12V trigger not working

[paulzhere]

Hi

I have a WiiM Pro that connects via Toslink out to my amp. I have also connected the 12V trigger out to my amp. However, the trigger doesn't seem to be functional. Whenever I play something via the app or via Chromecast, the amp does not turn on through the trigger (as I presume it should?). The same amp behaves perfectly and is triggered on using my Marantz pre/pro. So it is definitely not an issue with the trigger input of the amp. Do I need to change some setting in the WiiM app to enable its trigger functionality? Or it it possible that my unit is faulty? Any help or insight is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Paul

P.S. I hope this question hasn't been asked before. I searched the forum and couldn't find an answer in any of the associated topics.

 

[Balthazar B]

I'd check the cable first and/or adapter first (the latter assuming you're using a standard 3.5mm cable with a 2.5mm adapter). If your WiiM is on the latest firmware, you should be able to tell if it's in standby mode and then changes state and becomes active when you begin to stream from it, which would fire the 12v trigger.

 

[paulzhere]

I'd check the cable first and/or adapter first (the latter assuming you're using a standard 3.5mm cable with a 2.5mm adapter). If your WiiM is on the latest firmware, you should be able to tell if it's in standby mode and then changes state and becomes active when you begin to stream from it, which would fire the 12v trigger.

Thanks for your reply. I checked both the 3.5mm trigger cable and the 3.5 to 2.5mm adapter. Both are working fine. Also, my WiiM pro is on the latest firmware. So the issue must be somewhere else. Perhaps the voltage emitted by the trigger out of the Pro is not 12V but lower... which fails to meet the minimum voltage required to trigger my amp. I think I'll try to trigger my other amps using it and see if that succeeds.

 

[Eskil]

My trigger is 12V and it works. Did you measure the voltage out? The best information for an engineer would be voltage out when not connected and voltage out when connected. Then you can compare voltages to those when using your Marantz. But of cause it requires an open connector. And a voltmeter. It could of cause also be your 2.5mm to 3.5mm converter, in case it has a funny wireing. Or some of the connectors could be 4-connection connectors (TRRS), those are not always compatible with 2/3 connection connectors (TRS or TS). My last suggestion here would be my strongest suggestion: check for TRRS connectors on your cable connection.

 

[paulzhere]

I found the issue. It's my amp. I tried the same trigger cable with the same 2.5 to 3.5 adapter with my other amp (Rotel) and it works. This is very strange though. Because the specs of my amp say that it accepts a trigger input anywhere between 5-12V. Dunno how to fix this issue now

 

[paulzhere]

I can chain my main amp to my Rotel and try to trigger it by the trigger out of the Rotel... which in turn would be triggered by the WiiM Pro. However, that would mean keeping the Rotel on all the time even when I am listening to 2-channel stereo through my main amp... not an ideal solution. I'll try to first change the cable... From TRS to TS perhaps..

 

[Eskil]

It could still be a cable issue, but TRS should normally work, the issues are normally TRRS related.
Another thing is there isn’t really a standard for 12V triggers, there will be limits to how much current the 12V trigger can deliver on this kind of device that doesn’t use 12V for other things inside. This is why I ask about what voltage is on the cable when connected. If this is the case, you would need a powered, external 12V trigger distributor or whatever people would call them.

 

[paulzhere]

It could still be a cable issue, but TRS should normally work, the issues are normally TRRS related.
Another thing is there isn’t really a standard for 12V triggers, there will be limits to how much current the 12V trigger can deliver on this kind of device that doesn’t use 12V for other things inside. This is why I ask about what voltage is on the cable when connected. If this is the case, you would need a powered, external 12V trigger distributor or whatever people would call them.

Yes. I too think it's a cable issue. I see that the other trigger cable going from my marantz to my main amp is a TS mono cable. Whereas, I'm using a TRS from my WiiM pro to my main amp. It is possible that whichever line is being used by WiiM to send the 12V (T, R or S) is not the same as the one that my amp is expecting to receive. I'll try the TS cable but it will be difficult to fish it out from the cable jungle behind my AV rack... Thanks for the tip though... I do have a multimeter but measuring the voltage from a fleeting 12V trigger might be beyond my electrical expertise

 

[Balthazar B]

Yes. I too think it's a cable issue. I see that the other trigger cable going from my marantz to my main amp is a TS mono cable. Whereas, I'm using a TRS from my WiiM pro to my main amp. It is possible that whichever line is being used by WiiM to send the 12V (T, R or S) is not the same as the one that my amp is expecting to receive. I'll try the TS cable but it will be difficult to fish it out from the cable jungle behind my AV rack... Thanks for the tip though... I do have a multimeter but measuring the voltage from a fleeting 12V trigger might be beyond my electrical expertise

Maybe the tongue method would tell you something?

