W20SE
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Battery-Powered Reference Digital Output Network Transport
USB, Dual-AES/EBU, Coaxial, BNC and Optical Outputs / Word Clock Input
4TB SSD Storage with 1TB SSD Caching Drive
Minimalist Black & White AMOLED Display

W20SE

Battery-powered magic - A silent background

Battery-Powered Reference Digital Output Network Transport with USB, Dual-AES/EBU, Coaxial, BNC and Optical Outputs + Word Clock Input

An Audio Classic, Recharged

Few digital audio components remain in production for eight years or ever reach the iconic status of the original Aurender W20. Improving upon a classic component like W20 was not easy, but W20 Special Edition ("W20SE") has taken the worldwide bestseller and refined and refreshed it to a new, even higher pedigree.

Coveted by music lovers, audiophiles and connoisseurs of distinctive luxury objects for its pure, natural sound, nuance and musicality, W20SE is truly in a class of one.

A unique LiFePO4 battery power supply eliminates AC noise allowing the music to emerge from an inky black background. Designed to be used in the world’s finest audio systems, the W20SE is equipped with a host of OCXO clock controlled digital outputs including a unique dual-wire AES/EBU output. W20SE's master clock input provides additional connectivity to interface with a superior Master Clock such as MC20.

“Digital glare”, congestion and harshness are things of the past with W20SE's ultra relaxed, utterly transparent presentation.

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Key Features

Battery Power Supply
W20SE's LiFePO4 battery power supply completely eliminates AC noise allowing the music to emerge from an inky black background. The Battery PSU contributes to W20SE's supreme ease and relaxed presentation of the music.
OCXO Controlled Outputs
Aurender's Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillator (OCXO) clocks are unique in a category that has historically treated superior SPDIF and AES/EBU audio outputs as an afterthought. Unlike USB, where the DAC's clock matters most, SPDIF and AES/EBU data streams are only as good as the transport clocks that govern them. N30SA, N20, and W20SE all employ exceptionally accurate and stable OCXO clocks for a smooth, saturated, and laser-focused audio presentation.
Clock Input
N20, N30SA, W20, and W20SE all feature a unique Clock Input for connectivity with an external Master Clock such as MC20. A superior Master Clock can make a good system sound uncannily realistic, giving a new literal meaning to "High Fidelity."
Dual-Wire AES/EBU
With a compatible DAC, W20SE's dual-wire AES/EBU outputs are capable of supporting up to 24-bit/384 kHz data streams without depending on USB. Experience the ultimate "analog" style output from a digital component.
Massive SSD Storage Built-In
W20SE can accommodate the largest music collections as it can be built to order with 4TB, 8TB* or 16TB* of internal SSD storage.*Special Order configurations may add 1-2 weeks to order fulfillment time
PCM Upsampling
W20SE is capable of upsampling any lower resolution content to a higher sample rate for better performance with some DACs (up to 176.4/192kHz or 384kHz on dual-wire AES/EBU outputs). Upsampling effects only the system’s SPDIF and AES/EBU digital outputs. USB is always bit-perfect with no digital signal processing.

