WiiM Pro Preview

Anonymous · Nov 25, 2022

Hi there! I was considering to buy a WiiM mini, but I might wait for the Pro. Will it become available on the Dutch or German amazon webshop?

Infokeeper · Nov 25, 2022

VladaJ said:
If I remember correctly, there was a number of posts in the "old" WiiM forum regarding the addition of Ethernet port to the WiiM Mini.
The PRO version solves that and more. Kudos to the WiiM team for actually listening to their customers!

Design and specifications of the PRO version are probably made to meet a certain budget, but I can't help but think there's an opportunity missed here: there's no USB-out and it seams the internal DAC is the same as in the Mini (so, not really a pretty good one...). These two things could have been addressed, probably for not a lot of money.

And I do hope that the optical socket on the PRO is of higher quality then on the Mini...

Optics and coax are enough for 24/192, and this model does not support more. Yes, and this is in abundance. Most streaming services max out at 16/44.1
To listen to super high-res you need to use a laptop with drivers connected via USB to the DAC. And the cost of a laptop will be cheaper than an insanely expensive network player.

Infokeeper · Nov 25, 2022

Can I use optic input and output like this: TV (opt out) -> (opt in) WIIM Pro (opt out) -> (opt in) Active speakers or DAC?

Infokeeper · Nov 25, 2022

What is the analog input for, can you explain? I use Mini and still don't understand why it's there.

Anonymous · Nov 25, 2022

Infokeeper said:
Can I use optic input and output like this: TV (opt out) -> (opt in) WIIM Pro (opt out) -> (opt in) Active speakers or DAC?

I am wondering the same thing...

Infokeeper · Nov 25, 2022

Has the design been discussed with the controls on the top and with the indication on the side? If so, why was this option rejected?
On top control would allow adding 6 preset buttons, or is it expensive/difficult?
Have you considered adding a Next Track button?

And last but not least, for the future. I own Edifier S2000MKIII active speakers and they have an excellent matrix display for indication, is it possible to add this to the side surface?

Balthazar B · Nov 25, 2022

Infokeeper said:
Optics and coax are enough for 24/192, and this model does not support more. Yes, and this is in abundance. Most streaming services max out at 16/44.1
To listen to super high-res you need to use a laptop with drivers connected via USB to the DAC. And the cost of a laptop will be cheaper than an insanely expensive network player.

Well, right now several major streaming services support 24/192 resolution, including Amazon, Apple, Qobuz, and Tidal. Deezer and Idagio top out at 16/44.1, and Spotify so far hasn't rolled out lossless. That said, quite a bit of 24/192 content appears to have been upsampled from 16/44.1 rather than recorded at that resolution, and then the quality of the final product is highly dependent on the talents of those doing production and mixing, of course.

I agree with @VladaJ that USB out would have been very helpful, since a number of good, inexpensive DACs (e.g., Schiit, JDS, Audioquest) support USB input. I'd rather have that option than the SPDIF and analog RCA inputs, which seem to be more corner cases without as much appeal or usefulness to WiiM purchasers, since WiiM's overwhelming use case is to receive digital content from online streaming services via WiFi or Ethernet and to relay it downstream to consumer audio systems.

Anonymous · Nov 25, 2022

SiR said:
WiiM PRO sale started in Europe on Pre Order

Hope it soon available in other regions too

WIIM PRO Audio Streamer Bit-Perfect WiFi AirPlay 2 DLNA Chromecast Multiroom Bluetooth 5.1 24bit 192kHz - Audiophonics

The WiiM Pro is an extremely versatile and powerful compact network player that turns a conventional audio system into a connected system. It opens the doors to music streaming via WiFi and Bluetooth 5.1.

www.audiophonics.fr

I can't pre order it (it says its not available). Is that because I visit the website from the Netherlands or is it simply not available? Does this website ship to the Netherlands?

I very much hope it'll become available in the Netherlands (or the German amazon, that would work as well)

Infokeeper · Nov 25, 2022

Balthazar B said:
Well, right now several major streaming services support 24/192 resolution, including Amazon, Apple, Qobuz, and Tidal. Deezer and Idagio top out at 16/44.1, and Spotify so far hasn't rolled out lossless. That said, quite a bit of 24/192 content appears to have been upsampled from 16/44.1 rather than recorded at that resolution, and then the quality of the final product is highly dependent on the talents of those doing production and mixing, of course.

I agree with @VladaJ that USB out would have been very helpful, since a number of good, inexpensive DACs (e.g., Schiit, JDS, Audioquest) support USB input. I'd rather have that option than the SPDIF and analog RCA inputs, which seem to be more corner cases without as much appeal or usefulness to WiiM purchasers, since WiiM's overwhelming use case is to receive digital content from online streaming services via WiFi or Ethernet and to relay it downstream to consumer audio systems.

