About the iFi NEO Stream
Sweet streams (are made of this)
Sweet streams (are made of this)
Streaming has become this generation's go-to way to play music. But with hundreds of music streaming apps available, it can be difficult to juggle different them all at once. iFi's new NEO Stream is a brilliant network streamer that provides an easy-to-use interface for streaming and accessing your music. You won't have to compromise on sound quality either — the NEO Stream has a built-in 32-bit DAC plus custom-designed software and hardware to deliver pristine sound. It even features exclusive streaming modes tailored to specific streaming platforms.
Premium internal circuitry to please the ears
The NEO Stream is a feast for the eyes, but of course there's a lot of goodness happening inside its chassis too. Take, for instance, its potent 32-bit digital-to-analog converter chip. Not only does the chip support files up to 32-bit/768kHz, but it can also natively decode DSD files up to DSD512 — perfect for pulling high-res tracks from a networked hard drive and turning them into crystal-clear sound. It even offers full MQA decoding.
Noise and distortion are the eternal enemies of great sound, so naturally, the NEO Stream's analog section was designed to keep them out. It uses fully balanced circuit pathways, a noise cancellation circuit, and iFi's proprietary iPurifier technology to keep signal noise and distortion to an absolute minimum.
Stream almost anything
This versatile network streamer gives you tons of ways to stream music. It uses an open-source software architecture, meaning it works with a lot of control apps, and the list of apps it works with is frequently updated.
You can use popular streaming options like TIDAL Connect, Apple AirPlay, and Spotify Connect to wirelessly play your tunes. There's also DLNA/UPnP and NAA (Signalyst network audio adapter) support for playing music stored on a dedicated music server or a NAS drive. The NEO Stream is even Roon Ready if you have a subscription and want to use it as an endpoint.
Even cooler, there are exclusive streaming modes for TIDAL, Roon, NAA, and DLNA. Those exclusive modes allow the NEO to optimize its performance and give you more fidelity when using one of those streaming platforms.
Hook it up and rock out
The NEO Stream has no shortage of connections. There are two USB-A ports on the back and one USB-C port on the front that serve as both inputs and outputs. You can connect an external USB hard drive or flash drive to them and have the USB ports serve as inputs, or you can use them as outputs to feed signal into an external DAC. There are optical digital, coaxial digital, AES/EBU (XLR), and HDMI audio outputs for connecting the streamer to an external DAC as well.
On the analog side, you get balanced 4.4mm outputs and a pair of unbalanced RCA outputs for feeding signal to an outboard amplifier or receiver.
The NEO Stream's plethora of outputs means you can hook it up to just about any component or amplifier imaginable.
Product highlights:
- streaming music player
- access music from networked storage devices, USB drives, or online music services
- connects to your network via Wi-Fi or Ethernet
- easy streaming from TIDAL Connect and Spotify Connect
- Apple AirPlay for streaming music from compatible devices
- compatible with DLNA, UPnP, and NAA (Signalyst network audio adapter) music servers
- Roon Ready
- manually selectable exclusivity modes for improved performance and stability
- Roon, TIDAL, NAA, or DLNA
- four user-selectable digital filters
- built-in 32-bit/768kHz DAC
- supports DSD files up to DSD512
- native MQA decoding
- iPurifier technology and built-in active noise cancellation circuit for low noise floor
Front panel:
- high-resolution TFT OLED display shows album artwork and menu options
- multi-function knob for scrolling through and selecting settings
- network status LED lights up when connected to internet and shows connection type
- input selector for quickly switching between connected sources
- USB-C input/output for connecting a USB flash drive or hard drive, or sending signal out to an external DAC
Rear panel:
- M12 and RJ-45 Ethernet ports for wired network connection
- two USB-A inputs/outputs for connecting a USB flash drive or hard drive or sending signal out to an external DAC
- S/PDIF coaxial digital and optical digital outputs for connecting a receiver or DAC (support PCM up to 192kHz)
- AES/EBU (XLR) digital output (supports PCM up to 192kHz)
- optical digital input for connecting sources
- HDMI audio output for connecting to a compatible DAC or receiver
- balanced 4.4mm analog output
- stereo pair of unbalanced RCA analog outputs
Other Info:
- 10-1/4"W x 3-13/16"H x 7-1/2"D
- weight: 4.85 lbs.
