AURALiC
DACs
Digital Sources
Best Known For
Digital Sources
/
Used Products
138
 Available
Average Price
$2,501-$5,000
Brand Popularity
54
 of 900+
Products Listed
9
Review Count
57
Founding Year
2009
Headquarters
United States
AURALiC
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What's unique about the brand

AURALiC is a hifi audio brand focusing on streaming audio sources with user-friendly interfaces. The company uses its proprietary Lightning DS music playing app to provide easy integration and customization of your music library.

What reviewers are saying

We read all the reviews. Here's what reviewers feel most strongly about:

  • AURALiC prioritizes sound quality, focusing on core performance rather than feature abundance in their products.
  • The brand employs a unique "Fusion" DAC technology using ESS chips, with custom clocking, filtering, and oversampling for a distinct sound.
  • AURALiC is known for clever chassis designs featuring dual chassis, copper shielding, and carefully designed power supplies to minimize noise.
  • The Lightning DS control app is highlighted for its user-friendliness, expansive features, and exclusive iOS compatibility.

Our favorite reviewer quotes:

  • "The opening vocal streamed through the Vega made my skin tingle – the way the mix was presented was little short of astonishing, with a fabulously open, expansive and translucent sound." (https://stereonet.com/reviews/auralic-vega-g2.2-streaming-dac-review)
  • "Details stand out with greater presence. Little things are now bigger things. Heck, the music in totality, stands out—there is simply greater presence, decay, cues, edges, ambience, silence, blackness, presence, individuality, space… just MORE." (https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/auralic-aries-g2-2-streaming-transporter)
  • "The bass is a clear strongpoint, it extends all the way down and has a degree of articulation and shape that indicates that the Auralic is a first class converter, most DACs can do powerful bass but fewer are able to show you the full attack and decay of each note with this degree of clarity." (https://the-ear.net/review-hardware/auralic-vega-g2-2-black-mirror-dac)
  • "There is little if any of the graininess or hardness that we associate with average streaming systems, instead you hear the open sparkle of highs and the weight of bass that is replete with texture and tone colour. As result vocals, the sound of which we are most highly attuned to, are simply superb and in Joni Mitchell's case full of feeling and integrity." (https://the-ear.net/review-hardware/auralic-aries-g2-2-spellbinding)
  • "But it's with streaming from services and local libraries that it really shines, and I mean that literally. High frequencies are so clean that they have a clarity and beauty that often eludes digital systems, they open up the soundstage and bring the venue's air into your room." (https://hifiplus.com/articles/auralic-aries-g2-2-streamer)
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Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

From Julian's interview with
.

Lineup comparison

We think it's helpful to understand how their products compare. To learn more about each, scroll to the section above to click through to individual product pages.

Altair

  • Positioning: Positioned as an all-in-one digital source in Auralic's lineup.
  • Description: Offers a comprehensive set of features, including a high-performance DAC, network streaming, and local file management, making it ideal for users new to network-based digital audio. It combines the streaming capabilities of the Aries with the DAC performance of the Vega, but at a more accessible price point, making it suitable for those with budget constraints or smaller setups. Unlike the standalone Aries and Vega, provides a one-box solution, which is perfect for users seeking simplicity and space-saving without needing separate components.

Aries

  • Positioning: Serves as a streaming processor and transporter, designed to enhance existing DAC systems.
  • Description: Excels in providing high-resolution streaming capabilities, making it a great choice for users who already own a DAC and want to improve their network audio setup. It offers advanced streaming features and digital outputs, but lacks a built-in DAC, which differentiates it from the Altair and Vega.

Vega

  • Positioning: Auralic's high-performance DAC with streaming capabilities, focusing on sonic excellence.
  • Description: Stands out with its superior digital-to-analog conversion, offering exceptional sound quality for discerning listeners. It features advanced technologies like ORFEO Class A output modules, which are not present in the Altair, providing a richer and more detailed sound.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer

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About the brand

HiFi ROSE is a digital source brand known for its large touchscreen displays, including a 12.6-inch screen on their RS520 streaming amplifier and an 8.8-inch screen on their RS201E streamer. They're a rising star in the hifi world, quickly earning awards and recognition for offering near high-end performance at a much more accessible price point. This Korean brand has rapidly gained popularity and regularly appears on annual best-of lists from prominent reviewers, establishing itself as a strong competitor in the industry.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

Industry leading intuitive touch panel interface and 4K video support, which allows you consume content in a new and immersive way without sacrificing audio quality.

