I am relatively new to ASR. There is so much to learn and absorb. I am old school audio guy (which you will see below). This is my first thread – and I first want to thank Amir for his testing work – and for maintaining this environment. What a wonderful community he has fostered: a cordial, professional, and respectful environment. A haven in today’s world. Thank you for welcoming new folks.
I am likely providing TMI here but I’m hoping the background information (audio gear and how used) is helpful to anyone trying to understand my mindset. I am at the start of technology curve on streaming. I have so much to learn. And I don’t want to make any assumptions before making purchases.
Hopefully this is the correct area to post my questions. I can surely repost if needed. Many of my questions relate to basic operations for streamers - and I just don’t have hands on experience with a WiiM like device. I hope that much of what I have written as assumptions are correct.
Another perspective: I hope to learn from this process because I plan to build a new home soon – and Whole House Audio in that case will include speakers in the ceiling in general areas of the house. For now, I have (3) existing systems to integrate.
Background: I currently use Spotify for streaming through a bluMe Bluetooth receiver to my main listening system (Family Room). It works fine. But Spotify’s (non Hifi?) audio quality notably lacks when compared to my old school Yamaha CD player. I do like the Spotify UI though. Being able to run Spotify on my laptop into my main listening system and control the volume at the dinner table with my iPhone is nice.
My (3) listening areas are my Office, Family Room, and Garage. Below I describe each system and how I envision a solution for each with a WiiM device. The WiiM devices seem like a good choice for both performance and value. I am looking for advice, corrections, and candid feedback.
Office: I currently use a NuForce Icon2 desktop amplifier (from 2012) that drive Definitive Technology Studio Monitor 350 speakers (from 2007) . Good audio quality for a desktop. A nice bonus is that Zoom call audio quality is great. A key (seemingly now uncommon) feature of the Icon2 is that it has a USB input. The DAC in the icon2 is better than any PC sound card back then. It continues to work flawlessly.
I am proposing a WiiM Amp Pro ($379) for the Office – as a significant audio quality/power improvement. But… (it seems) the WiiM Amp Pro (and all WiiM devices) lack a USB input. Solving my laptop/PC as an input source to the WiiM is a must.
Q1) I should be able to make the WiiM Amp Pro a Bluetooth device on my laptop?
Q2) If so, then when using my laptop for work (not streaming), the WiiM Amp Pro INPUT would be to set be Bluetooth?
Q3) When desiring ‘Whole House Audio’ I would change WiiM Amp Pro INPUT to be Spotify (etc.)? And this same input becomes the source for other WiiM devices? (Through a WiiM ‘grouping’ feature, etc. that I have yet to learn.)
Q4) Now … I assume that Spotify RUNS on the WiiM Amp Pro. And the WiiM Amp Pro can be controlled by either the WiiM Phone App -or a web browser? Both at the same time? And either of these are making a connection (via Wi-Fi or Ethernet) to the WiiM Amp Pro?
Q5) I sure hope the WiiM Phone App makes it easy to quickly change the WiiM Amp Pro INPUT source. But can the INPUT also be controlled by the physical ‘remote’ as well? This would sort of be akin to an input selector knob!
Q6) As an alternative to making my laptop a Bluetooth input to the WiiM Amp Pro, could I use USB to Optical Converter (e.g. SMSL PO100) to convert a PC USB digital signal to Optical, and use the optical input of the WiiM Amp Pro? Such as:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLYVZCV...W0RKZM1Y&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it)
Q7) If my laptop cannot be a Bluetooth input to the WiiM Amp Pro, then I suppose I could continue to use the NuForce Icon2 which has ‘line out’ to send an analog signal to the WiiM Amp Pro ‘Line-In’ (?)
Q8) What might be the ‘best’ approach for the laptop/PC input connection to the WiiM Amp Pro: a) Bluetooth, or b) USB to Optical, or c) Nuforce Icon2 line-out?
Garage: I spend a fair amount of time in my heated (2.5 car) garage working on cars and home projects. I listen to music and podcasts. This is old school: I have an Advent 300 receiver (year 1980) that I have used on and off for 40+ years. It was recently recapped/cleaned and performs to spec. I probably should buy another WiiM Amp Pro for the garage. But nostalgia has won me over. So, I am thinking about the (non-amp) WiiM Pro Plus ($219) and using the Advent 300 (at 15 watt/channel). My garage speakers are Phase Technology PC1.1 series II (which have an efficient 90Db at 1W).
Q9) Any comments for using a WiiM Pro Plus in my garage?
Family Room: The Family Room also functions as a Home Theater and for 2 channel listening.
Q10) I propose replacing the bluMe Bluetooth with another WiiM Pro Plus. I don’t see a need for the functionality of the WiiM Ultra. Thoughts or considerations?
Q11) In summary I propose: (1) WiiM Amp Pro for the Office and (1) WiiM Pro Plus for the garage, and (1 WiiM Amp Pro for the Family Room. Then when specific times for Whole House Audio present: it seems that I should be to route any input from the WiiM Amp Pro to the other WiiM devices? And I should be able to control the volume of the (3) WiiM devices independently?
Q12) Any final thoughts?