- warranty: 1 year
- MFR # 313002
What's in the box:
- Network audio streamer
- 4" Network antenna
- Vertical stand
- AC adapter with attached 79" DC output cord (DC output: 9V 2.5A)
- US 2-prong AC plug adapter
- OptiBox optical transceiver
- 40" USB cable (USB-A on one end and USB-C on other end)
- AC adapter with USB-A output port (DC output: 5V 1A)
- 20" Stereo RCA cable
- 20" Ethernet cable (RJ-45 plugs on each end)
- 39" Single-mode optical network cable (SC connectors on each end)
- 4 Adhesive-backed rubber feet
- Quick Start Guide
- After Sales/MQA Setup card
- Warranty and Guidelines sheet
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More details on the iFi NEO Stream
Features & specs
| Inputs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Optical Digital Inputs | None | |
| Coaxial Digital Inputs | None | |
| USB Type A | 2 | |
| USB Type B | None | |
| Ethernet Port | Yes | |
| Outputs | ||
| RCA Outputs | 1 | |
| XLR Outputs | None | |
| Optical Digital Outputs | 1 | |
| Coaxial Digital Outputs | 1 | |
| Subwoofer Outputs | None | |
| DAC Specs | ||
| DAC Bit Depth | 32-bit | |
| DAC Sample Rate | 768kHz | |
| High-res Audio Playback | ||
| From Network | Yes | |
| From USB Thumb Drive (USB-A) | Yes | |
| From Computer (USB-B) | No | |
| Wireless Features | ||
| Bluetooth | No | |
| Bluetooth Formats Supported | --- | |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | |
| Frequency Bands | 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz | |
| Streaming Compatibility | ||
| Apple AirPlay | Yes | |
| DTS Play-Fi | No | |
| Chromecast built-in | No | |
| Roon | Ready | |
| HEOS | No | |
| MusicCast | No | |
| BluOS | No | |
| Music Services | ||
| Amazon Music | No | |
| Apple Music | No | |
| Pandora | No | |
| Qobuz | No | |
| SiriusXM | No | |
| Spotify | Connect | |
| Tidal | Connect | |
| TuneIn | No | |
| YouTube Music | No | |
| Control | ||
| Apple Control App | No | |
| Android Control App | No | |
| Amazon Alexa | No | |
| Google Assistant | No | |
| 12 Volt Trigger | No | |
| Other Specs | ||
| Width (Inches) | 8.436 | |
| Height (Inches) | 1.62 | |
| Depth (Inches) | 5.93 | |
| Parts Warranty | 1 Year | |
| Labor Warranty | 1 Year | |
Product Research
Features
Overview: The iFi Audio NEO Stream is a Wi-Fi/LAN/Internet network audio streamer with an integrated DAC that lets you stream high-resolution digital audio from the leading streaming platforms available. It has Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and USB inputs with a variety of analog and digital outputs. NEO Stream is designed to be placed horizontally on a tabletop, or vertically in the included custom base made of aviation-grade aluminum. The OLED display rotates based on its orientation. It comes with a variety of digital and analog audio cables. The NEO Stream measures 8-7/16" x 1-5/8" x 5-15/16", and weighs 2-1/4 pounds.
Streaming Sources: The NEO Stream's open-source architecture makes it compatible with many of the leading platforms and apps, including Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Roon Ready, AirPlay, NAA, and DLNA/UPnP. You can also stream from a local storage device, such as a NAS drive, using the Stream iFi app. The rear panel USB-C port allows for system updates for adding new features, functions, and compatibility with other platforms. There are five system play modes to choose from: AIO (All-in-One), DLNA only, Tidal Connect only, Roon only, and NAA (network audio adapter) only.
Wi-Fi/Ethernet: The NEO Stream can connect to your router or modem via an Ethernet connection (RJ-45 on back panel) or through Dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac - 2.4 GHz/5 GHz). A 4" Wi-Fi antenna is included. You can also connect to a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot from your phone or other portable device. If your router/modem is nearby, connecting via Ethernet may provide a more secure connection to your internet service. You can also connect to the NEO Stream via a network cable with an M12 X-code 8-pin connector, or via an Optical Ethernet input with an SC single mode optical network cable (included).
