Is WiiM pro a bluesound node and Yamaha wxc 50 killer ?

[Tangband]

The new WiiM pro seems to be really good value. This streamer also have digital spdif outputs , that can change the volume digitally, just like the Yamaha wxc 50 . Maybe the perfect partner to Genelec SAM monitors with digital input ? What do you think about this streamer? Is it as good as the newest bluesound node or Yamaha wxc 50 ? I have no clue, but it might be a really good unit.

The price for WiiM pro is about half of the Yamaha wxc50 , meaning 186 euro at audiophonics.

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

 

[AudioScience Enthusiast]

I have the same question, struggling between these 2 streamers.

Darko mentions getting a better DAC in between Wiim Pro and an Amp, but then my question is, if Wiim Pro is limited to 192/24 only, then why bother?

Unless even a cheap DAC will improve Wiim Pro significantly?

 

[Svet Angelov]

I have the same question, struggling between these 2 streamers.

Darko mentions getting a better DAC in between Wiim Pro and an Amp, but then my question is, if Wiim Pro is limited to 192/24 only, then why bother?

Unless even a cheap DAC will improve Wiim Pro significantly?

At this level of performance, I don't think there would be any use besides having more inputs.

 

[Rednaxela]

Darko mentions getting a better DAC in between Wiim Pro and an Amp, but then my question is, if Wiim Pro is limited to 192/24 only, then why bother?

Don’t know. Did he back it up with data?

 

[AudioScience Enthusiast]

Don’t know. Did he back it up with data?

Nope, he just said, external DAC "may" improve sound.

Has anyone with Wiim Pro tested with an external DAC to see if the sound quality does improve?

 

[VintageFlanker]

Nope, he just said, external DAC "may" improve sound.

Darko says a lot of things. And what comes out of his mouth is mostly... bullshit.

Doesn't mean that he's wrong on that specific point.

 

[Rednaxela]

Has anyone with Wiim Pro tested with an external DAC to see if the sound quality does improve?

Seeing you’re an @AudioScience Enthusiast I take it you mean double blind tested?

 

[Timcognito]

I have three Bluesound room setups. I like the connectivity to all of the services/stations, rooms in my home and Roon on one dashboard. When WiiM gets Roon I will buy and try and possibly dump Bluesound due to its stagnate interface as minor issues don't get fixed and it hasn't been updated in years. Sounds like the WiiM organization is much much more responsive to its customers and it costs much less than BS. Adding a $150 DAC is no big deal, I did it to my Node.

 

[AudioScience Enthusiast]

In this case, I guess, an educated guess is performance won't be improved by an external DAC then.

By the way, according to Wiim forums, Wiim Pro only does the first unholding of MQA, so an external DAC with full decoding and rendering capability is still required to get to 192 kHz. Not sure how much audible difference is between 88 kHz and 192 kHz, when most MQA content I come across is limited to 96 kHz.

 

[diablo]

I think the DAC in the Pro is the same one as in the Mini - and Amir thought it below par. Wiim suggest using the digital output into a better DAC.

I feed the optical out of my Mini into my MiniDSP Flex.

 

[Rednaxela]

The real excitement is in the PEQ they promised. Hope they manage to add it soon.

 

[AudioScience Enthusiast]

Seeing you’re an @AudioScience Enthusiast I take it you mean double blind tested?

Yes, also with test administered by strangers to avoid participant bias

 

[Tangband]

The real excitement is in the PEQ they promised. Hope they manage to add it soon.

The eq section seems less good but the digital volume control seems to have 24 bit real resolution

 

[onlyoneme]

The real excitement is in the PEQ they promised. Hope they manage to add it soon.

If they finally let disable the DRC limiter still existing in EQ mode...

 

[MaxBuck]

I'm really happy with my Node, but I can see that the WiiM Pro could be a great alternative for many people.

It's not necessarily "better" or not, but rather different. Different people have different preferences.

 

[AudioScience Enthusiast]

I'm really happy with my Node, but I can see that the WiiM Pro could be a great alternative for many people.

It's not necessarily "better" or not, but rather different. Different people have different preferences.

Bluesound Node does have HDMI Input so this is something that Wiim Pro doesn't have.

Does it make the Node "better?" I guess it depends on needs.

 

[audioenthousiast1988]

no sub out.

 

[Tangband]

Is there any delay thru the WiiM when using Apple TV with airplay2 ? Yamaha wxc50 does this without lipsync issues.

 

[Rja4000]

Is it as good as the newest bluesound node or Yamaha wxc 50 ?

It's not a competition for BlueOS, as far as I understand.
Does it do multiroom?

 

[Jimbob54]

It's not a competition for BlueOS, as far as I understand.
Does it do multiroom?

I don't multiroom but from memory wiim devices either can or in the pipeline.

I've not used any BluOS devices but for my use case (spotify, qobuz and amazon streaming, digital into a dac/amp, controlled via phone /voice ) I wouldn't need to look twice at a Bluesound Node device now I have wiim mini.