A Swiss Chinese Knife for (low-cost) streaming
The ARYLIC S50 Pro+ Pre-amp / Streamer / DAC
(190-250 €/$, depending on markets/seller)
Manufacturer's Page - Arylic S50 Pro+
The company has sent me the Arylic S50 Pro+ Pre-amp / Streamer / DAC in return for giving it a thorough and honest review. I have tested it over a 4-month period in different environments and specific situations at home and during holidays.
Description
The S50 Pro+ is an audio device from the Arylic brand, which is owned by a company called Rakoit Technology (SZ) Co., Ltd. from Shenzhen/China, which works closely with LINKPLAY, who brought us the WIIM mini streamer you may have already heard of or read about it here, here, and here. In France and Germany, the LINKPLAY’s WIIM Mini is marketed by Arylic Audio EU on the Amazon platform.
Contrary to the aforementioned WIIM the ARYLIC S50pro+ is not an ultralight modern hi-res audio streamer with the latest Wi-Fi & BT board, but a 2nd iteration of an existing device, the S50Pro from Arylic from 2020. This time Arylic added a subwoofer output and 2 additional Spdif inputs (Coax/Toslink) and a better suiting power supply according to the Arylic forum members.
It comes in a small form factor box with front display that integrates wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi & Bluetooth, Ethernet, Digital in & outputs, analog in & outputs including a dedicated subwoofer output and offers the owner its services as a Hi-Res Streamer, Multiroom Master or Endpoint, Pre-amplifier, ADC, DDC or DAC to you. And, a USB port for drives containing up to 2k files plus a trigger out function.
Arylic offers an app for Android and iOS, called 4STREAM, a basic web interface and a remote control for commanding the device serving your musical needs.
As the device forwards only CD quality on its digital outputs, we may assume it is to better rely on the digital inputs that allow Hi-Res up to 192/24 files using the internal DAC, an ESS9023 implementation, into the analog outputs as the favored signal path.
Use cases
The above digital audio path recomendation may not be best if your active speakers resample all incoming analog signals. In that case you may want to use the digital/digital connection – in order to avoid double D-A-D-A conversion. I did so on holidays with my pair of Airpulse A80 desktop speakers and in one of my HP setups, and I could not really complain. In fact, I was much happier with digital out CD-quality than with the analogue signal entering the actives for another round of conversion.
However, the best use case I had with them was controlling my pair of Airpulse A300 active speakers in balanced mode, where you connect each speaker quite old school with RCA-2-XLR cables. This option allowed the use of a subwoofer (which the A300 doesn’t support) and control comfortably through the pre-amp’s remote (an option as well not applicable for the A300 in balanced mode). The A300 have dedicated amplification in each speaker and an advanced design compared to their smaller siblings.
The last way I used the A50 pro+, was as a source for my headphone setup, which could either be through a Headphone amp (JDSLabs Atom) or the iFi Micro iDSD BL, where I preferred again the digital signal rather for practical reasons, as the iFi has only a 3.5mm analog in but a full grown Spdif input.
The A50 Pro+ delivered all the services it promised, however, we need to accept that the ESS9023 DAC chip isn’t top of the class in the ESS hierarchy of DAC chips and the underlying A31 Wi-Fi module from LINKPLAY doesn’t perform up to the quality we have seen from the A97 module which is used in the WIIM. This is a very acceptable trade-off in my opinion because the device doesn’t target high end audiophiles in search for a suitable streamer for their DSD, DXD and ATMOS library.
The A50 Pro+ serves a modest need of adding digital/streaming input to an existing audio chain, as a comfort enhancement without busting the budget. For less than 200 Euro (at time of publication available at Audiophonics.fr for 189 Euros) you’ll get an AIO device which serves these modest expectations in quite a nice way. Period.
The A50 Pro+ can be a perfect match for pepping up vintage gear, for upgrading your active speaker from Bluetooth based music feeds in MP3-quality or combine them with your recently bought turntable sporting an integrated phono stage.
The elephant in the room is its ability to build a budget friendly multiroom system in conjunction with the WIIM mini, where the S50 Pro+ performs as Master and the WIIMs as endpoints to the speakers.
In case you haven’t got enough active speakers, ARYLIC has a streaming amplifier, the A50, in its affordable consumer Hi-fi product range. The S50pro+ supports up to 12 devices in 8 different zones. Rethink Bluesound Node. Now.
You may see where these use cases lead to, perhaps not directly into the usual Audiophile Style sacred territories, thus evidently entering the entrance stage of audiophile nirvana. In my book that device pleases a much greater interest group of potential users than most products you may find at your trusted Hi-Fi dealer’s exposition room.
The product quality itself gives quite a good feel and visual impression, however at that price point, I wouldn’t bet on longevity and successful guarantee claims outside of what’s provided by Amazon. I hope I will be proved wrong. Time will tell.
Setup and APP features
On the first start of your new device you’ll have the options to manage your setup by BT, the internal Wi-Fi hotspot or via LAN connection. This is straightforward when you use the 4Stream or the WIIM App, which offers the same functionalities and some.
Once setup, you can fall back to the use of the remote control or use your computer/ tablet’s browser to control your playlist. Personally I prefer the WIIM app with its comfort and think the web navigation is a nice-to-have gain. You proceed to leave your streaming service credentials with the app to access Qobuz, Amazon, Deezer, whatever. 4Stream offers Pandora functionality, which you will get with the WIIM app only next month or next year, ;-)
I used the S50 pro+ during July with Deezer (First shot lucky, Deezer updated the API at the end of July which may have given me a terrible experience, I’ve read it’s back to working status now) , in August with Amazon and generally with Qobuz, my go-to service, which always welcomes me back to my personal curated library.
