PACKAGING | CONTENTS

The S10+ comes very well packaged, and not just for the design, which is more than decent. The internals are all held in place with very dense foam, so there’s little to  no chance of the product inside getting damaged. The front illustrates what features the S10+ offers, which are things like direct connectivity to Spotify Connect, wireless connectivity, AirPlay, multi-room audio, and USB DAC. As regards Spotify, this isn’t the only streaming service offered, which also includes the likes of Tidal, Napster, Amazon Music, and a lot more. When it comes to multi-room audio, this can only be achieved with additional Arylic (or WiiM) devices, as AirPlay 1 isn’t capable of multi-room audio as such, which is the preserve of AirPlay 2 of course.

Some of the specs mentioned include a wired connection via an RJ45 port, as well as 2.4GHz WiFi being supported, so no 5.0GHz support I’m afraid. It does also offer Bluetooth 5.0 audio capabilities, and can be connected directly to a computer via a USB-A to USB-C cable for streaming audio, with the USB-C port also doubling up as a power connection.

In the box you get a manual, the S10+ streaming box, an IR remote control, a USB-A > USB-C power cable including power brick, a 1/4″ jack to jack cable, and a 1/4″ jack to stereo phono cable. The only thing missing is an ethernet cable and a digital audio cable.

THE S10+

This thing is smaller than you’d expect, at only 108 x 72 x 26.6mm (WDH) and as such it also feel exceptionally light. That shouldn’t matter though, as this is almost certainly going to be sat in one permanent place.

One of the first upgrades from the original S10 is the introduction of an LED display, which shows icons for the different input source being used at any one time. The S10 only has small labelled LEDs to let you know where the audio was from. However, these icons are pretty small, so maybe not a massively useful upgrade if you have this sat at a distance.

The S10+ now has an optical audio out, which was’t present on the S10, as well as have a dual purpose USB-C port. This port serves to provide power to the S10+, but can also be connected to a PC for streaming digital audio from your computer to the S10+ whilst also providing power.

There’s an ethernet port for a wired connection if you prefer that over WiFi, and of course you have standard Line in and Line out jack sockets to go with the provided cables. One big improvement is the inclusion of controls at the top of the device, with buttons for changing the input source, play/pause, and buttons to control the output volume.

Having the buttons on top of the device provide a modicum of usefulness, albeit way more limited in scope. although they may look more or less mechanical they are in fact touch sensitive, so a gentle but accurate touch works effectively every time. This is possibly one of the more useful upgrades, although possibly not one that would get too much use when factoring in access via your phone.

All in all, the package has it all apart from a digital audio cable and an RJ45 cable.

The image above shows four of the five icons that can be displayed on the front panel, with the first showing both a WiFi connection, as well as representing the ability to listen to audio from any of the aforementioned streaming services, which includes audio streamed from Apple devices using AirPlay. You can connect devices to the S10+ using Bluetooth, which also once again includes iOS devices. The third icon is for the Line input, which would include CD/DVD players, for example. The fourth icon shows up when a USB memory stick is plugged into the USB-A port at the back. The fifth icon (not shown) is displayed once you connect a PC to the S10+ via the USB-C port.

It certainly makes for a better visual than simple LEDs found on the original S10, although stated before, they are small, so maybe not so noticeable, but useful when you’re in front of the S10+ and are changing the input source.

THE IR REMOTE CONTROL

The infrared remote control that comes packaged with the S10+ is the same model you’ll find with one other Arylic products, like the  A50+ I reviewed a couple of years ago (Review HERE, video HERE) but it’s actually quite good. There’s nothing remotely (no pun intended) groundbreaking about it, but it has everything you’d possibly want in my opinion. It has the basics, like power, volume, and audio mute buttons, as well as a separate button to turn the display on or off. You then have individual buttons for the different input methods – USB, Aux-In (Line in), Optical in, Bluetooth, and WiFi. You then have buttons to control the bass and treble levels, as well as a ‘deep bass’ button, and a ‘Flat’ button, which resets the audio to its flat positions. Finally, you have six numbered buttons that allow you to call up presets, which are part of the 4Stream app’s ‘Favourites’ playlist feature, one of two compatible apps, that we’ll get to next.

4STREAM | GO CONTROL (APPS)

There’s no need to create an account with either the 4Stream or go Control apps. Once the S10+ is plugged in, it will eventually be detected by the apps, allowing you to go through the process of adding it to your WiFi network. If you choose the wired option, the S10+ will be discovered even faster. The app is designed to work with a variety of third-party streaming platforms and supports multi-room audio with Arylic’s own selection of amps and streamers.

The home page for 4Stream has four tabs: Browse, Device, Search, and Settings. The main page provides access to preset content and favourites, library items (music on your phone or devices connected to the amp), and music streaming services. If you scroll to the bottom, you can also select the audio source – WiFi (labelled NET), Bluetooth, Line In, or USBDAC.

The Devices page displays any devices connected to the app, which in my case is the S10+ and below that a WiiM Mini (review HERE, Video HERE).

Clicking on the device reveals a more detailed screen with the track timeline, track details, and the usual play/pause/skip buttons, as well as volume controls. Settings for the S10+ includes basic options like naming the device, device info, and even an alarm clock, with a basic treble or bass eq option, which brings us to the other app mentioned, Go Control…

The Go Control app is slightly different in that in focuses more on control over the audio than the streaming options that 4Stream offers. Go Control offers you the chance to sign in or sign up, but this is optional, so you can simply skip this. Once inside, you’ll be presented with the devices you have and an option to select one. As you can see from the second screenshot above, the WiiM Mini is there, listed as Soundbar B, but there are also two instances of the S10+. This is because one option is for the device as it’s connected to your WiFi network, whilst the second is for direct connection between the S10+ and your smart phone or tablet, using Bluetooth. After you’ve made your selection, you can then control playback, as well as swap the source of your audio.

