This Affordable Hi-Fi Streamer Breathes New Life Into Your Traditional Stereo System

Over the last decade or more, high-resolution music streamers have become increasingly popular.

Examples like Sonos’s Port or Bluesound’s Nodes (or, on the more affordable end, WiiM’s various music streamers) are simple-to-use audio components that connect to your traditional hi-fi system and add wireless streaming capabilities.

Essentially, they bring your old-school home audio system into the modern age.

And now there’s a new affordable option that, on the surface, looks to be a bona fide rival to the WiiM’s premium streamer, the WiiM Ultra ($329), but it comes with a couple of neat upgrades.

Arylic LP100 Music Streamer

Arylic

Arylic is a rising hi-fi manufacturer that specializes in affordable streaming amplifiers, Bluetooth receivers and music streamers — and now, with the LP100 ($399), it has introduced its most high-end music streamer to date.

Arylic

The little streaming box connects to your hi-fi system’s receiver or amplifier and adds Wi-Fi streaming capabilities, including AirPlay 2, Google Cast and Auracast. It’s also Roon Ready and supports Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect, too.

For those that want a more “back to basics” way to stream, the LP100 also has built-in Bluetooth with support for high-resolution codes (including LDAC, aptX Adaptive, aptX Low Latency and aptX HD).

Turntable compatible

Arylic

Like the WiiM Ultra, the Arylic LP100 is a versatile hi-fi component with a high-resolution DAC and a multitude of wired connections.

Most notably, the LP100 has an HDMI eARC input, so you can play your TV’s audio through your home hi-fi system. It has a built-in phono preamplifier, allowing you to connect a turntable that doesn’t have its own phono preamp.

One unique thing about this phono preamplifier is that it’s compatible with both MM and MC cartridges. (While the WiiM Ultra also has a built-in phono preamp, it’s only compatible with MM cartridges, which are typically reserved for more entry-level turntables.)

Arylic

Admittedly, the Arylic LP100 isn’t as handsome of a music streamer as the WiiM Ultra, as it lacks the big colorful display that shows album artwork. Instead, the LP100 has a single light strip that glows while playing.

But Arylic’s newest music streamer makes up for it with a superior, more audiophile-focused phono preamp and support for a wider array of high-resolution Bluetooth codecs. For those in Apple’s ecosystem, support for AirPlay 2 is a big bonus, too.

Arylic

Price and availability

The Arylic LP100 is available for preorder now from the company’s website and starts shipping on December 30th. It costs $399.

However, Arylic is currently running a Black Friday deal on the LP100. Those who preorder it get a 20 percent discount (or $80).

Arylic

Arylic LP100

• $399 at Arylic

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