Phorus PR5 Streamer
Ah, Phorus PR5. Such an awkward looking streamer, controlled by a crappy app. I hesitate to recommend it to anybody, yet I use it myself.
You see, Phorus PR5 is primarily controlled by the DTS Play-Fi app. The Play-Fi app streams music from Amazon/Tidal/Qobuz onto your phone, and then casts it to the Phorus PR5 streamer. Your phone acts as a middleman for the streaming process. Play-Fi casts to Phorus via WiFi, which allows better stream quality than Bluetooth.
The problem is, DTS Play-Fi is a crappy piece of software. There are significant pauses between songs, and it gets worse if you skip tracks. You can tell by the 3.2/5 review ratings on the Android app store. Every once in a while I try to update my app to see if the situation has improved, but currently it still has usability issues.
So why do I use it myself? Because it's one of the few streams that has a good DAC built in, and it has a full 2V output. It also supports Spotify Connect, so there is no need to use DTS Play-Fi when streaming Spotify.
Which means, it is a very competent device when I stream Spotify. The built-in Wolfson DAC and the full 2V output provides great sound quality compared to some other similar streamer setup. I can skip tracks and control volume all via Phorus PR5.
It is also very cheap, typically selling for $30. Overall, because of its limited scope of usage, it's somewhat a gamble.
It uses about 3 watts when running. It's decent considering it acts as both a streamer and a DAC. Compare power usage with other components here.
Pros:
- Good implementation of Wolfson DAC
- Supports Spotify Connect
- Track control and volume control all in one device
Cons:
- Ugly and bulky
- Usability issues for streaming services other than Spotify
- No digital output
- Software can be glitchy sometimes
Final Thoughts
If you are interested in a Spotify streamer with good sound quality out of box, Phorus PR5 is worth consideration. If you are willing to spend more money for a more capable streamer, see WiiM Mini.
Where to Buy
- Phorus PR5 on Amazon ($30)