Big thank you to Arylic for sending the S10 to review!
Full disclosure: This is a paid review but I made it clear to them that I do not guarantee positive reviews or recommendations – I make in-depth, honest evaluations based on my impressions and the ultimate value that the product may or may not provide.
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Streaming music via network without distance limitation, or Bluetooth 5.0 up to 15 meters.
Spotify Connect, Airplay, Qplay, DLNA, and UPnP streaming protocols are supported.
Supports streaming from online services, smart device memory, USB pen drive, NAS, Bluetooth, and line in.
Multi-room and multizone streaming enabled by multiple units connected in the same network.
All music sources can be restreamed in sync with other models from Arylic.
Up to 24-bit/192kHz supported.
The app supports Spotify, Tidal, Deezer, Qobuz, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Napster, etc.
Free iOS and Android App available (more on this in a second).
Free global online update for new features.
Full function remote controller for use without a phone.
EQ adjustment via app or remote controller.
iTunes works with PC streaming.
Connect to PC to stream music from PC digitally.
Introduction
The S10 is a wireless streaming preamplifier with network and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity using your phone or tablet.
In other words,
you can use it to stream music from your favorite apps such as Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, etc. while also controlling the volume from the app on your phone.
It is a multi-room device as well which means you can stream with multiple units connected in the same network.
How it works
The S10 essentially takes a digital signal from Bluetooth, WiFi, or direct from USB, and converts it into audio into an active speaker, an older receiver, or an older analog-only preamp.
The problem with a device like the S10 is not that it’s not useful; it most certainly is.
But some would consider this old technology.
Why?
Because most Receivers and devices nowadays already have these capabilities built in.
For instance,
I have an Onkyo receiver that I picked up from a friend.
If I want to send music from my phone to my Passive Speakers, it already has a built-in Bluetooth option for that.
There is simply no need for the S10 to bridge that gap.
And the kicker is that the receiver isn’t even all that new.
In any event, the S10 may be useful for some folks, so let’s take a gander.
Getting Started
To get started, you’ll have to download an app on your phone called 4STREAM.
Without this app, you’ll be severely limited in what you can do.
The booklet says this is a feature and free, but you can’t really use the S10 without it.
I’ll also quickly mention that the app in my experience can be clunky and not very intuitive. More on that in a bit.
Once downloaded, it will search for the unit.
After it’s found, just follow the prompts and it will ask you for a WIFI password.
This is the primary way I used the S10 and it will likely be the same for you.
Why?
Well, for a few reasons:
The S10 is a bit finicky and doesn’t really like to switch between sources without some sort of minor headache.
It can be a pain to set up in general and your phone may be spending quite a bit of time actually searching for the unit. So once it’s finally set up, I’d probably just not mess with it much.
WIFI is generally the easiest way to get up and running, but as just touched on above, it sometimes takes a while.
As a guy who uses tech pretty much every day, I found the setup was quite cumbersome and not really all that responsive.
In any event,
you also have the option of using a LAN cable and parking the S10 close to your Router/modem setup, but you don’t necessarily have to.
The beauty of the S10 is that you can put it pretty much anywhere in your house or apt. (where there’s an outlet and speakers), and it will theoretically stream music.
This will most certainly benefit those who are looking for a device that can contribute to their 2nd or 3rd setup – one that they may use when having company over, or for some much-needed rest and relaxation.
Moving onward,
once the app is opened, use the browse tab (represented by a small musical icon) and scroll down to the bottom.
There you will see your input options: Wi-Fi, Line In, Bluetooth, and USB DAC.
The unit will blink (Blue for BT or white for Wi-Fi) as it’s waiting to complete the connection.
For Bluetooth, just go to your phone’s settings and search for it. It should come up as “SoundSystem_3B92.”
Again, the S10 is a bit finicky in that once you select something, it REALLY wants to stick to that option.
For instance,
when attempting to switch to Bluetooth from Wi-Fi, it’s a real pain and doesn’t want to cooperate very much.
Other times, it does! Lately, I haven’t had an issue with it at all and can seamlessly switch back and forth.
Here’s a video demonstrating that:
Still, other times it takes me rebooting my phone to wake it up, so again, I’d advise you to generally stick to one source.
I also noticed that this device isn’t actually recognized as a USB DAC in my PC’s sound panel.
I’m not sure if it’s supposed to or not, but it’s something to keep in mind.
I wanted to see if I could use it as a DAC for a separate amplifier, but I haven’t been successful thus far.
Front Panel
On the front, there are the Aux In, Network, Bluetooth, and USB lights which appear according to the source you’re using.
On the left side, you’ll see the IR receiver which communicates with the remote.
Back Panel
Sleep (Reset): Short press once to switch input mode.
Long press to switch on and off.
Short press twice to repair WiFi or Bluetooth in Wi-Fi/BT mode.
Shore press 3 times to restore factory settings.
When the device is off, you can short-press the power button to activate it.
