iFi Audio Neo Stream Network Streamer Review

A little healthy weirdness never hurt anyone

by Ed Selley
Hi-Fi Review

41

Highly Recommended
iFi Audio Neo Stream Network Streamer Review
MSRP: £1,299.00
9
AVForumsSCORE
OUT OF
10

iFi Audio Neo Stream Network Streamer Review

The Neo Stream is not perfect and some notionally more 'normal' rivals offer a more comforting solution but very little at the price can get close to the level of sonic performance on offer here.

Pros

  • Sounds truly outstanding
  • Flexible use options
  • Well made and specified

Cons

  • No native Qobuz
  • Display is hard to read
  • Fussy styling

Introduction - What is the Neo Stream?

The iFi Audio Neo Stream is a one box network streaming preamplifier. It’s the first device of its kind from iFi and a development of the ZEN Stream we looked at last year. I happen to think that the ZEN Stream is excellent; it certainly worked well in a variety of usage patterns here, but feedback here and elsewhere did suggest that there was demand for something more conventional in network streaming terms. The Neo Stream is - on paper at least - that.

Hi-Fi Review

35

iFi Audio ZEN Stream Review

iFi Audio ZEN Stream Review

by Ed Selley ·
The latest member of the Zen family is by far the most technically ambitious and specialised. Is this exactly the device you need in your system though?  
8

Why is the ‘on paper at least’ in that sentence like an ominous portent then? I’ll cut to the chase early; the Neo Stream is an iFi product and, in keeping with the company’s activities over the last few years, it takes the opportunity to introduce at least one feature that’s not simply different to similarly priced competition but different to any network streamer I’ve ever tested. The company is not content to be a common denominator organisation; if there’s something they fancy trying, they go ahead and try it.

I’m a fan of this; the string of blinding reviews that iFi Audio has achieved here are testament to that. I’m not blind to the feelings of others though. Is the Neo Stream a good enough streamer at the day to day end of things to go ahead and make a case for some of the unusual features that iFi has gone and added to it? Can it make good on the boring but necessary things to allow the bells and whistles to shine? Time to find out.

Specification and Design

iFi NEO Stream

At its core, the Neo Stream is a competitive device. It supports wired and wireless networking and supports sample rates to 24/768kHz and DSD512. The hardware that achieves this is similar to the Neo DAC that we have already reviewed. Like that, iFi eschews the use of ESS or AKM DACs and goes for a Texas Instruments (nee Burr Brown) that has four internal channels, making balanced operation possible and allowing for the Neo Stream to handle DSD natively to 512 as well. While, I am now receiving press releases for devices that have doubled these sample rates again, these numbers are still far in advance of most commercially available content. The Stream can also handle double speed DXD and MQA - more of which later.

The DAC is supported by a 16 Core XMOS micro controller that possesses specs considerably in advance of what the iFi ‘needs’ to do its job. The argument is twofold; the first is that, in normal operation, this processor has a considerable amount of reserve capacity. The second is there is potentially some scope for future proofing too although iFi doesn’t go so far as to state that this is confirmed or guaranteed. As with most things we review on AVForums, ensure you choose something based on what the spec offers now rather than some idea of what it might do in the future.

In keeping with other iFi Audio devices, the signal path of the Neo Stream is chock full of components chosen because iFi likes what they do. The standard proviso applies that other companies also have specific components they like very much and that what makes iFi different is that they tell you what they like applies but, even judged at the higher prices that the Neo family exists at over the ZEN components, there are still some impressive bits of hardware in use here.

iFi NEO Stream

This is joined by some other iFi Audio refinements. The clock that regulates the digital signal is rated to the femtosecond (a unit of time even shorter than the length of time it takes for someone on the North Circular to honk their horn after a traffic light turns green). Furthermore, if you want to use the Neo Stream as a transport, the S/PDif out has the company’s iPurifier technology. The 9V PSU is a high quality effort that I’ve seen on some other devices from the company (interestingly, the iPower Elite PSU that can be used with the Neo iDSD is not available in a 9V configuration).

Hi-Fi Review

38

iFi Audio Neo iDSD DAC Review

iFi Audio Neo iDSD DAC Review

by Ed Selley ·
iFi is a master at sublime affordable digital so what happens when they get a bigger budget? The Neo iDSD is here for us to find out.  
9

Like the Neo iDSD, the Stream is both balanced and a preamp. The greater demands on back panel space that the streamer has, means that the balanced connector is on a 4.4mm connection but the Stream is no less balanced than a device with a pair of XLRs on the back. Both this and the RCA connection are variable, with the front panel knob serving as the volume control. Connect a power amp to the Stream and you have a self-contained system.

Then, as we reach this section of the review, it’s time to cover the more unusual bits of the specification. First up, if you choose to use the Stream as a transport, you have multiple connection options. The iFi will output over USB, coax, optical, AES and there is an i2s connection too. The USB and i2s connections will pass the full frequency handling of the Stream which means it can front up some fairly impressive DACs as needed.

