Network Audio Players/Servers

Aurender's Conductor app, currently in V3.3 form and available for iOS and Android tablets and phones, isn't just one of the slickest and most intelligent ways to play music – it also allows every detail of the company's devices to be set up from the listening seat. Quite apart from the speed with which it will re-index music added to internal or external storage, and the ease with which streaming services including Tidal, Qobuz and Internet radio can be set up, it also enables the user to delve deep into the N30SA's configuration. Here you can 'tune' the output of the player to the capabilities of the DAC with which it's partnered.

Upsampling is configurable, or can be bypassed, and it's also possible to specify how DSD files are handled: in native form, or converted to PCM, and with a choice of low-pass filters to reduce HF spuriae. The 'Critical Listening Mode' mentioned in the main review can be invoked, for example with the display only lighting up when music isn't playing, then switching off again as the music starts. It's also possible to set the N30SA to fade tracks in and out to avoid clicks and pops between them, and even to set a few seconds' delay between tracks to allow certain DACs adequate settling time when switching between file types or sampling rates.