On the same page as the playback controls, you also have options for basic audio adjustments. Under the ‘Sound’ tab, you have sliders for;

• Treble
• Mid
• Bass
• Balance
• Max volume
• Crossover (frequency)
• Deep bass (intensity)

The ‘EQ’ tab gives you access to an 8-band equaliser, that offers a few standard presets, like Classical, Pop, Rock etc. You can also create your own EQ preset and store that in the app for recall later. This app doesn’t offer any way for you to select different streaming services like the 4Stream app does, but it does give you more control over shaping the audio to your liking so they both serve their own functionality.

AIRPLAY 1 | AIRPLAY 2

I’ll admit that when Arylic first contacted me regarding a possible review of the S10+, I was disappointed when I was told it only used AirPlay 1, given that AirPlay 2 has essentially been the standard on Apple devices for a while now. If you’re not familiar with the difference between the two, aside from improved latency and overall reliability that AirPlay 2 brings, AirPlay 1 doesn’t allow you to stream to the device in question in tandem with other audio devices.

AirPlay 2 brought what is described as Multi-Room audio, meaning I can stream a track from my iPhone, iPad, Apple computer, or Apple TV to other AirPlay devices, but I can also select more than one device at a time. Once playback begins, audio going to all devices is synced, so you can be listening to a track in your home office, whilst the same audio is playing from a kitchen AirPlay 2 speaker, if you decide to go and make a sandwich, so you never miss any audio when moving from one room to another. It’s pretty good, and works very well.

As you can see from the screenshots above, each device listed has the option to be selected with over devices – apart from the S10+, which can be selected, but not along with other AirPlay 2 devices.

So in that sense, AirPlay 1 is clearly inferior if you want multi-room audio. The question is how many people actually use this? Probably many, given how many laud airPlay 2 as a concept. In my case, I spend a lot of time in front of my computer, working. If I go to the kitchen or living room, I’m not going to be there long enough for me to justify going into my phone to have any music I’m listening to, stream to another part of the home, for the sake of a minute or two. This might be different if you’re listening to a live broadcast perhaps, but in my case I rarely need or use multi-room audio, so it doesn’t really matter to me, as long as I can stream the music to the S10+ when needed.

As already mentioned, if you have multiple Arylic or WiiM devices, you can achieve multi-room audio, but it’s not AirPlay 2.

THE S10+ IN USE

As you can gather from the last set of screenshots, I do have a lot of AirPlay devices, almost all of which are AirPlay 2. The one device I have that I was thinking of replacing is the Belkin Soundform Connect, which along with being an AirPlay 2 capable device, is a fully fledged HomeKit device too, as it comes with an actual HomeKit QR code, which you don’t often see with AirPlay devices. It can connect to 5.0GHz WiFi which is a big plus for me, and has behaved very well, so I’m loathe to upset the apple cart on this occasion. So, whilst the S10+ has many benefits compared to the aforementioned Belkin – a wired connection, better input options, on-device controls, display – for the time being, the reliability of the Belkin, as well as it’s AirPlay 2 functionality (regardless of whether I use it) and HomeKit integration, are enough for me to hold off for the time being.

This doesn’t and shouldn’t reflect badly on the S10+ (apart from maybe the lack of AirPlay 2), as it’s a great device. I just don’t have a space for it in my smart home right now.

The post Arylic S10+ Wireless Audio Streamer w/AirPlay (review) appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

You can purchase the Arylic S10+ Wireless Streamer directly from Arylic for US$69.00, but save an extra 10% using the link below and the discount code PRES10+

Arylic.com (not an affiliate link).

The post Arylic S10+ Wireless Audio Streamer w/Airplay (video) appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

That said, if you don’t happen to have the need for multi-room audio, and simply want to stream music to your sole Hi-Fi setup, this may be the thing you’re looking for, given the low price point and decent specs. Whilst it’s an AirPlay capable device, it can also directly work with Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Tidal, Qobuz, TunIn, BBC Radio, iHeart Radio, and many more.

The front is home to a minimalist LED display to let you know how its connected, which also includes an IR receiver for the company’s own fully featured remote control. The top of the device is home to four separate touch controls for volume, play/pause, and stop control.

The S10+ has impressive connection options too, with WiFi (2.4GHZ b/g/n only), or an ethernet port to connect to your home network, a USB port, should you want to stream audio files directly from a memory stick, Line in for connecting to a CD or MP3 player, and Line out to connect to your audio amplifier, AV receiver, or even an active speaker. If you prefer digital audio, the S10+ comes with a dedicated Optical Out. You can also stream directly to the S10+ using Bluetooth, with the unit supporting Bluetooth 5.3. The S10+ is powered via  standard 5V/1A DC USB-C port, meaning you can even power the amp from something like a laptop or computer.

