iFi Audio - NEO Stream

ENTER INTO THE WORLD OF MUSIC STREAMING WITH THE ALL-NEW NEO STREAM, AN ULTRA-RES NETWORK AUDIO STREAMER

A music streamer works very much like a CD player. However, digital music is streamed: from your local computer network or the internet rather than a disc. Since You've decided to join the throngs of Hi-Fi streaming enthusiasts, you may be debating whether you need to get a music streamer. The truth is that you can stream music without a specific piece of technology. All you require is a phone or computer with an internet connection. However, that might not be doing justice to your streaming experience. This aspect is what the engineers at iFi Audio understood and have developed an Ultra-Res Network Audio Streamer called the "NEO Stream". The NEO Stream is a feature-packed Network Audio Streamer that hosts an integrated DAC, open source architecture, support for Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, Roon Ready, AirPlay, DLNA/UPnP, NAA and more. It also supports full MQA decoding and true-native DSD. The NEO Stream has a balanced analogue circuitry that delivers maximum sonic purity. With so many features under NEO Stream's belly, You can be certain of experiencing the best possible performance and audio quality.

FEATURES BURR-BROWN DAC CHIPS WITH ULTRA-RES WI-FI/LAN/INTERNET NETWORK AUDIO STREAMING CAPABILITIES AND MQA SUPPORT

All digital audio has to go through a digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) to produce sound. The NEO Stream has a built-in high-performance DAC that seamlessly converts digital to analogue signals. With Hi-Res Audio support being the state-of-the-art with True Native® playback, the NEO Stream can handle PCM data to 32-bit/768kHz, DSD up to DSD512 and single and double speed DXD. Thanks to the Burr-Brown DAC chip's four-channel True Native design, PCM and DSD take separate pathways – this enables DSD, and PCM, to remain bit-perfect in their native form right through to analogue conversion. Using the multi-function knob on the front panel of the NEO Stream, you can choose between the Analogue, Digital, or USB audio output ports. The DAC supports PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) and DSD512 (Direct Stream Digital) up to 32-bit/768kHz through USB/LAN connections and Wi-Fi, respectively. The DAC also supports full MQA decoding and true-native DSD. The NEO Stream's integral DAC stage takes your streaming enjoyment to another level. Four-channel True Native Hi-Res DAC design; that supports PCM 768kHz and DSD 512, Powerful 16-core XMOS processor – performs full MQA decoding (to 384kHz). In the case of DSD, there is no conversion to PCM or application of multi-bit processing – this is unusual and makes the NEO Stream an excellent choice for DSD purists.

Note:A full-strength 5GHz signal is required for playback 384kHz/DSD256 or above over Wi-Fi.

STREAM YOUR MUSIC THE WAY YOU WANT WITH ACCESS TO SOME OF THE RELIABLE STREAMING SERVICES

With the introduction of wireless technology, the world has gone surreal for streaming music without having to deal with the annoyance of wires. The engineers at iFi Audio created the NEO Stream with WiFi capabilities so that you can stream music wirelessly. The NEO Stream comes with the support for Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, Roon Ready, AirPlay, DLNA/UPnP (Digital Living Network Alliance/Universal Plug and Play), NAA and more. The NEO Stream has Roon Ready certification which means the NEO Stream slots straight into a Roon audio environment and works seamlessly with Roon software. Use your choice of any DLNA/UPnP compatible app – BubbleUpnP, connect, Audirvana and so on – to control the NEO Stream and access audio content from online services. With Tidal and Spotify Connect support, you can stream your music straight from these services. The NEO Stream can also operate as a Network Audio Adapter. It directs packets of audio data received over WiFi or Ethernet cable straight to the connected DAC without applying to process. With the support for NAS drive, you can stream from a local storage device using the Stream-iFi app. The NEO Stream fits nicely into the home Hi-Fi system. It has an open-source architecture – that works with multiple control apps and evolves continuously.

TAILOR THE SOUND TO SUIT YOUR TASTE WITH FOUR SELECTABLE DIGITAL FILTERS

The NEO Stream has several different settings that allow you to suit your system and the way that you like to stream your music. Exclusive Modes are individual settings that optimise performance by focusing operation on one mode of use. There are specific settings for Roon, Tidal Masters, DLNA and NAA, a general mode for multi-platform use. Four user-selectable digital filters, each of which has a subtle but discernible effect on the sound, can be switched according to personal taste and music choice. You can adjust the sound with the NEO Stream to suit your musical preferences. It has four digital filters 'BP', 'STD', 'MIN', and 'GTO'. When 'BP' Bit-Perfect is selected, the NEO Stream does not do digital without pre- or post-ringing. The 'STD' enables modest filtering with modest pre- and post-ringing. The 'MIN' enables minimum phase, slow roll-off, and minimum pre- and post-ringing. The 'GTO' Gibbs Transient-Optimised is up-sampled to 352.8/384kHz, with minimum filtering, no pre-ringing with minimum post ringing. The NEO Stream also has custom-designed hardware and software – built for exceptional sound. The NEO Stream, with its fully balanced analogue circuitry, delivers maximum sonic purity.

