, and DSD up to DSD512.

Linear Power Supply with Integrated UPS

In sensitive digital source components, the power supply plays a critical role in the overall sonic presentation. A15’s fully-linear power supply structure incorporates four audiophile-grade toroidal transformers, along with advanced shielding and isolation, to prevent noise from being introduced to the signal path at this stage.

User-Installable Storage Options

A15 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.

FPGA-Based Precision Clock

A high-precision clock generation system incorporating Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) runs A15’s DAC section. An extremely accurate sub 100fs clock generator precisely times the digital audio data transmission to reduce jitter well below negligible levels.

Variable Output XLR & RCA Outputs

A15's high quality Balanced (XLR) and Unbalanced (RCA) outputs guarantee compatibility with any preamp, integrated amp, or even power amps! DAC-level lossless volume control enables A15 to function as a preamp when connected directly to a power amplifier.

Digital Connectivity

Coaxial and Optical digital inputs are included for the 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 A15.

 

Physical Specifications

Dimensions W16.9" x D14" x H3.8" (3.3" w/o feet)
Weight 26.2 lb
Material Machined Aluminum Chassis
Front Panel Display 6.9" 1280 x 480 Wide IPS Color LCD

 

Technical Specifications

Power Supply Full Linear, 1x50W (CPU), 2x25W (DAC L&R), 1x25W (FPGA)
CPU Intel Low Power Quad Core
RAM 8GB
Library Storage Capacity 2X 2.5" Compartments (User-Installable Storage)
SSD for System & Cache 240GB 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 (29W), Peak (42W), Standby (7W)
CD Ripping Capability N/A

Audio Specifications

Analog Outputs RCA (Unbalanced), XLR (Balanced)

DAC Chipset

AKM 4490 - Dual-Mono
Audio Word Clock TCXO
Analog Outputs Supported Format PCM: Up to 32-bit / 768 kHz; DSD: Up to DSD256, + DSD512 (Converted to PCM)
Digital Outputs USB Audio (Dedicated)
USB Output Supported Format Up To 32-bit / 384 kHz, DSD128 (DoP), DSD256 (Native)
SPDIF & AES/EBU Output Supported Format N/A
Digital Inputs 1X Optical/Toslink, 2X Coax RCA
Headphone Section N/A
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
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