c3po
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2009
- Posts
- 86
- Likes
- 63
I have experience with a couple of Arylic Up2Stream devices; the S10, the Mini V3 and recently the HD DAC and I’ve been very impressed with the sound quality, the versatility and functionality and price of these little devices. I even bought a few S10’s to give to the family to encourage their Audiophilic genes (I think its going to be a long journey but at least it’s started).
I’ve had great fun with the devices connecting them up to my different audio systems and designing and 3D printing cases for them too, adding an additional Dac and Coax output to the Mini V3.
Arylic were impressed with my 3D cases and postings on various Forums and sent me an Up2Stream Pro V3 to try out, its like the PCB inside the S10 but doesn’t come with the remote (can be ordered separately).
I had planned to use it to feed a Behringer Monitor2USB device (it has variable crossfeed, twin headphone outputs at a relatively low cost). This would allow that device to have full access to my Vortexbox DNLA server and Amazon Music.
This morning it’s a lovely sunny day outside (A very rare event in Scotland), windows open, headphones on and working at my desk and I just fancied listening to the ‘Paris, Texas’ soundtrack but could I find it on Amazon Music, nope, just the title track but no album.
I’ve got the album on vinyl but I’m working at my desk and the turntable isn’t accessible. What to do?
Then it clicked the Up2Stream Pro V3 has an Analog Input and according to the blurb (https://www.arylic.com/products/up2stream-pro-receiver-board) it puts it on your network!!! What!!!!! say that again!!
It takes a Analog Input; Converts it to Digital and sends it over the network to be accessed by other Arylic Up2Stream devices and app controlled and can synchronised to the other arylic devices or not(you pick or choose which ones to send it too).
Within 5 minutes I had hooked up the device to the turntable system in the main living area and was transmitting digitally (Not FM broadcasting) the Vinyl output to my other rooms…..WOW!!!!
The Analog to Digital transmission very good.
The turntable is a Project Genie 1 with the original Ortofon cartridge feeding a Nad pp2, this then outputs into a Pioneer Av amp VSX-S300 with headphone output feeding the Analog Input of the Pro V3 which then gets the turntable music into the house network and I can access it from the separate Arylic systems I have setup (even the bedroom has an Up2Stream Mini feeding the coax input of a Canary Daart and into Sundara’s, for some bedtime listening). So now when the other half commandeers the Living Room I can have access to all my music, Flac, Streaming and now Vinyl!!!!
Quality
Via the Up2Stream HD device coax output into RME ADI-2 fs with headphone output (into HEDD headphones) comparing Amazon HD (for Tom Waits ‘Small Change’ and Analog input from the original album (not remastered) on the turntable via Up2Stream Pro V3 you can hear an overall improvement with the Amazon feed, with the Analog feed you can hear the Mains Hum from my Phono setup. Once I feed both signals into my Cayin Amp from the RME output the differences are less noticeable (still some small mains hum on the Analog).
I think that’s because the Valve amp adds that Valve ‘Effect’ ie lower dynamic range and increased harmonics that the differences are much harder to differentiate between than with the RME ADI-2 fs headphone output with its greater dynamic range and lower noise than the Cayin Ha1-Mk2.
Lets deal with the Hum first…..
I added an extra ground line to my NAD pp2 phonostage and connected it to the amp chassis and the hum dropped considerably.
I’m currently listening to Ry Cooder; Paris, Texas soundtrack (The one I can’t seem to find it on Amazon Music). I have listened to it both through the Cayin valve amp and the Rme ADI-2 fs and I must admit I end up just listening to the music rather than the sound after a minute or two and just simply find either output enjoyable.
I will leave it to other more refined ears to discuss the quality of the sound differences, as despite my efforts to critically listen, I always end up just enjoying the music instead. As far as I’m concerned low cost electronic music devices now have reached a point where they sonically can challenge much more expensive devices. It wasn’t the case several years ago but look at the devices coming from SMSL and Topping these days.
The Headphone output of the RME is more resolving of the Analog sound, the groove artifacts are more evident but not to the detriment of the music, I just find the whole experience of being able to listen to my vinyl music in other rooms simply brilliant, of course I must go through to flip the Album but Hey! At least it’s exercise and gets me out my chair or out the bed.
Quality wise I am extremely happy with the sound. this is a very cheap way of getting your Analog music into your distributed music network.