The S10+ is also pretty compact, weighing 105g, and measuring 108 x 72 x 26.6mm (WDH), making it smaller than most smartphones. Below are the details specs for your information;

• Wifi – IEEE 802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz
• Bluetooth – 5.0 SBC/AAC, 15M, BT Receiver
• Ethernet – Single 10/100M RJ45
• Streaming Protocols – AirPlay, Spotify connect, DLNA, UPnP, Qplay
• Power Input – 5V/1A Type-C Input
• Audio Input
  • Analog – Line In x 1 / 2 Vrms(3.5mm mini jack)
  • Digital – Type-C Input x 1
• Audio Output
  • Analog – Line Out x 1 / 2 Vrms(3.5mm mini jack)
  • Digital – Optical Output x 1
• USB Host – 2.0, For USB pen drive/stick, 1000 songs limited
• Music Format – FLAC/MP3/AAC/AAC+/ALAC/APE/WAV
• Sample Rate
  • Decoding – Up to 24bit/192kHz
  • Output – 44.1kHz/16bit, CD quality
• Frequency Response – 20Hz-20kHz
• THD+N – 0.03%
• SNR – 91dB
• Local Storage – Mobile device memory, NAS, USB pen drive/Stick

---

---

You can preorder the S10+ directly from Arylic, with a 10% off discount using the code PRES10+, which brings the price down to US$62.10, once shipped from June 3rd.

The post New AirPlay Streamer Announced From Arylic appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

This is all achieved via an update within the HEOS app that’s used for Denon smart speakers. Full instructions found HERE. For Siri to function in the first place, you will need a Siri enabled speaker to begin with – like the HomePod or HomePod Mini – which is also the case with the aforementioned Ecobee integration. This is because Siri isn’t actually built into these devices, but merely relayed to the speakers.

The smart speaker range has always been able to summon a voice assistant, with Alexa built into their speakers, but now with Siri, people who prefer the latter, will now be able to access Apple’s voice assistant in more locations, and not just where their nearest HomePod happens to be.

The models compatible with this update are the Denon Home series models 150, 250, 350, and Soundbar 550. All of these speakers already have AirPlay 2 integration, but in order to add the Siri update, you will initially have to remove them from your smart home, and re-add them afterwards. Additionally, if you previously used Alexa, with the Siri update Amazon’s voice assistant will be disabled, as only one of these can be active.

Big thanks to Siobhán Ellis at Practical HomeKit Blogspot for tipping us off.

The post Denon Quietly Adds Siri Functionality to its Smart Speakers appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

Starting off with the latter, this new digital amplifier offers a whole host of streaming options, including the all important AirPlay 2, as well as built-in services from the likes of Amazon Music, spotify, and much more. What sets the Ultra apart from the other models, is a full colour touchscreen display, a first for WiiM. The display will show not only album art for the currently playing track or album, but widgets, and other settings for the amp itself.

The rear is a bit of a monster, with stereo phono inputs and outputs, as well as an output for a subwoofer, and a coaxial output. There are SPDIF inputs and outputs for digital connectivity, an HDMI ARC connection, and a LAN port if you want a wired connection. There’s a USB port for playing back audio from a memory stick too.

For network connectivity aside from the ethernet connection, the WiiM Ultra also offers WiFi 6E, but you can also directly connect to the amp as it has Bluetooth 5.3 built in.

Alongside the WiiM Ultra is an upgrade to the existing WiiM Amp, unsurprisingly named the WiiM Amp Pro – not to be confused with the WiiM Pro, which we reported on a while ago. Design wise, the Pro version looks pretty much the same on the outside as it’s predecessor, with all the changes on the inside. So, like the Ultra, the Pro gets both WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 (the current model offers WiFi 5, and Bluetooth 5.0), and better SNR (signal to noise ratio).

The price points for both are quite high, with the Ultra coming in at approximately US$329 (no doubt partly due to the full colour touchscreen), and an even higher US$369 for the Amp Pro, up from the WiiM Amp’s price of US$299.

The post New AirPlay 2 Audiophile Streamers Announced From WiiM appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

LG Electronics is planning to unveil a new range of smart monitors, named ‘LG MyView,’ at CES 2024 later this month. Designed for both productivity and entertainment, each monitor features LG’s own webOS platform, offering both user-friendly attributes and connectivity options, which also includes AirPlay 2, which is always of interest to Apple and Apple HomeKit users. Debuting in 2024, the LG MyView range will emphasise a personalised user experience via the company’s premium smart monitors. The more expensive in the range, the 32SR85U will be available for purchase at US$599.99 on LG.com and authorised retailers, like Amazon, while the 32SR70U and 32SR83U can be found for US$499.99 each. Details on availability in the US and other regions will be disclosed later.

---

---

These new smart monitors will allow users to stream content, listen to music, and work remotely without requiring a computer connection. The 2024 models, including the 32SR85U, boast LG IPS 4K displays, for superior picture quality. With webOS, these smart monitors feature an intuitive interface but also allow for a user-tailored user experience, and access to a diverse range of apps. To cater to varied preferences, some LG MyView models come in colours like Essence White, Mild Beige, Cotton Pink, and Cotton Green.

---

---

Adopting 31.5-inch, 4K IPS panels, the new LG MyView displays show off LG’s reputation for excellent picture quality in the smart monitor category. The monitors are designed to enhance the viewing experience and save space, with a slim form factor and a 3-side virtually borderless design. The 32SR85U and 32SR83U include an adjustable stand with a circular cutout, while the 32SR70U features a low-profile base for a compact appearance. The 32SR85U has earned recognition with a CES 2024 Innovation Award, a 2023 Red Dot Design Award, and a 2023 iF Design Award.

Equipped with webOS 23, LG MyView supports remote work and home entertainment, offering access to popular streaming services and productivity programs like Microsoft 365 and Google Calendar, amongst others. The monitors also support AirPlay 2 and Miracast for wireless screen mirroring. Built-in WiFi and Bluetooth facilitate internet connectivity and connection to compatible peripherals. The 32SR85U can be paired with a detachable Full-HD webcam, ideal for video conferencing and interactive applications.

