We have been working our way through Arylics line the past few months and the latest in from Arylic is the B50. This is another integrated amp like the 2 previous models we have checked out (reviews here and here). This one however is a bit different. It is bigger and to me, better. The B50 has an MSRP of $139.00 and has many features that make it great but a very noticeable difference between this and the A50 is the I/O. The B50 has full-size speaker binding posts, which was really my only complaint about the A50 and A30. The B50 also has a multifunction knob on the front of the unit and a physical on/off switch. The inputs are shown along the front panel and have a corresponding LED showing which is active. So how does it perform? Let’s talk about it.
Setup
Setup is super simple, plug it in, connect to your wifi through the app or Bluetooth, and connect a pair of speakers and you are ready to listen. You also have a good set of inputs to connect practically any source including a turntable. The remotes for all three units we have checked out are the same, which isn’t an issue, but they also use the same channel to control the unit so if you have a couple in the same room the remote will control both. I found this out as I have an A50+ currently powering my LX-16s for my Sony Bravia using the optical input. When I went to turn it on and turn up the volume so went up the tv as well. I would imagine most users won’t have more than one in a room but if you do, this is something to consider.
For which speakers I wanted to try out, I plugged in the very affordable Magnepan LRS+, however, this little amp didn’t quite have the current to drive them. You certainly can use this with the LRS+ if you want to, however, they didn’t sound as good as I know they can with more current, I got sound out of them but it sounded flat and lacked dynamics. I also connected them to the Sonetto V from Sonus Faber as they are currently out of the main system and the B50 has no issue pushing them to comfortable listening levels out in the front room. I also got in a pair of Acoustic Energy 109s to review and thought these may be the perfect pairing. The 109s still need time to break in so this is a great way to do it while listening to the B50, and they run super well with the B50.
Sound Quality
Class d has rapidly caught up and the Arylic is clear proof of that. This little amp packs 50 watts per channel and stays cool even when listening fairly loudly. The B50 has all the same EQ adjustments as the A series, using the remote you can turn up or down the treble and bass depending on your preference. I like some extra bass and the B50 can get those woofers moving on both the Sonetto V and the AE 109s. As per usual I listened to a variety of music to get a feel for how the B50 handles. This time though I added in the Audio Technica LP-7 as the B50 has a phono section. But first I streamed to the B50 over Bluetooth as this model does not have Wi-Fi streaming.
I listened to Massive Attacks Mezzanine, which is a great dynamic, and well-produced album. The first song, Angel starts off with a deep bass line and a light high hat before the vocals start and the mid-range comes in and the Sonus Fabers are punching, the bass is powerful but not woofy or muddy. Granted I found it can get muddy if you turn the bass all the way up, but just a couple of clicks up and it sounds great. The highs are clear but not overly bright as class D can sometimes be. The Sonetto is a touch warm so the class D sharpness doesn’t come through as much, though I could see you needing to tone down the treble with a horn-loaded tweeter like in a Klipshe. Imaging is good, as is the channel separation so panning in the mastering comes through well. You can also turn up the volume well above what I would listen at, and have no audible distortion or clipping at least with the Sonetto and AE 109. This may not be the case for less efficient speakers which I would avoid due to the lower current. In “Inertia Creeps” there is this awesome drum line that has great texture and sounds like it was recorded in a large room due to the reverb, and in the left channel, you have this distant tambourine that comes through so clearly.
Next up was a new artist to me, Griff, specifically “Vertigo”. It is a fun pop song with a good melody. Griff has a breathy soft voice which is presented in juxtaposition to the fast dark bass line. There are mid-range drums and synths as well as plenty of high-frequency effects to add some sparkle to the song. Her voice is presented very naturally by the B50, especially with the Sonetto V, on the 109 she has a little more warmth to her voice. The B50 pushed plenty of power to keep the bass going clean and tightly and not let the woofers overdrive it. I really recommend going and checking out Griff, my favorite song is “Vertigo”, it has a catchy chorus and the bridges are dramatic and lead so well into the chorus. It is a well-written and produced song. The use of electronic effects doesn’t take over but adds dimension and layers to the track. That is not to say her other music isn’t good, I listen to everything she has released so far, but “Vertigo” really stands out.
