Aurender launches the A15, a one-box server and streamer with a built-in DAC

(Image credit: Aurender)

Aurender has released a new multi-tasking music server with fully-fledged streaming capabilities, the A15. Building on the A10, which was Aurender's first ever music server/streamer with built-in DAC, the A15 incorporates a fresh design and optional storage expansion.

On the front, the A15 sports a wide 6.9-inch colour LCD screen to display album artwork, while inside upgrades include a new CPU and a dual-mono AKM4490 MQA-certified DAC that can decode PCM files up to 32-bit/768kHz and DSD up to DSD512. There's also an updated dual-mono linear power supply, a double isolated LAN port and an FPGA-based precision clock.

Outputs at the rear include pairs of balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA ports, and there are two 2.5-inch slots for users with existing res-libraries to add additional HDD or SSD storage of up to 8TB each. There's also support onboard for Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify Connect and internet radio, making the A15 a flexible one-box solution for music fans that already listen to a combination of streaming and hi-res files or those that might want to start collecting files in the future.

As with other Aurender products, all playback occurs from the internal solid state cache. As soon as any content is added to the queue, it is immediately downloaded for playback. Aurender says that by caching tracks, electrical and acoustic noise generated from spinning disks, moving heads and motors are eliminated, meaning lower demand on power supplies, less wear-and-tear and improved audio performance.

With its internal DAC, the A15 can also act as a digital hub for other sources such as a Blu-ray player, CD transport or TV, via its optical and coaxial digital inputs, and a USB 2.0 output allows users to send a digital signal to a second system or external DAC. When set to use its variable output, the A15 can perform as a preamplifier allowing gain adjustment from the front panel, IR remote or the Aurender Conductor app. Supported by iOS and Android platforms, the app allows for unified control enabling users to merge both locally stored and streamed content.

The Aurender A15 is available now in silver or black finishes, priced at £8,900 / $8,000 / AU$14,495.

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Mary is a staff writer at What Hi-Fi? and has over a decade of experience working as a sound engineer mixing live events, music and theatre. Her mixing credits include productions at The National Theatre and in the West End, as well as original musicals composed by Mark Knopfler, Tori Amos, Guy Chambers, Howard Goodall and Dan Gillespie Sells.