One point we’re not so sure about is how, or whether, these monitors will appear via the AirPlay connection, and if indeed they’ll appear in Apple Home. The latter is possibly less likely, but given that some AirPlay TVs can be added to and viewed in Apple Home, it’s a possibility.

---

---

The latest LG MyView Smart Monitor models will be showcased at the LG booth during CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 9th~12th. Below is a chart comparing the specs and features of the three forthcomimg models

		LG MyView Smart Monitor (32SR85U)	LG MyView Smart Monitor (32SR83U)	LG MyView Smart Monitor (32SR70U)
Size / Resolution	Screen Size	31.5-inch	31.5-inch	31.5-inch
	Resolution	4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160)	4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160)	4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160)
Graphics	Panel (Brightness, Typ.)	IPS (400cd/m2)	IPS (400cd/m2)	IPS (350cd/m2)
	Color Gamut (Typ.)	DCI-P3 95%	DCI-P3 95%	DCI-P3 95%
	HDR	HDR 10	HDR 10	HDR 10
	Refresh Rate / Response Time	60Hz / 5ms	60Hz / 5ms	60Hz / 5ms
Interface	USB Type-C / Charging Power	O (x3) / 90W	O (x3) / 65W	O (x1) / 45W
	HDMI	O (x2)	O (x2)	O (x2)
	USB 2.0	–	–	O (x2)
	Wi-Fi	O	O	O
	Bluetooth	O	O	O
	Speaker	5W (x2)	5W (x2)	5W (x2)
	Camera	O	Sold separately	–
Smart Feature / Service	OS	webOS 23	webOS 23	webOS 23
	Windows 365	O	O	O
	IoT	O	O	O
	Voice Assistant	O	O	O
	Mobile Casting/ Mirroring	AirPlay 2 / ScreenShare	AirPlay 2 / ScreenShare	AirPlay 2 / ScreenShare
Accessory		HDMI / Remote Controller	HDMI / Remote Controller	HDMI / Remote Controller

The post LG Unveil New AirPlay 2 Compatible 4K Monitors appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

AirPlay devices aren’t reviewed too often here, although we have recently given a couple of products that support Apple’s audio/video streaming standard the ‘once over’, namely the WiiM Mini (review, video) with AirPlay 2 and the Arylic A50+ digital amplifier (review, video) with AirPlay 1. These two devices only streamed audio, but in the case of today’s product review, the ProScreenCast SC01, we’re able to stream video in up to 4K quality, as well as audio. However, like the Arylic A50+, you only get AirPlay 1 in the case of the latter. Still, this little streaming box offers a couple of options that some might find very useful. Read on to learn more.

PACKAGING | CONTENTS

Decent and simple packaging goes a long way to inform a customer about the product herein referred to as the SC01), and this does just that, with the product clearly pictured on the front, with basic specs on the back, and features outlined on one side;

Basic specs & features;

• 72 x 72 x 17mm / 2.83 x 2.83 x 0.67in
• 4K at 60Hz
• HDR
• 2.4 / 5.0GHz WiFi
• Multiple OS compatibility (iOS, Windows, Android)
• AirPlay (1)
• Low latency
• Portrait or landscape mode

There’s not a lot in the box – a short HDMI cable, a USB-A to USB-C power cable (no power brick supplied), the SC01 itself, and a manual (not pictured).

Onto the SC01 and it really is small. You can easily fit into the palm of your hand, with the weight (58g/2.05oz) being equally negligible to the extent that this could probably quite easily be stuck to the rear of your TV with a double-sided adhesive sticker.

The top features just one small button surrounded by an LED ring that lights up in white when powered up. This button switches between standard landscape and portrait modes, which I’ll go into more detail about later.

the device has what I guess are vents surrounding both the top and bottom edges to keep it from overheating, as well as additional vents on the underside, which has four rubber ‘feet’ to keep it from sliding around. On the back, you have a USB-C port for power and an HDMI port. That’s pretty much it in terms of the SC01 itself, so it’s really very minimalist, and sparse when it comes to actual features.

SETUP

The SC01 doesn’t actually have or use an app. All of the setup and setting options are via a browser window that directly connects your smartphone or tablet directly to the SC01. When you first connect the SC01 to a display, you’re greeted with a ‘Welcome’ screen that guides you on how to set the device up. The SC01 is sending out a WiFi signal that you can connect to in order to begin the setup process, and provides both the SSID and default password, both of which can be changed later. You also have the option to simply scan a QR code that’ll direct you to the same place. You also get a second QR code that takes you to an online manual, although I’m not sure you’ll need it.

As you can see in the first screenshot, the SC01’s own WiFi signal will show up, so you simply need to add the default password to connect directly to it in order to access the settings page. Within the settings page, you’ll then be able to connect the SC01 to your own network by selecting it from a list and adding your password. You can see that once I’ve set up the SC01, it shows as an option in both Screen Mirroring for video, and via AirPlay (1) for audio.

The SC01 has a LOT of options, so spending time with all of them could result in the perfect setup for your use case.

Aside from setting the WiFi network that the SC01 connects to, you can change the output resolution to meet your requirements, which as the box claims, offers up to 4k resolution (3840×2160 at 60Hz and 60fps). Portrait mode, allows the output to be displayed in either landscape or portrait mode, and even upside down, effectively. There’s an option for those that can’t or don’t want to use AirPlay, called MiraCast, which is a wireless display standard that allows you to stream video and audio from one device to another, much like AirPlay. Miracast uses WiFi Direct, a technology that allows two devices to establish a direct connection without the need for a wireless router or access point, to transmit the content.

