Being relatively new to the audio market hasn’t stopped AURALiC making a big name for itself in a very short space of time. The Hong Kong based company, formed in 2009 and has garnered swathes of great reviews and much respect from the industry from day one, with the Ark D to A converter and Taurus Headphone amplifier and pre-amplifier.

Here we are 10 years later with AURALiC having established themselves as one of leading manufacturers of digital streamers, with two new models but with different intentions. The Aries G1 Streaming transport and the Altair G1 Streamer with DAC and digital pre-amplifier.

Both have the usual AURALiC high standards of build quality. Anodised matte black aluminium case with full colour 4” high resolution display giving clear images of album artwork when playing. Both have the sonic performance we have come to expect from AURALiC, with effortless clear and detailed sound but never forward and overpowering. Other makes may give the impression that they have more oomph in the lower regions, but the AURALiC family sound tends to stay on the neutral side and lets the rest of your system choose the character.

The Aries G1 streaming transport released earlier this year is just that. A network streamer without a built in digital to analogue converter (DAC). Allowing access to your music on your network attached storage (NAS), USB drive or via Tidal or Qobuz streaming services, with the added bonus of Internet radio and the ability to play via Bluetooth or Apple Airplay. With audiophile resolution up to DSD512 & PCM 32bit/384k all you need to do is just add the DAC of your choice. Available outputs are coaxial/Toslink and USB. We have been getting very good results from the Chord Electronics range for example. All can be controlled with AURALiC’s own very good Lightning DS app or if you choose, it is also Roon ready. You are now ready to explore the world of music streaming by adding this to your existing Hi-Fi system.

Now here is the difference. The Altair G1, with DAC can bring streaming to your existing system. There is the option to add local storage so you can store your music on board. It’s also a digital pre-amplifier with single ended RCA & balanced XLR outputs, meaning it can also be used either with a dedicated power amplifier or into active loudspeakers, making it a neat one box solution. It also has a very decent headphone amplifier built in. With the addition of digital inputs of AES/EBU, USB, coaxial and Toslink you can also add your other digital devices too.

This is one of the very best ways of moving up the music streaming ladder and improving considerably on the sound quality of basic music streamers or indeed of getting into streaming at a very decent level. We’re very impressed with what AURALiC offers.

Both models are available to audition at our Brighton store, so get in contact and Julian, Paul and John will be happy to set up a demonstration discuss the various features and options with you.

AURALiC Hi-Fi products are available at the following branches of Audio T: Brighton, Bristol, Cheltenham, Online, Southampton