I am likely providing TMI here but I’m hoping the background information (audio gear and how used) is helpful to anyone trying to understand my mindset. I am at the start of technology curve on streaming. I have so much to learn. And I don’t want to make any assumptions before making purchases.
Hopefully this is the correct area to post my questions. I can surely repost if needed. Many of my questions relate to basic operations for streamers - and I just don’t have hands on experience with a WiiM like device. I hope that much of what I have written as assumptions are correct.
Another perspective: I hope to learn from this process because I plan to build a new home soon – and Whole House Audio in that case will include speakers in the ceiling in general areas of the house. For now, I have (3) existing systems to integrate.
Background: I currently use Spotify for streaming through a bluMe Bluetooth receiver to my main listening system (Family Room). It works fine. But Spotify’s (non Hifi?) audio quality notably lacks when compared to my old school Yamaha CD player. I do like the Spotify UI though. Being able to run Spotify on my laptop into my main listening system and control the volume at the dinner table with my iPhone is nice.
My (3) listening areas are my Office, Family Room, and Garage. Below I describe each system and how I envision a solution for each with a WiiM device. The WiiM devices seem like a good choice for both performance and value. I am looking for advice, corrections, and candid feedback.
Office: I currently use a NuForce Icon2 desktop amplifier (from 2012) that drive Definitive Technology Studio Monitor 350 speakers (from 2007) . Good audio quality for a desktop. A nice bonus is that Zoom call audio quality is great. A key (seemingly now uncommon) feature of the Icon2 is that it has a USB input. The DAC in the icon2 is better than any PC sound card back then. It continues to work flawlessly.
I am proposing a WiiM Amp Pro ($379) for the Office – as a significant audio quality/power improvement. But… (it seems) the WiiM Amp Pro (and all WiiM devices) lack a USB input. Solving my laptop/PC as an input source to the WiiM is a must.
Q1) I should be able to make the WiiM Amp Pro a Bluetooth device on my laptop?
Q2) If so, then when using my laptop for work (not streaming), the WiiM Amp Pro INPUT would be to set be Bluetooth?
Q3) When desiring ‘Whole House Audio’ I would change WiiM Amp Pro INPUT to be Spotify (etc.)? And this same input becomes the source for other WiiM devices? (Through a WiiM ‘grouping’ feature, etc. that I have yet to learn.)
Q4) Now … I assume that Spotify RUNS on the WiiM Amp Pro. And the WiiM Amp Pro can be controlled by either the WiiM Phone App -or a web browser? Both at the same time? And either of these are making a connection (via Wi-Fi or Ethernet) to the WiiM Amp Pro?
Q5) I sure hope the WiiM Phone App makes it easy to quickly change the WiiM Amp Pro INPUT source. But can the INPUT also be controlled by the physical ‘remote’ as well? This would sort of be akin to an input selector knob!
Q6) As an alternative to making my laptop a Bluetooth input to the WiiM Amp Pro, could I use USB to Optical Converter (e.g. SMSL PO100) to convert a PC USB digital signal to Optical, and use the optical input of the WiiM Amp Pro? Such as:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLYVZCV...W0RKZM1Y&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it)
Q7) If my laptop cannot be a Bluetooth input to the WiiM Amp Pro, then I suppose I could continue to use the NuForce Icon2 which has ‘line out’ to send an analog signal to the WiiM Amp Pro ‘Line-In’ (?)
Q8) What might be the ‘best’ approach for the laptop/PC input connection to the WiiM Amp Pro: a) Bluetooth, or b) USB to Optical, or c) Nuforce Icon2 line-out?
Garage: I spend a fair amount of time in my heated (2.5 car) garage working on cars and home projects. I listen to music and podcasts. This is old school: I have an Advent 300 receiver (year 1980) that I have used on and off for 40+ years. It was recently recapped/cleaned and performs to spec. I probably should buy another WiiM Amp Pro for the garage. But nostalgia has won me over. So, I am thinking about the (non-amp) WiiM Pro Plus ($219) and using the Advent 300 (at 15 watt/channel). My garage speakers are Phase Technology PC1.1 series II (which have an efficient 90Db at 1W).
Q9) Any comments for using a WiiM Pro Plus in my garage?
Family Room: The Family Room also functions as a Home Theater and for 2 channel listening.
- Home theater receiver: Yamaha V2065 (purchased 2010).
- McIntosh MAC7200 receiver (from 2021 – during covid) for 2 channel listending.
- Front speakers: Phase Technology PC9.5 tower speakers (purchased 2010)
- Center channel: Phase Technology CI-70viii in wall
- Rear speakers: DCM Time Windows (purchased 1978)
Q10) I propose replacing the bluMe Bluetooth with another WiiM Pro Plus. I don’t see a need for the functionality of the WiiM Ultra. Thoughts or considerations?
Q11) In summary I propose: (1) WiiM Amp Pro for the Office and (1) WiiM Pro Plus for the garage, and (1 WiiM Amp Pro for the Family Room. Then when specific times for Whole House Audio present: it seems that I should be to route any input from the WiiM Amp Pro to the other WiiM devices? And I should be able to control the volume of the (3) WiiM devices independently?
Q12) Any final thoughts?