Zidoo NEO S
With a jet-black background, crisp microdetail, and a wide, deeply layered soundstage, the Neo S sounds far more refined than its all-in-one brief suggests. Gordon Brockhouse also praised its sturdy aluminum build and powerful headphone output, making this a feature-packed source whose analog performance stands out.
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Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
93/100
Build Quality
91/100
Features Usability
75/100
Value for Money
88/100
Pros
Delivers a very quiet, low-noise presentation with excellent microdetail and spatial separation.
Build quality is impressive, with an aircraft-grade aluminum chassis and premium-feeling controls.
Headphone output has enough drive to handle demanding planar headphones convincingly.
Feature set is unusually broad, combining built-in storage, HDMI video playback, and extensive digital/analog connectivity.
Cons
Software behavior was unstable, with playback and control issues affecting local and networked music use.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 93/100
Reviewers describe a very quiet, black background with exquisite microdetail and strong spatial presentation. The sound is repeatedly framed as natural and unforced rather than spotlit, with solid bass texture and convincing dynamics.
Tonal Balance Musicality
92/100
The presentation is described as natural, with nothing sounding spotlit or exaggerated. Reviewers praise the way voices and instruments come across with convincing timbre and a smooth, engaging character.
Resolution Detail
94/100
Reviewers highlight exquisite microdetail, strong separation, and the ability to hear subtle expressive variations. The soundstage is described as wide, deep, and clearly layered, with fully embodied images.
Digital Performance
92/100
The player is credited with a jet-black background and inaudible noise beyond very close listening, which supports its sense of cleanliness and refinement. The review also notes impressive macrodynamics and confident drive with demanding headphones.
FEATURES USABILITY PERFORMANCE 75/100
The hardware is very flexible, but the software side draws a clear complaint: one review calls it buggy and says it cannot be recommended for locally stored and networked music until fixed. Connectivity is extensive, with Roon Ready support, Bluetooth, HDMI video output, and a wide range of digital and analog I/O.
Streaming Software
68/100
The only direct software verdict is negative, with the reviewer calling the software buggy and warning against recommending it for local and networked music use until Zidoo fixes it. Roon Ready support is present, but it does not erase the usability criticism.
Features Connectivity
92/100
Connectivity is a major strength: Roon Ready, Bluetooth receiver support, HDMI with modern HDR formats, built-in storage, and a broad set of digital and analog inputs and outputs. The feature set is unusually rich for a music player and adds real flexibility.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
91/100
The Neo S is praised for very impressive build quality and materials, especially at its price. Reviewers specifically point to the aircraft-grade aluminum chassis and the substantial power-supply arrangement, though there is little detail about long-term durability or day-to-day mechanical feel.
Value for Money
88/100
The review frames the Neo S as impressively priced relative to the iDSD it is compared with, especially since it costs far less while offering more features such as built-in storage and video playback. That is strong value praise, though not quite the language of a true bargain or bargain-of-the-year claim.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
YouTube Reviews
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Specifications
- Model
- NEO S
- Display
- 5-inch OLED HD touch screen
- Chassis
