WiiM Mini Review (Streamer)

[Spirit84]

Sorry for this uneducated/newbie request:
I currently use Amazon Unlimited HD service. I have no need for Roon.
My stereo system uses an Aragon (1990s vintage) preamp which are connected to monoblock power amps.
My current digital is:
Sonos Port > coaxial SPDIF > 1990's 16/44.1 DAC. The DAC is connected via RCA to the preamp.
If I change this to:
WiiM > Toslink SPDIF > Topping E30
will I be making a mistake? Do you think my 65 year old ears will notice any improvement?
Any suggestions form the ASR wonderful experts will be really appreciated!!!!!

 

[amirm]

Cost is cost and it gets transmitted to the buyer.

This is a multi-protocol streamer. That is its prime selling point. It is missing one popular protocol for streaming. I get to point that out as a reviewer and user of such a protocol. It is up to them to include it and absorb the cost, or charge more. Right now, their market is smaller than it could be since competitors like RPi support Roon and cost less.

I get that you like Roon but: come on Amit "This is not acceptable" That's a seriously strong in coffee statement, You need this, you look for a streamer that support this. You have the choice. I don't need this, why should I pay for this?

Well, if I buy this box, I am paying for a bunch of protocols I don't use. If I have to do that, you can do the same with Roon endpoint.

I see my job here is advocating better engineering and core feature set of products. Don't do either right and you will hear me complaining.

 

[amirm]

There's some level of support via a 3rd party paid extension.

You are talking about rooUPnP? If so, that requires a RPi to host it so definitely out of the question. If I am going to have RPi, I use it as my streaming endpoint instead of this box.

 

[TomJ]

Not with Roon. There is no support for UPnP

Of course not. For clarity, Airplay is not the only alternative to Roon because you can use a UPnP music player instead of Roon for hi res playback without RAAT.

 

[JSmith]

I voted "fine" due to the average DAC performance. If a feature is included, do it properly or don't include the feature. Many non audio enthusiast customers would use the analogue out.

Otherwise it seems a helpful little plug and play type device for the price, if one likes controlling devices via a smartphone app.


JSmith

 

[Jmudrick]

Maybe I'm nuts but I see this box , by offering gapless playback (and Spotify Connect) as adding to the reasons I don't need Roon.Re "limiting the market" how many of the existing 150k Roon users (vs 400 million Spotify users) would see value in this device over their current setup if it did do Roon? I'm not getting it.

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

Initial setup is by connecting using Bluetooth and the available App. I connected using BT but the Android app would not see it.

This is not necessarily an issue with the device but more an issue with the android phone operating system. This happens sometimes with android phones, independent of the device one is trying to connect.

 

[amirm]

Maybe I'm nuts but I see this box , by offering gapless playback (and Spotify Connect) as adding to the reasons I don't need Roon.Re "limiting the market" how many of the existing 150k Roon users (vs 400 million Spotify users) would see value in this device over their current setup if it did do Roon? I'm not getting it.

Hardly any of those 400 million spotify users would have any need for this device. They will use Bluetooth streaming or their smart speaker. So let's not go there. As I explained, this product is for enthusiasts and Roon support is a requirement in that market.

 

[crowdypooster]

I have had the Wiim Mini for 1.5 months now, and it has met my needs beautifully. I have previously used Chromecast Audio along with various implementations of RPi with DAC HATs. The Wiim Mini via optical into Schiit Modi has been a treat.

Looking forward to the Tidal Connect "Masters" upgrade in May. I am able to stream Masters via RPi, and I have done blind testing with some recordings sounding noticibly better.

Cannot beat it for price and function!

 

[Jmudrick]

Hardly any of those 400 million spotify users would have any need for this device. They will use Bluetooth streaming or their smart speaker. So let's not go there. As I explained, this product is for enthusiasts and Roon support is a requirement in that market.

Hmm apparently as a former Roon user I should have handed in my enthusiast card when I quit?. Many of us non Roon enthusiasts value Spotify along with Tidal or Qobuz.

 

[Rottmannash]

I would think a very outstanding majority of ASR readership already own a decent DAC.