Miracast is supported on Android devices running Android 4.2 and higher, as well as on some Windows devices. Although it’s a convenient way to share video and audio content wirelessly between devices, it does have some limitations. It only supports the transmission of video and audio, and it does not allow you to interact with the content on the receiving device. Additionally, it may not be as stable or reliable as other wireless display technologies. Miracast offers options for video or gaming, which can sometimes require different frame rates.

The SC01 also offers a large selection of languages for the settings page, as well as power-saving options, and even a few settings for the welcome screen and what is displayed.

IN DAY TO DAY USE

Being that the SC01 is all about visuals, I’d encourage you to watch the video above so you can see the performance yourself, but in essence, it works exactly as you’d want, and with less latency, than I’d expected. There’s not a lot to distinguish it from many other streamers that work with HomeKit in a basic sense, but it does offer two things you probably don’t get with some streaming boxes;

• Portrait mode – I’ve mentioned this a couple of times already, but the basics of it are that if you have a display that’s set up to be in portrait mode – maybe your workplace has a reception area that has a monitor to display a list or series of events that look better in portrait mode, for example, then this allows you to display them this way. It’s a less common thing for most home users, but for some who might use it for presentations, it could be quite handy on occasion, which brings me to the second feature;
• Offline functionality – most streamers are going to be connected to your network, which acts as the conduit to connecting your iPhone to the SC01. However, what if you wanted to take the SC01 with you on a camping trip, or you had a presentation at a client’s office, and they weren’t exactly keen on letting you use their network? Well, in cases like these, you can just make a direct connection between your iPhone/iPad etc and the SC01 by connecting to its own SSID like you would do on first setting up the device. With the video content on your device streamed directly to the SC01, you have no need for an external connection. Once again, this may not be an oft-encountered situation, but at a minimum, you wouldn’t need to use hotel WiFi for example, which tends to still be charged at a premium.

SUMMING UP

Although it’s quite small, the build quality is more than adequate and doesn’t feel like it’s put together badly at all. Performance-wise, it did very well, with streaming lacking any major latency (as seen in the video). That said, the one situation where it doesn’t fare as well was via YouTube; When watching videos on YouTube, you can select a ‘casting’ icon, that then offers options for streaming to AirPlay and Bluetooth devices (for audio in the case of the latter), as well as Google displays, other streamers like Roku devices, or via a ‘link with a TV code’. In the case where you select the first of these options, there tends to be a fair delay before it gets to casting the video from your phone to the SC01. Additionally, if you’re halfway through a video, it’ll initially start the video from the beginning, but with audio from the point you intended to start from, before finally syncing up as intended. This is something I’ve noticed to a much smaller extent with some other streamers, but not as much as with the SC01. However, screen mirroring doesn’t suffer this at all, so I’m not sure where the problem lies.

It’s also great to see a device use USB-C as well as the option to connect to 5.0GHz WiFi, which I guess is recommended for 4K streaming at 60Hz.

It should be noted that for less than the US$69.99 price tag, you can buy a 4K streamer from the likes of Roku or Google, with Roku offering nearly all of what the SC01 offers, in addition to HomeKit support and AirPlay 2. So if you just want to stream stuff from your iPhone or iPad, then devices from quite a few manufacturers are going to be a better option. However, I’m not aware of any of these streamers offering the two options the SC01 provides outlined earlier – namely offline connectivity and portrait mode. Whether these features are enough for you to go for it over other cheaper options is for you to decide, but it was these two options that swayed me into reviewing this as a worthy offering that deserved some time.

The post ProScreenCast SC01 4K Display Adaptor w/ AirPlay (review) appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

So the product in question today is the WiiM Mini, a small streaming device capable of being plugged into almost any audio device that has inputs, either analogue or digital, which then allows any AirPlay audio to be streamed to whatever it’s connected to, as well as being part of a group of AirPlay devices for multi-room audio, which is a feature of Airplay 2 over the original AirPlay.

PACKAGING/CONTENTS

The WiiM Mini comes in a decently protective box and has pretty much all the information you’ll need, with the front stating it ‘works with AirPlay’, Spotify, and Amazon Alexa. It’s important to note that the reference to AirPlay is actually AirPlay 2, which means this can be used in Multi-room audio setups, as well as be exposed to the Apple Home app (not HomeKit, as AirPlay devices are not exposed to HomeKit for third-party HomeKit apps). It can be used with Amazon Alexa, and even be used as part of multi-room audio with Alexa speakers, although as I don’t use Alexa, I can’t really tell you much more in that respect.

It can work directly with a lot of other streaming platforms, many of which have their logos on one side of the box, and the other side simply mentions a few features, including support for Hi-Res audio.

When I said the WiiM comes in a ‘decently protective box’ you can see I wasn’t kidding, with dense foam surrounding the Wiim itself, with the remaining pieces coming in a separate inner box underneath.

The included manual is a bit perfunctory, but it does come in four languages – English, German, Spanish, and French. There’s an included power cable, which happily uses USB-C at one end. There’s no power plug provided, however.

One thing you can’t complain about is that all the necessary cables are provided; a 3.5mm jack-to-jack cable, a jack to Phono cable, and an optical digital audio cable. I mention this, as the Belkin Soundform Connect, which I also have, provides no cables at all beyond the USB power cable and power supply. I had to source my own digital cable to use the Belkin device, so it was great that this was included with the WiiM Mini ‘out of the box’ as it were.

