Article: Arylic S50 Pro+ Pre-amp / Streamer / DAC Review

[DuckToller]

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[The Computer Audiophile]

Thanks so much for the review @DuckToller. A few comments really got me. 

 

 

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“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 ...

 

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however the multiroom streams are in MP3 quality, as LINKPLAY confirmed to me on request.

 

As usual, you're research is incredibly thorough, and you've provided information for people, that they would likely have not found. Thank you!

 

 

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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.

 

Agree 100%. Every product isn't made to meet every need. Finding the market position / consumer that each product serves is key. 

 

 

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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.

 

That's a BOLD statement. I think keeping your following statement in context of this, is helpful...

 

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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.

 

 

Last, but not least,

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

I'm with you on this one as well. I have very few friends in the market for a 12 channel Wilson Atmos system, but I have severl who could use a system like the one described in your review. Well done. 

 

 

[DuckToller]

2 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Thanks so much for the review @DuckToller. A few comments really got me. 

 

 

 

 

As usual, you're research is incredibly thorough, and you've provided information for people, that they would likely have not found. Thank you!

 

 

 

Agree 100%. Every product isn't made to meet every need. Finding the market position / consumer that each product serves is key. 

 

 

 

That's a BOLD statement. I think keeping your following statement in context of this, is helpful...

 

 

 

Last, but not least,

 

 

 

I'm with you on this one as well. I have very few friends in the market for a 12 channel Wilson Atmos system, but I have severl who could use a system like the one described in your review. Well done. 

 

 

Thank you, Chris!
A little bit of provocation should be allowed as entertainment ;-)
AFAIK, most wireless device connections for music (especially for multiroom) transfer are less than hi-res quality, and lossless only when you already arrive in the upper echelon of devices.
 

Considering the content of my respected colleagues  @bobfa & @bluesman,

you can get a decent system at quite interesting prices now, even new.
Combine this device with Douk Audio ST-1 pro or the Aiyima A8  plus some budget Q-Audio bookshelfs, or for the almost same price the KALI AUDIO IN-5 / 8 actives, all you need is a subscription for your streaming source - and you're all set.
Adding digital and analog sources of your gusto or multiroom could be the next chapter ...

[bluesman]

Yes indeedy!!  I've now tried half a dozen sub-$200 devices like this and all have been amazingly listenable.  And I've been using the $33 100W Pyle "receiver" I reviewed in my recent article on class D as a guitar amplifier on gigs.  It sounds so good that both my bandmates and the audience don't believe that the little box is my amp.

 

Interestngly enough, I'm using a pair of fascinating speakers with it (a pair becuase Idon't know if it'll tolerate running without a load and there's no channel balance control).  Some of you may find the Toob speakers interesting.  They're the brainchild of my friend Markku Pietinen in Finland.  They weigh next to nothing with top quaolity neo speakers in them, and they sound amazing.  They're housed in sections of heavy corrugated drainage pipe and are very well designed and made.  I use one of his 6.5" Metros with a simple class D head for most gigs, but I wanted to see if the $33 Pyle could cut it on a gig so I hooked up both of my 6.5s to it.  Here's the Pyle mounted to my 10" Toob.

 

[bbosler]

4 hours ago, bluesman said:

yes indeedy!!  I've now tried half a dozen sub-$200 devices like this and all have been amazingly listenable.  And I've been using the $33 100W Pyle "receiver" I reviewed in my recent article on class D as a guitar amplifier on gigs.  It sounds so good that both my bandmates and the audience don't believe that the little box is my amp.

 

Interestingly enough, I'm using a pair of fascinating speakers with it (a pair because I don't know if it'll tolerate running without a load and there's no channel balance control).  Some of you may find the Toob speakers interesting. 

 

very interesting... what front end are using to feed the Pyle? I'm assuming you don't plug your guitar directly into it

 

is there a link to a USA dealer for the Toobs where we can see prices?

 

thanks

[bluesman]

1 hour ago, bbosler said:

 

very interesting... what front end are using to feed the Pyle? I'm assuming you don't plug your guitar directly into it

 

is there a link to a USA dealer for the Toobs where we can see prices?

 

thanks

The main reason I chose that Pyle is that it has an embedded preamp with a high impedance mic input. I plug the guitar directly into it and get great jazz tone from my archtop guitars.  I’ve tried my Wampler Tumnus Deluxe pedal into it with a Telecaster, and it’s pretty good for blues - but it’ll never displace my blackface Fender amps for that.

 

There is no Toob distributor or reseller in the US.  The website has USD prices on it, and shipping to us from Finland was so fast that it blew my mind.  It took DHL 72 hours to get my 3 Toobs to me from the time they were delivered to the shipping station.

 

I thought about becoming the US importer / distributor for the line.  But we’d have to build enough of a market to justify maintaining a decent stock, and I’d have to buy that inventory for resale.  So until US demand grows enough, they’ll have to be purchased directly.  
 