Over to the phono input I played The National’s “Trouble Will Find Me”. I used the Ortofon Quintet Blue, an MC cart as Arylic says they support it. There is no way to select what type of cart you have, I noticed I had to just turn up the volume. All that said, I chose this album because I love the sound of Matt Berninger’s voice and the vibe of their music. They really nail the indie rock sound with mellow melodies and soft vocals. The phono section on the B50 does well, there is no hum at all, and it applies the RIAA curve well. I wouldn’t say it is an incredible phono section but the thing is, it is better than I expected at this price point. I almost expected some noise, but no, its dead silent. My favorite song on this album is “I Need My Girl”. There is a simple but melodic guitar in the right channel, then a low heavy bass line with a hard kick drum. Matt’s voice is low and dramatic in the chorus with an airiness that gives you the feeling of the space around him. The B50 presents the track with accuracy and detail. There is nothing to complain about with this phono section.
Specs
- Bluetooth Standard: 4.6.45.2, 15m
- Bluetooth Transmit: 2x Bluetooth TX, able to connect up to 2 Bluetooth speakers or earbuds.Bluetooth Receiver: 2x Bluetooth RX, able to connect up to 2 Bluetooth transmitter devices
- Bluetooth Codec: TX: aptX HD, aptX, aptX AD, aptX LL, AAC, SBC;
- RX: aptX HD, aptX, aptX AD, AAC, SBC
- Power Output: 24V 4ohm 50W *2
- 24V 8ohm 30w *2
- Speaker Impedance: 4 – 8 ohm
- Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20Khz
- THD + N: Line Out x 1 / 1 Vrms(3.5mm mini jack)<0.1% @ 1W 1kHz
- SNR: >93db
- Line in: Analog RCA, Max 2V RMS input
- Phono in: Analog RCA, support MM/MC
- Optical in: Max 192kHz/24bit sample rate decode
- PCM encoding
- HDMI ARC: PCM only
- USB Host: USB disk drive playback, support resume playback
- Sample rate: 48kHz
- Storage format: Fat16, Fat32, exFAT, up to 128GB
- Support codec: mp3(data rate up to 384kbps), mp4, wma, mov, m4a, aac, flac(96kHz/24bit), ape
- USB Type-C: USB DAC for PC connection, sample rate: 48kHz
- Subwoofer out: Max 3V RMS output, Frequency Response: 250Hz
- Speaker out: 50W per channel @ 4ohms
- Power Input: 24V/4.16A
- Size: 185 x 155 x 50mm
- Weight: 900g
Pros and Cons
Pros
- great sound
- affordable
- great input options
- compact
Cons
- none at this price point
Associated Equipment
- Speakers:
- Sonus Faber Sonetto V
- Magnepan LRS+
- Acoustic Energy 109
- Sources:
- iPhone 14 Pro with Spotify
- Fio M9 (FLAC and Spotify)
- Audio Technica LP-7 with Ortofon Quintet Blue MC
- Cables:
- Audioquest Evergreen Interconnects
- Custom Built Speaker Cables
Conclusion
I continue to be impressed by the Arylic lineup of products. I think this is my favorite for a handful of reasons. I can not think of anything I would want to change about it for the price it comes in at, which again is $139.00. You do give up the network connectivity of the A50+ but at 60 dollars less it is a compromise I would happily make as a vinyl lover. Having a Phono input means you can look for a turntable that doesn’t have a built-in phono amp, opening up your options quite a bit. The sound d quality is damn good for 139.00 and I would be more than happy to recommend the product to a budding audiophile, or a seasoned enthusiast who is looking to set up a simple no hassle system on a budget. Certainly, if you have plenty to spend you can get better products, but I’m not sure if there is a better integrated amplifier for this price. I have owned a variety of budget-friendly amps and Acrylic continues to be my favorite option on the market in this segment. I prefer their products over Douk and Fosi, or at least out of the ones I have used personally. Both of my Douk (nobsound) tube amps (one 2 channel and one headphone amp) are dead. My Fosi is still going strong but for the price, you get better connectivity and features from the Arylic B50 for only 40 dollars more at normal pricing.
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Disclaimer:
Arylic provided Hifi Chicken with a B50 for the purpose of this review. Arylic nor any affiliate paid in part or full in exchange for this review.