WiiM Amp discussion

[Brantome]

Have any of the new owners used the USB drive to host a library and play through other endpoints (ie, playback other than the Amp itself)?

I'm trying to understand the capabilities/limitations of the Wiim Amp for "distributing" a library of music on a USB drive to other audio endpoints in my house. Wiim documentation isn't much help: I was rather shocked, after reading the entire Wiim Amp user's manual, to discover that there is literally no mention of external USB drives. None. The USB connector is identified in the rear panel photo, but other than that USB isn't mentioned anywhere. Isn't listed in the input/output control lists, or the specs, or anywhere else.

Basically I'd like avoid setting up a separate DLNA server, and instead leverage the Amp (w/ its USB drive) as a way to distribute my FLAC collection to other audio endpoints in the home.

I perceive the Amp can broadcast over Wiim or Airplay, but despite my hopes/wishes, it can only receive Chromecast. So no way for the Amp to play files from any of its sources (RCA, optical, streaming/wifi, OR the USB drive) to a Chromecast Audio endpoint, for example. Correct me if I'm wrong. The manual seems to confirm that the Amp can send local sources (via RCA, optical, ARC) to other Wiim or Airplay endpoints, but makes no mention of doing the same from the USB drive.

I'm hoping/assuming that local files on an external USB drive would enjoy the same support as the other sources, and this is just an oversight of an early rev of user manual, but would be good to confirm.

The USB drive that just happens to be on your Amp appears as a UPnP library to it and other devices, so tracks can be played from it from the WiiM app (or other upnp clients) like any other UPnP library.

The WiiM app can play from a range of sources and services to a WiiM device, a group of WiiM devices, a bluetooth target or one or more Airplay speakers. As you say, while it is a ChromeCast receiver, it’s not a ChromeCast transmitter. UPnP casting (so far just mentioned in relation to an analog source) is in development for the end of January.

Edit: For example, here’s content on my Amp’s USB drive playing on a group of WiiM devices

 

[flor]

The USB drive that just happens to be on your Amp appears as a UPnP library to it and other devices, so tracks can be played from it from the WiiM app (or other upnp clients) like any other UPnP library.

The WiiM app can play from a range of sources and services to a WiiM device, a group of WiiM devices, a bluetooth target or one or more Airplay speakers. As you say, while it is a ChromeCast receiver, it’s not a ChromeCast transmitter. UPnP casting (so far just mentioned in relation to an analog source) is in development for the end of January.

Edit: For example, here’s content on my Amp’s USB drive playing on a group of WiiM devices

View attachment 339254View attachment 339255

Does the Amp (or other host device) save an index of the drive somewhere? Or does it re-index every time you switch it on?

 

[Brantome]

The USB drive that just happens to be on your Amp appears as a UPnP library to it and other devices, so tracks can be played from it from the WiiM app (or other upnp clients) like any other UPnP library.

The WiiM app can play from a range of sources and services to a WiiM device, a group of WiiM devices, a bluetooth target or one or more Airplay speakers. As you say, while it is a ChromeCast receiver, it’s not a ChromeCast transmitter. UPnP casting (so far just mentioned in relation to an analog source) is in development for the end of January.

Edit: For example, here’s content on my Amp’s USB drive playing on a group of WiiM devices

View attachment 339254View attachment 339255

Thinking out of the box a little, you should be able to group your ChromeCast capable WiiM devices (like a pro, pro plus or Amp) along with other ChromeCast devices into a Google device group, then use an app like BubbleUPnP to play from the USB library over ChromeCast to that device group. I’ve just done that to my ChromeCast grouped Amp and Pro (I don’t have other non-WiiM ChromeCast enabled devices) from Bubbleupnp with a track from the Amp-connected USB library.

 

[Brantome]

Does the Amp (or other host device) save an index of the drive somewhere? Or does it re-index every time you switch it on?

It saves it on the usb drive

 

[wilkman]

Alright, my device arrived today. Coil Wine is a minor issue for now as i can only hear it when I'm max. 20 cm away and the room is quiet.
I have another question: I'm wondering if there's no HDMI Arc Handshake so that the Amp will automatically switch on and change to the HDMI port automatically when switching on the TV with the remote control. It doesn't seem to work with my LG OLED C9. I need to change the source manually to HDMI in the app or by rc.

Is that not supported by the amp or can I change it somewhere? Thanks for hints.

 

[ninetylol]

Alright, my device arrived today. Coil Wine is a minor issue for now as i can only hear it when I'm max. 20 cm away and the room is quiet.
I have another question: I'm wondering if there's no HDMI Arc Handshake so that the Amp will automatically switch on and change to the HDMI port automatically when switching on the TV with the remote control. It doesn't seem to work with my LG OLED C9. I need to change the source manually to HDMI in the app or by rc.

Is that not supported by the amp or can I change it somewhere? Thanks for hints.

Think you only need to do that once on LG TVs

 

[wilkman]

Think you only need to do that once on LG TVs

What exactly do you mean with "do it once"? What should I do?

 

[MrWasheeWashee]

Audiophonics is sending out their Amps...

 

[Brantome]

Think you only need to do that once on LG TVs

I’d expect HDMI CEC to work the other way I.e, the tv would switch on when it detects a signal on an hdmi connected device, but perhaps ARC works the other way round too as it’s feeding an amp/receiver.

 

[wilkman]

I’d expect HDMI CEC to work the other way I.e, the tv would switch on when it detects a signal on an hdmi connected device, but perhaps ARC works the other way round too as it’s feeding an amp/receiver.

Usually that's the way it normally works. With my current Pioneer VSX the Amp wakes up from standy directly to the HDMI channel when I switch on the TV with the TV remote.