Note:If the GTO filter is selected, the display indicates the sample rate as 352.8kHz or 384kHz, illustrating the upsampling operation of this filter.

FEATURES A SILENTLINE RETINA-GRADE TFT OLED SCREEN WITH A FULLY FUNCTIONAL VOLUME KNOB THAT DOUBLES UP AS A MENU BUTTON

The NEO Stream features a Silentline retina-grade TFT OLED screen for you to get the relevant information in one place, like album cover artwork display and much more. The OLED display shows the current playback mode, format, sample rate, and the IP address of the NEO Stream when available. You can turn the knob for volume control. Also, you can turn the knob to select the function to adjust after short-pressing button 4. To higher or lower the volume, turn the knob and to mute the device, short press the knob. With a long press of the knob: the screen brightness can also be adjusted. It is possible to choose between analogue, digital, or USB as the audio output port. The system mode selector, the hotspot's ON/OFF switch, and the digital filters can all be changed to suit your needs. There are five different play modes available: AIO (All-In-One). Required for accessing configuration pages from a web browser, DLNA only, TIDAL Connect only, ROON only, and NAA (Network Audio Adapter) only.

Note:When NEO Stream is held horizontally, the OLED screen should be on the left, and when held vertically, it should be at the top.

EXPERIENCE CLEAN AND DISTORTION-FREE AUDIO SIGNAL WITH ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION AND IPURiFiER TECHNOLOGY

The NEO Stream has been painstakingly engineered to remove noise and distortion from the audio signal. The digital signal is regulated by our femto-precision GMT (Global Master Timing) clock to eradicate jitter. The circuit components with low ESR, high linearity and low noise lead to superior sound quality. Power supply noise is vanishingly low, thanks to voltage regulators, high PSRR (Power Supply Rejection Ratio), low idle current, and minimal dropout. Additionally, a synchronous 1.2MHz high-speed power supply controller improves filtering efficiency. The NEO Stream has more clarity, texture, and more dynamic and engaging performance – quite simply, you hear more of the music, just as the artist intended. It also has an Active Noise Cancellation feature that suppresses any noise resulting in clean and precise audio signal transmission. The iPuriFier eliminates irritating audio gremlins from S/PDIF outputs. The Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) II reduces unwanted sound by adding a second sound wave designed to cancel out the first. This functionality results in no sound as it reaches unwanted sound even at the lowest frequencies. Passive noise cancellation is done using insulating filters and works best on the middle to high frequencies. Since it is ineffective at lower frequencies: certain noises can still be heard. Comparatively speaking to the standard noise filter, it reduces noise effectively.

UNIQUE OPTICAL LAN TECHNOLOGY FUSED WITH A SYMMETRICAL TWIN-CHANNEL OUTPUT STAGE REDUCES NOISE AND CROSSTALK IN THE SIGNAL PATH

The NEO Stream includes a unique option alongside its RJ45 and M12 ports – optical LAN. This design architecture is iFi Audio's technology. Connect the OptiBox transceiver to the router and the NEO Stream to the OptiBox via an optical cable. Benefit from the highest quality digital audio connection possible between the router and the streamer. The NEO Stream has ultra-fast data speeds of up to 10Gbps, Bit-perfect transmission of ultra-resolution audio with minimal degradation across distances of up to 1km. The LAN signal from the router is regenerated, reclocked and rebalanced by the OptiBox; true galvanic isolation is applied, with zero parasitic capacitance and inductance. The NEO Stream’s analogue circuitry features a balanced design with a symmetrical twin-channel output stage. This topology, usually reserved for more expensive amplifiers owing to its cost and complexity, reduces noise and crosstalk in the signal path by separating the left and right channels.

BUILT TO PERFECTION, ADDRESSING VARIOUS INPUTS AND OUTPUTS FOR EASY CONNECTIVITY AND COMPATIBILITY

The engineers at iFi have thrived harder to incorporate the best of the best functionality so that you can have easy access; to relevant inputs and outputs. The NEO Stream looks elegant in all respects. On the front panel, the NEO Stream has a nice Silentline retina-grade TFT OLED screen, multi-function knob, network status LED, menu/output selector, power switch and indicator, and USB-C input/output. Despite having many options, the front panel does not appear overloaded. There are numerous digital and analogue inputs and outputs; on the rear panel. It consists of DC Power Supply Connection, M12 Ethernet Input, RJ45 Ethernet Input, Factory Reset, Optical Ethernet Input, USB-C System Update Port, USB Type A x 2 Ports, I2S Output, Balanced 4.4mm Analogue Line Output, Single-Ended RCA Line Output, S/PDIF Optical Output, S/PDIF Coaxial Output, AES/EBU (XLR) Signal Outputs, and Wi-Fi Antenna. I2S digital output via HDMI connector connects to a compatible DAC. The level complies with the low voltage differential signal (LVDS) standard. For the pinout, please see the specifications. The NEO Stream also has an optical LAN input isolation technology that delivers superior sound quality over a gigabit Ethernet connection. It also has an ultra-low noise power supply and optical LAN transmitter/receiver that keeps audio transmission and reception as clean as possible.

Note:To eliminate jitter, a Femto-precision clock controls the USB and S/PDIF interfaces.