Arylic S10+ Wifi Music Streamer – Optical Audio Link
Arylic S10+ is an $69 USD entry-level Wifi Music streamer with Ethernet, USB host, and Line in inputs, and with an Optical and a Aux output. Today we will review the S10+ and explore whether it provides an interesting performance for the price paid.
Introduction
Arylic is a popular company from China creating entry-level streamers and amplifiers, which often changes their public relations employees. Sadly, the new ones often make blunders, like sending a group mail to every reviewer they are trying to contact, or mix up, straightforward not read the messages or who they are talking to. This being said, the products are generally well regarded and solid, and they are available for purchase through a large selection of sales channels, and they have a good reputation for customers. 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. Arylic has provided us with the sample for this review.
PROs – Extremely Affordable, lots of inputs and outputs, Comes with a Remote, USB DAC function, Bluetooth input, Wifi input, Ethernet input, 4Stream app support, Easy to use, no strong background noise, lightweight and does not get hot during usage.
Cons – Lots of usage caveats, Too small and light to be stable on my desk, Compressed dynamic range,
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/4e49DHA
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DdjlSVD
Build Quality/Aesthetics
Arylic S10+ is an entry-level streamer, and this one comes with Optical output, and line output, plus a type-C DC input. There is no USB output, but there is a USB Type-A input, and it should be able to read sticks and media storages. There is a line input, and a LAN input, along with internal antennas that allow you to connect the S10+ to a Wifi network, or use it via Bluetooth.
Unfortunately, the Bluetooth algorithms supported include only SBC and AAC with no LDAC or aptX support. The Wifi signal also has support only for slower 100mbps signals, and the same is true for the LAN connection, but either should be good enough for audio streaming. We have support for Airplay, Spotify connect and the Type-C input allows you to use the S10+ as a DAC, although in this case it would act as a Type-C or USB to Optical or USB to Aux transformer, or as a DAC.
The package is rich, and includes the S10+ Streamer, a remote, a brick power adapter, and aux cable, and an AUX to RCA cable. As Airplay is limited to iOS and MAC only, I will be experimenting with Sptofy connect for the Wifi connection and for the Ethernet, and use it as a Type-C USB DAC to Optical or DAC to RCA for desktop.
On the streamer part, S10+ has one of the better support for control, as it allows you to use both Web Control and 4Stream, along with standard Bluetooth, USB DAC and even a remote control. I have not been able to use the USB Type-A USB reader on the back, so right now I consider it to be an advertised feature, not not a functional one, but you can use the free iOS and Android Go Control App to customize the EQ and use certain DSP effects. This means the signal is not lossless and it will always be processed inside of the S10+, which for a streamer is not ideal, and I would treat it more like a Streaming processor that allows for Optical and 3.5mm outputs.
There really isn’t more mentioned on the product page of Arylic S10+, and we don’t know what Type-C interface or what DAC is used in the streamer, we only know that there is line in and out, and that it does support the inputs and outputs mentioned above. The SNR is rather low at 91 dB, so noise will most likely be audible, especially with the THD+N being 0.03%. The weight of the streamer is very low at 105 grams, and it has a wide operating temperature between 0C and 40C. It does not get hot during usage, and the software works well, as well as 4Stream ever works.
The ergonomics of a device this small are a nightmare, it is far too lightweight and small for me, my cables threw it flying off my table multiple times, and it also starts at minimum volume for each input. While in theory, this is great, it has its own internal volume, which it always respects, so you have to either press on the top (the touch controls), or use the remote to increase the volume every single time. Holding your finger on one of the controls does not work and S10+ requires multiple inputs, to change the volume. It can also go too loud, which is weird to me, but if setting it at maximum, and setting the source volume at maximum, it reaches clipping and distortion. To avoid this, you have to keep it a few clicks below maximum volume, or keep the source a few clicks below max volume. There is a pop sound when a song starts and stops, and especially when changing songs.
Sound Quality
Pairings – To test the Arylic S10+ I have paired it with a few setups, including Keces S300+ driving a pair of Pylon Audio Diamond 30 MKII speakers, a Burson Funk driving a pair of NHT C3 Speakers, and a Topping A50 III Headphone Amplifier to drive a pair of Soundz Blade V2 IEMs. To top things off, I have used it via its aux output to drive the HIFIMAN Mini Shangri-La System, and also digged into using the Optical output to power the ECDesigns PowerDAC-SX to drive a pair of Buchardt S400 Speakers. Please keep in mind that S10+ always applies both its own internal DSP and volume control, the signal is never lossless, not even for the optical output. On my system, if used as a USB DAC, there is a bit of USB DAC delay, around 50-100 ms, which is low but noticeable, while with Bluetooth and the other inputs, the delay is very high, and it is not adequate for real time video playback or gaming.
Overall Signature – The sound is generally punchy, with a bold and strong bass, detailed and wide sounding midrange, and a fairly sharp treble. There’s always a good sense of space and width, although the depth is generally compressed. There’s a bit of extra THD always audible with S10+, and it tends to compress the dynamic range quite a bit, creating a sound that reminds me a lot of a direct radio, a loud rock concert, or a party where things are a bit loud. In fact, this seems to be a characteristic of the S10+ sound, it enhances loudness and compresses the dynamic range, resulting in a very compressed sound in general. This can be very good, as it brings the details forward, forcing music to sound far more detailed and revealing all of the information within rather well, when it comes to macro details. The same signature can be found on both the Optical output and the Aux output, but the Optical output has a much softer, mellower sound, while the AUX output has a higher THD and distortion.
Bass – Starting with the lower bass, S10+ thickens the bass a bit and makes the sub bass a bit stronger, but slows it down, adding a but of THD in the process, almost like it adds a bit of a bass boost to the sound. This is pleasing with stereo setups, where I think it was designed to be used, but makes the bass a bit too slow and sloppy for IEMs and Headphones.
Midrange – Arylic has this house sound for all their devices, where the midrange has a strong compression effect applied, most micro detail is erased, but macro detail is obvious, information from the background is brought to the foreground, giving music a sense of clarity and precision at first. Especially with entry-level systems that would otherwise erase the background layers completely, this is a welcome sound, but it does not fit well with high-end systems that can actually reveal micro detail.
Treble – Arylic S10+ has a sharp and bright treble that does not roll off up to 19 kHz, and it sounds complete, although it can be a bit on the hard side of things, with a bit of added grain, noticeable especially on metal, but not noticeable with pop and commercial music. The baseline is that it will sound really clean and detailed with commercial music, and compressed, grainy and somewhat compressed with metal , rock, classical and music that’s not mixed and mastered for radio.
Value and Conclusion
Arylic S10+ is a very affordable streamer, and it has its own fair share of design problems, including being far too light to be stable on a desk, to the point it needs to be glued to said desk, and it somehow can add distortion and too much volume to a digital signal, but at the same time it can deliver performance for streaming that’s solid, it has multiple inputs and outputs, and it does not sound half bad, in fact being one of the clearer and more reliable sounding streamers on the market. The company tried to have a few too many inputs and outputs, but managed to deliver a product that does actually deliver on all of the promises, although with minor caveats.
At the end of the day, if you need a really tiny streamer, with a good optical output, and a noise-free Aux output, which stays cool, can user the 4 stream app, and which can even be used as a USB DAC, has Optical SBC or AAC input, and which has its own internal volume, and a lot of DSP, Arylic S10+ is one of the most affordable options you can grab today and should satisfy your need for music in an entry-level system.
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/4e49DHA
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DdjlSVD
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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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