 

[paulzhere]

Hmm... connected the TS mono cable that was going from my marantz pre/pro to the WiiM.... no success. Now I am at a loss... dunno what to do How I wish WiiM had thrown in a 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable inside the box for the trigger...

 

[paulzhere]

Update: Bought a mono TS 2.5 to 3.5mm cable (to get the adapter out of the equation). Still no success. Has bought it on Amazon. So returned the product and ordered a new one. Still no success with the 12V trigger. But this one behaves even more mysteriously. The 12V trigger cannot turn my amp on but it can successfully turn it off!! I am at a total loss now. Perhaps, the implementation of the trigger port itself is faulty in these units?

 

[appleandbiscuit]

I've been having a play with this also this morning: I have an arylic s50 pro which works with my custom made trigger, and powers on and off correctly (no chromecast however). With my Wiim pro there's a weird sequence. The Wiim sends 12v when it's playing, and then cuts the 12v when stopped. It won't then resend the 12v until you unplug then replug the trigger cable. This must be a logic error, I think?

 

[PeterMann]

I've been having a play with this also this morning: I have an arylic s50 pro which works with my custom made trigger, and powers on and off correctly (no chromecast however). With my Wiim pro there's a weird sequence. The Wiim sends 12v when it's playing, and then cuts the 12v when stopped. It won't then resend the 12v until you unplug then replug the trigger cable. This must be a logic error, I think?

I’ve seen this exact same behaviour, where the trigger state is out of sync, but re-plugging the trigger cable gets the amp back into the correct state.

My guess at the time was that maybe it was something to do with the transient behaviour of the trigger output when it changes: perhaps it changes slowly and my downstream equipment needed a sharp square change in voltage, which they got on re-plugging due to a brief spike. I’m not an electrical engineer though so I’m probably way off.

Seeing so many others report this problem though, I’m more inclined to think like you say it’s a state management bug on the pro. Presumably the pro can 'see' a connected trigger output due to there being a resistive load connected (400 Ohms in my case), so perhaps re-plugging really is causing the pro to change its state at that point.

They have to sort this out, surely? At the moment it looks like one of the pro’s most important features (to me anyway) simply doesn’t work.

 

[appleandbiscuit]

a reply from Wiim to a ticket this week:

Regarding the issue with 12v trigger, this is a known issue and WiiM can't enter idle when using SPDIF-in input. We are fixing this issue and plan to release it in this month. Thanks very much for your patience in advance.

I mentioned that this was also the case with bluetooth and chromecast, hopefully they are on it!

 

[PeterMann]

That’s great to have some concrete feedback from them. It seems like the quality of feedback from support tickets is very hit and miss. I sent over a detailed minimal repro of the trigger bugs I was seeing and only got a brief reply asking me to check my downstream equipment specs again...

Out of interest, is anyone on this thread using the following Audiophonics product? I guess probably not but if so I’d love to hear if it has worked for anyone else. It works flawlessly with every other 12v trigger product I have but not with the Wiim...

AUDIOPHONICS Trigger 12V 230V Slave Power Supply Device - Audiophonics

The Audiophonics Trigger 12V is the simple and effective solution for turning on and off any appliance connected to 230V AC mains with an IEC female mains input

www.audiophonics.fr

 

[appleandbiscuit]

My equipment is a simple relay with 12v operating voltage, controlling 240v mains inside a case, with IEC in and out sockets. The 12v is over XLR as I used to use this box for a red record light control, to send down an XLR multicore. This worked perfectly with the arylic s50pro however the Wiim logic doesn't work.

 

[PeterMann]

Man, I just ripped apart my entire setup to try all new cables for the triggers and a different power adapter for the pro. Still not working! This is driving me nuts.

 

[rjcrum]

I had a similar problem. The Wiim Pro would not trigger my amp. After much playing around, I deduced that the Pro was not emitting enough current to trigger the amp.

Indeed, after writing a support ticket, I found out that the Wiim Pro outputs 12 volts at 100 milliamps. My older amp requires a 200 milliamp input for the trigger to work.

So it’s not just the voltage, but also the current required by your amp. Check the specs on the amp to make sure it can trigger with just 100 milliamps.

I’m solving the problem by purchasing a new Multichannel amp that requires only a 100 milliamp trigger current.

 

[Smartplug]

Does trigger cable come in box? I don’t remember seeing one.

 

[PeterMann]

I’m solving the problem by purchasing a new Multichannel amp that requires only a 100 milliamp trigger current.

Glad to hear you’re getting somewhere! FWIW I’m using a device rated 33mA @ 12V and that’s not working. So overall I think there’s more going on than just the current ratings.