THE WIIM MINI

The WiiM Mini is a pretty small device, although not as small as the aforementioned Belkin Soundform Connect, but then the WiiM does come with controls on the top, so if it was much smaller, anyone with the well-documented ‘Sausage fingers’ affliction, may well not be able to control this device…

So, the WiiM stands at just 69mm/2.72in in diameter, and a mere 24mm/0.94in tall, so whilst it’s large enough to control, it’s not so big that it’s going to be a distraction. The controls are pretty basic, with volume controls on either side of a play/pause control. If you’re using multi-room audio, with a variety of AirPlay devices, you should note that whilst the play/pause button will control the audio going to all of these devices, the volume controls will only adjust the volume of the WiiM itself, not other Airplay devices in the same group. This is normal in fact, as any AirPlay device would be the same – for example, a soundbar with its own volume controls would also be unable to control the volume of other Airplay devices. The underside has a non-slip ring of rubber to keep it from moving around, and pretty much nothing else.

The rear of the WiiM is where all the hardware is concentrated, with three audio ports, a USB-C power port, and a small condenser mic. The two analogue ports are both suitable for 3.5mm stereo jacks, with an Aux In and an Aux Out. The Aux in allows you to plug a device into the WiiM and have that audio then come out of whatever it’s connected to, either via the Aux Out of the SPDIF Out. So, in theory (I’ve been unable to try it myself) you should be able to connect something like a CD player to the Aux in and have it feed through the WiiM, and onto a soundbar. Why wouldn’t you just connect the CD player directly to the soundbar though? Well, the people at WiiM told me that any audio going into one WiiM can then be streamed to other WiiM devices, via the company’s own multiroom audio solution, which you’d set up via the Wiim Home app. Whilst that’s good, especially if you have other WiiM Minis dotted about the house, this is not possible with AirPlay, just so you know.

Still, with two options for ‘audio out’ – one analogue, and one digital, you do get decent choices that can’t be matched by the Belkin product. I should say, the Belkin Soundform Connect is actually a really good device, but I think it’s fair to compare the two in this review where relevant. Here are some specs for those that are interested;

SETUP VIA WIIM HOME

The WiiM app is one of those rare beasts that doesn’t require you to set up an account, so once you’ve plugged the WiiM in, the app just needs your permission to access Bluetooth to initially discover the WiiM. It does ask for your location, so I’m not sure why they need that information, but you can deny that request and it shouldn’t make any difference.

Once it has discovered your WiiM, it’ll then need permission to connect to your WiFi network to set it up to work with AirPlay. This is where I’m happy that the WiiM offers both 2.4 & 5GHz WiFi connections. It could only have been improved with an ethernet port on the back, but you can’t have it all. However, I did have a few issues, unfortunately, where the attempt at connecting to my WiFi network failed, but eventually I was able to get it to work, so if you have any issues, just try again.

If you’re familiar with the review of the Arylic A50+ we posted not so long ago, you might be surprised to notice that the WiiM Home app and the 4stream app that the Arylic products use, look very similar. As it happens, the WiiM app also detects my already set up Arylic A50+, so it would seem they use the same underlying coding, not that it matters, and in fact, if it means I only need the one app, as opposed to two, then that’s a bonus.

With this being the case, you tend to see a lot of the same options and features, namely the streaming services it’s capable of connecting to. This list of streaming options is quite large, which includes standard services like Tidal, Spotify, and Amazon Music, alongside lesser known ones like SoundMachine, QQMusic, and Calm Radio. If you have your own music library on a local drive/server, you can also access that through the app, and even though most of the readers here may well be using AirPlay, you can switch to either Bluetooth or Aux/Line In connection if you prefer.

As previously mentioned, the Arylic A50+ I have also appears in the WiiM app and can be grouped with the WiiM Mini for its own multi-room audio option outside of Airplay, which is handy if you have a few Wiims Mini and/or have Arylic devices. Whilst the A50+ is only AirPlay 1 and not Airplay 2 compatible, which means it can’t be included in multi-room audio setups, there was one unintended bonus I did find when using the sync option within the WiiM app; When the WiiM and the A50+ are synced you can then stream AirPlay audio to the WiiM, with the result being the same audio is streamed to the A50+, with both in sync with each other, but also in sync with other AirPlay 2 devices in the same group! This may seem that you’d then have to have the WiiM playing in order to have the A50+ also playing, but you only have to drop the volume to zero for the WiiM in the WiiM app – or via AirPlay, and you still get audio streamed to the A50+, and still in sync with the other AirPlay devices. Of course, the downside is that, unlike the WiiM, the A50+ is not exposed to the Home app, so you can’t use it in automations, but that’s not the case with the WiiM, which we’ll see next.

WIIM MINI IN THE HOME APP

The WiiM is not a HomeKit device, which is actually the case for nearly all Airplay products including HomePods, and Apple TVs (Belkin’s Soundform Connect is an exception that comes with a HomeKit QR code) but they can still be added to the Home app. The distinction here is that they can be added to the Home app, but not HomeKit; You may or may not have noticed, but no third-party HomeKit apps get access to AirPlay devices, so whilst everything from a HomePod Mini to the WiiM Mini can work in the Home app, it’s not the case for any other app.

