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Wiim Pro or Wiim Mini+Dac

onlyoneme

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Ok, so this part is fine. Things which can still affect audio stream on the Wiim:
- resolution settings for digital output
- settings of Qobuz streaming quality
- WiiM's volume level - should be fixed or 100%
- EQ on the WiiM should be disabled

Performance of the DAC's toslink input is still an open question.
 

Michael G

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I recently upgraded from the Mini to the Pro. To me the Pro and the Mini sounded equally good. I stream Amazon Music UHD over WiFi with optical out to my DAC. WiFi was chosen to isolate the Pro from possible electrical interference through ethernet. I also use a 3' glass fiber optical cable for audio out, and a linear power supply for the Pro. I found both the cable and the power supply made a very noticable improvement in SQ. My DAC also reclocks everything coming in with a FEMTO clock. All that said, I'm very happy with the sound, but am always interested in improving what I have. This has been an interesting discussion.
 

onlyoneme

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I recently upgraded from the Mini to the Pro. To me the Pro and the Mini sounded equally good. I stream Amazon Music UHD over WiFi with optical out to my DAC. WiFi was chosen to isolate the Pro from possible electrical interference through ethernet. I also use a 3' glass fiber optical cable for audio out, and a linear power supply for the Pro. I found both the cable and the power supply made a very noticable improvement in SQ. My DAC also reclocks everything coming in with a FEMTO clock. All that said, I'm very happy with the sound, but am always interested in improving what I have. This has been an interesting discussion.
There is no room for improvement in the area of digital audio outputted by the WiiM if it's going to be correctly reclocked by the DAC. Simply because it's exactly the same - bit-perfect - as the source.
 

JSmith

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Wiim Pro vs Wiim Mini
Measurements wise and discussion regarding these products;
Do you have any other recommendations for cheap dacs or just some suggestions about the hole setup?
Plenty in here. :)


JSmith
 

VintageFlanker

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So you probably use AirPlay to cast Qobuz content from your iPhone to the WiiM as there is no "Qobuz Connect" feature yet available.
I've no clue about iPhone, but Qobuz Connect works through Qobuz Android app with Chromecast.

Then the other setup is broken.
Ot the listening test is simply flawed. ;)

I have compared the following two configurations:

Matrix X-SPDIF 2 via AES/EBU to Mark Levinson 360S
WiiM Mini via optical to the same DAC

The latter is noticeably worse sounding. I know I should probably compare apples to apples (use optical in both cases) but I haven't bothered yet.
Well, that shouldn't be the case.

If you play the exact same file from WiiM App, through Wi-Fi, then to S/PDIF out. Or straight to your DAC, my measurements say that it should sound 100% the same...

REW FFT WiiM App.jpg


As for the Mini...
Wiim Mini Measurement Toslink Streamer Android Bluetooth.png


I can't see how this could bottleneck your ML performance:
Mark Levinson No 360S DAC Audio Measurements.png


Other hypothesis is that your ML does has either poor AES or S/PDIF implementation, or both, but that would be very unlikely.
 

jackshultz

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Hi,
Sounds like a great way to get started. Your Genelecs will be set up for a balanced signal so it makes sense to get a DAC with balanced output (smsl do100, smsl c200, topping e50 etc). The DACs you list would be absolutely fine though too.

I had a bluesound Node and replaced it with a Wiim Mini - sounds identical.
Neither the WiiM mini or the Pro have PEQ yet - I'm hoping that comes soon but until it does we don't know how good it is.

Personally, I'd get the WiiM mini because it's a known quantity, it just works. The Pro may be better, but it could be a while before we really know.

Good luck, and enjoy the music
Agree. WiiM mini is absolutely fine.
 

talkingbook

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Just want to say for those coming across this thread: the initial premise doesn't make a lot of sense. The DAC in both the mini & pro perform poorly. So either way a DAC is needed for a high fidelity setup. The biggest reason to get the Pro instead of the Mini is for ChromeCast and eventually Roon support, neither of which are planned for the mini. Also ethernet and digital input if you need those. And according to someone in this thread, the connections are sturdier in the Pro.
 

T&T

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Ok, so this part is fine. Things which can still affect audio stream on the Wiim:
- resolution settings for digital output
- settings of Qobuz streaming quality
- WiiM's volume level - should be fixed or 100%
- EQ on the WiiM should be disabled

Performance of the DAC's toslink input is still an open question.
Have been tested in other forums at 100% can have noise/distortion is better around 90%, in my case I found using EQ with loudness and from that EQ make you custom EQ and sounds amazing, glows and expand the sound of each instrument to perfection, also using a glass toslink cable make a difference
 

Philipp

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also using a glass toslink cable make a difference
For me your statement sounds like you have some room-correction / loudspeaker positioning work to do, that should really make a difference.

EQing the WiiM is not the way to go, it ruins the output quality.
 

Michael G

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For me your statement sounds like you have some room-correction / loudspeaker positioning work to do, that should really make a difference.

EQing the WiiM is not the way to go, it ruins the output quality.
Generally speaking, I think most people can only do so much physically correcting a room and/or repositioning speakers ect., unless of course it does not negatively affect others in your household, and one has the funds to do it. The equalizer provides a fantastic opportunity for room correction while maintaining an acceptable room appearance to others in the household. Physical room correcting measures aside, I think most people would be hard pressed to say a room corrected with an equalizer did not sound alot better than a room not corrected with an equalizer ... just saying.
 

Philipp

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... just saying
Agreed, but please do not EQ with the WiiM, it ruins its bit-perfection over Toslink output.

… but if you do not have the possibility / permission / what so ever, to position your loudspeakers in a manner that helps you enjoy them to the max, do not even get startet on cable-voodoo.
 
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Michael G

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Agreed, but please do not EQ with the WiiM, it ruins its bit-perfection over Toslink output.

… but if you do not have the possibility / permission / what so ever, to position your loudspeakers in a manner that helps you enjoy them to the max, do not even get startet on cable-voodoo.
If the EQ improves the sound over not being able, for one reason or another, to physically correct the room, why would you not use it unless it's just for the sake of having bit perfect. To me that's no longer about enjoying the music which I thought was having a nice audio system was all about.
 
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