Introduction to the WideaLab Aurender S10 Music Server

Hark ye back to the 2011 California Audio Show in the half-forsaken Burlingame something or other. As yours truly made his way betwixt and between the 46 or so exhibits, reporting on all for this website, I encountered major buzz about a new-to-the-U.S. company, Korea’s WideaLab, and its Aurender S10 “Music Playback and Storage Solution.” The company may not be consistent in its nomenclature – the website and company brochure also identify the Aurender as a “Reference Music Playback and Archiving System” and “Revolutionary New Music Player” – but the buzz was.

Five months later, Chris Connaker of computeraudiophile.com declared the S10 his Audiophile Product of the Year 2011. The S10 has also received an Editor’s Choice from Hi-Fi News.

I made it a point to spend considerable time in WideaLab’s two exhibit rooms. There I found myself charmed by company President Harry Lee, his wife, and two extremely intelligent and articulate children. I was equally impressed by the S10’s extremely attractive, easy-to-use remote iPad interface, and the unit’s solid build and feel.

Sonics, however, were more difficult to pin down. Although the company had two different displays, neither was ideal for listening or instant evaluation. Intrigued as to why some were calling the Aurender the finest sounding music server they had yet encountered, I determined to request a unit for audition and review.