Arylic BP50 Bluetooth Preamplifier – Sleek Media Center DAC
Arylic BP50 is a $109 USD Media Center DAC with Preamp function, featuring Bluetooth, USB and Line in, designed to be a Media Center DAC, and today we will be reviewing it, comparing it with other entry-level DACs, including Audioengine D1 (169 USD), SMSL C200 (219 USD), HIDIZS XO (99 USD), and JDS Labs Atom DAC+ (100 USD).
Introduction
Arylic has a rich selection of high-quality products, out of which I liked literally all of them. They are known to provide some excellent products for the price point they’re selling for, and Arylic makes products that really survive the test of time, and are well made, with almost zero DOA or dead on arrival products. I generally recommend purchasing from Amazon, to get a large return window, to get the best prices, and to avoid entering your card data into new websites. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases, and using the purchase links in my reviews helps me maintain this website and youtube channel.
I’d like to thank Arylic for providing the sample for this review, in exchange for my honest opinion. We are not receiving any incentive for this review and Audiophile-Heaven has no affiliation with Arylic beyond this review.
Product Link
You can grab one from the official link – https://www.arylic.com/products/bp50-bluetooth-preamplifier
You can grab one from www.amazon.com here: https://amzn.to/47zfeTo
If you’re in the UK, you can grab one from www.amazon.co.uk here: https://amzn.to/47QknpL
And if you’re from Europe, you can grab one from www.amazon.de here: https://amzn.to/47SEXpk
Build Quality/Aesthetics
First off, it is important to understand what Arylic BP50 is, because they have a lot of products for which you need to understand what the product is. BP50 is a Preamplifier, or more broadly speaking, a DAC. It has only a line out and a subwoofer output, everything else being an input. The list of inputs is huge, and it includes Line input, Coaxial, HDMI ARC, USB DAC, Bluetooth and Optical Phono. There is an optical output, but I feel that’s more of a special feature that not everyone will know about or need for most systems. The one hidden feature that I have not seen on many DACs is the Bluetooth output which can support up to 2 Bluetooth devices at the same time, with Arylic BP50 acting as the transmitter, and it can use aptX HD, SBC and AAC.
At the heart of the unit we have an ESS ES9023P DAC, which is a mid range DAC model with super high specs, and which has been seen in a few high-quality products that impressed the users. The DAC itself is not as important as the implementation, and it doesn’t tell much about the performance or sonic presentation you can expect. There are so many features that BP50 has that it is easy to find a place for it in your home and setup, and even when you have a basic setup, it can still help improve that setup.
The TV ARC HDMI input is really handy with TVs that support the algorithm, and for those that don’t, we have the Optical input. There is an optical output, if you want to use a receiver that can do optical, in situations in which the sound will be absolutely free of noise, but there is also an option for Line Out for most systems. Testing the Arylic BP50 with a really sensitive Amplifier that has no volume control, for example Keces S300+, there is no background noise added by Arylic BP50, which is actually better than most high-end DAC / AMPs I reviewed recently, this one is dead silent all the time.
This being said, the way it is best used is as a combo of volume control for a system where it is either uncomfortable to manually set the volume, or as the DAC to improve the sonics of an entry-level setup, for example speakers for a TV, or entry-level speakers below 500 USD. The DAC supports up to 1920 kHz and 24 Bit data, and it has a Dynamic Range of 112 dB. As Bluetooth has become more and more popular, it is good to see that BP50 has support for aptX HD for both receiving and sending Bluetooth signals, but also aptX and aptX LL for receiving.
It is possible to control the BP50 from any smartphone, tablet or laptop, and for this you have to use the Go Control App. BP50 will stay connected to your smartphone via Bluetooth and the control is easy and simple. It is possible to read files from a USB Stick, but that is quite limited and only usable if you’re using the app, which gets complicated. It is possible to add EQ profiles, to use one of the EQ profiles available, and you can set a few minor things from the Go App. The app will disconnect every time you close the app, but it reconnects almost immediately.
The subwoo
fer output is clean, works well, and for me it is an absolute must, as I can much more easily rely on a 2.1 setup and have a lot of fun without complicated cables, or without having to connect the subwoofer to the power amplifier. While I do say about many devices that they won’t slide on your desk, BP50 is actually a rare case and after using it for a long while, it slides on my desk really easily. Also, the unit never grows hot or even warm, and the LED lights that are showing you your current input are handy. There is an on / off switch at the front, but you’re really best using the app. The unit enters a sleep mode when nothing is playing, which helps it stay even more free of noise.
For the sonic part, I had the Arylic BP50 integrated in multiple sonic systems, but mostly used it with Keces S300+ powering a pair of KLH Model Five, a SMSL AO200 MKII powering a pair of NHT C3 Speakers, and using it as a DAC for the SVS Prime Wireless PRO Speakers. I also tried to use Arylic BP50 as the DAC for Aune S17 PRO Amplifier, powering a pair of HIFIMAN Arya Organic, a JDS Labs Atom AMP+, powering a pair of Ambient Acoustics MAD16, and even the Violectric HPA V340 powering the Letshuoer Cadenza 12 IEMs. All in all, BP50 is super clean, has almost no sonic signature and tuning, being very transparent, but stays so free of noise that I can’t help but recommend it for every setup tested above, especially considering the price point versus the sonic quality it has. There is a Deep Bass feature that you can find in the app which allows you to get a much better low-end extension, especially when you don’t have a separate subwoofer.
