Bluetooth Stutter

[Shozzer]

Morning All,

New WiiM Pro owner as of last week. Works flawlessly over Wi-Fi when connected to my Denon amplifier via Line Out and also Optical Out (Coax is a no go as my current connectors don't fit onto the WiiM!) but when connecting to Bluetooth devices - Dali Katch, Sony Headphones and a cheap headband (for use when going to sleep - not a good look!) the sound stutters badly. Have other users had similar problems and were they able to overcome them? The experience varies. Sometimes when the stutter starts, pausing a few seconds allows the sound to buffer and then normal playback is possible. Sometimes it then becomes necessary to repeat the process if the stutter starts again.

The problem occurs whether streaming from LMS or Qobuz via WiiM and happens irrespective of Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection. A device reset did partly improve the situation but essentially Bluetooth is unusable which is a shame as that was the main reason for getting the WiiM. I have submitted a ticket to WiiM but wondered if others had similar experiences they could share.

Thanks for reading.

Steve

 

[Brantome]

Don’t think it’s been mentioned in this thread, but do you have ‘5gHz only’ set on your WiiM under network settings, and tried disabling 2.4gHz on your router? Given that Bluetooth operates on the 2.4gHz band perhaps it’s encountering interference from 2.4gHz wifi.

 

[Shozzer]

Thanks for your suggestions. Yes to both. Frankly, in this day and age though it shouldn't make a difference. Other products cope fine with both bands.

Steve

Don’t think it’s been mentioned in this thread, but do you have ‘5gHz only’ set on your WiiM under network settings, and tried disabling 2.4gHz on your router? Given that Bluetooth operates on the 2.4gHz band perhaps it’s encountering interference from 2.4gHz wifi.

 

[Tacit]

Until WiiM provide a solution, you can add an inexpensive BT transmitter such as below to the RCA output of your WiiM device rather than not using it at all. And before you say you shouldn’t have to, I agree, but it makes little sense not to use the more expensive WiiM device and its range of services when a cheap temporary workaround is readily available.

Amazon.co.uk

Thank you very much! I think it is a good idea only problem the device is not available in my country.

 

[Brantome]

Thank you very much! I think it is a good idea only problem the device is not available in my country.

That was only one I found, there may be others available - just make sure it’s a Bluetooth transmitter, not just a receiver.

 

[wiimamp user]

I must say can,t adress this often enough i am very pleased with the amp! ..really very pleased with the amp,the app ..

Ofcourse on the other hand i didn,t expect this bluetooth issues. The strange thing is my Jabra,s Elites 7 Pro dont experience any problems at all. But with the moondrop Space travels and my favorite headphone( the Dali IO6) it does.
I haven,t contactet WIIM yet because i have hope they can solve this in a upgrade. Hope anyone can tell something what is causing this problems.
I dont want to try lost of things to fix it because for now if there was a solution others would already have mentioned it here i think.

I think i am gonna mail wiim and adress them to this thread..hopefully they can come with a solution.

 

[wiimamp user]

Thanks for your suggestions. Yes to both. Frankly, in this day and age though it shouldn't make a difference. Other products cope fine with both bands.

Steve

Did you try to disable the 2,4 Ghz bandwith?

 

[wiimamp user]

I understand where you are coming from, but if everyone did this then inertia will kick in, and pressure on WiiM to resolve this issue will fall. I doubt as well that WiiM are going to reimburse customers for any workaround devices purchased to help with a product that should just work out of the box.

Feedback from WiiM would go a long way to reassure users who are suffering from these defects - what action is being taken and timescales involved. I, for one, would be very happy to test potential solutions, as I am sure others would too.

Steve

First..@Brandtome thanks by the way for you,re suggestions.

But wouldn,t i be a benifit investing in a bluetooth transmitter when you can you can use newer BT versions or when you can use other"better" codecs ? For instance APTX, APTXHD, APTXLL..codecs is not all according to sound, but it can have an influence.
And if you have a stable good BT connection it could be worth the investment don,t you think?

 

[Brantome]

First..@Brandtome thanks by the way for you,re suggestions.

But wouldn,t i be a benifit investing in a bluetooth transmitter when you can you can use newer BT versions or when you can use other"better" codecs ? For instance APTX, APTXHD, APTXLL..codecs is not all according to sound, but it can have an influence.
And if you have a stable good BT connection it could be worth the investment don,t you think?

Yeah, that’s another plus of using an outboard BT transmitter - they’re more likely to support those newer and higher quality BT codecs. One of the other BT transmitters I looked at even had an spdif input so you wouldn’t be constrained to using the WiiM’s RCA outputs if you already had them in use for something else.

Edit: such as https://www.amazon.co.uk/SONRU-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Receiver-Adapter-Black/dp/B0BD89GRW1/

 

[Brantome]

I think i am gonna mail wiim and adress them to this thread..hopefully they can come with a solution.

Yeah, the more who do that, the better chance they’ll respond. I’ve already escalated it but perhaps they’re thin on the ground this week due to Chinese New Year or such.

 

[wiimamp user]

Yeah, that’s another plus of using an outboard BT transmitter - they’re more likely to support those newer and higher quality BT codecs. One of the other BT transmitters I looked at even had an spdif input so you wouldn’t be constrained to using the WiiM’s RCA outputs if you already had them in use for something else.

That would be great indeed i rather use the optical input then you are right. I gonna look out for such a transmitter.
Because if you can use other "better"codecs, a newer BT version and have a good,stable connection i think it could be worth the investment.
And maybe later WIIM can come with a solution..i think is also important to contact WIIM about this issue..

