Aurender A1000 review

Aurender has been in the streaming game longer than most, and that experience shines through in the A1000. There is an impressive maturity about this product from its build to the stutter-free way it operates. Best of all, it sounds good enough to make that hefty price tag seem entirely reasonable.

Build & features

The basic template of a music streamer is pretty much set at this point, and the Aurender A1000 meets all expectations while adding its own twist. It will pull music files from any storage on your home network or attached to its rear-panel USB Type A socket, play internet radio, feature Connect versions of Tidal, Spotify and Qobuz, as well as offer a range of digital inputs.

It is a compact unit that’s around a third narrower than typical 43cm-wide components. We have no complaints about the build; the Aurender’s aluminium casework feels rigid and nicely finished. There is a slick professionalism about the way this product feels and works that inspires confidence.

The front panel full-colour display is relatively large at 6.9in, and makes it easy to navigate around the A1000’s various settings. Of course, most people will use the dedicated app to make changes, but it is still nice to have confirmation of actions from the unit itself.

The front panel is a cleanly designed piece of work and contains just the basics as far as controls go. The back panel is more interesting, packing in the usual range of USB Type B, coaxial and optical digital inputs alongside the increasingly common HDMI ARC that helps to integrate your hi-fi with your television.

There is a pair of USB Type A sockets, one for sound output and the other as a connection for external storage. As would be expected, this Aurender will connect wirelessly or wired to your home network.

Bluetooth is also on the menu, in aptX HD form. While this wireless connection will never be our first choice where sound quality is concerned, it is well worth having for convenience reasons, even though the inclusion of Apple AirPlay and Google Cast means that there are alternatives which can be used instead.

Remember that twist we mentioned? Take a look at Aurender’s website and you will find the A1000 listed under Analogue Music Servers, and that’s because it has a slot for a 2.5-inch HDD or SSD drive of up to 8TB. That’s plenty of capacity, even for those with large high-res music libraries.

Our review sample didn’t come with a drive fitted, but it is a neat solution for those who want to simplify their music storage solution. In case you are wondering why it’s listed under ‘Analogue’, it’s because the A1000 has a built-in digital-to-analogue module, and the company also makes a range of servers that don’t (and so require an outboard DAC to make a sound).

The A1000’s digital circuitry packs an AKM 4490REQ dual-mono DAC chip and quad 2.0 GHz ARM Cortex A55 processing unit, which gives it great file compatibility of up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512. We think that should be more than enough for most people’s music collections.

The user experience of any hi-fi music streamer is almost entirely reliant on the quality of the partnering control app. Aurender’s experience in the field is obvious, with the app proving to be slick and stable. It’s not all roses though, with the layout appearing a little cluttered and fussy. A bit of tidying up would be welcome.

Sound

A product at this level demands a quality partnering system, so we use our reference Burmester 088/911MkIII amplifier and ATC SCM50 speakers for the bulk of our test sessions. We also feed the Aurender’s analogue output into the PMC Cor integrated amplifier, driving a pair of Epos ES14N speakers, to hear how it fits into a different flavour of system.

The A1000 turns out to be a pleasingly balanced and insightful performer. One that sounds comfortable in both systems we tried. It isn’t a particularly characterful unit, and, just to be clear, that’s a good thing, being tonally balanced and unusually even-handed in the way it deals with the various genres of music.

Listen to a grand symphony, such as Shostakovich’s 10th, and the Aurender responds with all the scale, authority and control the music demands. The dense instrumentation is handled well, with the music’s various strands nicely separated while never losing the cohesion necessary for emotional impact.

Detail resolution is good; the A1000 renders the acoustic space around the musicians properly, as well as capturing the distinctive textures of the various instruments well.

It has the transparency to allow the characteristics of the recording to shine through rather than painting the sound with its own flavour, as some do. That’s a quality we really admire, but it’s also fair to say that it plays things a little safe, too.

While the music’s dramatic dynamic shifts are delivered in a composed way, we can’t help but feel that the Aurender keeps the handbrake on just a bit. Alternatives such as the Cyrus 40 ST, Audiolab 9000N and the Naim NSC 222 deliver music with more verve and drama.

The result is that music such as this Shostakovich symphony or Nirvana’s Nevermind album doesn’t quite hit home with the emotional impact it should. That strain of restraint doesn’t stop us from enjoying everything the Aurender does, though it is the prime reason that this streamer doesn’t get the full five stars from us.

As we work our way through our music collection, taking in Stevie Wonder’s Innervisions on DSD, Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall (24-bit/96kHz) and The Unthanks’ Mount The Air set (16-bit/44.1kHz), it is easy to admire the Aurender’s broad spread of abilities. Its clear but organic-sounding midrange allows the likes of The Unthanks and Wonder to come through with expression and passion intact.

There is an impressive sense of organisation that gives this streamer the ability to play complicated pieces of music without ever sounding like it is struggling. That is a great talent to have.

The A1000 has pleasing rhythmic ability too. While not quite as joyous-sounding as the aforementioned Cyrus and Naim, it still brews a storm with the likes of Jackson’s Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough charging along full throttle. Basslines hit hard and true, and come barrelling out of our speakers with a good amount of enthusiasm.

We’re pleased to report that this Aurender continues to impress through its digital inputs. We feed in the digital outputs from our reference Naim ND555/555 PS DR music streamer, as well as our Apple MacBook Pro (loaded with Audirvana music playing software and plenty of high-res music files), and find that the A1000’s DAC module is a good one. It sounds detailed, balanced and musical, regardless of the music we play.

We’re equally positive about the Aurender’s performance with Bluetooth. While obviously limited in outright transparency when compared to the same recording played back from our NAS, or directly with Tidal Connect, Bluetooth from our iPhone 14 Pro still sounds entertaining and holds our attention.

Verdict

The Aurender A1000 is a solid all-around performer that has the bonus of being able to store your music files, all in one neat box. It is well-made and easy to use. Most importantly, despite our complaint about the lack of verve, it remains a pleasure to listen to.

Anyone looking for such a versatile music streamer at this level should seriously consider this capable unit.

Review published: 27th January 2026

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 5
• Features 5

MORE:

Read our review of the Cyrus 40 ST

Also consider the Audiolab 9000N

Read our Naim NSC222 review

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