[iFi audio]

@iFi audio @Rowan94

If at all possible could we have Voltage/Amp Tolerances for the Optibox? I am asking as I would like to try some different Power sources for it and did not want to just rely on the stated specs of the adapter that comes with the NEO Stream.

Thanks in advance!

Cheers!!

Sure, we'll ask, @Rowan94 is on it already

 

[iFi audio]

Interesting, it does sound similar to my experience. If you get a chance, try WiFi to see if you get the same behaviour.

My unit works perfectly on WiFi and is now basically unusable using any of the hardwired inputs. I opened a ticket with iFi 10 days ago and of course they want to exhaust all the possible issues with my LAN (which there are none) and I have tried all of the suggested workarounds many times over without any change.....except getting worse.

I am convinced that it is a fault with the circuit board in the Neo Stream that handles the optical and RJ45 inputs, as per skrzyp's final diagnosis.

I have told iFi that I am perfectly happy with running WiFi for the time being, but I want the fully functional unit I paid for once this issue is properly identified and fixed and not to just send me a replacement unit hoping that it works.

Can you please send me your ticket number via PM? I'll ask our staff where we are with it. Thanks!

All other devices on the network are fine. @iFi audio please advise. Thanks!

Can you please let our support know about this (https://support.ifi-audio.com/)? The more data our staff can collect about any such an issue, the more data they can pass on to our R&D and possibly apply a fix via a firmware update if needs to be. Thanks!

 

[cglin222]

@iFi audio Do you know if I can use the dc-loop out on the Ican pro signature to power the ifi neo stream? what v/amp does the dc-loop out provide?

 

[Mau10]

Having some success with PCM Sample rate of 384, and Dither of NS9. Could you have a look at the top half of the attached screenshot and confirm whether or not the settings are correct or should be adjusted in some way. Thanks.

Your settings look good. About the "filter Nx" option, you can also try the non "apodizing" version of that filter ( poli-sinc-gauss-xl ), since higher simple rates than 44.1/48 kHz usually don't need apodization, whatever sounds best to you.

 

[innocentblood]

is it safe to leave the Neo Stream on all the time? I tried using the Stream-iFi app to put it in Sleep mode after 15mins when no music is playing and I noticed that this timer is disabled when I use the Neo Stream again the next time. so I have to set the timer again? is this a bug or a feature?

I own a zen stream as well and it is on 24x7 - I just disabled the two main LED lights so that only the white LED power indicator is showing as long as the unit is turned on and connected to my home wifi network.

I am tempted to leave the Neo Stream on all the time as well but I am worried about the long term effect that will have on the display.

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

Many thanks to those in the HQPlayer conversation, as someone who tried but did not hear any benefit to this software (years ago), I have often asked for settings and or guidance from users of it.

It is nice to see an open discussion of settings and possible benefits to see where I may have gone wrong with it!

Cheers!!

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

is it safe to leave the Neo Stream on all the time? I tried using the Stream-iFi app to put it in Sleep mode after 15mins when no music is playing and I noticed that this timer is disabled when I use the Neo Stream again the next time. so I have to set the timer again? is this a bug or a feature?

I own a zen stream as well and it is on 24x7 - I just disabled the two main LED lights so that only the white LED power indicator is showing as long as the unit is turned on and connected to my home wifi network.

I am tempted to leave the Neo Stream on all the time as well but I am worried about the long term effect that will have on the display.

I think this is a pure "sleep" timer, not an "Auto Off" "No Signal" type of timer, so it is working correctly as it's listed.

In regards to leaving it on personally, I wouldn't do it for exactly the reason you pointed out "screen" damage, but I could be mistaken,

Cheers!!

 

[gryffe]

Are there still no reviews in the mainstream Hifi press or websites yet? It's been 2 months since release and basically all I can see are reports that the Neo was released, and just generally saying what the features are, so not any actual reviews. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places? Have any units been sent out for review @iFi audio?

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

Are there still no reviews in the mainstream Hifi press or websites yet? It's been 2 months since release and basically all I can see are reports that the Neo was released, and just generally saying what the features are, so not any actual reviews. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places? Have any units been sent out for review @iFi audio?

I think this is more a case of it's been two months or so since it was announced, availability I think was not until almost a month since we here knew about it.

I remeber crutchfield not having any right away, as an example.

However you are correct that the usual suspects don't seem to have the usual reviews up. In a way I'm almost glad about that because if you go back to the beginning of the ZS a certain "cheap" reviewer couldn't get his working quite right so he more or less "poo poo'd" it as not worth it. I thought and told him this was an unfair review.

So maybe it's a blessing in disguise, lol

Cheers!!

 

[iFi audio]

Have any units been sent out for review @iFi audio?