To add the WiiM Mini to the Home app, you select ‘Add accessory’ as normal, then instead of scanning a QR code, you select “more options…” where the WiiM Mini will show up and can then be added. Once that’s done, the WiiM Mini gets its own tile like any other device (anything that’s not a sensor…). The first difference between this kind of AirPlay device and the HomePod, HomePod Mini, or Apple TV, is that you can’t simply tap the tile to play or pause audio. Instead, when you tap on the tile, it brings up the controls you’d normally see with a long press on a HomePod, where you can then adjust volume levels and playback. Swiping up brings the usual settings page where you can include the WiiM Mini in scenes and automations. You only get a generic ‘speaker’ icon which can’t be changed.

IN USE | WRAPPING UP

When I originally reviewed the Arylic A50+, whilst I was impressed by all that it offered, the fact that it wasn’t an AirPlay 2 device was the “fly in the ointment” so to speak. Not so with the WiiM Mini. The WiiM doesn’t have an amplifier and so it can only stream to devices that are already powered by built-in amplification, which is something the A50+ has on its side, but for old HiFi setups, dumb soundbars or even powered speakers, this really does give them a new purpose that allows them to be included in scenes and automations within HomeKit (via the Home app only).

The fact that it’s so small whilst still managing to include basic controls is a real bonus, especially for the quick, hands-on approach to controls, as not everyone wants to rely on an automation or their phone to play or pause audio. When it comes to the responsiveness of these buttons, it’s pretty good, with only the ever-so-occasional delay, before it catches up, so these are really worth having at your disposal. Pair that with the input and output options, plus the 3 included audio cables, and this begins to look like a real bargain, especially when, for the same money (depending on where you live), you could end up with the Belkin offering, that doesn’t give you any of the cables.

Both the WiiM and the Belkin are great for what they offer, and the one thing the Belkin has over the WiiM, if it really matters, is that like HomePods, and Apple TVs, the tile for the Belkin allows for play/pause with a simple tap of the tile. Whether that’s important enough for you to forsake the free cables is up to you, but I’d say the WiiM is the better deal when taking everything into consideration.

The post WiiM Mini AirPlay Audio Streamer (review) appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

If AirPlay 2 is the only thing you’re considering right now (understandably), I wanted to save you the time reading this review, as the Arylic A50+ uses AirPlay 1 only. This means no multiroom audio, basically.

PACKAGE/CONTENTS

Having never really heard of Arylic before, I wasn’t sure what to expect when the company contacted me about the possibility of reviewing their A50+ digital amplifier. It wasn’t something that particularly interested me if I’m honest, but after one look at their website, I felt they were definitely worth a closer look.

The box gives you all the info you need and is solid, which is just as well, given the amp is rather nice, and although could stand a knock or two, the perspex front might not fare so well. The rear of the box really goes into more details for those of a more detailed bent;

• Audio System
  • Speaker Power – 24V 40hm 50W *2 / 24V 80hm 30W *2
  • Speaker Impedance – 4-80hm
  • Audio Format – MP3/AAC/AAC+/ALAC/APE/WAV/FLAC
  • Audio Decoding – Up to 24bit/192KHz
• I/O Interface
  • Audio Input – Analog RCA, Digital SPDIF Optical
  • Audio Output – Speaker out
  • Wireless network – IEEE802.11 b/g/n 2.4G
  • LAN – 10/100M RJ45
  • Bluetooth – 5.0
  • USB Host – Play USB Music
  • Micro USB – Connect to PC/Mac
  • Power Input – 24V/4 16A
• Music sources
  • Spotify, Deezer, Tidal, Qobuz, Amazon Music, Napster, Internet Radio, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, QQ Music*
  • Music stored on mobile phone, tablet
  • iTunes music stored locally on iOS
  • NAS (Network Attached Storage)
    3rd Party Streaming Software (DLNA compliant)
    USB disk drive

* Although Apple Music isn’t listed, you can still play music from some Apple Music-capable devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac computer) via the AirPlay option.

So as you can see, the A50+ is quite a capable device, as long as you have decent speakers to pair with them. In my home I own a pair of Fostex studio monitors, although they are powered, so they aren’t able to work with the A50+, so Arylic also kindly provided a pair of satellite speakers so I could test the amp out. Just to be clear, I am only focussing on the features of the amp in relation to how it can work in your smart home, as opposed to the finer details of its audio capabilities, as I’m not an audiophile capable of giving you an expert opinion on this part of the product.

The box packs a hell of a lot of content, as you can see above. In addition to the amplifier, you get a rather large power brick that uses an IEC socket and power cable, with the power brick connecting to the amp with a coaxial plug.

You get a manual in English, a couple of stereo cables – stereo phono to phono, and stereo phono to quarter-inch jack plug. A single Phoenix speaker connector that you wire your speakers up to, and then plug into the back of the amp. There are two antennae, one of which helps with the 2.4GHz WiFi connection, and the other for the Bluetooth 5.0 signal. I should note that the A50+ can work without either of these, although you’ll get a better reach with them for your WiFi or Bluetooth signal with them in use. The final two pieces are a fairly standard-looking IR remote control, and a screwdriver for use with the Phoenix connector.

THE AMPLIFIER

The A50+ is really quite minimalist looking, with an aluminium casing, and a black plastic front section, that only reveals the Arylic logo when turned off. If it’s powered up, the right-hand side has a small LED that displays different colours, depending on what audio-in mode it’s set to. The opposite side is home to an IR receiver that works with the IR remote, although you can’t really see it.

The rear is a totally different story, with a raft of inputs, supplemented by a couple of output options;

• Stereo line-in along with a subwoofer output
• Optical audio in for a digital audio input
• Micro USB to connect to your computer
• A USB port for connecting a USB stick or external HDD
• An Ethernet port, for a wired connection

This is in addition to the coaxial port for power, the connectors for the two antennae, the socket for the Phoenix connector, and a mode button that can also be used to reset the amp.

