Vega G2.1 Streaming DAC
The VEGA G2.1 Streaming DAC is a DAC with the power to flawlessly process all of today’s highest-resolution digital music formats, up to DSD512 and PCM in 32bit/384K. But the VEGA G2.1 is also a fully-functional streamer, capable of connecting directly to your digital music sources. Compared to the original VEGA, the VEGA G2.1 has a completely re-designed structure, utilising AURALiC’s Tesla Platform to buffer, process and carefully regulate delivery of the source signal to a customized DAC chip. For the first time in the audio industry, it’s a DAC that operates independently of the source signal’s frequency: VEGA G2.1 buffers data in such a way that it has no need to lock on to the frequency of its source signal.
Never before has a DAC been able to entirely govern timing with its own clocking – in this case, extremely precise Dual 72 Femto Master Clocks. Freed from outside limitations, the VEGA G2 delivers completely jitter-free performance.
At the heart of the VEGA G2.1 is the AURALiC Tesla Platform, sporting a Quad-Core A9 chip, 1GB DDR3 memory and 4GB of storage for calculation speeds 25 times faster than its predecessor.
Add brand-new Galvanic Isolation that permits data transmission between primary circuits that are entirely separated physically and ultra-clean power from Dual Low-Noise Linear Purer-Power units, and it’s clear this DAC strives for an analog signal that’s as pure as it is loyal to the music.
Fully Passive Volume Control is another new feature appearing in the VEGA G2.1 It’s based on a unique resistor ladder attenuator network built by AURALiC, and draws exactly zero current once it’s set. Zero current equals zero interference, and it’s one more innovation under the hood of the VEGA G2.1 that reflects an obsessive attention to detail.
Together with AURALiC’s ORFEO Class-A Output Module, inspired by classic analogue designs, the end result is an incredibly faithful level of musical presentation. Incorporating AURALiC’s Lightning Streaming technology, the VEGA G2.1 takes on all the streaming functionality and connectivity of a dedicated streamer. When connected over Ethernet to a home network, all of Lightning Streaming’s features become available. User control is at provided via the AURALiC custom iOS control app Lightning DS, and Lightning Server setup for the VEGA G2 is made easy with universal access to the new web interface from any smartphone, tablet, or computer.
The VEGA G2.1 Streaming DAC is a certified Roon Ready endpoint too, for seamless integration with Roon software.
Aries G2.1 Streaming Transporter
The ARIES G2.1 Streaming Transporter wirelessly connects your home audio system to all your diverse sources of digital music, from networked and USB-attached storage to lossless Internet streaming services and Internet radio. Install any 2.5” solid-state or hard drive and the ARIES G2.1 becomes a fully functional music server in its own right with on-device hosting of your digital library. Feature-rich and lightning fast, the ARIES G2.1 incorporates cutting-edge galvanic isolation engineering and ultra-clean power control for impeccable care of the digital signals it handles. Dual Femto Clocks and an EMI-shielding chassis machined from a single billet of aluminum are among the features that make the ARIES G2.1 destined to set a new standard of quality in digital audio streaming.ARIES G2.1 destined to set a new standard of quality in digital audio streaming. At its core the ARIES G2.1 is a device that unites disparate sources of today’s highest resolution music files and delivers that source material to your DAC, reliably and precisely, via output options including AURALiC Lightning Link, High-Speed USB Audio 2.0, AES/EBU, digital coaxial, and TOSLINK. The processor at the heart of the ARIES G2.1 is 50% faster than the original ARIES Streaming Bridge, with twice the system memory and data storage of its predecessor. That means even easier handling of resolutions up to DSD512 and PCM 32bit/ 384K, and increased protection against dropouts. The use of AURALiC’s Lightning Streaming infrastructure lets the ARIES G2 make those connections with your music files possible over your existing Wi-Fi network, and brings with it added features like On-Device Playlists, Memory Caching, Gapless Playback and Bit-Perfect Multi-Room functionality. It’s all controlled via the AURALiC custom iOS app, Lightning DS – or access Lightning setup through the new web interface on any smart device. In addition to compatibility with AirPlay, the ARIES G2 is a certified Roon Ready endpoint for seamless integration with Roon software, making it one of the most flexible streamers available. The ARIES G2 Streaming Transporter retails at £4,199 without internal storage. You may install any 2.5” solid-state or hard drive or order the ARIES G2.1 with a pre-installed solid-state drive for on-device music storage.
