Stereo amplifiers, a fundamental component of audio systems, serve as the backbone of audio playback by amplifying and enhancing audio signals. They are designed to power and control speakers to produce rich, immersive sound experiences in both home and professional settings. At their core, stereo amplifiers take weak audio signals from sources like CD players, turntables, or digital devices and significantly boost their power. This amplification ensures that audio is delivered with clarity, precision, and the right amount of volume, making it a key element in achieving high-quality sound reproduction.
Wireless stereo amplifiers are a type of stereo amplifier that can transmit and receive audio signals wirelessly. This eliminates the need for wires between the amplifier and the speakers, making it easier to install and use the system. Wireless stereo amplifiers typically use Bluetooth to transmit audio signals. It is a very reliable and efficient technology, making it ideal for streaming audio.
The Arylic B50 is an interesting Wireless Stereo Amplifier that we recently got our hands on. We say it is interesting because it can transmit and receive audio over Bluetooth, drive two passive speakers with power up to 50W, and receive input from HDMI ARC, Optical, Line In, and Phono In. On the Bluetooth side, things are exciting as it has support for Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX HD. There are several more features such as Companion App for smartphone, USB Playback, and USB DAC Functionality.
This is the review of the Arylic B50 Wireless Stereo Amplifier. We are writing this review after using the device for more than a week and testing it with different speakers (passive bookshelf speakers, Bluetooth Speakers, and Bluetooth Headphones), different inputs (Bluetooth, USB Playback, and USB-C DAC), using the app, and many more. Continue reading the review if you are interested in buying a decent stereo amplifier that can also work beautifully for Bluetooth transmission as well as reception.
Let us quickly unbox the package and take a look at its contents. Opening the box, we have the user manual and an instructions card with information on app and Bluetooth Transmitting and Receiving Modes. Very useful stuff. We highly recommend going through it.
Next, we have couple of boxes with designs/prints on them that indicate their contents. The first box has a power supply. It is a standard universal AC mains input (100 – 240V, 50/60Hz) to 24V DC adapter. The maximum output current is 4.16A, making it a 99.84W adapter. The good thing about this adapter is the output connector is a standard barrel jack. So, you don’t have to worry about replacements.
The second and slightly bigger box contains couple of antenna for Bluetooth, power cord to connect to the power supply, and a tiny IR Remote Control. Exploring further, we have the main event i.e., the Arylic B50 Amplifier. We really like the protective foam that comes with the product.
If you are familiar with stereo amplifiers in general, then the design of the Arylic B50 might seem familiar to you. It has a metal body construction that adds some heft to the product. On the front, we have an ON/OFF toggle switch on the left. Right to it, we have the IR Receiver and 8 status LEDs (just below the Arylic branding) corresponding to power as well as different modes (Bluetooth, Line In, Phono In, etc.). On the far right, we have a rotary dial (a rotary encoder) with a push switch. The dial adjusts the volume (obviously) while the center button switches between modes.
The back side of the Arylic B50 is busy with several ports. We will start with the two antenna ports (SMA) for Bluetooth and BLE. These ports are on extreme ends on the back. As we mentioned earlier, the power supply has a standard barrel jack. Corresponding to this, we have the barrel connector. For speakers, we have four standard banana sockets with binding post screws for left and right speakers. There is a ground connector, if you need one while connecting to a turntable. Then we have four RCA sockets, two for Phono In (L and R) and two for Line In (L and R). Interestingly, there is another RCA connector but this is for Sub Out. It is good that we have a separate SW OUT port so that we can connect a powered sub-woofer with our stereo setup.
We also have optical In as well as HDMI ARC In. There are a couple of USB ports on the Arylic B50 Amplifier. One is a standard USB-A Port that accepts USB Drives for audio playback. The other is USB-C that we can connect to PC and use the B50 as a DAC. There is a reset button on that back that not only resets the device but also acts as setup button for Bluetooth Pairing.
On a whole, the design of the Arylic B50 Wireless Stereo Amplifier is minimalistic on the front and a plethora of connectivity options on the back. The build quality is good and there is a heft to the device, thanks to all metal construction.
The first step in setting up the Arylic B50 is connecting the two antenna to the back of the device. Then plug in the power cable and toggle the switch to on. This will bring the device to life and the “BT” LED starts flashing. In order to use the remote control, you have to install a couple of AAA batteries, which sadly don’t come in the package. It is time to connect the speakers to the amplifier. For our testing, we have a pair of Sony bookshelf speakers. There is nothing fancy about these speakers but they sound good.
Connecting the speakers is pretty straightforward. Look for the positive and negative wires of the left and right speakers and connect them at appropriate banana connectors.
The next step is to figure out the source of input. As we already know, the Arylic B50 supports a variety of inputs. We will start with the simplest of all, the Bluetooth. To be specific, we will use the B50 in the Bluetooth Receiver Mode, where we will transmit audio from a device (smartphone or laptop) over Bluetooth to Arylic B50.
In Bluetooth receiver mode, the Arylic B50 displays a flashing BT LED to signal its readiness for a connection. Users can initiate the connection process on their Bluetooth transmitter devices, such as smartphones, iPads, TVs, or laptops, by searching for the Bluetooth device named “B50” and establishing a connection. After a successful connection, the BT LED remains lit, allowing users to play music from their connected device, with the audio output directed through connected passive speakers. The Arylic B50 also has the ability to remember previously paired devices, automatically reconnecting to them.