Or 3 or 4 DACs...

 

[amirm]

Hmm apparently as a former Roon user I should have handed in my enthusiast card when I quit?. Many of us non Roon enthusiasts value Spotify along with Tidal or Qobuz.

No. You are just a segment of that market. Roon users are another. As I said, this is a multi-protocol streamer. As such, it needs to support all that enthusiasts would want to use with it.

 

[PeteL]

This is a multi-protocol streamer. That is its prime selling point. It is missing one popular protocol for streaming. I get to point that out as a reviewer and user of such a protocol. It is up to them to include it and absorb the cost, or charge more. Right now, their market is smaller than it could be since competitors like RPi support Roon and cost less.


Well, if I buy this box, I am paying for a bunch of protocols I don't use. If I have to do that, you can do the same with Roon endpoint.

I see my job here is advocating better engineering and core feature set of products. Don't do either right and you will hear me complaining.

OK, well, I am quite certain that they have been very torough in their optimisation and cost cutting process to offer that for this price. In your opinion. What would have been more "acceptable" to take out if the goal was to offer a sub 100$ streamer? What would affect the least amount of potential consumer in this price bracket? If Roon is an absolute must,

 

[amirm]

OK, well, I am quite certain that they have been very torough in their optimisation and cost cutting process to offer that for this price. In your opinion. What would have been more "acceptable" to take out if the goal was to offer a sub 100$ streamer? What would affect the least amount of potential consumer in this price bracket? If Roon is an absolute must,

First, show me there is a trade off. People used to say that getting better SINAD cost more money. I showed that this was not the case. It just required better engineering. Same here. This is not 20 years ago where flash and DRAM were expensive. We can buy the computing base for that in RPi for $35.

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

What do you mean it wasn't tested? I tested it by hooking it up to my monitor USB hub where I test all audio products from. I thought the LED lit up but I could no longer get output from the unit. Powered it back from its own adapter and it started to work again. I am not going to do an exhaustive test for stuff like this.

No testing would be needed the only reason would be that there was not enough current provided, that’s why It didn’t work.

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

You should, at least in the context of reading American English. It says it did not work so [the same], when using computer USB port.

Huh? No disrespect but I don’t understand that sentence either is there a typo there possibly?

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

And only a tiny percentage of music listeners cares about bit perfect Toslink yet you all want that so bad. Ditto for me and Roon support. It costs nothing in hardware to support it. So it should be a standard feature of any streamer targeting enthusiasts. The only work-around for Roon users is to use Apple Airplay which causes performance degradation. This is not acceptable.

They do say they’re coming out with Roon support but their initial nonsupport makes perfect sense because most Roon users are probably not customers for this type of device. But they support many of the mainstream platforms and it is good for the money for someone who is looking for something like this. I use Roon. People who use Roon are likely have higher end systems overall. They could used it as a secondary source possibly but no Roon is not a deal killer for the average person.

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

This is a multi-protocol streamer. That is its prime selling point. It is missing one popular protocol for streaming. I get to point that out as a reviewer and user of such a protocol. It is up to them to include it and absorb the cost, or charge more. Right now, their market is smaller than it could be since competitors like RPi support Roon and cost less.


Well, if I buy this box, I am paying for a bunch of protocols I don't use. If I have to do that, you can do the same with Roon endpoint.

I see my job here is advocating better engineering and core feature set of products. Don't do either right and you will hear me complaining.

The raspberry Pi by itself is not a streamer at all, it can do nothing out of the box without additional software and work to configure it. It is more of a hobbyist project. Btw the Pi prices like many other things have gone up recently.

 

[Tangband]

Frequency Response added to the review:

I see no issues there at all.

Good to know !

 

[amirm]

They do say they’re coming out with Roon support but their initial nonsupport makes perfect sense because most Roon users are probably not customers for this type of device.

Where did you get that from? Roon architecture is inherently networked based and relies on these endpoints. As a result a Roon user is quite likely to be interested in such a solution. Remember Roon itself added functionality for Chromecast. And Airplay.