The second feature is much more unusual; I certainly don’t recall seeing it before. As you might expect, the Stream can be connected to your network over RJ45 Ethernet and also make use of Wi-Fi. Both of these work very well and wireless performance has been very stable when the Stream has been used in this way. If you fancy though, you can connect the Stream via M12 Ethernet too; the argument being that the M12 is more immune to shock and interference.

The iFi also supports optical LAN which is decidedly left field. Supplied with the Stream is an ‘Optibox’ that converts RJ45 Ethernet into an optical signal (on a larger locking plug than the standard toslink. The company says this is high speed, bit perfect and completely free of capacitance and inductance (it also, by the by, apparently works at distances up to a kilometre but you’ll need to sort your own cable for that). What I like about the inclusion of this is that it is just that; included. If you look at the Optibox and go ‘nah’, the Stream will connect the same way as any other Network streamer but, if you fancy, you can make use of some genuinely different thinking.

The software of the Stream is in keeping with iFi’s ‘choose your way’ approach. The Stream-iFi App that debuted with the ZEN Stream has been tweaked a little further since I last tested it and it offers smooth and reasonably stable (playback was unaffected but the app has frozen under test) access to a stored library and internet radio. AirPlay is also fitted although I found this didn’t work when the Optibox was in the chain so that is something to pay attention to. Despite iFi’s excellence in the field, Bluetooth is not supported, nor is Google Cast.

iFi NEO Stream

What it won’t do either is natively access any streaming services. Instead, the Stream supports both Spotify and Tidal Connect. The latter, when combined with iFi’s excellent MQA implementation; it’s pretty much second only to dCS, is a potent option here. You can then use third party apps or Roon as control points too. This is flexible but not perfect. Accessing Qobuz or Deezer can’t be done natively and the Stream is less flexible than something like the Arcam ST60 in this regard. It’s easy for me to say ‘Roon is better, use that’ but it’s expensive and it leaves the Stream at a slight disadvantage to some rivals.

The Stream is built in the same ‘Neo’ casework as the iDSD and there are a similar selection of pros and cons to it here. The chassis is compact and well finished it feels solid and reassuring in use and it has the unusual ability to be used both horizontally and vertically. The display is a nice one too with good contrast and colour. It is tiny though; at my standard listening distance, it’s completely unreadable. I also feel that the design of the Neo chassis is a little fussy, with lots of details that feel like styling rather than function. There is also no remote control; something that isn’t the end of the world given that the Stream can be controlled easily enough over network but, again, some rivals are so equipped.

iFi NEO Stream

If you look at the Optibox and go ‘nah’, the Stream will connect the same way as any other Network streamer but, if you fancy, you can make use of some genuinely different thinking

How was the Neo Stream Tested?

The iFi has been used over wireless, standard Ethernet and optical Ethernet connections and connected via RCA to a Chord Electronics CPM2800 MkII, Cyrus Classic Amplifier and Rega Elex Mk4 amplifiers. Speakers used have been the Kudos Titan 505and Neat Petite Classic. Material used has been FLAC, AIFF, DSD, Tidal (including Tidal Connect), Qobuz and Spotify Connect.

Hi-Fi Article

96

Audio Formats - What Does What and What It All Means

Audio Formats - What Does What and What It All Means

by Ed Selley ·
There are more formats, codecs and buzzwords around audio than ever before - we try and hack through the mire to give you the basics.  

Performance

iFi NEO Stream

Those of you with a sufficiently masochistic streak to read the bulk of my reviews might feel as we get to this point that, compared to a few iFi reviews I have written up to this point I have been less effusive in my praise for the Neo Stream compared to, for example the ZEN One Signature (which is, in fairness, objectively perfect). Let me be clear though, fence sitting ends now. If you are looking for the best sounding network audio player at (or near) the price point, it’s this one.

Hi-Fi Review

143

iFi Audio ZEN One Signature DAC Review

iFi Audio ZEN One Signature DAC Review

by Ed Selley ·
The most prolific DAC manufacturer of them all continues in its mission to fill every niche in the market with digital goodness. Is the ZEN One Signature a lozenge you’ll love?  
10

In terms of decoding hardware, the Neo Stream is not materially different from the iDSD but where, co-opting that into a streaming setup will require a front end of some description, the standalone nature of the Stream allows you to focus on how good that decoding is. The Stream’s arrival coincided with me discovering the Hermanos Gutierrez; a duo of Swiss Ecuadorean guitarists. As well as being every bit as achingly pretentious a backstory as a HiFi reviewer needs, their exquisitely recorded guitar work perfectly shows up how good the Stream is. You’ve all heard guitars countless times both recorded and for real. It’s a mark of what the iFi does that the opening bars of Western Bronco on Hijos Del Sol still has the scope to make you go ‘bloody hell!’

