REVIEW – Several years ago I purchased a pretty expensive Bluetooth device from a major audiophile company so that I could stream music from my phone or tablet into my preamplifier and ultimately my audiophile stereo system. Last year was the last time I used it before my son thought of it as a toy and when I was not looking he dismantled the antenna, etc. I was delighted when I got the opportunity to review this Arylic Audio S50 Pro+ Wireless Aptx HD Multiroom Stereo Preamplifier that offers wireless streaming capability as one of its functions. let’s see how much it truly offers and how much it fits my listening needs.
What is it?
The Arylic Audio S50 Pro+ Wireless Aptx HD Multiroom Stereo Preamplifier is a high-quality preamplifier that can add wireless capability(WiFi, Airplay, Spotify Connect, and Aptx HD, Bluetooth 5.0) to your audio system. It features the high-end ESS Sabre 9023 DAC and Aptx HD Bluetooth 5.0 to give you an unprecedented auditory feast. If you add an S50 Pro+ to all your rooms, you can design a whole-house audio system.
What’s in the box
1 x Arylic Audio S50 Pro+ Wireless Aptx HD Multiroom Stereo Preamplifier
1 x User ManuaL
1 x L/R RCA to RCA Cable
1 x L/R RCA to 1/8″ Cable
2 x Antennas
1 x AC Adapter
Design and features
Features
Specifications
The Arylic Audio S50 Pro+ Wireless Aptx HD Multiroom Stereo Preamplifier is small and compact. It features a backlit LED screen on the front that includes the IR Sensor, LED Status indicator, and info display. The ports and antenna connections are on the back. A Remote Control is included for complete control.
Performance
The back of the Arylic Audio S50 Pro+ Wireless Aptx HD Multiroom Stereo Preamplifier provides all of the inputs and outputs. For my testing, I connected the L/R RCA outputs to a tube amplifier and streamed from multiple sources via my cell phone. I connected to my network via wireless which was very easy. There is also the option to hardwire via an ethernet cable.
I included the photo below to give you a preview of the preamplifier stacked on the amplifier. I will be providing a review of the amplifier shortly.
In addition to connecting via the network, you connect via Bluetooth to stream music. You can use any device like a tablet, phone, or laptop to stream. This device can be a part of a multiroom setup by adding additional preamplifiers in other rooms and streaming to them simultaneously. I only have one so that is not included in my testing. As you can see in the photo below, the Bluetooth icon appears on the display. When playing music the artist and title information are displayed.
The following are random screenshots from the 4Stream app that is used to control and stream to this preamplifier:
As you can see in the photo below, I connected the preamplifier to the Little Dot MKII Tube Standard Hybrid Headphone Amplifier and listened using the Rode NTH-100 headphones. I love sitting back at night and listening to this combination. The Arylic Audio S50 Pro+ Wireless Aptx HD Multiroom Stereo Preamplifier allows me to stream from so many online sources and even a USB flash drive, with the ability to play multiple formats at up to 24bit/192KHz. I have read complaints about the 4Stream app, but I have not experienced any issues. I cannot wait to start rolling tubes on the headphone amp to get the best out of this combination. This preamplifier is a fit in just about any system. If you have a home office, if you are a student in a dorm room, or if you want to play music throughout your home or business, this will work. With RCA, Optical, and USB connectivity, it is a thoughtful design.
What I like
- Lightweight and compact
- Connectivity options
- Features
- The ability to stream music from just about any service
- Nice sound
- Play from multiple devices
- Use multiple devices for multi-room streaming
- 24bit/192KHz
What I’d change
- It works for me!!
Final thoughts
As you can see in some of the photos, there will be another similar review that will feature the matching amplifier to the Arylic Audio S50 Pro+ Wireless Aptx HD Multiroom Stereo Preamplifier. This device is a great way to stream or to get a hardware device to play through to your amplifier. it also works great with a headphone amplifier as you also see in my photos. It offers multiple options for connectivity and both wireless and wired options for network connectivity. The Bluetooth connection is solid and even outside of the 4Stream app, you can stream music from any source on your phone or mobile device. I used mostly SiriusXM for my testing. If you have a small studio, office, bedroom, etc, this is a compact fit that will allow you to enjoy your music listening in the least intrusive manner. I can imagine the student away from home on-campus, using this to keep their sanity as they go through the grind of studying. And, it sounds pretty darn good. I give it a very well done.
Price: $229 – Amazon; $219 – Arylic
Where to buy: Amazon, Arylic website
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Arylic