Whilst working my way through my Vinyl collection this morning, I'm printing a case for the Pro V3 (not my design but from Thingiverse- https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4922531, So listening to Vinyl Music, 3D Printing and Working too... who says Men can't multitask? With a little help from Jabba the Hutt.
I’ve had great fun with the devices connecting them up to my different audio systems and designing and 3D printing cases for them too, adding an additional Dac and Coax output to the Mini V3.
Arylic were impressed with my 3D cases and postings on various Forums and sent me an Up2Stream Pro V3 to try out, its like the PCB inside the S10 but doesn’t come with the remote (can be ordered separately).
I had planned to use it to feed a Behringer Monitor2USB device (it has variable crossfeed, twin headphone outputs at a relatively low cost). This would allow that device to have full access to my Vortexbox DNLA server and Amazon Music.
This morning it’s a lovely sunny day outside (A very rare event in Scotland), windows open, headphones on and working at my desk and I just fancied listening to the ‘Paris, Texas’ soundtrack but could I find it on Amazon Music, nope, just the title track but no album.
I’ve got the album on vinyl but I’m working at my desk and the turntable isn’t accessible. What to do?
Then it clicked the Up2Stream Pro V3 has an Analog Input and according to the blurb (https://www.arylic.com/products/up2stream-pro-receiver-board) it puts it on your network!!! What!!!!! say that again!!
It takes a Analog Input; Converts it to Digital and sends it over the network to be accessed by other Arylic Up2Stream devices and app controlled and can synchronised to the other arylic devices or not(you pick or choose which ones to send it too).
Within 5 minutes I had hooked up the device to the turntable system in the main living area and was transmitting digitally (Not FM broadcasting) the Vinyl output to my other rooms…..WOW!!!!
The Analog to Digital transmission very good.
The turntable is a Project Genie 1 with the original Ortofon cartridge feeding a Nad pp2, this then outputs into a Pioneer Av amp VSX-S300 with headphone output feeding the Analog Input of the Pro V3 which then gets the turntable music into the house network and I can access it from the separate Arylic systems I have setup (even the bedroom has an Up2Stream Mini feeding the coax input of a Canary Daart and into Sundara’s, for some bedtime listening). So now when the other half commandeers the Living Room I can have access to all my music, Flac, Streaming and now Vinyl!!!!
Quality
Via the Up2Stream HD device coax output into RME ADI-2 fs with headphone output (into HEDD headphones) comparing Amazon HD (for Tom Waits ‘Small Change’ and Analog input from the original album (not remastered) on the turntable via Up2Stream Pro V3 you can hear an overall improvement with the Amazon feed, with the Analog feed you can hear the Mains Hum from my Phono setup. Once I feed both signals into my Cayin Amp from the RME output the differences are less noticeable (still some small mains hum on the Analog).
I think that’s because the Valve amp adds that Valve ‘Effect’ ie lower dynamic range and increased harmonics that the differences are much harder to differentiate between than with the RME ADI-2 fs headphone output with its greater dynamic range and lower noise than the Cayin Ha1-Mk2.
Lets deal with the Hum first…..
I added an extra ground line to my NAD pp2 phonostage and connected it to the amp chassis and the hum dropped considerably.
I’m currently listening to Ry Cooder; Paris, Texas soundtrack (The one I can’t seem to find it on Amazon Music). I have listened to it both through the Cayin valve amp and the Rme ADI-2 fs and I must admit I end up just listening to the music rather than the sound after a minute or two and just simply find either output enjoyable.
I will leave it to other more refined ears to discuss the quality of the sound differences, as despite my efforts to critically listen, I always end up just enjoying the music instead. As far as I’m concerned low cost electronic music devices now have reached a point where they sonically can challenge much more expensive devices. It wasn’t the case several years ago but look at the devices coming from SMSL and Topping these days.
The Headphone output of the RME is more resolving of the Analog sound, the groove artifacts are more evident but not to the detriment of the music, I just find the whole experience of being able to listen to my vinyl music in other rooms simply brilliant, of course I must go through to flip the Album but Hey! At least it’s exercise and gets me out my chair or out the bed.
Quality wise I am extremely happy with the sound. this is a very cheap way of getting your Analog music into your distributed music network.
Whilst working my way through my Vinyl collection this morning, I'm printing a case for the Pro V3 (not my design but from Thingiverse- https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4922531, So listening to Vinyl Music, 3D Printing and Working too... who says Men can't multitask? With a little help from Jabba the Hutt.
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