THE REMOTE CONTROL

The A50+ comes with a pretty well feature IR remote control that does pretty much everything required. It has the basics, like power and audio mute buttons,  as well as a separate button to turn the mode LED on or off. You then have individual buttons for the different input methods – USB, Aux-In, Optical in, Bluetooth, and WiFi. This last option includes connections for both wired and wireless connections and is also the connection used for AirPlay.

You then have buttons to control the bass and treble levels, as well as a ‘deep bass’ button, and a ‘Flat’ button, which resets the audio to its flat positions.

Finally, you have six numbered buttons that allow you to call up presets, which are part of the 4Stream app’s ‘Favourites’ playlist feature.

All in all, along with the remote, visually, I quite like the look of the A50+, with a build quality that’s really a lot better than expected. It feels well put together, with no feeling of loosely put-together sections, and all parts exuding that old-school ‘Cottage industry’ amp manufacturer feel. Does it do what it’s meant to, however? Let’s see (or hear…).

THE 4STREAM APP

There’s no need for you to create an account with the 4stream app, and once the amp is plugged in, it will eventually be detected by the app, where you’ll then go through the process of adding it to your WiFi network, although if you opt for the wired option, it will discover the A50+ even faster. The app is ultimately designed to be used with an array of third-party streaming platforms initially and is also designed to work with multi-room audio from Arylic themselves, using their own amps.

The home page has three tabs – Browse, Device, and Settings. The main page gives you access to preset content/favourites, library items – music on your phone or devices connected to the amp, and music streaming services.

The Devices page shows any devices connected to the app, which in my case is the A50+. If you have other products from Arylic or even other manufacturers that use the same app, you can add them here. Clicking on the device reveals a more detailed screen with the track timeline, track details, and the usual play/pause/skip buttons, as well as volume controls.

The streaming services you can access directly from within the app include TuneIn, Pandora, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Spotify (Connect), Tidal, Napster, Qobuz, QQFM, QQMusic, and Amazon Music. For all these services you need to sign in/sign up in order to access them, as standard. On the main screen, you can also control the audio input source.

APPLE MUSIC

With AirPlay you can stream audio from your phone, and as seen here, I can directly stream from my music library on my phone. In this case, I’m using the AirPlay tile in the Control Centre to quickly access my music and from there stream to the A50+.

You can also do the same within the Apple Music app, where both AirPlay and AirPlay 2 devices are available.

AirPlay isn’t restricted just to music of course, and in the instance above, I can stream audio from a YouTube video on my iPhone directly to the A50+ or any other AirPlay device.

The same applies to any Apple device capable of streaming, which includes Apple computers; I have a late 2012 iMac running macOS Mojave and I’m able to stream to AirPlay devices including the A50+, and a 2019 iMac running macOS Monterey also capable of the same. This says a lot for Apple’s commitment to AirPlay in general but also to AirPlay 1 and its continued support. That’s not to say that AirPlay 2 isn’t superior of course, which it is, but for those that don’t require multiroom audio, AirPlay still works very well compared to Chromecast in my opinion.

To go one step further, the A50+ can be used in combination with your Apple TV as a temporary audio output, although as already outlined, if you choose the A50+, you can’t choose other AirPlay devices at the same time.

IN DAY-TO-DAY USE

Having used this on and off in a small box room for the past 6-7 weeks, whilst it’s hard to really judge the audio quality of the products outputs – which I’m really not qualified to speak on – it has performed just as well as any other AirPlay product in the home. That it’s not an AirPlay 2 device is a minor issue for me, as in all honesty, my own music tastes aren’t shared by the other members of the home, and so multiroom audio isn’t something I tend to use, although having used the multiroom feature in the past, I can easily see why people like it, and would be a reason to pass on this device. I think where this has its uses is in a home where not everyone uses either the same streaming services or even have different devices that they might want to connect to the amp – Android phones for example. It’s equally hard to fault the ton of input options the A50+ offers, and as this is a digital amp, not an AirPlay speaker, you’re really mostly just limited by the size and quality of the speakers you attach to it.

The one issue I did find was with the remote control and its varied reliability when it comes to the play/pause/skip functions; In practice, these all work regardless of whether you’re streaming from your iPhone, a USB stick, or your Apple computer, but I found some options worked more accurately with the remote buttons than others. with some situations resulting in a long delay when pressing the pause button, to the extent that you end up pressing the button again, only for the amp to finally catch up, resulting in it continuing to play…

That all aside, the build quality is really something else, and it really did go beyond what I was expecting, despite what I initially saw on the company’s website. As I favoured a wired connection in my tests, I found no issues with connectivity at all, although, in the early stages of testing, I did connect the amp using WiFi, and didn’t really notice any issues there either.

The bottom line here is if you have some decent spare audio speakers lying around and want agnostic streaming options, you could do a lot worse. If, on the other hand, you’re all in on multiroom audio, the A50+ is not for you. It’s really that simple for the most part.

You can purchase the Arylic A50+ Digital Amplifier direct from Arylic.com with 5% OFF any purchase using the code NEW003 and free shipping for any purchase over US$90.00.

Full disclosure: Arylic provided HomeKit News with Arylic A50+ AirPlay Digital Amplifier for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was made, requested or has not in any way influenced our opinion of this product.

The post Arylic A50+ AirPlay Digital Amplifier (review) appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.