Aavik 180 Series Streamer Instruction Manual
- June 12, 2024
- Aavik
Table of Contents
Aavik 180 Series Streamer
Product Information
The Aavik S-180 streamer is a network player (streamer) with an integrated DA
converter. It is part of the 180 series, designed to match the D-180 DA
converter and the I-180 integrated amplifier.
The streamer utilizes SPDIF for digital output, with available BNC and Toslink
connections. It also features 2 USB ports for external storage media and an
Ethernet port for connectivity.
The streamer is equipped with a generous and unique LED dot display, which requires a complex PCB behind the front panel. The display provides information about the music being played and allows access to the setup menu. The noise-canceling technology used by Aavik incorporates Tesla coils to effectively suppress unwanted RF energy.
The Aavik Stream app is available for controlling the streamer and provides access to various music sources. Additionally, the streamer is Roon Ready, allowing it to be recognized as an endpoint in the Roon audio settings.
Product Usage Instructions
- Connect the Aavik S-180 streamer to your audio system using the SPDIF digital output. Choose either the BNC or Toslink connection based on your audio system’s compatibility.
- If using external storage media, connect them to one of the two USB ports on the streamer.
- Ensure the streamer is connected to the internet by connecting it to an Ethernet port.
- Use the Aavik Stream app on your iPad (Apple) to control the streamer. The app allows you to select music sources and control playback.
- If you prefer to use Roon, configure the audio settings in Roon to recognize the Aavik S-180 as an endpoint.
- Enjoy streaming music from various sources and experience the high sound quality and musicality provided by the Aavik S-180 streamer.
For more detailed information and a review of the Aavik S-180 streamer, you
can visit the
online link.
THE VOICE OF THE NIGHTINGALE
Test of the Aavik S-180 streamer
Published on 05 September 2021 – Christian Wenger
INSTALLATION
The Aavik S-180 streamer is a component featured in the Aavik 180 series. This
series also includes three other components: a DAC, an integrated amplifier
and a phono pre-amp. In addition, with the 280 and 580 series, there are two
larger siblings for each of the components. The 180 series is the most
affordable series, although “affordable” may be put into perspective with a
price tag of CHF 6000 for each component. We have already taken a closer look
at the Aavik I-180 integrated amplifier.
The Aavik S-180, like most “high-performance” streaming devices, is not
limited to the streaming function. It also has an integrated DA converter and
a very unique and equally eye-catching display on the front. This display is
increasingly omitted on streaming devices, as it is redundant with the display
on the app on the respective smart device. So why do we need another display?
Every device in the 180 series has the identical, large LED dot display, and
it makes a stunningly good impression.
The Aavik S-180, in particular, conveys a direct reference to the music that
is currently playing. The smart device with the app is often put aside after
starting a playlist. If you can then see the song title and artist on the
large display at a glance, that’s an advantage you can definitely get used to.
The DA converter makes the Aavik S-180 a universal digital source. An external
converter is not absolutely necessary,but certainly qualitatively
advantageous. Those who cannot/do not want to spend their money on the Aavik
D-180 DA-converter or any other DA-converter will certainly get along well
with the S-180, at least temporarily.
External USB-SSD/HDD drives can be used as storage media or, of course, storage locations in the network. You will not find a built-in hard drive, probably also due to the fact that the use of stored music is on the decline compared to the use of high-end streaming services. Moreover, USB drives are no longer a real investment – and if they should fail, it is much easier to replace them.
There are also arguments in favour of an integrated SSD drive: For example, you do not need a USB interface to use it. This can have advantages in terms of speed and digital noise, which is why other manufacturers swear by it. Aavik has decided not to use an internal SSD. That’s not surprising, because they have something else in their quiver. More on that later.
For the digital output, Aavik relies exclusively on SPDIF. A BNC and a Toslink connection are available for this. For external storage media, there are 2 USB ports and, of course, an Ethernet port. Obviously, nothing works without Ethernet!
The connection panel on the back of the device reveals nothing out of the
ordinary, except perhaps, the lack of an asynchronous USB digital output.