Auralic Sirius G2.1
SIRIUS G2.1 operates on an open standard, allowing music lovers to upgrade both the processing power and the original performance envelope of their Digital-to-Analogue Converters (DACs), whether they’re using an AURALiC branded DAC, or one developed by another manufacturer.
SIRIUS G2.1 shoulders the data processing burden typically handled by a DAC. This outsourcing of processing duties dramatically reduces the amount of distortion and jitter typically passed into the conversion stage, thereby allowing the DAC to be fed a pure, efficient, and low-distortion stream of digital data. The measurements of this reduction in noise are well beyond what is currently available from other manufacturers.
Since most DAC chips have been designed to work best in a particular mode (DSD128 or PCM in 192 kHz, as examples), not necessarily the highest or lowest possible resolution, SIRIUS G2.1 will optimise and improve the performance of any DAC in its native or most comfortable “Sweet Spot,” fulfilling the DAC’s potential, no matter the incoming resolution of the file being played back.
SIRIUS G2.1 delivers to the DAC a wide variety of resolutions and formats and can accept any input data with sampling rates from 44.1 kHz to 384 kHz in PCM, or DSD64 to DSD512. Inputs and outputs onboard SIRIUS G2 are varied and plentiful. Standing apart from its peers, SIRIUS G2.1 can output USB, in any format, including PCM in 384 kHz and DSD512 with extremely low distortion. This increased flexibility adds yet again to the list of the number of DACs eligible for optimization and enhancement provided by SIRIUS G2.
The key to these innovations lies in SIRIUS G2.1’s state of the art AURALiC Proteus G2 Co-Processing Platform; which harnesses a Xilinx XC7A200T FPGA chip at its heart, bolstered by 512 MB of DDR3 memory. This FPGA chip contains more than 200,000 logic cells and 740 DSP slices, all combining to provide unparalleled levels of data processing capability. SIRIUS G2.1’s computational power and efficiency are achieved in part because of the design decision to employ a dual-processing platform structure, while an AURALiC Tesla G1 handles hardware control, an AURALiC Proteus G2 focuses all of its efforts on music data processing.
USB and other digital outputs are protected by Dual Galvanic Isolation. Dual Femto clocks are employed for the USB and other digital outputs. SIRIUS G2.1 also utilises a triple-channel Purer-Power Supply, where discrete power supplies are used for the Proteus G2 FPGA co-processing platform, the general data processing circuit, and the audio circuit. Flexible Filter Mode is also included, allowing the user to select from four different digital filters, providing four different sound characteristics based on the listener’s personal taste.
As with other G2.1 products, Lightning Link, a proprietary, high-speed(18Gbps), bi-directional communications protocol used for both control and signal functions can be used for jitter-free transmissions with ARIES G2.1 and VEGA G2.1
Additional options being offered by SIRIUS G2.1 include a 20 band EQ and speaker placement compensation feature. In the future, an over-the-air firmware update will provide a convolution engine for advanced room correction.
Altair G2.1 Streaming DAC
ALTAIR G2.1, is an all-encompassing digital and analogue source component. It provides abundant capabilities to the performance-oriented G2.1 Series. Combining every function available from AURALiC into the ultra-quiet G2.1 chassis, the ALTAIR G2.1 is perfect for the most demanding music lover. Whether you’re playing a high-res title from an online streaming service, a file on a NAS drive, or an LP on a turntable, the ALTAIR G2.1 will deliver exquisitely rendered, dynamic music, from almost any source. Hardware upgrades include Unity Chassis II: a copper enclosure minimising interference, an anti-vibration footer system on a massive base, clocking armed with hyper-accurate femto-second clocks, a Purer-Power power supply, and Class A Orfeo Output modules. Internet radio, Airplay, Bluetooth, USB connectivity, and optional internal storage are available. Controlling the ALTAIR G2.1 couldn’t be simpler with the intuitive Lightning DS app, or the controls clearly shown on the high-resolution 4″ colour display. Completing this extensive feature set: Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity, smart IR control, and a locked-in analogue volume control.
