Verdict
The Rivo is a large direction of turning a twist with digital comment that has no streaming platform of its own ( or even one that does and is n’t very good ) into a streamer . What ’s more , thanks to Volumio ’s expertise in package , it ’s a very honorable streamer too . The Leontyne Price is a small wet but it ’s a very clever Cartesian product indeed .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Over the last few years , there has been a trend for audio equipment to do more . Where once an structured amplifier might be a words of analogue inputs , they now frequently include a selection of digital inputs too .
This is all very well and good but it does n’t necessarily resolve how you are going to get a signal to that digital board . unite a idiot box is well-to-do enough but a decent cyclosis interface is more of a challenge . for sure , you could connect a laptop , telephone or tablet to a USB connectedness but that makes using it for anything else more of a challenge . you’re able to also buy a standalone streamer but these tend to have decipher on board as well , mean you are pay for this twice over .
The Volumio Rivo is a possible solution to this . Itlookslike a normal(ish ) waft but it is a streaming transport design to blend a streaming user interface with a set of digital yield that can unite direct to the input signal card of an amplifier ( or a standalone DAC ) and avoid reduplicate up on things . This sounds like a very useful bit of kit indeed but it will depend on the Rivo being a joy to use and possessing all the feature film you might need so we ’ll ask to check on and see if it is any good .
Availability
The Rivo is uncommitted from Volumio in a unmediated sales model . At the prison term of composition ( early September 2024 ) it is available in the UK for £ 849 . This does waver slimly but not too so . In the US it is available for $ 1,049 while in Australia it is $ 1,799 .
Something that should be factor out in when considering the cost of the Rivo is that the price includes premium access to the Volumio cyclosis platform . This let in bells and whistle that the company will ordinarily charge you for otherwise and relieve oneself using Volumio on multiple devices ( which can be things like Raspberry Pi based and rather less costly than the Rivo ) which makes multiroom systems easy to get together .
Design
The Rivo is tight related to the Primo pennant which also include a DAC in its chassis . This is 270 mm full which is a little bit broad than the ‘ half breadth ’ of 215 millimeter but still considerably smaller than a full width ingredient .
The physique is made of metal and feel jolly substantial although there are some oddities to this . The out casework is separate from the front and rearward panel and this means there is a very noticeable gap around the edges of the panel , which have in mind that when look at from head on , you may see straight through the unit . It has no effect on performance at all but it feel a bit incongruous at the Mary Leontyne Price .
The review sample in the pictures is the black special edition interpretation of the Rivo and this is sell in plus to the grey , blue and orange casework that appeared earlier . I conceive that the blackamoor is rather more subtle and will blend in with other components well but the brighter colours blandish the industrial design more .
One matter that neither finale has is much in the way of physical controls . The only action you could do in forcible contact with the Rivo is turn it on and off . In every other aspect of control , the only option is the app . As I ’ll cover , this is not a high-risk affair as the app is rather good but it does stand for that there is no means of speedily stopping the Rivo save for turning it off which is something that some other streaming rivals do n’t suffer from , deliver either a forcible remote control or controls ( or indeed sometimes both ) . This does also have in mind though that if you do n’t need to have the Rivo out on display , there is dead no need to have a wrinkle of sight to it .
Features
The Rivo has a pretty straightforward back panel because there are only digital outputs on it . The Rivo has a USB sound turnout that will beam Indian file up to 768kHz for PCM and DSD256 . This is supported by an AES balanced digital output and an unbalanced RCA coaxial out , both of which will support PCM to 24/192kHz but will not handle DSD via this connecter .
This is sufficient connectivity to get the Volumio up and running in most organisation but it is a little annoying that the Motivo ( which has its own decipherment on card too ) has an optical and an i2s connection as well , which would have been welcome on the Rivo too .
As well as the audio outturn , there are other connections too . The Rivo has USB inputs for immediately attaching driving force and can also output a exhibit to a TV over its ownHDMI ARCconnection . This is a courteous idea and it looks rather smart but I found the functioning of the Rivo did slow down down slightly when using it .