We have some in hands of reviewers, but NEO Stream is a rather complex device and we don't rush press people, so for now we wait .

Thanks for asking though!

 

[iFi audio]

@iFi audio Do you know if I can use the dc-loop out on the Ican pro signature to power the ifi neo stream? what v/amp does the dc-loop out provide?

This would work, but you'd get ground loops resulting in noise from the power supply this way. That's why it's best to use a separate power supply, thanks!

 

[Kamil21]

Are there still no reviews in the mainstream Hifi press or websites yet? It's been 2 months since release and basically all I can see are reports that the Neo was released, and just generally saying what the features are, so not any actual reviews. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places? Have any units been sent out for review @iFi audio?

Here’s a new recent review in a Taiwanese magazine.
https://review-u--audio-com-tw.tran...sl=zh-TW&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

 

[Currawong]

I have one in for review, but as iFi said, there's a lot to cover.

 

[ctrlm]

Well my Neo Stream is packed and ready to return to the dealer. After working with JP from iFi for a couple of weeks, the crashing issue when hardwired couldn't be solved. I tried everything including a different router - but no difference. As I have indicated previously, the performance using WiFi was flawless.

I know some people had issues with the original Zen Stream but I didn't - my Zen Stream has been a pleasure and the Neo Stream has been flaky in comparison. Regardless of the hardwired connection issues, simple tasks such as changing settings in the UI have often been problematic.

A good example was when I changed the router. The new network allocated a different IP address to my NAS so I went into the UI of the Neo Stream and tried to edit the path to the NAS, at which point the Neo Stream had a meltdown. Before I knew it I had three NAS paths mounted and I couldn't delete any of them, it took a couple of hours and two full re-scans before it was fixed. Yesterday I replaced the Neo Stream with the Zen Stream and the Zen DAC Signature. My heart sank when I realised I had to change the NAS path in the ZS as well. Fearing the worst I clicked the edit icon and changed the IP address and........instant success. I was able to play music from my NAS after a very short update scan.

I think I just got an all-round lemon.

Hopefully iFi issue a software update in the few weeks that it will probably take to get a replacement. They really have to address the default volume control setting which drives me nuts the way it always defaults to software volume. I don't understand why it wasn't addressed from the start due to the fact that it was fixed in the ZS. I plugged the ZS in yesterday and the default was "none" - where I set it months ago

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

I have one in for review, but as iFi said, there's a lot to cover.

Looking forward to your impressions of the unit! There is definitely a bit of ground to cover, lol

Well my Neo Stream is packed and ready to return to the dealer. After working with JP from iFi for a couple of weeks, the crashing issue when hardwired couldn't be solved. I tried everything including a different router - but no difference. As I have indicated previously, the performance using WiFi was flawless.

I know some people had issues with the original Zen Stream but I didn't - my Zen Stream has been a pleasure and the Neo Stream has been flaky in comparison. Regardless of the hardwired connection issues, simple tasks such as changing settings in the UI have often been problematic.

A good example was when I changed the router. The new network allocated a different IP address to my NAS so I went into the UI of the Neo Stream and tried to edit the path to the NAS, at which point the Neo Stream had a meltdown. Before I knew it I had three NAS paths mounted and I couldn't delete any of them, it took a couple of hours and two full re-scans before it was fixed. Yesterday I replaced the Neo Stream with the Zen Stream and the Zen DAC Signature. My heart sank when I realised I had to change the NAS path in the ZS as well. Fearing the worst I clicked the edit icon and changed the IP address and........instant success. I was able to play music from my NAS after a very short update scan.

I think I just got an all-round lemon.

Hopefully iFi issue a software update in the few weeks that it will probably take to get a replacement. They really have to address the default volume control setting which drives me nuts the way it always defaults to software volume. I don't understand why it wasn't addressed from the start due to the fact that it was fixed in the ZS. I plugged the ZS in yesterday and the default was "none" - where I set it months ago

That's too bad it wouldn't behave for you, hopefully, some firmware updates for the main issues at the moment aren't far away.

For the moment I do not have any real playback issues, other than the occasional audio dropout when listening using Roon. Tidal "Connect" has its issues, but reading on this subject will show that this issue is Tidal-related and not necessarily tied directly to the NS.

The Album art/Track bug is of course only annoying if you look at the screen, but it shouldn't be happening, and again only seems to be an issue with Roon, and not other modes like Spotify, or Tidal connect. Never thought I would see the day when I could say Roon has issues, it has always been my rock-solid go-to recommended software, but ever since the shift to the new 2.0 there have been some growing pains, but that version is new as well so we shall see.

If I could pick one thing it would no doubt be the software volume default, this needs to be corrected asap, while it is a fixable thing, I perceive a major difference in sound quality when it is enabled vs. None.

Hope you get things resolved quickly!

Cheers!!