Network Audio Players/Servers

Crisp And Clear
With many high-end network products, and network transports in particular, it's hard to describe their sound simply because they output digital data only. However, as I said in my introduction, the Vega G2.2 is a complete player with onboard conversion. As PM explains in his Lab Report], both upsampling and a choice of digital filters are available and, as usual, I'd suggest you experiment with these on initial setup, settle on the settings you prefer and stick with them. Over-obsession in this department will typically get in the way of actually listening to music. For the record, I chose the 'Balance' filter for much of my auditioning.

And as one might hope at the price, the Vega G2.2 is not just a convenient DAC/player/preamp combination, but a fine-sounding one into the bargain. With Amalie Stalheim's recital of Stravinsky, Poulenc, and Debussy cello pieces [Lawo LWC1260; 352.8kHz/24-bit], there's a wonderfully fresh and focused view of both the instrument and its piano accompaniment, with plenty of space in the sound for both the ambience and the dynamics of the two performers. With all that processing going on, the sound remains clear, crisp, and fluid, especially so when the preamp stage is bypassed, and the output is run at line-level into conventional amplification.

That clarity is also well-suited to the late Sinead O'Connor's 2002 Sean-Nós Nua set of traditional Irish songs [RandM Records RAMCD001], with accompaniment from the likes of Christy Moore and Donal Lunny. 'Lord Baker' is made all the more attractive by its ethereal backing and the way Moore and O'Connor's voices work together but still have clarity and character – one rich and resonant, the other not much more than a whisper.

Memory Maker
Change pace entirely to 'Born Slippy' on the 2015 re-release of Underworld's Second Toughest In The Infants [Universal UWR00052] and the Vega G2.2 delivers what can only be described as a 'bangin' choon' with superbly extended, hard-hitting bass to underpin the characterful vocals and sweeps of electronica. This explicit, weighty sound also does a fine job with the Steven Wilson remixes of ABC's The Lexicon Of Love [Neutron Records/UMC; 96kHz/24-bit], bringing out both the quality of the multi-layered original pop masterpiece and the skill of the remastering. It's an odd experience of hearing an album how memory suggests it always sounded, but never quite did, and appreciating its new-found clarity.

After listening to some early Alice Cooper for another review in this issue, I was rocked back in my seat when I loaded up his latest outing, Road [Ear Music/Edel/Alive 0218844EMU], which is both a loose concept about the touring life, a survey of his career, and a storming band album. There's a sense of live performance here, the Vega G2.2 creating a massive sound with hard-hitting bass and crisp vocals and instruments. It all sounds like classic Alice, with a decent dose of shock-rock and theatricality alongside the charging musicianship.

Sheer Insight
With the density and warmth of an orchestral recording, the Vega G2.2 shows it has the wherewithal to render scale while at the same time taking the listener into the heart of the production. The explosive opening of Strauss's 'Also Sprach Zarathustra', performed by the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra/Vladimir Jurowski [Pentatone PTC5187121; 192kHz/24-bit], sounded huge and magnificent, but this streamer/DAC then goes on to captivate with the sheer insight, presence and information it delivers.

That it does this consistently across a wide spread of music is testament to what some may see as the Auralic engineers' continuous tinkering, but which they'd describe as rolling improvement. Either way, this innovative team has created something rather special here.

Hi-Fi News Verdict
This is another worthwhile upgrade for Auralic's Vega model, the G2.2 gaining even greater clarity and clout with everything from driving rock to complex classical music. As a network player you can just slot it into your system as you would, say, a CD player. Moreover, it's as simple to use as it looks, and includes the flexibility to set it up exactly how you want, given enough time (and patience).