Aurender A1000
The A1000 delivers a smooth, refined and richly natural digital presentation, pairing expressive detail with impressive control. Twittering Machines admired its musically balanced, full-bodied sound, while What Hi-Fi? highlighted its scale and transparency. With HDMI ARC, storage, DAC and preamp capability in one handsome chassis, it is a remarkably flexible digital hub.
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Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
93/100
Build Quality
90/100
Features Usability
92/100
Value for Money
95/100
Pros
Smooth, refined and musically balanced sound with satisfying body, detail and control.
Exceptional connectivity and role flexibility: server, streamer, DAC, preamp and HDMI ARC-equipped digital hub.
Rigid, finely finished aluminium construction with stable, glitch-free operation.
Cons
The presentation can sound slightly restrained dynamically compared with more overtly dramatic rivals.
Conductor is stable and capable, but its interface can appear cluttered.
Analog output is limited to single-ended RCA, with no balanced XLR option.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 93/100
Reviews consistently describe an accomplished, musically engaging source with strong resolution, control and a notably natural presentation. It is praised both through its internal DAC and when used to feed an external DAC, with reviewers finding it transparent rather than overtly analytical.
Overall Sound
95/100
What Hi-Fi found the A1000 balanced, insightful and capable of substantial scale, authority and control, while retaining separation and emotional cohesion on demanding orchestral material. Twittering Machines and Audiophile Style similarly praised its smooth, refined, full-bodied yet unforced musicality, with strong emotional connection across a wide range of music.
Digital Signal Integrity
91/100
What Hi-Fi heard transparent delivery that let recording character emerge without imposing a strong signature, and found the DAC section detailed, balanced and musical from several digital inputs. Twittering Machines reported clearer, more resolved playback with greater dynamic impact, while Positive Feedback confirmed correct high-resolution decoding and found no meaningful sonic penalty when using an external DAC.
FEATURES USABILITY PERFORMANCE 92/100
The A1000 is unusually flexible: it can serve as a network player, server, DAC, preamp and digital hub, including TV integration. Its control software is generally considered stable and effective, although one reviewer found parts of the interface unnecessarily cluttered.
Streaming Software
90/100
What Hi-Fi calls Aurender Conductor slick and stable, but notes that its layout can feel cluttered and fussy. Positive Feedback found it functionally perfect and especially liked the tablet interface, while Audiophile Style reported seamless playback from an Aurender content server.
Features Connectivity
96/100
Reviewers highlight exceptional system flexibility, including network streaming, internal or external storage, USB DAC capability, coaxial and optical inputs, USB and coaxial digital outputs, Bluetooth, HDMI ARC and variable output for direct amplifier connection. Audiophile Style considers this breadth of flexibility unusually durable for the category, while Head-Fi notes that it combines server, streamer, DAC and preamp roles without obvious compromises.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
90/100
What Hi-Fi describes the aluminium casework as rigid and nicely finished, and Positive Feedback remarks on the substantial heft of the chassis. The separate low-noise linear supplies for the DAC and processor also point to careful internal execution, though the reviews offer limited long-term ownership commentary.
Value for Money
95/100
At approximately $3,500-$3,850, reviewers repeatedly regard the A1000 as unusually compelling for its breadth and performance. What Hi-Fi says its sound makes the asking price reasonable, while Twittering Machines, Head-Fi and Positive Feedback explicitly praise its value, versatility and near-turnkey capability at the price.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
YouTube Reviews
Forum Mentions
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Specifications
- Unit Dimensions
- 13.8"W x 14"D x 3.8"H
- Unit Weight
- 18.3lb (8.3kg)
- Shipping Dimensions
- 19.6"W x 18.8"D x 10.2"H
- Shipping Weight
- 26.5lb (12kg)
- Material
- Machined Aluminum Chassis
- Front Panel Display
- 6.9" 1280 x 480 Wide IPS Color LCD
- Front Control Panel
- Power, Input, Output, Mode, Play/Pause, Next Track, Previous Track, Volume Jog
- Remote Control
- Bluetooth LE Remote control for full-featured control
- Power Supply
- Full Linear Toroidal
- CPU
- Quad-core 2.0Ghz CPU (ARM Coretex-A55)
- RAM
- 4GB DRAM
- Library Storage Capacity
- 1x 2.5"
- SSD for System & Cache
- 32G eMMC for System, 120GB NVMe for Cache
- Data USB Ports
- 1x for external storage
- Software Suite
- Aurender Conductor
- Ethernet Port
- 100/1000 (Gigabit)
- Power Consumption
- Play (15W), Peak (20W), Standby (1.4W)
- ARC
- 1x ARC-in for TV ARC port
- 12V Trigger
- 1x for external equipment
- Analog Outputs
- RCA (Unbalanced)
- DAC Chipset
- AKM4490REQ Dual Mono
- Audio Word Clock
- TCXO
- Analog Outputs Supported Format
- Up to 384kHz/32bit PCM, DSD512 (Native)
- Digital Outputs
- COAX RCA, USB external DAC Support
- USB Output Supported Format
- Up to 768kHz/32bit PCM, DSD512 (Native), DSD256 (DoP)
- Digital Inputs
- COAX RCA, Optical/Toslink, USB Type B, ARC
- Compatible Formats
- DSD (DSF, DFF), WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC, M4A, and others
- Streaming Protocol Support
- Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, Airplay
- Google Cast Audio
- Allows casting from: Qobuz, Youtube, Deezer, Bugs, Melon & others (up to 96khz/24 bit)
- Bluetooth
- up to AptX-HD
Manufacturer's Description — Aurender
Essential Analog Music Server
Variable-Output AKM4490REQ Dual Mono RCA Analog Outputs
HDMI ARC input
USB Digital and Coaxial Inputs and Outputs
Convenient BT AptX-HD and Google Cast Audio
1 x Slot for 2.5″ HDD or SSD Drive (user-installable)
Traditional Aurender Ethos, Evolved.