Aavik relies on the Sony-Philips standard SPDIF with a coaxial BNC output and
an optical Toslink output. BNC plugs have an excellent reputation. The Aavik
D-180 DAC has a BNC input. Anyone who uses a DAC of their choice with an RCA-
Cinch digital input as playing partner, can use an appropriate cable or a
BNC/RCA adapter. The latter are much better than their reputation. The digital
outputs can transmit 24 bits at a maximum sampling rate of 192 kHz. “Higher
things” are dispensed with, which I can easily understand.
The device has two trigger outputs, which can be connected to other devices,
e.g. the D-180 DAC and the integrated amplifier I-180, so all three devices
can be switched on and off at the same time.
With three buttons on the device, the Aavik S-180 (below) is amazingly easy to operate just like the Aavik D-180 (above).
The three function keys can do a lot after a thorough study of the operating
instructions including standby on and off, mute, pairing with an IR remote
control from Apple, and access to various menu functions (settings).
To list a few of the more important settings: playback information such as
format, source and sampling rate, brightness of the display, fixed or variable
volume, gapless playback yes/no, and settings for MQA decoding, depending on
the MQA support of the DA converter. Furthermore, also DSD mode DoP or PCM,
network status, firmware update,and various functions related to WiFi, etc.
The generous and quite unique display requires a very elaborate circuit board.
As can be seen in the picture above, the elaborate LED dot display requires a complex PCB behind the front. The PCB is identical for all devices. The circular cut-out on the left is only needed for the volume control for the integrated amplifiers and has no function on the Aavik-S-180 streamer.
Streaming board, DAC and the power supply on the right: 2 encapsulated power supplies are used.
The somewhat inconspicuous-looking switching power supplies (right half of the
picture) for the six different paths of the power supply are quite something.
Aavik uses so-called Resonant Mode Power Supplies. Their clock is not a square
pulse, as usual, but a sine wave. This significantly reduces the creation of
high-frequency distortion signals in the switching power supply.
To ensure an organic sound, Aavik has developed a casing of natural composite
materials and minimized the use of aluminium. The resonance, caused by
aluminium, adds a cold and harsh tone to the overall sound. Therefore Aavik
uses only an absolute minimum amount of aluminium, necessary to provide
adequate cooling.
Mysterious: The noise-cancelling technology propagated by Aavik, with so- called Tesla coils, is supposed to effectively suppress unwanted RF energy. It certainly doesn’t do any harm, but it is costly.
Ansuz Acoustics, Aavik’s sister company, specializes in components and devices
designed to compensate for noise in music streaming systems and networks. This
so-called noise-cancelling technology is also used in the Aavik S-180. It is
supposed to provide a flawless signal flow, because it is free of
interference, and conducted and radiated interference. A total of three dozen
Tesla coils are used for this purpose. They are clearly visible in the device
on a separate circuit board. In addition, there are also 72 active Square
Tesla coils and 5 so-called dither circuits.
For me, this is a bit problematic in that I imagine something quite different
under a Tesla coil than what I see here.
Also, the actual concept of an active Square Tesla coil is not clear to me.
And by “dithering” I mean a method of mitigating the effect of quantization
errors in digital audio. The “ground-breaking” technologies propagated by
Aavik and Ansuz are sometimes not understandable to me neither from an
electrical nor a physical point of view.
The manufacturer is not obligated to provide information about the exact
operation of such innovations. But we are also not obligated to take
everything at face value. We can simply take note that Aavik and Ansuz have
gone to great lengths to perfect the signal flow with their proprietary
technology.
The Aavik Stream App and Roon
The easiest way to stream and play music is with the Aavik Stream app exclusively for iPads (Apple). The app is clearly,simply, and logically designed, without any frills and it works flawlessly. The Aavik S-180 integrates the streaming services Tidal, Qobuz, and Spotify. The tried and tested VTuner is available for Internet radio. You can, of course, also tap into cloud storage: Dropbox, OneDrive and iCloud Drive are available. Local servers are also available. My NAS and iPad immediately appeared on the screen. The operation is intuitive and illustrated in the following three images (as examples).
The very good Aavik Stream app: On the right, you can see from which sources you can stream music. At that moment, SRF1 was playing with the integrated vTuner. Below you can see the player.
On the top left is the setup menu. On the right you can see some albums from the NAS.
On the right you can see a selection of playlists.
