SOLVED: couldn't stream 192 kHz / 24 bit, stuck at 96 Hz - problem was older S/PDIF optical cable - use WiiM cable instead to get 192 kHz

[hoppy]

Turned out my problem was I was using some old S/PDIF optical cable that was limited to 96 kHz / 24 bit. I swapped that old cable for the included S/PDIF optical cable that came with the WiiM, and then I was able to listen in 192 kHz / 24 bit.

I didn't realize that some older optical cables cannot handle the higher sample rate.

I was using the other cable because I just have a mess of of cables that I thought were all the same and grabbed the "wrong" cable.

Setup: I was outputting the WiiM Pro into a DAC via a S/PDIF optical cable and playing Amazon Music with the ultra HD subscription through the WiiM Home app. I made sure to find a song that was the highest resolution (192 kHz). I could play hi-rez music at 96 kHz but it wouldn't go to 192 kHz. I used the "Play test audio" feature in the WiiM Home app's device "audio settings" section, and it would pay a test sound at 96 kHz but not 192 kHz.

Trying to troubleshoot, I bypassed the DAC and output the WiiM directly into my amplifier via RCA interconnects from the analog line out outputs, thinking maybe there is a problem with my Schiit Modi+ DAC. When I did that, I was able to play a 192 kHz signal and play the music over 192 kHz. So, I thought the problem was my DAC, but I know my DAC should be able to handle 192 kHz. Was there some weird compatibility issue? So I decided to insert the DAC again and swap the optical cable next. When I inserted the WiiM optical cable instead of my older optical cable, I could then hear 192 kHz! Just to make sure I wasn't crazy, I swapped back in the older optical cable and I was again stuck at a max 96 kHz. So it was the cable.

So, the moral of the story is, not all optical cables can support a 192 kHz sample rate. I never knew that before. Hope this might help someone else out there.

I don't really like optical cables because I find them fragile and they can come loose easily, so I've ordered a digital coaxial cable from Bluejeans Cable and I'm looking forward to using it instead...hoping it will work at the high sampling rate.

 

[Brantome]

What source?
Your screenshot above shows 48 / 24.
Are you playing music that's 192 / 24?

Looks like Tidal if it's showing a "Master" badge in which case 24/48 is reasonable if no unfolding has taken place?

 

[CrystalGipsy]

Optical was never really designed to handle over 96/24, it’s on the boundaries of its tech going higher, most devices only guarantee to 96/24. It’s always been cable specific and device specific if it works at higher or not as it’s not part of the original spdif spec. If you want guaranteed 192/24 use coax.

 

[AlexFilm]

Was always a friend of NAD. But it seems policy changed. The old 3020 and the 316 were (and are still) fantastic budget amps. So its up to you, 600 is no petitesse and all what I've read about their "digital amps" wasn't exciting at all.
(One of the reasons never ever an amp with digital sections will enter my music room )

It’s fixed! It was the cable! Yay! Good cables matter!!

 

[Mr Ee]

It’s fixed! It was the cable! Yay! Good cables matter!!

The screenshot showed coax output - so you had issues at 192 over coax? Unusual, but glad it's fixed.

 

[dacaesar]

I just started using the Pro Plus yesterday, and I am using the Wiim provided cable - 192/24 intermittently stutters making it unlistenable. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[Achim1811]

I just started using the Pro Plus yesterday, and I am using the Wiim provided cable - 192/24 intermittently stutters making it unlistenable. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Streaming service?

 

[dacaesar]

Amazon. I think I fixed it by changing the cable to an Amazon Basic. I have no clue why that worked. Most people have said the included cable is good quality. Seems quirky to me, but it’s good for now. Thanks!

 

[ratty]

Is there a list of known working/recommended Coax and Optical Cables (Looks like Amazon Basics would give me reliable 24/96).

I use QED Performance Digital Audio Cable (1m length) from my WiiM Pro into RME ADI-2 DAC. Good specs and the pricing wasn't outrageous. Works fine at 24/192.

 

[Brantome]

I finally got my system hooked up last night...and bingo, stops. hangs........ s.t..u.t.t.e.r.s & pauses

BJC Beldon Coax and ends, not sure if its 50ohm or 75ohm.

Tried the Wiim supplied SPDIF which is better...but it's limited to 24/96 on my Marantz HD-AMP1 and STILL getting occasional hang.

I've mainly only played hi-rez through the USB input, which has never been a problem.

Is there a list of known working/recommended Coax and Optical Cables (Looks like Amazon Basics would give me reliable 24/96).

I spent several hours thinking it was WiFi, though I'm on Mesh system connected to Fios getting sub 30ms latency and 500 meg download over WiFi...but I would have expected the Wiim to buffer input

Have you turned off wifi roaming in your device’s network settings?

 

[Brantome]

Is there a list of known working/recommended Coax and Optical Cables (Looks like Amazon Basics would give me reliable 24/96).

I’m currently listening to Amazon Music Unlimited from the WiiM Home app as I read, using the following cheap cable from my WiiM Mini into my Linn MDSM/4 with zero issues, so I don’t perceive your issues as necessarily due to the Amazon Music API. I originally used the WiiM supplied cable with no issues but I needed a longer cable when I moved my WiiM.

Amazon.co.uk

Do you get the same issues casting from the Amazon Music app to your WiiM, either using Chromecast (if you have a Pro or Pro Plus) or AlexaCast?

 

[wunderkind]

Amazon UHD works fine for me. No skipping over 5G wireless. WiiM app shows full bars despite the router being one floor above. I have to say that I've not encountered any 24/192 music in Amazon. But I'm not out looking for it either. Did come across a few 24/96. Frankly I doubt my ears can tell the difference.

 

[Balthazar B]

@Brantome if you have any sway with Wiim Prod development, for the love of all that's holy, put some @#$@#$ing WiFi problem indicators in the app. Even the olden days "buffering..." or "song stopped due to network interference" or something....

I spent multiple hours chasing brands and types of cables, connections, power supplies. Never had a problem with any physical source (CD player, DVD Player, computer) to my amp over any of the cables I tested.

Finally dug a 50' Ethernet cable out of storage and bob's your uncle, streaming 24/192 Amazon UHD is instantaneous and spotless.

If Wiim really wants to do users a favor, call out the buffer settings somewhere, let us set the memory parameters and/or time...doesn't look like they buffer much at all....maybe unit doesn't have enough memory. Squeezebox had this all figured out 15 years ago, go look how they implemented it. I was streaming 24/96 over the local network on 2.4ghz all those years ago...Wiim has no excuse here.

That said, connected over Ethernet has been flawless, so can finally judge it on its other merits.

I wonder how many of these dozens of other stutters & stops threads here and on reddit are really just WiFi transmission issues.

Anyway, moving on.

Everyone running WiFi should get a free or at most very inexpensive phone app to look for congestion on their own networks' WiFi channels, and if they have the capability to move their home network(s) to less congested space, it can make a huge difference, particularly for traffic that is very sensitive to latency (like audio/video). With such traffic, metrics like speed and bandwidth are much less important than QoS.