[kawaivpc1]

If you can browse, then you can play. What I'm saying is that with UAPP depends on the USB mass storage driver to be able to see the external SATA to browse and play in the first place.

Anyhow, I received a loaner Hugo from Timelord (local Chord distributor in Japan). I'll get a chance to do some quick comparisons between the Flow & Hugo. Size-wise, here are the differences :-

Size-wise, they're almost identical.
If I can browse files in Aurender FLOW, I think FLOW is a better deal. 1TB storage can be good enough for me.
If you have an Android phone with ES Browser app, can you check this?
Just locate FLOW on ES Browser and then find files, then click on "Play file as Audio" and choose UAPP playback.

 

[AnakChan]

Size-wise, they're almost identical.
If I can browse files in Aurender FLOW, I think FLOW is a better deal. 1TB storage can be good enough for me.
If you have an Android phone with ES Browser app, can you check this?
Just locate FLOW on ES Browser and then find files, then click on "Play file as Audio" and choose UAPP playback.

 
The only useable Android in my household is my wife's which is not rooted. I don't intend to root it as it'll void it's warranty (SC-02F/Galaxy J) & I don't have a SATA on my Flow @ the moment.
 
In terms of the better deal, I think it'll depend from individual to individual. Not talking about sonics (since I've only just received the Hugo and listening now), the Hugo has more input features and is lighter. The Flow has the storage functionality, music control function on the component itself, & a much more intuitive feedback display (I don't have to memorise Hugo's colour coding).

 

[kawaivpc1]

The only useable Android in my household is my wife's which is not rooted. I don't intend to root it as it'll void it's warranty (SC-02F/Galaxy J) & I don't have a SATA on my Flow @ the moment.

In terms of the better deal, I think it'll depend from individual to individual. Not talking about sonics (since I've only just received the Hugo and listening now), the Hugo has more input features and is lighter. The Flow has the storage functionality, music control function on the component itself, & a much more intuitive feedback display (I don't have to memorise Hugo's colour coding).

You don't need to root it. Try to connect it through USB. Then locate it with ES Browser and choose UAPP or HibyMusic as playback app.
I'm all in for 1TB storage + decent sound quality.
Let me know if this works. 512GB SSD mSATA is only 170 dollars now.

 

[AnakChan]

You don't need to root it. Try to connect it through USB. Then locate it with ES Browser and choose UAPP or HibyMusic as playback app.
I'm all in for 1TB storage + decent sound quality.
Let me know if this works. 512GB SSD mSATA is only 170 dollars now.

 
I'm not even going to spend $170 for a SSD mSATA as a test with my wife's phone !! I may buy some large storage at some point in the future to use it as a dumping ground for my photos when I'm travelling but definitely not going to rush out to buy something for testing,
 
Maybe you can share what you've found out so far. Do you have a SSD mSATA? What size? Have you tried with ES Browser?

 

[kawaivpc1]

I'm not even going to spend $170 for a SSD mSATA as a test with my wife's phone !! I may buy some large storage at some point in the future to use it as a dumping ground for my photos when I'm travelling but definitely not going to rush out to buy something for testing,

Maybe you can share what you've found out so far. Do you have a SSD mSATA? What size? Have you tried with ES Browser?

I don't have FLOW at the moment.
ES Browser can locate wi-fi HDDs and SD cards without a problem. It allows you to stream music from them and use UAPP as playback.

 

[AnakChan]

I don't have FLOW at the moment.
ES Browser can locate wi-fi HDDs and SD cards without a problem. It allows you to stream music from them and use UAPP as playback.

 
Yes but we're not talking about Wi-Fi HDDs or SD cards. We're talking about mSATA SSDs via USB.

 

[kawaivpc1]

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

Yes but we're not talking about Wi-Fi HDDs or SD cards. We're talking about mSATA SSDs via USB.

I don't have an msata drive nor FLOW.

 

[AnakChan]

I don't have an msata drive nor FLOW.

 
I know . Which is why I'm wondering why you're so confidently getting me to check ES Browser and UAPP accessibility of the mSATA in the Flow, and why you're so assured that you don't need to root to load a USB Mass storage driver in order for ES Browser to access that mSATA. What I said yesterday about Android needing mass storage drivers to mount the mSATA still stands irrespective of ES Browser or UAPP.
 
P.S. Follow up with me offline if you want to understand more. This is getting somewhat OT and is really more about Android operations rather than Flow specific.