Digital Inputs: The NEO Stream also features two USB 3.0 (USB 2.0 compatible) ports with the latest SuperSpeed USB standard for connecting a USB drive, a USB-connected Hard Disk Drive (HDD), or USB DAC. The digital audio data is processed by the built-in XMOS 16-Core microcontroller chip, which is optimized for sound quality. It has double the clock speed and four times the memory as 8-core chips.
Digital-to-Analog Conversion: The NEO Stream is equipped with a Burr-Brown DAC chip with four-channel True Native playback. PCM and DSD data take separate pathways, enabling the formats to remain bit perfect in its native form throughout its conversion to analog.
MQA (Master Quality Authenticated): The NEO Stream includes MQA rendering technology, which enables you to play back MQA files and stream MQA audio from sites such as Tidal Masters. MQA delivers the sound of the original master recording, so you'll hear the music exactly the way the artist intended.
Digital Filters: The network streamer features four user-selectable digital filters that let you select the sound effects to match your personal taste and music selection:
- Bit-Perfect (BP): no digital filtering, no pre or post ringing
- Standard (STD): modest filtering, modest pre and post ringing
- Minimum Phase (MIN): slow roll-off, with minimum pre and post ringing
- Gibbs Transient-Optimized (GTO): up-sampled to 352.8/384kHz, minimum filtering, no pre ringing, minimum post ringing
Analog and Digital Outputs: The iFi NEO Stream lets you connect to an amplifier, active speakers, or another DAC in a variety of ways. In the analog domain, the audio streamer has a 4.4mm (Pentaconn) balanced output and a stereo RCA unbalanced output. Digital Outputs include S/PDIF optical (Toslink) and coaxial (RCA) output jacks, as well as an AES/EBU (XLR) output. These outputs feature iPurifier technology to remove distortion from the audio signal. The NEO Stream features a front panel USB-C and one rear panel USB-A port with built-in Active Noise Cancelling, for connecting the output to a USB DAC. The provided HDMI connector can send an I²S digital output signal to a compatible DAC.
OLED Display: The easy-to-read SilentLine retina-grade OLED display shows the current playback mode, format, sample rate, and the IP address of the NEO Stream when available. It also displays the album cover artwork, when available. The display is located on the left side when the device is placed horizontally, and at the top when vertical. The display rotates to match the unit's orientation. The screen brightness can be set in the main menu, using the multi-function knob. The SilentLine design assures that no electrical noise interferes with the audio signal.
Power: The NEO Stream can be powered by a DC 9V power supply. The super-quiet iPower power supply (5V / 2.5A) is the recommended power supply, and is included in the box. Although any 5V power source can be used, regular USB ports emit lots of noise and may impact the audio performance of the NEO Stream.
Specifications:
Inputs:
- Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac; 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
- Ethernet: RJ-45, M12 X-code 8-pin, Optical
USB: USB-A x2 (rear); USB-C (front) (for USB Disk, HDD, etc.)
- Formats:
- DSD: up to DSD 512 (22.6 MHz)
- PCM: up to 768 kHz
- MQA: Full Decoder
Outputs:
- Analog Outputs:
- Balanced: 4.4mm 4V RMS
- Unbalanced: RCA 2V RMS
- Digital Outputs:
- USB-C (front panel)
- USB-A 3.0 (USB 2.0 compatible)(real panel)
- S/PDIF Optical (PCM up to 192kHz, 24-bit)
- S/PDIF Coaxial (PCM up to 192kHz, 24-bit)
- AES/EBU (XLR - single link)(PCM up to 192kHz)
- I²S via HDMI connector (pinouts in User Manual)
- Output Impedance:
- Balanced: +/- 74Ω
- Unbalanced: +/- 37Ω
- SNR: <-106dB (A) @ 0dBFS (Bal/UnBal)
- THD+N: < 0.0025% @ 0dBFS (UnBal/Bal)
General:
- Power Consumption: <0.5W idle; 14W max
- Input Voltage: DC 9V / 2.0A, 12V / 1.8A, 15V / 1.2A (center pin +)
- Dimensions:
- Horizontal: Width 8.436", Height 1.62", Depth 5.93"
- Vertical: Width 1.616" (3.171" w/base) Height 8.622" (w/base), Depth 5.93"
- Weight: 2.26 pounds (2.44" w/base)
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Wonderful sounding streamer! Very engaging! Make sure your unit has no issues and use the wired connection. I use Tidal connect. The best streamer under 1k!
Allan from Ashburn, VA