I tested all the online functions as well briefly on my old IPhone, in combination with Airplay and didn’t stumble on malfunctions or show stoppers.
Note: I preferred the WIIM app much more than the 4Stream from ARYLIC, because the app works quick, smooth and fluid. The 4STREAM - on the other hand- always gave me the impression to be interrupted already before 4PLAY. Pun intended.
Internals & manual
These are the ingredients we find on the Arylic/Rakoit board:
- ESS Technology ES9023P 24-bit / 192 KHz audio DAC
- Cirrus Logic CS8422CN 24-bit / 192 KHz ADC Chip
- MV Silicon BP1064A2 32-bit audio DSP
- SWAPNET NS681684 for 10/100M Ethernet
- Linkplay A31 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi module
- Bluetooth module with Qualcomm QCC3034 chip to support APTX HD audio up to 24-bit / 48 kHz.
Please find the manual HERE. The spec sheet can be found in the Arylic stock photo gallery below
As described, the S50 pro+ allows reception of Hi-Res audio up to 192kHz/24bit through Wi-Fi, LAN, BT or using its USB-Port and transfers it either analog via RCA and Sub out to your amplifier(s) or digital via Coaxial or Digital SPDIF.
“Our system supports decode up to 192khz/24bits, the audio output is 44.1khz/16bits CD quality. Only Up2stream HD DAC support 192khz/24bits Hi-Res Audio output.”
This message sadly isn’t available in the specs, the product page or the manual, but you can find it in the FAQ. Subsequently, it is the new owner’s task to find out about their preferences for Input/playback in the S50 pro+ matrix, with only 9 lifes options left ...
Connectivity matrix & Output selection
Before I’ve pinned down this table I’ve tested all combinations with the following devices:
- digital in/output from/into the iFi Micro iDSD BL
- analog in/output from/into the iFi Micro iDSD BL
- USB pen drive
- analog output from S50 pro+ to JDSLab HP amp with my old Sennheiser HD650
- using the WIIM Mini as multiroom receiver of signals with its analog and digital output.
DeeDee Bridgewater’s fulminate version of “Saint James Infirmary” through my headphones greeted me dynamic and forceful along at all options tested.
I had once to troubleshoot the iFi as I forgot to change its little slider onto PREAMP setting, but that’s it. I am really please to confirm everything worked as announced.
After all please don’t forget to make your output choice:
- Using the analog outputs to your amplifier (DDA)
- Using the digital out to your DAC (DD-DA)
- alternatively using the digital out to your active speaker’s digital amplifier’s inputs in order to avoid multiple conversion stages when using analog input stage (DDA-AD)
Note 1: I did not test the Ethernet port within the Matrix - as I was recently forced to set up my network on Wi-Fi only when my 1200 mbit/s Ethernet wall warts went AWOL after another undesired Microsoft W10 update surprise. I can confirm, that was a shitty weekend ...
Multiroom
If you are thinking about deploying a multiroom music installation, you could use this device in conjunction with the cheaper WIIM mini to stream your analog and digital sources through your house or apartment. I used it in a combination of 2 WIIMs plus the UP2Stream HD DAC to fill my home with music, inside and on the deck. I simply loved that idea, however the multiroom streams are in MP3 quality, as LINKPLAY confirmed to me on request. It didn’t hinder me to dance from the bathroom to the deck singing along my personal summer favorite album, namely THE SPECIALS’ interpretation of “Protest Songs 1924-2012”.
Verdict
Personally, I have significantly more friends in real life who would be perfectly happy with that simple enhancement to their old Hi-Fi chain rather than adding a Mola Mola Makua Pre-Amp/DAC (a device I’ve reserved for my pipe dream fantasy system ...), especially given the price points.
The S50 pro+ isn’t a high end device per se, but quite a functional audio enhancement with high-res support. I love its reliable versatility, but can also see the areas where the device could show better performance.
For sure, at this price point you can’t expect neither DSD/DXD support nor Hi-Res digital outputs, and you may come to limits with you 5000+ digital library. ROON or Apple music isn’t supported, and it does not offer HDMI-ARC support. Ah yes, this ATMOS is sincerely out of reach. As usual, you can get an advanced DAC, better streaming, better network connection, better APPs ... just not with the same budget and the same ease of use.
Nonetheless, I would love to see the device receiving upgrades with a more recent Wi-Fi module and a better DAC chip, changes we could already encounter with the UP2Stream HD DAC, which is up next for review in my Sonic Encounters blog here on Audiophile Style. Advancements regarding the App performance might be the sweet cherry on the cake, thus you are free to use the performant WIIM app instead.
Equipment used:
- Arylic S50 Pro+ Streamer/DAC/PRE
- Arylic UP2Stream HD DAC
- WIIM Mini Streamer/DAC
- iFi Audio Micro iDSD Black Label DAC/HPA/PRE
- JDSLabs Atom HP AMP
- Sennheiser HD 650 headphones
- Airpulse A80 Active Desktop speakers
- Airpulse A300 Active stand mount monitors (balanced mode) on Custom Design UK stands
- XTZ 10.17 Edge subwoofer
- CAPS ZUMA WIN10/16GB – JRMC29 / FB2K - AIPS
- iPhone 6 Plus - IOS15: 4Stream – WIIM - BubbleUPnP
- Samsung Galaxy S20 FE: Android 12 – 4Stream – WIIM – BubbleUPnP – Android UPnP Tool - FING
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