Sound Quality
The sonic signature is generally midrange forward, with a strong voicing, a natural toward intimate soundstage, but with a clean definition of each instrument, a relaxed texture for all instruments, and with a relaxed, laid back presentation. It is an easy to take, easy to swallow sound that will never cause any fatigue, will allow you to breathe and make all music and sound much cleaner than the embedded DAC in your PC, TV or console. Usually, those can output a clean and good sound over the USB output, or via Optical, and using an Arylic BP50 should make the sound super enjoyable.
The bass is clean, neutral and fairly smooth, although you can add some extra impact and punch if you’re using the Deep Bass feature from the Bluetooth app. I like having that enabled as it helps with how deep and impactful most music sounds like. The best part about the bass is that it is not bloated nor does it intrude on the midrange, plus it has good control and low distortion.
The midrange is clean, detailed, and the central element in the sound of the Arylic BP50, making it a very vocal sounding DAC that brings voices and lead instruments forward, while pushing everything else in the background. This kind of signature and tuning can make dialogue in movies, games and other media easily audible, although for music it creates a narrow and intimate soundstage, and even with wide sounding speakers like SVS Prime Wireless PRO, or KLH Model Five, Arylic BP50 can create an intimate experience.
The treble is laid back, relaxed and smooth, helping the sound stay as smooth and fatigue-free as possible, although this also makes music slightly less engaging and punchy than I typically like. Most textures are smooth, clean and fatigue-free, which can be a neat acquired taste. Judging the BP50 for its price, it is super detailed, crisp, and the background noise level is really low, not audible with most setups.
Comparisons
Arylic BP50 vs JDS Labs Atom DAC+ (109 USD vs 99 USD) – Both need an external power supply, but Atom DAC+ needs to be powered from its large and heavy power brick, which may require two power slots on most outlets, while BP50 has a tiny, slim power supply. Atom DAC+ is the most similar device on today’s list, but it has only USB and Optical inputs, and one RCA output, while Arylic BP50 has multiple inputs, and multiple outputs, including optical output and Bluetooth output, while costing pretty much the same. More importantly, BP50 is a preamplifier and has variable volume, while Atom DAC+ is always playing at maximum volume and you will need other ways to control this volume. This means that if your speakers don’t have volume and if you’ll be trying to use digital volume control, Atom DAC+ will be a bit noisier.
Arylic BP50 vs HIDIZS XO (109 USD vs 99 USD) – HIDIZS XO costs about the same, but is a dongle DAC made for smartphones and computers, designed to produce music for headphones and IEMs. The main difference here is that XO does not have line in, line out, and any other input other than the USB port, and it can only drive headphones, sounding a bit noisy and distorted if powering a pair of speakers, even if using the correct cables, due to double amplification. On the other hand, BP50 cannot drive IEMs or headphones at all, but it can power an entire desktop system, it can be the DAC for a PC, TV, has Bluetooth input, and is so far more versatile as a desktop DAC. HIDIZS XO is self powered and doesn’t need external power, while Arylic BP50 needs an external power supply to be connected to the power outlet at all times.
Arylic BP50 vs SMSL C200 (109 USD vs 219 USD) – C200 is a great little integrated DAC/AMP, and although both have exceptional performance for the price you’re paying, there are some key differences, and C200 is better if you have some headphones, and if you’re looking for a product with TRS outputs, as that is a rare feature and only C200 has it in today’s list. Both have optical, coaxial and USB input, but only BP50 can read files off a USB stick, and only BP50 has the aptX HD Bluetooth input and output for 2 devices at the same time. If you have headphones , you either need BP50 and a headphone amplifier, or you need SMSL C200. If you have a desktop setup, generally Arylic BP50 is a bit more versatile and should last a few more years in your home. Both need power, but BP50 has its converter and needs it connected while SMSL C200 has internal conversion and needs a cattle plug cable.
Arylic BP50 vs Audioengine D1 (109 USD vs 169 USD) – Both of them have a variable volume, and both sound good, but D1 has a headphone output, while Arylic BP50 doesn’t have one. On the other hand, BP50 has considerably better support for inputs, better support for outputs, and even better DAC output. Both make good options, but I would grab Audioengine D1 if I had a pair of headphones or IEMs, while Arylic BP50 is a much better home media center with better integration for TVs, and general for speakers. Arylic BP50 needs a power outlet to plug its power converter, while D1 doesn’t need external power and takes all the power it needs via its USB input, which has to be connected to something at all times.
Value and Conclusion
For about 109 USD, Arylic offers excellent price / performance once again, with BP50 being an outstanding DAC, with an elegant chassis, a strong Bluetooth antenna, some extra features that we typically see in really pricey products, like the aptX HD support, HDMI ARC support, and even Optical Output, Optical Input and Coaxial input support.
At the end of the day, if you’re looking for a DAC to improve the experience of your current system, something with options for EQ, a wide selection of inputs, a wide selection of outputs, including a USB DAC input, the ability to read a USB Stick, and volume control, Arylic BP50 should be rather perfect for all setups.
Product Link
You can grab one from the official link – https://www.arylic.com/products/bp50-bluetooth-preamplifier
You can grab one from www.amazon.com here: https://amzn.to/47zfeTo
If you’re in the UK, you can grab one from www.amazon.co.uk here: https://amzn.to/47QknpL
And if you’re from Europe, you can grab one from www.amazon.de here: https://amzn.to/47SEXpk
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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