The Rivo lead the premium tier of the Volumio software program and this is no bad matter . Volumio has been working on their software system for a number of year and the result is a chopine that covers all of the basics we should wait ; it is unchanging , pliant and prosperous to practice . As well as being capable to get at your locally stored content and render it in a way that is consistent and easy to access . This is supported by access code to Spotify , Tidal andQobuz , plunk for up with a ( very ripe ) internet radio platform .
The premium tier of Volumio also adds some interesting bells and whistles . It can handle your candela pull and also use a USB compact disk drive to encounter CDs directly which may or may not be useful depending on whether you have had any dealings with optical discs . Potentially of more interest is an AI enhanced hunt part that set about to bring material to your care based on your existing listening preferences . As already noted , this is in addition to simplify multi - room use with more than one Volumio machine .
Something that is potentially utile for the future tense is that you are n’t limit to Volumio ’s own software either . Spotify and Tidal user can get to the Rivo via the respective Connect pick in those services andAirPlayis also underpin . The Rivo can also be used as a Roon endpoint via the Roon software which allow it to link a larger ecosystem of devices and work seamlessly with all of them … so long as you are willing to stump up for Roon ’s pretty hefty subscription cost .
Performance
At its tenderness , the Rivo is an entirely digital gimmick . It does n’t decipher anything or search to change the digital sign ( unless you ask it to ) so the infrangible effect that it ’s going to have on your system is lead to be more special than changing the speakers , for example . It also mean that if you are n’t needs happy with the balance of your system , the Volumio is not really going to do anything to change that .
With this being said , the Rivo does have little effects on the carrying out of the equipment here . I usually screen USB sound recording input signal with the signaling from a Roon Nucleus ; a consecrate data processor that runs the Roon operating system of rules . It ’s a dear timbre piece of ironware … but the Volumio still has an edge over it ( and maintains that bound when it is melt down via Roon too ) . Listen to Arab Strap ’s astonishingly black Fable of the Urban Fox the single guitar that begins the data track is more clear-cut and as the caterpillar track builds to its grim stopping point ( spoiler ; it does n’t go well for the foxes ) , the separation and three dimensionality of the caterpillar track is genuinely impressive .
Of course , there is one setting that may well make a considerable difference depending on the digital decoding you are using with the Rivo . The Volumio is able to upsample the digital signaling it is sending to the DAC and , with the Chord Electronics Qutest I used for partnering the Rivo , this boost to the sample distribution rate ameliorate the perception of distance and delicacy around the live edition of Bloc Party ’s So Here We Are that really fetch out the perception of the locus and help to freeze your disbelief that you are listening to electronics and pulls you nearer to the live performance itself .
There ’s one other utile feature here too . While I distrust that most Rivos will be used via the USB connection , if you do n’t have one of these on your scheme , the carrying out via the coaxal yield is exceedingly good too . Yes , some of the more alien sampling rate are n’t supported via this connection but it ’s enough to cover anything that Tidal and Qobuz can do and would allow older devices that might not have USB to be outfit with a forward-looking and very up to streaming front conclusion .
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
Volumio is a great interface and the Rivo allows you to combine it with the decoding you already own to create the system you want with the feature article you need and nothing more . It ’s a very clever bit of outfit .
It ’s knockout to ignore that the Rivo cost more than the Primo which has decipher on board ( and still has a coaxial digital out ) . This is a fairly pricey bit of outfit when you take that some streamers have the same digital outputs and have decrypt on board .
Final Thoughts
The Rivo is a recess root but a well - engineered and clever one . It gives the range to plough some of the fancier standalone DACs into a very able streamer that is a pleasure to habituate . It ’s not move to be for everyone but there is a lot to like here .
Trusted Score
How we test
We test every music waft we survey thoroughly over an lengthened point of time . We use diligence standard tests to compare features right . We ’ll always state you what we find . We never , ever , accept money to review a product .
Find out more about how we test in ourethics policy .
FAQs
The Rivo does come with an HDMI ARC , so you could connect at once to a TV