I may be wrong, but outputting a stream via USB requires an additional, not cheap chip like XMOS 208.

I do not have reliable data on how many tracks were originally recorded in 24/192 and were not upsampled. For me personally, streaming 16 / 44.1 (48) is completely sufficient, the main thing is that the recording itself would be of high quality. I think WIIM is trying to create an affordable device with features that will suit most music lovers. High end is not their target audience.

Greyspace · Nov 25, 2022

Infokeeper said:
What is the analog input for, can you explain? I use Mini and still don't understand why it's there.

I use it to connect my turntable in the living room and then stream it to additional rooms and the garage via additional mini’s. Sure, the sound is going A -> D -> A, and the codec/streaming introduces a tiny delay, but if you want multi-room sound from an analog source it’s a nice feature IMO.

rustytrombone · Nov 25, 2022

Infokeeper said:
Can I use optic input and output like this: TV (opt out) -> (opt in) WIIM Pro (opt out) -> (opt in) Active speakers or DAC?

I want to be able to connect my TV and my Mini/ Pro to my DAC which has optical, coaxial and USB inputs. The only feature of the Pro I would need over the Mini is coaxial out.

The above situation would seem like unnecessary routing if you could have your tv going straight into the DAC.

Because of this I think a better option is now to get the Mini on sale and buy a $20 TOSLINK switch that will give me 3 or 4 TOSLINK inputs.

Witterings · Nov 25, 2022

rustytrombone said:
I want to be able to connect my TV and my Mini/ Pro to my DAC which has optical, coaxial and USB inputs. The only feature of the Pro I would need over the Mini is coaxial out.

The above situation would seem like unnecessary routing if you could have your tv going straight into the DAC.

Because of this I think a better option is now to get the Mini on sale and buy a $20 TOSLINK switch that will give me 3 or 4 TOSLINK inputs.

There are also autoswitching options available but they're more expensive .... if you want a link to them let me know or stick it into google nd you'll probably find them.

rustytrombone · Nov 25, 2022

Witterings said:
There are also autoswitching options available but they're more expensive .... if you want a link to them let me know or stick it into google nd you'll probably find them.

A link would be great. Some of the remotes provided with the switches look very cheap.

Witterings · Nov 25, 2022

Automatic SPDIF (Optical/RCA) Audio Switch by Beni_Skate on Tindie

Automatic Optical/RCA SPDIF Audio Switch with Optical/RCA SPDIF Output and additional high quality Audio DAC

www.tindie.com

Anonymous · Nov 26, 2022

Infokeeper said:
Can I use optic input and output like this: TV (opt out) -> (opt in) WIIM Pro (opt out) -> (opt in) Active speakers or DAC?

I contacted customer service and they said this is possible. So no switch needed if you wanna connect both your tv and the WiiM pro to your speakers (with only one optical slot available)

Anonymous · Nov 26, 2022

Anonymous said:
I can't pre order it (it says its not available). Is that because I visit the website from the Netherlands or is it simply not available? Does this website ship to the Netherlands?

I very much hope it'll become available in the Netherlands (or the German amazon, that would work as well)

Customer service confirmed the WiiM pro will be released in the German Amazon as well, this december

Witterings · Nov 26, 2022

rustytrombone said:
A link would be great. Some of the remotes provided with the switches look very cheap.

This is the one I've used for a year or so and it does the job

https://www.amazon.co.uk/LiNKFOR-Switcher-Supports-Dolby-AC3-Compatible/dp/B07MFJKMRB/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=toslink+switcher&qid=1669459891&sr=8-3

Do you play the trombone?

rustytrombone · Nov 26, 2022

Witterings said:
This is the one I've used for a year or so and it does the job

https://www.amazon.co.uk/LiNKFOR-Switcher-Supports-Dolby-AC3-Compatible/dp/B07MFJKMRB/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=toslink+switcher&qid=1669459891&sr=8-3

Do you play the trombone?

Thanks. No I don’t play the trombone.

Balthazar B · Nov 27, 2022

More of a review than the Darko overview video posted earlier, but not extensively tested nor doesn't go as deep as it could have. Nice if quick run-through of the app, though.

Brantome · Nov 27, 2022

Balthazar B said:
More of a review than the Darko overview video posted earlier, but not extensively tested nor doesn't go as deep as it could have. Nice if quick run-through of the app, though.

Bigger than I expected tbh, plus we’ve yet to see any of these reviewers produce a comprehensive review of what it (or the mini) can do across the board. For example, where’s the mention of the world-first ability to stream bit perfect from the Amazon music app all the way up to 24/192?

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