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.

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.

The Proscreencast 4K display Adaptor can use AirPlay/screen mirroring or Miracast to send images from your phone, tablet or computer to a screen it’s connected to – in up to 4K at 60Hz. Not only that but unlike some admittedly cheaper streaming devices, this has two special features that could single it out as quite unique. Watch the video to learn more, and if this product interests you, we’re offering a chance to win one of these streaming devices, worth US$69.99 for free by just answering a simple question (details in the video).

You can also buy the SC-01 directly from the company’s website, with a special 10% off your first order using the code ICAST.

The post ProScreenCast 4K Display Adaptor with AirPlay appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

Three years after launching their first collaborative products, IKEA and Sonos introduce their new Symfonisk floor lamp speaker. In 2019, the first Symfonisk lamp speaker was launched, marking the first products developed together by IKEA and Sonos. Now, the collaboration continues with the introduction of the next version of SYMFONISK – in the shape of a floor lamp. Just like the previous products developed by IKEA and Sonos, the new SYMFONISK floor lamp speaker combines high-quality sound with a thoughtful design, and blends into the home in a new way to make the most out of people’s living space.

“We have learnt a great deal about how people want to furnish with light and sound. We also know that many people want to have several light sources on different levels and parts of the room to create the right mood. The challenge of not having enough room for a table to put the lamp on led us to create the floor lamp”, says Stjepan Begic, Range Design Leader at IKEA of Sweden. “Since the launch of the first Symfonisk speaker, we have built on our learnings to create a great sounding, great looking piece of furniture that brings the worlds of home furnishing and sound closer together than ever”

Symfonisk floor lamp speaker is designed with simplicity in mind, offering elevated sound while spreading gentle light. The floor lamp speaker comes with a shade in bamboo and can be personalised through different Symfonisk speaker lamp shades that can be purchased separately. Paired together with other products from the Symfonisk range or other Sonos products, the lamp can also act as a rear speaker to create a home theatre setup with light and room-filling sound.

“The Symfonisk floor lamp speaker is a great example of how our collaboration continues to challenge the traditional idea of sound in the home”, says Sara Lincoln, Principal Product Manager at Sonos. “We created the floor lamp speaker to sound great on its own but also to be versatile. It works seamlessly with all our Sonos speakers and is a great option for those who are looking to add rear speakers to their home theatre set-up, when paired with our soundbars such as Ray and Beam”, Says Sara Lincoln.

All Symfonisk products are part of the Sonos system, making connecting to music and audio content easy, as well as allowing them to be exposed to Apple’s own AirPlay audio ecosystem. Enabled by Dirigera – the IKEA hub for smart products – the SYMFONISK floor lamp speaker can be added to the IKEA Home smart app and be steered together with other smart devices to create scenes that positively affect moments in the home.

The new SYMFONISK floor lamp speaker will be available in all IKEA markets starting January 2023. For more information, contact your local IKEA.

The post IKEA and Sonos launch Symfonisk floor lamp speaker appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

Belkin SoundForm Connect AirPlay 2 Adapter:

• https://geni.us/SoundForm (Amazon affiliate link)

The post Belkin Soundform Connect with Apple AirPlay 2 appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.