I wanted to chime in and say that I received the S6 review unit. Many thanks to Aune for giving me a chance to participate in this tour.
First things first, the S6 is reassuringly hefty, it caught me off guard when first unpacking it. It is quite easy to operate and not too hard to figure out how to switch connections. I am quite pleased by the array of input and output connections offered by the S6. Even more so, little touches like having a second set of port labels printed upside down, so one can identify ports should they be looking from above, makes it clear that design and engineering team at Aune have put a lot of thought into designing the S6.
I do wish the chassis was flat instead of curved, as it would make it easier to stack with other components, but that is a personal preference, and the curved edges do give it a certain visual flair.
So how does the bugger sound?
This about sums up my reaction when first listening to the S6
I listened to the HD600 out of the balanced port, using my custom Venture Electronics cable and MY WORD! First thing I immediately noticed was the AIR.
I could all too easily hear and delineate the spacing between instruments, as in the air between instruments. You can easily picture where the instruments are situated, some a little to the front, some further back. Live music has never sounded better to my ears. And oh god the dark background! The soundstage, separation and layering was just superb, combining to give an effortlessly natural presentation, taking my HD600 to heights never heard before (by my ears that is).
IMO it is at the very least every bit as good as my Geek Out V2+ Infinity and definitely at the same level as the iFi iDSD Micro, if not better in some areas. Mind you, these are VERY early impressions and I will do a more detailed comparison at a later date but thus far my impressions have been solid.
I went in with my expectations in check and much like the M1S, the S6 was a stunner! The performance on display was nothing short of tantalizing.
My wallet hates you Aune Audio lol.