What's your approach to customer support?

We have a dedicated service and tech support team. Our sales reps are also trained on supporting the line.

We always encourage the dealer to be involved in the support process since many of the issues can be resolved at the dealer level. Having the dealer involved also provides an opportunity for them to learn how to resolve more common issues. We are also happy and available to assist end users who reach out to us directly.

The best course of action is to reach out to your dealer and alert them of an issue. If your dealer is unable to resolve the issue, they can reach out to their rep or our support team for assistance. If they do not have a dealer, our support team is available via email at [email protected]

Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm CST.

Our goal is to respond to support issues within 1 business day. If a product is deemed to be defective within the first 30 days of receiving the unit, we will usually offer to replace it.

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

  • Led Zeppelin-Black Dog Live - New York 1973 -4K (Youtube)
  • (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay feat. Jack Johnson | Otis Redding 50th Anniversary (Youtube)
  • Forever - Mildlife

What other products pair best with yours?

McIntosh, Luxman, Pass Labs 

Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi
Brand Page
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About the brand

Wattson Audio is a Swiss hifi brand that builds minimalist, CNC-machined aluminum components with proprietary streaming solutions and advanced clock circuits for precise audio performance. Their products, which support high-resolution formats up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD256, feature LEEDH Processing for digital volume control without sound degradation, making them particularly appealing to audiophiles seeking natural, analog-like sound from digital sources.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi
Brand Page
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Digital Sources
/
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About the brand

Lindemann Audio is a hifi brand that focuses on digital streaming components, with their Musicbook Source V4 featuring a seamless aluminum chassis and built-in phono stage for both digital and analog enthusiasts. Their Move Mini speakers use a unique full-range driver design that removes traditional crossover components for a more direct sound, while their Limetree series outperforms Raspberry Pi-based audio solutions.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi
Brand Page
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Digital Sources
/
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Used Products
2
 Available
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Headquarters
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About the brand

SOtM is a hifi brand that develops its own ARM processor boards specifically for audio, avoiding the sound quality issues common in ready-made processors used by other manufacturers. Their products, including the sMS-200 network player and sPQ-100 phono preamp, stand out for their ultra-low noise technology and rare impedance-matching features, while maintaining a focused approach by eliminating unnecessary features.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

First, we don’t just use advanced technologies like ultra-high-speed digital hardware, precision audio clocking, or noise filtering—we develop them ourselves with a deep understanding of how each element affects sound quality. For example, our proprietary power electronics for audio circuits and custom-designed oscillators play a critical role in delivering our distinctive sound.

Second, while many brands prioritize marketing, we invest heavily in R&D. This means our products may not always be the most widely advertised, but they are built on a solid foundation of innovation and long-term vision. Rather than making minor upgrades, we aim to create fundamentally better products with each release. That’s a philosophy that consistently earns us loyal users around the world.

What's your approach to customer support?

At SOtM, we take customer support seriously. Customers are encouraged to first contact their local dealer or distributor, as they are trained to handle most issues and can provide service in the customer’s native language. However, if further assistance is needed, customers are always welcome to reach out to us directly. When a customer experiences an issue, we aim to respond quickly, diagnose the problem accurately, and offer a solution that minimizes any disruption. We go above and beyond by offering firmware updates, personalized setup help, and sometimes even remote access support to ensure the best possible experience.

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

Some of our go-to pieces include:

  • Stravinsky – The Firebird Suite (Finale): Great for dynamics and layering.
  • Copland – Fanfare for the Common Man: Perfect for testing impact, timing, and space.
  • Mahler – Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection": A true challenge for any system, with massive scale and emotional intensity.

We also enjoy film scores for their emotional engagement and wide frequency content. Ultimately, we choose tracks that are musically moving and technically revealing—regardless of genre.

What other products pair best with yours?

Since we produce everything from digital sources to amplifiers and cables—essentially all components except speakers—we typically use speakers from brands like Focal and Magico in our reference systems. All other components in the system are SOtM products, allowing us to demonstrate the full potential of our technology in a fully optimized environment.

Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi
Brand Page
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Digital Sources
/
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Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi
Brand Page
Known For
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About the brand

Lumin Music, known for launching the world's first DSD-capable streamer, develops all hardware and software in-house to ensure seamless integration across their product line. Their digital sources are praised for delivering warm, analog-like sound quality, with features like upsampling to DSD 256 and dual-drive music servers that require zero setup configuration.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi
Brand Page

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