Hallmarks of Aurender

Hardware <> Software Integration
A closed system. Aurender playback and control software is developed in the same building as its hardware. Superior integration means that Aurender's software engineers are able to specifically optimize playback performance of the extremely robust hardware at their disposal.
Caching Playback Engine
Other systems buffer. Aurenders cache. Every Aurender model features a massive solid state memory from which all playback occurs. This important feature helps to minimize system resource requirements for enhanced audio performance and stability.
Dedicated USB Audio Output
USB is prone to transferring noise between devices. Aurender's dedicated USB Audio output is physically and electrically isolated from the noise-generating CPU board to minimize noise in the sensitive audio interconnect.
Precision DSD-to-PCM Conversion
Many DACs support DSD decoding via USB inputs, but not on SPDIF or AES/EBU. But, software/DSP-level DSD-to-PCM conversion almost always sounds terrible. That’s why Aurender's Digital Output Network Transports with high-end SPDIF outputs also feature an extremely high quality DSD-to-PCM conversion engine performed by FPGA using thousands of tap filters.
Low-Power High-Efficiency CPU
A powerful CPU is essential to making any computer run smoothly and quickly. However, with more power comes more noise. Aurender's low-power high-efficiency Intel CPUs have enough headroom to run the machine while minimizing the amount of current drawn in order to keep the noise floor as low as possible.
Elegant Front Panel Display
Easy to read high resolution LCD display. Dynamic, elegant, understated.
Double Isolated LAN Port
Two layers of transformer based isolation to filter noise out of Ethernet connection.
Local Library Storage Capacity
Every Aurender contains either massive built-in internal storage capacity, or at least one slot for super easy user-installable storage options. Enjoy localized media storage, and ditch the cumbersome NAS or HDD.
Integrated Streaming Services
The entire world of streaming music content is available to you within one great app. Enjoy integrated access to TIDAL, Qobuz, and Internet Radio. Plus Spotify Connect and AirPlay.
Critical Listening Mode
Enable Critical Listening Mode to defeat the front panel screen, buttons, and all background computing activity that is not essential for playing music. CLM offers an even quieter, more transparent audio presentation.
USB HDD and NAS Connectivity
The best user experience occurs occurs when your music content is stored on Aurender’s internal storage. However, USB 3.0 data ports and NAS share connectivity are included in order to play or import content stored on a NAS, external USB hard drive, or thumb drive.
Support for All Major Audio Codecs & Formats
Remote Internet Technical Support
In case you should encounter any difficulty or problems, Aurender's dedicated support team may log into your system remotely to diagnose and fix any issues. We take support extremely seriously, and we're here to help!
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MQA Core-Decoder Upgrade Available

Physical Specifications

Dimensions 16.9"W x 14.6"D x 5"H (4.6"H w/o Feet)
Weight 46.5 lb
Material Machined Aluminum Chassis 
Front Panel Display Dual 3.7" AMOLED

 

Technical Specifications

Power Supply 3x LiFePO4 Battery for Audio + Linear PSU for system
CPU AMD Dual Core (18W)
RAM 4GB
Library Storage Capacity 16TB
SSD for System & Cache
1TB 2.5"
Data USB Ports
1X USB 2.0 (Rear)
Software Suite
Aurender Conductor
Ethernet Port Double-Isolated Gigabit LAN
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Yes (LiFEPO4)
Power Consumption Play (35W), Peak (70W), Standby (2.5W)
CD Ripping Capability N/A

Audio Specifications

Analog Outputs N/A
DAC Chipset N/A
Audio Word Clock OCXO Rev2
Analog Outputs Supported Format N/A
Digital Outputs USB Audio (Dedicated), Dual-AES/EBU (OCXO Controlled), BNC Coax SPDIF (OCXO Controlled), RCA Coax SPDIF (OCXO Controlled), Optical/TosLink SPDIF (OCXO Controlled)
USB Output Supported Format Up To 32-bit / 384 kHz, DSD128 (DoP), DSD256 (Native)
SPDIF & AES/EBU Output Supported Format PCM: Up to 32-bit / 192 kHz; DSD: Up to DSD64 via DoP, Dual-Wire AES/EBU: PCM Up to 32-bit / 384 kHz; DSD Up to DSD128 via DoP
Digital Inputs N/A
Headphone Section N/A
Master Clock Input Coaxial BNC 75Ω - 10MHz, 12.8MHz, 44.1-48kHz (multiples from 1-512x)
MQA Support MQA Core-Decoder On Board
Compatible Formats DSD (DSF, DFF), WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC, M4A, APE and others
DSD-to-PCM Conversion DSD64/128/256/512 to 88.2/176.4kHz