Arylic’s New LA50 Streaming Amplifier w/ AirPlay 2 Available to Preorder

Arylic has announced the LA50 streaming amplifier, a compact stereo amplifier designed to bring modern streaming features, including AirPlay 2, to traditional speaker setups. With built-in Wi-Fi streaming and multiple audio protocols, the LA50 allows passive speakers to function as part of a broader wireless audio system, including integration with Apple devices and Apple Home multi-room setups.

The LA50 is essentially a streaming integrated amplifier, meaning it combines amplification for passive speakers with network-based music streaming. The unit delivers up to 50W per channel, allowing it to drive typical bookshelf or small hi-fi speakers directly without requiring a separate amplifier. The key feature for Apple users is AirPlay 2 support, which allows the amplifier to behave like any other AirPlay speaker within the Apple ecosystem. Once connected to a home network, the LA50 can appear as an AirPlay target in apps such as Apple Music, allowing audio to be sent directly from an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV. In practical terms, this means that an existing pair of passive speakers can effectively become AirPlay-enabled speakers, without needing to replace them with a dedicated smart speaker.

For those not so au fait, AirPlay 2 is Apple’s wireless streaming protocol designed for whole-home audio playback. When a device such as the LA50 supports AirPlay 2, it can join other compatible speakers in a multi-room setup. For example, users can:

• Stream audio from Apple Music, YouTube, podcasts, or any app with audio output directly from an iPhone or iPad.
• Group the LA50 with other AirPlay 2 speakers, such as HomePods, Apple TVs connected to speakers, or third-party AirPlay devices.
• Play the same music across multiple rooms simultaneously, or control playback independently in each room.
• Use Siri voice commands to control playback on compatible AirPlay speakers.

In an Apple Home environment, AirPlay speakers can be assigned to rooms inside the Apple Home app, allowing them to be controlled as part of scenes or automations. For instance, a ‘Morning’ scene could trigger music playback on the LA50 in the living room while other AirPlay speakers play elsewhere in the house.

Beyond AirPlay 2, the LA50 supports several other streaming protocols, including:

• Google Cast
• Spotify Connect
• TIDAL Connect
• Qobuz Connect

These protocols allow music to be streamed directly from the respective apps without relying on Bluetooth, maintaining higher audio quality and more stable playback. Internally, the amplifier includes an ESS9023 DAC and supports high-resolution audio playback up to 24-bit/192 kHz, depending on the source. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and traditional audio inputs such as RCA analogue and optical digital inputs, enabling the LA50 to work with televisions, media players, or other audio equipment.

Although AirPlay 2 is the primary integration point for Apple users, Arylic also provides its own multi-room system via the 4STREAM app, allowing multiple Arylic devices to be grouped together for synchronised playback across different zones in the home. This dual-system approach means the amplifier can operate both within Apple’s AirPlay multi-room environment and within Arylic’s own ecosystem.

Devices such as the LA50 reflect a growing category of products designed to modernise traditional hi-fi systems. Rather than replacing speakers with smart models, a streaming amplifier adds network connectivity and streaming protocols to existing passive speakers. For Apple Home users in particular, this provides a relatively simple way to incorporate older stereo systems into an AirPlay 2 multi-room setup, alongside HomePods and other AirPlay-enabled speakers.

The Arylic LA50 includes a range of physical connections designed to accommodate both modern streaming and traditional audio sources. On the input side, it offers HDMI eARC, allowing it to connect directly to a TV for audio playback, alongside a TOSLINK optical input and stereo RCA line-in for external audio equipment such as CD players or media streamers. There’s also a USB-C port that can function as a USB DAC input, enabling a direct digital connection to a computer, as well as a USB-A port for local playback from USB storage devices. Network connectivity is provided via Ethernet (RJ45) in addition to dual band WiFi. For outputs, the amplifier features binding posts for passive speakers that support banana plugs, along with a dedicated subwoofer output, allowing the LA50 to be used as the core of a compact stereo or 2.1 audio system.

The LA50 is available to preorder at arylic.com with a 20% discount on the full price (around US$299) when using the code LA50 at checkout.