Lan
This is for a wired connection to your router.
USB
Connect a USB pen drive (1024 tracks maximum).
Aux In
For external audio sources from TV, CD Player, Phone, etc.
Aux Out
Analog out to other devices like active speakers, a mixer, etc.
5V/1A
Micro USB input.
Sound
Once you’ve paired it and set up your input, scroll back up a bit and you’ll see the options you have at your disposal as far as streaming services.
Do keep in mind that these services are available through the app; they don’t have anything to do with the unit itself.
With connect services such as Spotify connect etc. the app does offload the processes to the Streamer and the streamer (S10 in this case) does the processing.
With this method, your tablet or phone simply acts as a remote control.
This way is actually more advantageous because,
Your phone battery lasts a lot longer.
Your phone/tablet doesn’t have to be in range (as the Streamer is doing the work).
The downside to this is that the S10 only supports Spotify Connect and doesn’t have any hi-res options, so do keep that in mind.
I primarily use Spotify, so I would just press that and follow the prompts. (It will say “Open Spotify”)
Now you’re ready for la mùsica!
Just make sure you use the supplied RCA to 3.5mm cable and connect it to some active speakers using the S10’s “Aux Out” port.
I’m using the Presonus Eris e3.5s which are a great set of entry-level monitors!
All in all, it sounds perfectly fine and about as you’d expect from a unit like this.
Everything is clean and crisp, and I have no complaints.
Do keep in mind that I found the signal over Wi-Fi to be a bit better sounding, but that could be a placebo.
Just know that it sounds very good overall and I have no complaints.
So I guess the ultimate question here is of value; is the S10 worth around $80?
I would say yes, but only if you have older gear that needs a middleman, or entry-level active speakers like Edifiers or Presonus’ that you want to stream music with without the need for a PC or laptop.
So speakers that are in the range of $100-300.
In this case, it makes for a pretty cool second setup for your living room or wherever you happen to have a pair of Active speakers lying around, but I certainly wouldn’t rely on it as my main setup.
In all honesty, most people aren’t going to have much of a use for something like this simply because of how advanced technology has become.
In other words, there aren’t too many devices out there that don’t support Bluetooth or streaming in some capacity.
For instance,
I don’t personally have a use for the S10 as I listen to music mostly through my laptop (with headphones and/or external speakers) and already have a receiver and passive speakers in my living room if I want to stream music through Bluetooth.
Still, it may be of use to a certain demographic of people and thus is still valuable to some degree.
As an example,
I wanted to see if the S10 would work with my receiver using universal ports and I’m happy to report that it does.
Just run the supplied 3.5mm to RCA from the back of the Auxiliary Out of the unit into the RCA inputs labeled TV/CD on the back (most older receivers have these).
Your receiver then outputs the sound to your passive speakers and you can play music wirelessly this way with the S10 and the 4STREAM app. Pretty neat!
Streaming For PC
If you’re on MAC, users can stream music from iTunes.
If you’re on Windows, use Foobar 2000, Serviio.
You can also use Spotify Connect and other software that supports UPnP or DLNA.
Final Verdict
The S10 is a compact, durable streamer that gets the job done.
It’s a bit finicky at times, the app can be a pain to use, and it somehow still uses a stone-age micro USB connection, but all in all, it does what it’s supposed to do and is pretty versatile to boot.
It’s not for everyone, but if you read this writeup and fit the targeted audience (i.e. people who prefer using their phones to stream), and/or people who have older legacy-type systems, I think it’s a good option.
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this Arylic S10 Review and came away with some valuable insight.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
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Would you invest in the S10? What kind of system are you running currently? I would love to hear your thoughts. Until next time…
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Stu is determined to help you make sound decisions, and strives to deliver the best and most in depth content on the internet! In his spare time, he likes to fish, paint, play guitar, pray, rap, make beats, take photos, record videos, graphic design, and more. His sense of humour, coupled with a knack for excellence and strict attention to detail are what allow him to stand out in an crowded industry.
Your review mentions several ways to connect, Bluetooth, wifi etc. It also mentions “lean, crisp sound”. Isn’t Bluetooth limited to 320kbps? Would a wifi connection not be compressed like Bluetooth and allow the unit to process higher resolution signals giving a better quality sound?
Ross, Thank you for the comment! And yes. I think I discussed the fact that I perceived Wi-Fi to sound better in this article but I will have to read it over. I could have talked about it in the S50 Pro+ which I will re-visit.
2 comments
Your review mentions several ways to connect, Bluetooth, wifi etc. It also mentions “lean, crisp sound”. Isn’t Bluetooth limited to 320kbps? Would a wifi connection not be compressed like Bluetooth and allow the unit to process higher resolution signals giving a better quality sound?
Ross, Thank you for the comment! And yes. I think I discussed the fact that I perceived Wi-Fi to sound better in this article but I will have to read it over. I could have talked about it in the S50 Pro+ which I will re-visit.