High-performance analog player with versatile input/output options for seamless system integration.
Features Galore
Offering outstanding audio performance and a plethora of new features, the A1000 is the perfect choice for music enthusiasts seeking an immersive and versatile digital input/output system. Say goodbye to complex connections and software limitations. The A1000's all new assortment of connectivity options make it a breeze for anyone to pickup and enjoy. Whether you prefer Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect (via Google Cast audio), Bluetooth Aptx-HD or Aurender Conductor, you are now in complete control of your music.
On the hardware side, you'll find an exceptional AKM 4490REQ Dual-Mono DAC chip and Quad-core 2.0GHz CPU (ARM Cortex-A55), each powered by their own low-noise linear power supply. Upholding Aurender tradition, 1 SSD storage slot is provided for your personal digital file collection. The rear panel now features HDMI ARC, offering greater compatibility for televisions while maintaining superior audio quality. All of this comes wrapped in a beautiful and robust aluminum chassis with a full featured remote and a 6.9" full color display. Combining remarkable audio prowess with entry level pricing, the compact A1000 stands ready to elevate your audio system to the next level.
Key Features
Variable and Fixed Output
With its premium Single-Ended RCA outputs and DAC-level lossless volume control, the A1000 can serve as a preamp, allowing direct connection to power amplifiers.
For those with a high end preamps and integrated amplifiers, simply disable the volume control in the Conductor app to convert A1000 to a fixed output, plug-and-play source component.
Digital Connectivity
Coaxial and Optical digital inputs are included for connecting additional digital sources such as a CD transport or TV. Any device connected this way will benefit from the superior sound quality of the onboard DAC.
Equipped with Coaxial and USB digital outputs, the A1000 is prepared for your future audiophile aspirations. Now you can roll external DACs into your setup with ease, allowing the A1000 to maintain streamer and server duties, even as your system evolves.
User-Installed Storage
Need a lot of capacity? Install up to an 8TB SSD! Prefer streaming over storing files? Leave the tray empty and don't pay for storage capacity you won't use.
Bluetooth AptX-HD and Google Cast Audio
Wirelessly cast sound output from a variety of mobile devices. Now you can enjoy your favorite audio seamlessly.
HDMI ARC Input
With HDMI ARC input, integrating an Aurender into your home theater is easier than ever, allowing you to enjoy exceptional sound quality from your TV's streaming services and other connected devices.
Bluetooth LE Remote Control
Whether you're enjoying background music or focusing on a critical listening session, you can put the screen down and comfortably manage your queue using the fully-equipped remote control.
Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Aurender A1000
- Absoulute Audio plus Video — in-store — Aiken, South Carolina, United States (website)
- The ASOC Gallery of Fine Audio — in-store — Stratford, Ontario, Canada (website)
- The Music Room — online and in-store — Erie, Colorado, United States (website)
- 110Hz — online and in-store — Kielce, Województwo świętokrzyskie, Poland (website)
- 3mA Audio — online and in-store — Houston, Texas, United States (website)
- A 10 Audio Room 4 Music — in-store — Amsterdam Nieuw-West, Noord-Holland, Netherlands (website)
- Addicted to Audio — online and in-store — Epping, Victoria, Australia (website)
- All That Audio — in-store — Anaheim, California, United States (website)
- Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
- American Sound — in-store — Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada (website)
and 142 more verified dealers