 

[ridicul0us]

I love this product! The only complain that I have is its slow charging speed. I think they should have put bigger battery capacity. 

Sometimes I listen to music like almost the whole day and 7-hour play-time doesn't cater my need. Is it true that enabling the automatic charging will affect the sound quality? I don't notice any difference though, so I enable it. It helps a little bit in increasing its play-time.

 

[Kiats]

I love this product! The only complain that I have is its slow charging speed. I think they should have put bigger battery capacity. 


Sometimes I listen to music like almost the whole day and 7-hour play-time doesn't cater my need. Is it true that enabling the automatic charging will affect the sound quality? I don't notice any difference though, so I enable it. It helps a little bit in increasing its play-time.

When I play it off my laptop or MacMini, I set the Flow to CHG+. I can't say I hear any difference in SQ. Not sure where you heard that from.

 

[ridicul0us]

When I play it off my laptop or MacMini, I set the Flow to CHG+. I can't say I hear any difference in SQ. Not sure where you heard that from.

 

  I love this product! The only complain that I have is its slow charging speed. I think they should have put bigger battery capacity. 

Sometimes I listen to music like almost the whole day and 7-hour play-time doesn't cater my need. Is it true that enabling the automatic charging will affect the sound quality? I don't notice any difference though, so I enable it. It helps a little bit in increasing its play-time.

I'm not sure also where I read that XD but I read it somewhere. I don't believe it though, I just wanna clarify and ask for people's opinion about it.

After spending some time while enabling the automatic charging (CHG+), I feel obliged to edit my statement. It helps a lot with the play time but it still decreases slowly (charging-power is less than used-power). Now, it's possible to use the flow with my computer for the whole day (provided that it's not on relatively low-battery state - need further research). So I want to take back my complain, but it still would be nice if they can push to 10+ hours play-time without charging.
Turning down the brightness to the lowest(DIM0) is also helpful to increase life-time certainly.

Has anyone tried the PCM and DSD setting? I don't know what they are for. Is it for DSD file?
I also read somewhere it changes sound signature. Will it affect sound if I use IEM?
 

 

[rudi0504]

Hi Sean
Did you have experiance with your Aurender Flow:
During playback with file 24/192 from AK 100 or ak 240 .sometimes can lock sometimes can not lock so properly?
If i connect to Sony DAP ZX 1.i used Sony Lod and USB 3 stock .it can not play ?
Please advise.thank you

 

[AnakChan]

Hi Sean
Did you have experience with your Aurender Flow:
During playback with file 24/192 from AK 100 or ak 240 .sometimes can lock sometimes can not lock so properly?
If i connect to Sony DAP ZX 1.i used Sony Lod and USB 3 stock .it can not play ?
Please advise.thank you

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 
I have yet to actually use the Toslink connection (since I still don't have my AK240 back from repair). I use almost exclusively my iPad/iPhone. In terms of lock, I have sync/lock issues when I switch back 'n forth DACs with my iDevice (e.g. when I'm comparing between the Hugo & Flow). But if I stick to only one DAC to my iDevice then no sync issues.
 

 
I've never had any success with my NW-ZX1 with the Aurender Flow (I think...if I did, then I forgot). I'm selling my NW-ZX1 anyway so I'm not so concerned.

 

[AnakChan]

I've spent a few more days with the Flow & Hugo (and still have 5 more days with the Hugo before I have to return it). In terms of sonics, I think it's entirely preferential to what the listener prefers and what the listener has chosen to pair the component with.
 
Tonally the Flow feels to have a little more midbass to low midrange warmth whilst the Hugo has more of a upper midrange and to treble focus and depending on which earphones (e.g. say Dita Truths) could be a little treble aggressive. It's by no means harsh but with the Dita Truth as an example, can have a very hard and and fast treble attack.
 
I now recall my demo of the Hugo at the Fujiya Winter Portable show in 2014, I tried it with the Alpha Dogs and it was a similar sentiment.
 
The Flow by comparison to my ears are a little less aggressive. The treble extension is still there but a more mellow treble attack. Also to -my- ears (contrary to @Currawong's findings), I find the Flow to be more organic than the Hugo. By this I guess I mean slightly warmer bass (compared to the Hugo, but not warm by nature) feel more textured and organically smooth in the transitions.
 
So at least to -my- preference, I think the Flow is the better choice for me.

 

[ridicul0us]

Has anyone tried to pair this with HD800 ?