A notable feature of the Arylic B50 is its support for simultaneous connections with up to two devices. After the first device is connected, users can trigger pairing mode for the second device by either pressing the Reset button on the device itself or using the BT button on the included remote controller. The connection process for the second device mirrors that of the first. Note that only one device can play music at any given time. When the currently playing device stops music playback, the other device can then begin streaming music. To disconnect the Bluetooth connection entirely, just double press the Reset button.
The Arylic B50 is a powerful 50W x 2 amplifier designed for passive speakers, bookshelf speakers, and mobile devices, making it an ideal addition to your entertainment setup. The 50W power is applicable only if the impedance of the speaker is 4Ω. If the impedance is 8Ω, then the maximum power is only 30W. The compact Class D digital power amplifier can deliver acoustically accurate and low-distortion audio reproduction, ensuring a high-quality listening experience. It also features Bluetooth wireless music streaming capabilities.
What sets the B50 apart is its use of aptX HD technology with a Qualcomm Bluetooth chip, supporting Bluetooth 5.2, aptX HD, aptX AD, aptX, and aptX LL audio formats. This enables the amplifier to stream and receive high-definition music from two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. The inclusion of a high-end Bluetooth module and precision-tuned antenna ensures a stable and low-latency connection, even up to 50 feet away. This means you can enjoy HD music on your headphones without the interference of popping or audible noise, making the Arylic B50 an excellent choice for enhancing your audio experience.
Apart from Bluetooth, the Arylic B50 offers versatile audio input modes to cater to various devices and sources. You can also connect analog devices with line out port. The Arylic B50 can also act as a Turntable Amplifier. Simply connect a turntable to the Phono In port (and there is a GND connector as well).
In Optical In mode, users can connect any device with a digital optical output to the B50. For users with modern TVs featuring HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) ports, the B50 provides HDMI ARC Mode. This mode lets you connect the B50 to your TV, effectively transforming it into an external stereo sound system for playing music through passive speakers.
You can select the Optical In or HDMI ARC Mode either by pressing the Mode button on the device, using the remote controller, or through the smartphone app. Depending on the mode, the respective LED on the front panel illuminates. Moreover, you can stream Optical In or HDMI ARC audio through Bluetooth, allowing you to listen from connected Bluetooth receiver devices like speakers or headphones for private listening while watching TV.
In USB Disk Drive Playback Mode, users can store their music files on a USB disk drive and plug it into the B50 for playback. The device automatically switches to USB Mode, indicated by the illuminated USB LED. The B50 offers a resume playback function, starting from the last song played when the USB disk drive is reconnected. Furthermore, you can stream stored music to connected Bluetooth speakers or headphones via Bluetooth transmitter mode. The USB disk drive should be in Fat16/Fat32/exFat format and must not exceed 128GB in size.
For those seeking to use the B50 as an external USB stereo sound system with a PC, the USB DAC Mode is available. Users can connect the B50 to their PC using a USB Type-C cable designed for data transfer. In this mode, the B50 should be selected as the sound output device on the PC. As with other input modes, audio from the PC can be streamed to other connected Bluetooth devices for a versatile listening experience.
So, how was the performance of the Arylic B50 Wireless Stereo Amplifier? The process from unboxing to setting up the device was very simple. After setup, we first connected a pair of passive Sony speakers to the amplifier using the banana jacks. Then we paired the B50 with our smartphone over Bluetooth and started playing the music. The quality of the sound is good and we did not face any noise or distortion. The vocals and instruments are very clear and the bass is decent (this is not an Arylic B50 issue but rather the Sony speakers’ issue). Although there is a Sub-Woofer Out port on the B50, we did not have a powered sub to test this feature.
The Go Connect app makes it easy to control your B50 amplifier from your phone. You can use it to play and pause music, change the input source, and adjust the EQ settings. The app is available for free on both Android and iOS devices.
Next, we inserted a USB Flash Drive to the back of the device and paired a Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones to the Arylic B50.It is very easy to control the playback using the smartphone app. Then we used the Arylic B50 as USB DAC with both wired Sony speakers and Sony XM5. The setup was very simple, as usual and the performance is also good.
Last but not least, we connected the Arylic B50 with LG TV that has both HDMI ARC (with CEC) and Optical Out. We tested both Optical and HDMI connectivity with B50 and it worked flawlessly. We could even control the B50 with TV remote, thanks to the HDMI CEC functionality.
The Arylic B50 Wireless Stereo Amplifier is available for $139.99. If you look at the build quality of product and the performance it offers (in terms of audio playback, connectivity, etc.), then we feel the price is good. We are glad that they did not go over that $150 mark.
Overall, we really liked the Arylic B50 Wireless Stereo Amplifier. If you have a pair of bookshelf speakers and want to drive them to listen to music or watch TV, then the B50 is a decent choice. While the stereo amplifier is the USP of Arylic B50, getting Bluetooth connectivity in this price range that too with Transmit and Receive functionalities is excellent. The Qualcomm Bluetooth chip supports aptX(HD and LL) codecs along with regular AAC and SBC codecs.
Connectivity is another plus point of Arylic B50. For output, you can connect normal passive bookshelf speakers using banana cables or pair Bluetooth headphones, speakers, or earbuds. The input side is even crazy with sources such as Bluetooth, Line In, Phono In, Optical In, and HDMI ARC. There is a separate sub-woofer out, although the frequency response is basic.
Whether you are looking to drive bookshelf speakers or Bluetooth speakers, the Arylic B50 Wireless Stereo Amplifier is definitely a worthy contender.
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