For those who prefer Roon, the streamer Aavik S-180 is easy to use, as long as a computer with Roon core application somewhere in the network serves the streamer as endpoint. This can be, as you know, a PC/Mac or an Intel NUC or whatever is suitable for it. In my test environment, a Roon Nucleus powers any Roon Ready clients such as the S-180. You don’t need to change anything in the Aavik Stream app to activate Roon mode. Just put it aside, open the Roon app instead and find the S-180 under Settings/Audio, and activate it.
If you don’t own an iPad, you have the choice of buying an iPad or a Roon license. Roon can then be operated with all smart devices. Since all the system settings of the S-180 can be made without an app, it is also not mandatory for operational issues.
Roon Audio Settings: The Aavik S-180 becomes visible as an endpoint.
Signal path during playback of an MQA-encoded track from Tidal.
The operating concept and the Aavik Stream app are convincing. Please note the restriction on iPad (Apple). Those who want to use Roon will also be happy, and can then operate the streamer with all smart devices and integrate it into a multi-room system for this.
I tested the Aavik S-180 on a Kii THREE BXT system, a DSP-controlled full-
range floor standing speaker, and used the SPDIF digital output (coaxial) for
this. For comparison, I used the Innuos Statement music server. The Innuos
Statement costs about twice as much as the Aavik S-180, but this is
understandable due to the enormous amount of technology and effort in its
functionality. Both devices drew music from exactly the same source via Roon,
either stored content from my NAS or from Qobuz and Tidal.
With the Aavik S-180, I was also able to play and compare music via the Aavik
Stream app or Roon. In this first comparison,I could not find any reproducible
quality differences that had any relevance. It didn’t always seem to sound
exactly the same, but the differences I thought I detected seemed to quickly
fizzle out again. They are impossible to validate and impossible to reproduce.
Things got a little easier with the comparison to the Innuos Statement. The
A/B comparison could be done directly by switching the source with my remote.
There was no interruption from A to B and back.
The S-180 won me over with an impressive neutrality and order in the sonic
fabric. There was never any nervousness– not even with the recordings of lower
quality. One hears the music almost as if it were one a deeper level. The
degree of relaxation that emanates from the music is clearly audible and means
a higher level in quality and musicality.
Thus, timbre of all kinds can be heard completely unveiled. An exact
description of this emotional component is hardly possible. Compared to the
reference unit, I could detect slight deficits in dynamics. This also led to a
slightly perceptible reduction of the size of the soundstage. When it comes to
“beauty”, however, the S-180 really shows off and ensures perfect relaxation
when listening to music.
Streaming Galore!
Conclusion
With its beautiful music reproduction, the Aavik S-180 convincingly demonstrates how to carefully and thoughtfully get to grips with the manifold sources of interference and noise in digital music reproduction. This digital noise, caused by complex networks, can be effectively overcome, as the example shows – even if the chemistry and alchemy behind it is not always served in a comprehensible way. The Aavik S-180 is very convincing with a few restrictions and is also not off the mark in terms of price/performance. The device is very nicely finished and thus also suitable for the atmospheric ambience – and not only for the ‘martial’ HiFi rack.
SPECIFICATION
- Model: S-180
- Profile: Network player (streamer) with integrated DA converter. System component of the 180 series matching the D-180 DA converter and the I-180 integrated amplifier.
- Pros:
- Sound quality and musicality
- Operating concept
- Aavik Stream App Roon Ready
- Cons:
- No asynchronous USB output
- Aavik Stream App only for iPad (Apple)
- Price: 6,000.00 CHF
- Manufacturer: Aavik Acoustics
- Year: 2021
- Distribution: AC Group AG
- Dimensions: 102 x 384 x 380 mm
- Weight: 5.2 kg
- Colour: Black
- Airplay: No
- CD ripper: No
- Chromcast: No
- Roon Ready: Yes
- Spotify Connect: Yes
- Analog output: RCA stereo
- Audio Formats: All incl. DSD and MQA encoding
- Digital Output: SPDIF coaxial and Toslink up to 24bit 192kHz
- Display: LED dot display
- Power consumption standby: 0.5 W
- Multiroom Support: With Roon
- Music services: Qobuz, Tidal, Spotify
- Remote App: Aavik Stream App
- Storage media: External USB or on network
Onlinelink: https://www.avguide.ch/testbericht/test-des-aavik-s-180 -streamers-die-stimme-der-nachtigall