The 4 pound 6.5” Metros are about $225 USD right now, and the 7 pound 10” versions are about $350.  They’re very light, durable, efficient, and make a lot of great sound from guitars, basses, keyboards etc.  I love mine - they’re seriously loud even with my 25 watt Quilter Superblock.  With my 250W DV Mark EG250, they’re as loud as my Mesa Boogie Mk 1 was.

 

I have no business connecting with the company.  I love them so much I became friendly with the owner / founder / designer.  He’s a jazz guitarist like me.

[extracampine]

No mention of the cheap tactic to almost copy the name of an established brand (Auralic)?

[DuckToller]

1 hour ago, extracampine said:

No mention of the cheap tactic to almost copy the name of an established brand (Auralic)?

That may be important to you, and I  am sorry to read you've missed that point.

Honestly, it didn't occur to me as such, and I cannot remember a single time I stumbled on that comparison in my background research.

I would as well not see any overlay between  both companies product portfolios and customer base.

YMMV.

 

[bobfa]

20 hours ago, DuckToller said:

Thank you, Chris!
A little bit of provocation should be allowed as entertainment ;-)
AFAIK, most wireless device connections for music (especially for multiroom) transfer are less than hi-res quality, and lossless only when you already arrive in the upper echelon of devices.
 

Considering the content of my respected colleagues  @bobfa & @bluesman,

you can get a decent system at quite interesting prices now, even new.
Combine this device with Douk Audio ST-1 pro or the Aiyima A8  plus some budget Q-Audio bookshelfs, or for the almost same price the KALI AUDIO IN-5 / 8 actives, all you need is a subscription for your streaming source - and you're all set.
Adding digital and analog sources of your gusto or multiroom could be the next chapter ...

@DuckToller thank you for the shoutout!.

 

Just a couple of years ago we would have had to DIY up a computing system for a lot more money vs the WiiM Mini today that can fulfill a very nice range of needs.  I do not need a box full of RaspberryPi parts any more or microSD Cards and command line work.  

 

One of the systems I have been using a lot is the WiiM to a SMSL DAC with balanced outputs to the Kali Audio IN-5 speakers.  It is stunning how good that sounds.  

 

Bob

 

[mrvco]

That's a lot of bang for the buck, especially considering the current DIY cost for anything comparable (in whole or in part), namely RPi-based devices running RoPiee/XL or Volumio.

[MikePM]

I see streamers as mostly about the software.  They may have a DAC, but its not really the main point as most of us have our own.  So if it can get the signal out cleanly, then my decision rests on the degree I like the software.  It is why I find testing based on it being a ROON endpoint only relevant to those who subscribe to ROON.

 

The questions I have are will this software be maintained, upgraded and be around in 5 years?  Is it stable or does it crash in use?  Is it gapless?  And, does it easily connect to most of the major music services, including Apple, Amazon and Deezer, as well as Tidal, Spotify and Qobuz?

[DuckToller]

23 hours ago, MikePM said:

I see streamers as mostly about the software.  They may have a DAC, but its not really the main point as most of us have our own.  So if it can get the signal out cleanly, then my decision rests on the degree I like the software.  It is why I find testing based on it being a ROON endpoint only relevant to those who subscribe to ROON.

 

The questions I have are will this software be maintained, upgraded and be around in 5 years?  Is it stable or does it crash in use?  Is it gapless?  And, does it easily connect to most of the major music services, including Apple, Amazon and Deezer, as well as Tidal, Spotify and Qobuz?

As noted, the control software, which is a generic Linkplay software related to the A31 chipset, isn't up to date in terms of my Android mobile phone policy. That is why I used the WIIM software which is very well maintained.
Apple Music isn't supported, but Airplay and UPnP/DLNA, connecting to the streaming service with the WIIM app is very straightforward. Thus, I tested only Qobuz, Amazon and Deezer. Note: The device is as far as I have noticed not fully gapless, but I found it pita to check out that functioniality with all connection options available, so it wasn't a priority for me.

About maintenance, I see this as a general problem for budget devices that are dependend from software, their own piece and all the API's to the streaming services. However, the linkplay strategy we have seen this year shows high maintenance potential and the will use the knowledge base they acquire through this for their next generation products with better wifi modules and more powerful arm chips.
Today and in the past, linkplay custormer base for their turnkey solutions are quite impressive.

[yahooboy]

Impressive little product, however......

 

 

For Me that's a BIG dealbreaker

[The Computer Audiophile]

5 minutes ago, yahooboy said:

Impressive little product, however......

 

 

For Me that's a BIG dealbreaker

Can someone translate to English?

[DuckToller]

14 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Can someone translate to English?

Actually, neither MQA (support) nor HD (not clear if Amazon or Spotify?) . Future models may support that service.  If necessary use the 4stream app for streaming.

[NikosTsaf]

Very nice review Tom

[DuckToller]

2 minutes ago, NikosTsaf said:

Very nice review Tom

Merci, mon ami !