 

[Jeromeof]

The WiiM Amp implementation of ARC is surprisingly good - this was one area where I thought it would struggle as I have a few 'linux' based devices already that have terrible HDMI CEC / ARC support but I have had no real trouble with the WiiM Amp in this regard.

 

[ninetylol]

What exactly do you mean with "do it once"? What should I do?

I only had to put TV to hdmi arc once and then it worked the next times i used the TV without a problem.

 

[xSDMx]

Alright, my device arrived today. Coil Wine is a minor issue for now as i can only hear it when I'm max. 20 cm away and the room is quiet.
I have another question: I'm wondering if there's no HDMI Arc Handshake so that the Amp will automatically switch on and change to the HDMI port automatically when switching on the TV with the remote control. It doesn't seem to work with my LG OLED C9. I need to change the source manually to HDMI in the app or by rc.

Is that not supported by the amp or can I change it somewhere? Thanks for hints.

I also have an LG C9 and the WiiM Amp and it doesn't seem to support CEC power standby over HDMI. It doesn't automatically wake up from standby or go into sleep when my TV turns on or off. However, with both line in and optical auto sense enabled in the settings, the amp will automatically switch to HDMI ARC input after a few seconds of continuous audio playback on my TV. I put in a feature request for a more explicit HDMI auto sense option and also a CEC standby option and would ask that you please also file a ticket via the app.

 

[wilkman]

I only had to put TV to hdmi arc once and then it worked the next times i used the TV without a problem.

Ah okay, maybe I should try it more than once. I'll have a look later. Thx

 

[wilkman]

I also have an LG C9 and the WiiM Amp and it doesn't seem to support CEC power standby over HDMI. It doesn't automatically wake up from standby or go into sleep when my TV turns on or off. However, with both line in and optical auto sense enabled in the settings, the amp will automatically switch to HDMI ARC input after a few seconds of continuous audio playback on my TV. I put in a feature request for a more explicit HDMI auto sense option and also a CEC standby option and would ask that you please also file a ticket via the app.

Okay, so you have the same issue that I have. Thanks for investigating. Because this is quite important for me.

 

[Inertiaman]

https://faq.wiimhome.com/support/solutions/articles/72000617605-using-usb-disks-with-the-wiim-amp

Well, it really is not extensive documentation. I guess you just have to try play the tracks from a thumb drive from other endpoints.

Yeah, my searches did lead me to that page, but as you noticed it only discusses file types and mA current limits. Nothing about actual use.

 

[Inertiaman]

The USB drive that just happens to be on your Amp appears as a UPnP library to it and other devices, so tracks can be played from it from the WiiM app (or other upnp clients) like any other UPnP library.

The WiiM app can play from a range of sources and services to a WiiM device, a group of WiiM devices, a bluetooth target or one or more Airplay speakers. As you say, while it is a ChromeCast receiver, it’s not a ChromeCast transmitter. UPnP casting (so far just mentioned in relation to an analog source) is in development for the end of January.

Edit: For example, here’s content on my Amp’s USB drive playing on a group of WiiM devices

Thanks, that's helpful. Sounds like the worst case issue I may face is replacing two CCA's w/ WiiM Mini's and I'll be able to do what I want. Or w/ some luck, a future firmware update with a UPnP casting implementation may support CCA endpoints?

 

[Brantome]

Thanks, that's helpful. Sounds like the worst case issue I may face is replacing two CCA's w/ WiiM Mini's and I'll be able to do what I want. Or w/ some luck, a future firmware update with a UPnP casting implementation may support CCA endpoints?

See my second response about using a Google Device group and ChromeCasting to that from BubbleUPNP.

Edit: I wouldn’t see them mixing upnp casting and ChromeCast - they’re different protocols.

 

[Inertiaman]

See my second response about using a Google Device group and ChromeCasting to that from BubbleUPNP.

Edit: I wouldn’t see them mixing upnp casting and ChromeCast - they’re different protocols.

In your current example (using BubbleUPnP), the Amp is essentially seen as two devices: a DLNA server, and a Chromecast renderer. But the music browsing/selection/control would be via the Bubble app, not the WiiM app. Is my understanding correct?

w.r.t. the UPnP and Chromecast not mixing . . . what was your point in mentioning UPnP in dev for January in your original reply post, if not that it may enable Chromecast "transmit"? I realize they aren't one-in-the-same, but Chromecast uses UPnP, hence multiple apps (like Bubble) that support UPnP and Chromecast. And therefore a viable hope that a Linkplay-developed UPnP for Amp could do the same?

 

[Brantome]

In your current example (using BubbleUPnP), the Amp is essentially seen as two devices: a DLNA server, and a Chromecast renderer. But the music browsing/selection/control would be via the Bubble app, not the WiiM app. Is my understanding correct?

Yes. I personally see the WiiM Home app as only one of several control points for playback to WiiM devices: for example, I tend to use LMS with its Material Skin for playback of my local files, Qobuz, BBC Sounds and Radio Paradise as it’s much better than the WiiM app in those areas. Also, BubbleUPNP is the pre-eminent UPnP app, so others use that in preference too. Horses for courses really…

w.r.t. the UPnP and Chromecast not mixing . . . what was your point in mentioning UPnP in dev for January in your original reply post, if not that it may enable Chromecast "transmit"? I realize they aren't one-in-the-same, but Chromecast uses UPnP, hence multiple apps (like Bubble) that support UPnP and Chromecast. And therefore a viable hope that a Linkplay-developed UPnP for Amp could do the same?

I only mentioned it as an extension of the device’s current output capabilities, nothing to do with ChromeCast specifically, which I didn’t realise was UPnP based too. So who knows maybe WiiM’s planned UPNP casting might be a door to ChromeCast casting.