- Aviation aluminum alloy
- CPU
- Realtek RTD1619DR ARM Cortex-A55(hexa-core)
- GPU
- ARM Mali-G51 MP3
- Internal SSD
- 256G SSD (M.2 SATA 3.0 2280, up to 1TB)
- Audio DAC
- ESS 9068*2
- Wi-Fi
- 2.4G+5G dual band WiFi, 802.11 a/b/g/n/AC 2T2R MIMO 867Mbps
- Ethernet
- RJ-45(10/100/1000Mbps)
- HDMI Output
- 2.0a (4K@60fps/12Bit/HDR/BT2020/YCbCr 4:4:4 output) Support audio passthrough
- Video Decoding
- 4K@60p HEVC/H.265 12Bit HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision
- Audio Decoding
- Support true-hd HD audio passthrough, stereo PCM decoding Built-in DAC audio decoding: support up to stereo DSD512, PCM 768KHz 32Bit, MQA
- Bluetooth Audio Input
- CSR8675 flagship Bluetooth audio module(BT5.0) Support lossless audio protocols such as SBC/AAC/aptX/aptX LL/aptX HD/LDAC
- USB Audio Input
- USB audio compatible system: Windows(7,10), Mac, Android Support up to stereo DSD512, PCM 768KHz 32Bit, MQA
- Digital Audio Input
- USB DAC IN, AES/EBU input, Coaxial input, Optical input
- Digital Audio Output
- Coaxial output, HDMI output, USB Audio output, Bluetooth output
- Analog Audio Output
- Preamp output: XLR(balanced), RCA Headphone amplifier output: 4.4mm balanced, 6.3mm single-ended
- Headphone Impedance
- 16-300K(low-gain mode: 16-32K; high-gain mode: 32-300K)
- XLR(balanced) Output
- Output Level(Vrms): 4.1 Vrms THD+N: -118dB Noise: 2uVrms SNR: 120dB(20Hz-20kHz) Frequency Response: ±0.25dB(20Hz-20kHz) Crosstalk: -120dB(1kHz,Fs=44.1kHz) DNR: 119dB
- RCA(single-ended) Output
- Output Level(Vrms): 2.16 Vrms THD+N: -116dB Noise: 2.5uVrms SNR: 119dB(20Hz-20kHz) Frequency Response: ±0.258dB(20Hz-20kHz) Crosstalk: -130dB(1kHz,Fs=44.1kHz) DNR: 118dB
- Headphone 4.4mm Balanced Output(low-gain mode)
- Output Level(Vrms): 2.26Vrms Output Power/Impedance: 310mW/32K THD+N: -116dB Noise: 1.7uVrms SNR: 118dB(20Hz-20kHz) Frequency Response: ±0.25dB(20Hz-20kHz) Crosstalk: -128dB(1kHz,Fs=44.1kHz) DNR: 118dB
- Headphone 4.4mm Balanced Output(high-gain mode)
- Output Level(Vrms): 4.1Vrms Output Power/Impedance: 110mW/300K THD+N: -118dB Noise: 3.5uVrms SNR: 120dB(20Hz-20kHz) Frequency Response: ±0.25dB(20Hz-20kHz) Crosstalk: -130dB(1kHz,Fs=44.1kHz) DNR: 119dB
- Headphone 6.3mm Single-Ended Output(low-gain mode)
- Output Level(Vrms): 1.5Vrms Output Power/Impedance: 138mW/32K THD+N: -114dB Noise: 3.2uVrms SNR: 116dB(20Hz-20kHz) Frequency Response: ±0.25dB(20Hz-20kHz) Crosstalk: -128dB(1kHz,Fs=44.1kHz) DNR: 115dB
- Headphone 6.3mm Single-Ended Output(high-gain mode)
- Output Level(Vrms): 2.7Vrms Output Power/Impedance: 47mW/300K THD+N: -114dB Noise: 3.5uVrms SNR: 118dB(20Hz-20kHz) Frequency Response: ±0.25dB(20Hz-20kHz) Crosstalk: -132dB(1kHz,Fs=44.1kHz) DNR: 118dB
- USB Ports
- USB3.0*2, USB2.0*2
- Control Ports
- IR IN, Bluetooth, TCP/IP control(WOL)
- Power Supply
- AC 110~240V 50/60Hz
- Dimensions
- 213(L)*292(W)*101(H)mm
- Packing List
- Remote control*1, Power cable*1, Antennas*3, Product manual*1
Manufacturer's Description — Zidoo
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Authorized dealers for Zidoo NEO S
- A1 Futureshop — online and in-store — North Rocks, New South Wales, Australia (website)
- Acoustic Technologies — online and in-store — Montréal, Québec, Canada (website)
- Alex Audio Video — in-store — Sofia, Sofia City Province, Bulgaria (website)
- Altitudo Audio — online and in-store — Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (website)
- Audio Centrum — Hungary (website)
- Audio Excellence (CA) — online and in-store — Markham, Ontario, Canada (website)
- Audio Magic - EU — online and in-store — Wola, Województwo mazowieckie, Poland (website)
- Audio Solutions — online and in-store — Indianapolis, Indiana, United States (website)
- Audio Tempel — online and in-store — Zwolle, Overijssel, Netherlands (website)
- AUDIOAXE — in-store — Courbevoie, Île-de-France, France (website)
and 24 more verified dealers