The exeperience that i have is the devices are a struggeling to make the connection at first. I often have to try more than one to make the BT connection.

Maybe it has something to do the connection is made through the app. I dont know because i am speculating now..
It seems to me( with the DALI) that the bleutooth connection lags behind..compare it to an internet stream if you are watching tv channels: If the channels struggels at first to come through one could have an issue with stuttering of this channel, if the channel appears in an instant you wont have any problems. But why doesn,t the Jabra Elite 7 hasn,t got this problem then i am wondering. Again i don,t know what the cause is i am speculating here.

 

[wiimamp user]

Yeah, the more who do that, the better chance they’ll respond. I’ve already escalated it but perhaps they’re thin on the ground this week due to Chinese New Year or such.

You are right i will contact them. Where is the company of WIIM located? Has nothing to do with this topic ..because i thought is was in the US?

 

[Brantome]

While this is a manufacturer sponsored link, it does suggest that bluetooth “stuttering is a fairly common problem“ and can vary from device to device. Again, I don’t mean this as an excuse for WiiM not to try and address the issue, but just to highlight it might not just be down to their kit.

How to Fix A Bluetooth Audio Stutter

If you are struggling to correct choppy audio, here are 9 quick fixes you can apply to get rid of the Bluetooth headphones stuttering problem.

blog.taotronics.com

 

[Brantome]

You are right i will contact them. Where is the company of WIIM located? Has nothing to do with this topic ..because i thought is was in the US?

Yeah, they do have an HQ in the USA but I suspect some of their staff are perhaps Chinese American or that they may have development staff in China, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they did celebrate Chinese New Year even if based elsewhere. As a Scot, I know many expats celebrate Burns Night and Hogmanay worldwide

 

[wiimamp user]

While this is a manufacturer sponsored link, it does suggest that bluetooth “stuttering is a fairly common problem“ and can vary from device to device. Again, I don’t mean this as an excuse for WiiM not to try and address the issue, but just to highlight it might not just be down to their kit.

How to Fix A Bluetooth Audio Stutter

If you are struggling to correct choppy audio, here are 9 quick fixes you can apply to get rid of the Bluetooth headphones stuttering problem.

blog.taotronics.com

Thank you very much. Think you are right.
Maybe WIIM could implement codecs such as APTX or APTXHD ..maybe this would help i don,t know.
For now i think its worth it to invest in such a bleutooth transmitter.
It could even improve the sound using BT with the WIIM device.
The difference is you make a BT connection to the transmitter and not via the app.( if im right)..neitherway i think it will solve the BT stutter problems immediatly. Im sure of it to be honest.

 

[Brantome]

Thank you very much. Think you are right.
Maybe WIIM could implement codecs such as APTX or APTXHD ..maybe this would help i don,t know.
For now i think its worth it to invest in such a bleutooth transmitter.
It could even improve the sound using BT with the WIIM device.
The difference is you make a BT connection to the transmitter and not via the app.( if im right)..neitherway i think it will solve the BT stutter problems immediatly. Im sure of it to be honest.

Yeah, you’d choose line out (or optical out) from the WiiM app to feed the BT transmitter and pair your headphones with the latter, not the WiiM. Hopefully that might resolve the issue in the meantime.

 

[wiimamp user]

Yeah, you’d choose line out (or optical out) from the WiiM app to feed the BT transmitter and pair your headphones with the latter, not the WiiM. Hopefully that might resolve the issue in the meantime.

Im sure it will.Thanks for all the help.

 

[wiimamp user]

Another question..does the BT transmitter,Receiver has to have an external power supply? Most of them have an battery. Of course i wont use it but i ask myself then you will have to connect it to the USB connection on the WIIM then ?
If you connect is to an power supply and you wont use the battery wouldnt it be better to buy an device without battery?

 

[Brantome]

It would need its own power supply, I don’t think the Amp’s USB would work. And yes, having one with its own power supply rather than batteries would be more convenient I’d think.

 

[wiimamp user]

It would need its own power supply, I don’t think the Amp’s USB would work. And yes, having one with its own power supply rather than batteries would be more convenient I’d think.

Thank you for you,re reply.

I did read the WIIM mini/Pro supports the APTX codec. But if you use this has WIIM to pay for this? Isn,t APTX not connected to qualcomm CPU,s?I mean pay.. if Wiim want to use this for the AMP they have to pay to Qualcomm? I dont know how this works..
Now we have only SBC if i am right.
If the Wiim Mini of Pro has APTX why not the AMP?
Maybe using APTX, APTXHD, APTXLL would solve the stuttering issues..no tickets more to WIIM..problem solved for them and the customers.
Maybe SBC causes_ even with music _lagging problems.. on certain devices.

 

[Brantome]

Thank you for you,re reply.

I did read the WIIM mini/Pro supports the APTX codec. But if you use this has WIIM to pay for this? Isn,t APTX not connected to qualcomm CPU,s?I mean pay.. if Wiim want to use this for the AMP they have to pay to Qualcomm? I dont know how this works..
Now we have only SBC if i am right.
If the Wiim Mini of Pro has APTX why not the AMP?
Maybe using APTX, APTXHD, APTXLL would solve the stuttering issues..no tickets more to WIIM..problem solved for them and the customers.

From memory, I think all WiiM models only support SBC/AAC. I don’t recall APTX being included tbh