Bit Perfect Setting

[Davide]

Dear WiiM Development Team,

your streamer is simply a fantastic tool.

There are a couple of things I would suggest though.

The first, which frustrates many people, is the fact that the audio from the digital output is bit perfect or no.
Now, for the peace of all users, I would like to ask please if you can put a single simple setting in the menu, called Bit Perfect, to be set On or Off. So that when active it creates a direct stream from the source to the digital output, bypassing any volume controls, eq, limiter, sample rate converter, etc.
So we don't have to check every time that everything is ok...

Thanks in advance for your attention.

 

[Brantome]

The output is bit perfect if fixed volume is on and EQ is off, so only two things to check…

Edit: since originally writing this, WiiM have introduced other features such as balance, volume limit, mono, PEQ which will impact bit perfectness - broadly speaking, anything that will effect a change will impact bit perfect almost by definition…

 

[Achim1811]

"We have to check" could be wrong. I know minimum one who does not. And will not. Old and lazy, u know.

 

[Brantome]

"We have to check" could be wrong. I know minimum one who does not. And will not. Old and lazy, u know.

Yeah, I put it in the “set it and forget it” category…

 

[Maurizio]

Dear WiiM Development Team,

your streamer is simply a fantastic tool.

There are a couple of things I would suggest though.

The first, which frustrates many people, is the fact that the audio from the digital output is bit perfect.
Now, for the peace of all users, I would like to ask please if you can put a single simple setting in the menu, called But Perfect, to be set On or Off. So that when active it creates a direct stream from the source to the digital output, bypassing any volume controls, eq, limiter, sample rate converter, etc.
So we don't have to check every time that everything is ok...

Thanks in advance for your attention.

Never heard such a request

 

[Achim1811]

Yes, I trust in my WiiM!

 

[Wiimer]

Dear WiiM Development Team,

your streamer is simply a fantastic tool.

There are a couple of things I would suggest though.

The first, which frustrates many people, is the fact that the audio from the digital output is bit perfect.
Now, for the peace of all users, I would like to ask please if you can put a single simple setting in the menu, called But Perfect, to be set On or Off. So that when active it creates a direct stream from the source to the digital output, bypassing any volume controls, eq, limiter, sample rate converter, etc.
So we don't have to check every time that everything is ok...

Thanks in advance for your attention.

Do you want a switch like AVR's Pure Direct Mode?

If so, I understand what you mean. However, in the case of WiiM, this feature may create new troubles. Because it automatically adjusts the volume.

For example, if you accidentally press the switch when the volume of the WiiM is at 10%, the volume will be fixed at 100% and an explosive sound will pop out of the speakers.

 

[Davide]

You've probably never had to deal with noise and distortion problems induced by digital streams (regardless of audibility).
Even professional audio interfaces, if not carefully set in their DSP settings, are not bit perfect. See Motu Ultralite Mk5 for example, where if you mute unused mixer channels you gain 1dB of SNR. Or where even if the equalizer is set to a flat line you get in certain conditions an overflow with relative distortion.
In fact, many HiFi devices have a setting to reproduce the bit perfect signal in the digital domain, without having to fiddle with the various settings.
It's not about being lazy, it's about making a functional and user friendly product, as is the trend of modern products.
Who uses Excel instead of the calculator is lazy perhaps?
Please... don't make unnecessary comments.

 

[Davide]

Do you want a switch like AVR's Pure Direct Mode?

If so, I understand what you mean. However, in the case of WiiM, this feature may create new troubles. Because it automatically adjusts the volume.

For example, if you accidentally press the switch when the volume of the WiiM is at 10%, the volume will be fixed at 100% and an explosive sound will pop out of the speakers.

Ok thanks, this is a good answer.
However, those who opt for this mode know what they are usually doing...

EDIT. Enabling this option may forcefully prompt the user for the volume to be set to 100% first

 

[Achim1811]

I am lazy! If you want to make your life more complicated to proof your extraordinary knowledge of hifi...go for it!

 

[Mr Ee]

The output is bit perfect if fixed volume is on and EQ is off, so only two things to check…

And mono maakes three.
As per the MQA page.

 

[Davide]

Useless comments aside.

This is what WiiM FAQ says:

To keep compatibility with the legacy optical audio receivers, we set the maximal output to 48 kHz/16-bit by default. You can adjust the output up to 192 kHz/24 bit from the WiiM Home App. It can be done by selecting the device tab > tap the device setting gear icon > Select audio settings > SPDIF output resolution. Then select your target sample rate and bit depth, play test audio to verify if your downstream receiver is able to receive it.

So I wonder, if the spdif output is set to 96kHz and you play 192kHz audio, does WiiM resample?
Is there some limiter that controls the true peaks in that case?
What about a possible reduction of bit depth (if spdif out set eg to 48/16 and play 96/24)? Is dither applied?

And mono maakes three.
As per the MQA page.

Four with the above…

 

[Achim1811]

@Davide
My only point was that I do not want to be part of this "we". Such statements of the infamous "common sense" make me always nervous. Especially in HiFi. And please allow me a different meaning, ok?

 

[Brantome]

Useless comments aside.

Comments are users’ personal opinions to which they are entitled. Others may find them of use.

 

[Mr Ee]

Maybe my comment was useless, maybe not!
The mqa page already has a one button (but many to get to the menu) option to enable bit perfect.

Interesting question about dither though...

 

[Smartplug]

The point of Davide saying seeing an indication on the display on wiim will ensure setup was correct. Some users want to see display of indication some don’t. I personally want to see display indication.

 

[ratty]

With volume fixed and EQ off, WiiM Pro is bit-perfect. Tested over S/PDIF coax at up to 24/192. RME provides test files for their DAC.

Interestingly, with EQ on but 'flat' the test failed. So steer clear of the equaliser.

 

[Smartplug]

Sound is personal taste some users just want more spice on how it was recorded by sound engineer. On old recording, I don’t like bit perfect. I use eq to spice things up a bit.

 

[ratty]

Sure. PEQ can also compensate for headphone or room response. I apply mine downstream in the DAC.

 

[Achim1811]

Sound is personal taste some users just want more spice on how it was recorded by sound engineer. On old recording, I don’t like bit perfect. I use eq to spice things up a bit.

I do really understand that. But personally I can not join. Music reproduction for me is always as near as possible with the production the recording was made. But as you wrote, its personal taste and I am confessing old-fashioned.
Sometimes nevertheless my fear is we are in a turn of an era in HiFi. Digits on a display are more important than the own ears. But I know or at least hope there are still a lot of people positioning music in first place over gear.