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Good Vibes from the WiiM Vibelink…eventually.

Schlippwhip68

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
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Location
Essex, UK.
have a pair of English Walnut 3020i paired with a WiiM Vibelink amp and it’s a very nice sound indeed. Anyone thinking about this pairing should not be put off by Amirs review at all and for the price of the speakers today you will get a high quality sound over all. A very well balanced and controlled sound, clear with a touch of warmth that imo the Vibelink needs. Very nice combination.

I am using a MacBook Air M2 connected via a usb c to coaxial custom cable to the VibeLink. Very clean well balanced bass and detailed soundstage, stereo imaging is excellent. The bass is has much better control on the 3020i than my Wharfedale 12.2 which imo was the only weakness with 12.2 speaker. The instrument separation the 12.2 is exceptional. That said, the Vibelink still has a ‘stock edge’ to the sound.

Minimal size setup which is what I tend to aim for. I will be adding an WiiM mini at a later date for the convenience of airplay but to be honest this is where I personally prefer my HiFi to be. Above average sound quality with minimal consumption, construction and maximum performance! Overall, pleased with this system.

I do find better dynamics with my Denon PMA900HNE (excellent amp!) especially when hooked up to the Cambridge Audio 200m dac with the Wharefdale 12.2 and running The Choir - Circle Slide album via Apple Music but this is a purchase decision primarily based on space, convenience etc and not sound quality, that said the VibeLink doesn’t fall short of an very entertaining listen with the 3020i.

I find the stock sound of the Vibelink a little on the sharper side for my tastes, maybe the class d sound is inescapable no matter whom implements the amplifier, it’s an acquired taste maybe. Class A/B has pretty much been my go to choice for years and for reason that many understand. I decided to add an external dac via the RCA input so I hooked up my iFi Zen Dac V2 and this combination changed things quite considerably and not for the worse.

The iFi dac allowed much more bass weight through, fuller vocals and more definition, a less cluttered sound in the high frequencies whilst smoothing out some of that stock high edge of the Vibelink. There is very good synergy between the Vibelink, ifi zen dac v2 and the 3020i using the MacBook Air as a file source, its one that will please class A/B users and I am glad to have found it as I was about to return the Vibelink but with this match it’s now staying put.

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