At the core of that response is the manner in which the iFi makes music. You don’t listen to the DAC, or note the presence of TDK C0G capacitors or the use of Tantalum capacitors in certain key areas (something I’ve rarely encountered outside of very pricey valve gear). All of that would be the Stream failing in its key ambition to not be the story. Instead, you are simply aware that the tonality on offer here is absolutely exceptional. It’s not showy or emphasised, instead it simply sounds utterly and compellingly real. I’ve tried all sorts of instrumentation; from the hangs of the Portico Quartet to stringed instruments I can’t pronounce wielded by Ali Farke Toure and the iFi is gloriously and unambiguously real with all of them.

And then there’s voices. Returning to Regina Spektor’s Consequence of Sounds, the most complex simple track going, the iFi is sensational. The surprising dynamic heft of Spektor’s voice is handled effortlessly as is her astonishing tonal range. This is not a ‘cheap’ device but I don’t recall hearing many things that cost less than the Stream does that sound so effortlessly right. When you increase the complexity and start needing bass and scale, such as with Sunda Arc’s Night Lands, the iFi generates both depth and texture in a way that means that there is ‘low end’; a definable fill and recreation of the lower registers rather than simple bass. Of course, if you want big electronic noises, the Stream will turn its hand to Invaders Must Die by the Prodigy without breaking sweat.

And what of the Optibox? I found that running the Stream behind it did result in (slightly) improved performance. There’s no appreciable noisefloor to the iFi in any condition so the optical connection isn’t quieter but there is - for want of a better description - an improvement to the perception of order and three dimensional space that the Stream is capable of. As before though, if this annoys you as a concept, you can leave your Optibox in the box and simply ignore it. I admire that iFi has included something so determinedly unusual but not railroaded you into using it and I think this approach might win then more supporters in the long run.

Having used the Stream in a few different configurations, I feel that the sweet spot is Tidal Connect. Sure, Roon is great and, if you’re a user already, the Stream has behaved flawlessly used as an Endpoint but, you can attach an iDSD to a Core over USB and save a fair bit of cash while getting much the same thing. Tidal Connect on the other hand is now unconditionally stable (I tried a few different approaches to make it fall over and it didn’t; it’s considerably more capable than when I tested it on early ZEN Stream software). The combination of decent UI and the very good MQA implementation gives the Stream an operating condition that is stable and user friendly and sounds good at the same time. I still don’t love MQA; I can’t ignore that it sounds different to Hi-Res PCM and DSD versions of some releases but this is possibly the best real world implementation I’ve spent any time with.

iFi NEO Stream

If you are looking for the best sounding network audio player at (or near) the price point, it’s this one

Conclusion

iFi Audio Neo Stream Network Streamer Review

The Neo Stream isn’t perfect. Unlike the ZEN Phono and ZEN One Signature that are simply so ridiculously capable that they defy any reasonable attempt to criticise them, the Stream is not a slam dunk. I feel that iFi’s ‘control it how your like’ philosophy is admirable but when I compare it to Arcam’s study and reassuring Music Life app or the all conquering BluOS, the Stream feels a bit more haphazard in how you use it.

If you don’t mind this and have a usage pattern that syncs with how the Stream can be used, it’s hard to ignore just how good it sounds. Sonically, this a truly viceless bit of kit, a step forward from excellent budget implementations that gives a taste of just how good some high end can be. For people with enough streaming experience to know how to use the Neo Stream, it is going to delight and for that reason, it comes Highly Recommended.

You might also like:

Hi-Fi Review

126

Arcam ST60 Network Audio Player Review

Arcam ST60 Network Audio Player Review

by Ed Selley ·
Full width, self contained network streamers don’t come along very often but Arcam’s ST60 is here to show us why they still have their uses.  
9
Hi-Fi Review

40

Zidoo Neo S Media Player Review

Zidoo Neo S Media Player Review

by Ed Selley ·
Fancy an audio streamer with video nous too? Zidoo has turned its attention to just such a thing in the Neo S - is it the combo of skills you need?  
9
Highly Recommended

Scores

Build Quality

.
.
8

Connectivity

.
9

Sound Quality

10

Ease of Use

.
.
8

Features

.
9

Verdict

.
9
9
AVForumsSCORE
OUT OF
10

Our Review Ethos

Read about our review ethos and the meaning of our review badges.

To comment on what you've read here, click the Discussion tab and post a reply.

Related Content

Eversolo DMP-A8 Streaming Preamp Review
  • By Ed Selley
  • Published
Audiolab 9000N Network Streamer Review
  • By Ed Selley
  • Published
Cyrus Stream XR Network Streamer Review
  • By Ed Selley
  • Published
Wiim Pro and Pro+ Network Audio Player Review
  • By Ed Selley
  • Published
Wiim Mini Network Streamer Review
  • By Ed Selley
  • Published

Latest Headlines

Bowers & Wilkins launches 700 Series S3 Signature speakers
  • By Ian Collen
  • Published
Noble Audio launches FoKus Triumph TWS earbuds
  • By Ian Collen
  • Published
Cyrus Audio launches Classic Phono pre-amplifier
  • By Ian Collen
  • Published
iFi Audio launches Go Bar Kensei portable DAC
  • By Ian Collen
  • Published
LG launches portable StanbyME Speaker
  • By Ian Collen
  • Published
Back
Top Bottom