WiiM Amp Streaming Amplifier Review

[vadamp]

Glad to read more thoughts about the capabilities of WiiM Amp (w. Diamond 12.3). I am expecting Amp to arrive tomorrow, so I will give my feedback. If anyone wants to take into consideration my opinion - pure amateur.

 

[staticV3]

Glad to read more thoughts about the capabilities of WiiM Amp (w. Diamond 12.3). I am expecting Amp to arrive tomorrow, so I will give my feedback. If anyone wants to take into consideration my opinion - pure amateur.

One tip for the WiiM Amp:

In the WiiM Home App, enable the Subwoofer output (even with 2.0 systems), then set the Crossover frequency to the lowest value.

Put on some music with well extended bass response, then as you listen bump up the crossover frequency bit by bit.

Once you hear the sound quality deteriorate, go back down one step and leave the crossover frequency there.

This will filter out deep bass, reducing distortion from your Wharfedales and making sure that you're using the WiiM's power reserves to their fullest, not wasting power down where the Wharfedales won't produce meaningful SPL anyway.

 

[kyuu]

One tip for the WiiM Amp:

In the WiiM Home App, enable the Subwoofer output (even with 2.0 systems), then set the Crossover frequency to the lowest value.

Put on some music with well extended bass response, then as you listen bump up the crossover frequency bit by bit.

Once you hear the sound quality deteriorate, go back down one step and leave the crossover frequency there.

This will filter out deep bass, reducing distortion from your Wharfedales and making sure that you're using the WiiM's power reserves to their fullest, not wasting power down where the Wharfedales won't produce meaningful SPL anyway.

Alternately perhaps one could use a tone generator (such as this one), find the lowest tone that is audible with no crossover in place, leave the tone there and adjust the crossover to the highest value that doesn't impact the tone?

 

[staticV3]

Alternately perhaps one could use a tone generator (such as this one), find the lowest tone that is audible with no crossover in place, leave the tone there and adjust the crossover to the highest value that doesn't impact the tone?

Id rather adjust with music TBH.

It allows you to find the sweet spot between reduced distortion and reduced LFX.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

One tip for the WiiM Amp:

In the WiiM Home App, enable the Subwoofer output (even with 2.0 systems), then set the Crossover frequency to the lowest value.

Put on some music with well extended bass response, then as you listen bump up the crossover frequency bit by bit.

Once you hear the sound quality deteriorate, go back down one step and leave the crossover frequency there.

This will filter out deep bass, reducing distortion from your Wharfedales and making sure that you're using the WiiM's power reserves to their fullest, not wasting power down where the Wharfedales won't produce meaningful SPL anyway.

That’s an excellent tip.

 

[morillon]

One tip for the WiiM Amp:

In the WiiM Home App, enable the Subwoofer output (even with 2.0 systems), then set the Crossover frequency to the lowest value.

Put on some music with well extended bass response, then as you listen bump up the crossover frequency bit by bit.

Once you hear the sound quality deteriorate, go back down one step and leave the crossover frequency there.

This will filter out deep bass, reducing distortion from your Wharfedales and making sure that you're using the WiiM's power reserves to their fullest, not wasting power down where the Wharfedales won't produce meaningful SPL anyway.

a quick observation via the external rc mode-micro etc, if bass reflex speakers, can also quickly be a good indication ;-)
( or white noise and cut it off until you hear any differences in sound color? ;-))

anyway for the essentials of two-voice libraries for the general public etc. cutting at 24db etc below 40-45hz will be a good idea....

 

[Sokel]

a quick observation via the external rc mode-micro etc, if bass reflex speakers, can also quickly be a good indication ;-)
( or white noise and cut it off until you hear any differences in sound color? ;-))

anyway for the essentials of two-voice libraries for the general public etc. cutting at 24db etc below 40-45hz will be a good idea....

GD will rise a bit by the filter alone though.
Probably not audible and the benefits to the amp could exceed that but it's nice to know.

 

[morillon]

GD will rise a bit by the filter alone though.
Probably not audible and the benefits to the amp could exceed that but it's nice to know.

I was talking about using the Wiim DSP ;-) a simple test in a few clicks ;-)

 

[Sokel]

I was talking about using the Wiim DSP ;-) a simple test in a few clicks ;-)

Any DSP filter will increase GD, by nature, either Wiim's or external.
Probably minor of course,some 40-50 ms peaking, or even less with a L-R 24dB/oct for example.

 

[morillon]

Any DSP filter will increase GD, by nature, either Wiim's or external.
Probably minor of course,some 40-50 ms peaking, or even less with a L-R 24dB/oct for example.

yes ;-)

 

[vadamp]

One tip for the WiiM Amp:

In the WiiM Home App, enable the Subwoofer output (even with 2.0 systems), then set the Crossover frequency to the lowest value.

Put on some music with well extended bass response, then as you listen bump up the crossover frequency bit by bit.

Once you hear the sound quality deteriorate, go back down one step and leave the crossover frequency there.

This will filter out deep bass, reducing distortion from your Wharfedales and making sure that you're using the WiiM's power reserves to their fullest, not wasting power down where the Wharfedales won't produce meaningful SPL anyway.

Thank you for this tip. I just put EQ to Rock and it sounds pretty good. With Room Correction, it seems I did not get much. Anyway, I realized that these speakers are so easily run by the Amp, that I mostly listen on not more than 25% volume. Everything above that is too loud to listen to for a longer period of time.

 

[harkpabst]

With Room Correction, it seems I did not get much.

Room correction cannot give you what the Rock GEQ does (adjustment to personal taste and/or program material). It should just be used to carefully correct basic deficiencies of the in-room behaviour.

But here is some more good news. WiiM are currently working on enabling both at the same time, room correction and an additional independent layer of either GEQ or even PEQ to match taste, speaker characteristics, music style, listening volume, you name it. As a result you'll be able to have a fixed room correction setting (or a couple of them) and can apply different EQ settings for different scenarios without having to care about it.

This is currently in beta for the WiiM Ultra, but once it makes it into the GA firmware, I'm sure it will trickle down to the WiiM Amp, too.

Anyway, I realized that these speakers are so easily run by the Amp, that I mostly listen on not more than 25% volume. Everything above that is too loud to listen to for a longer period of time.

Not unexpectedly.

Normally I keep reminding people that a low volume setting is not necessarily a sign of high power reserve (it's mostly a matter of gain), but in the case of the WiiM Amp integrated it's really both. There's nothing for you to worry about.

 

[vadamp]

I just turned on Subwoofer setting, and then I got many other options. Seems I will need much more time to investigate each individual setting. Unless, you have also suggestion for other settings. For a regular user, seems too complicated at first sight. At least, maybe there are some basics like what to turn on what not to touch etc... :-/

 

[Petevid]

One tip for the WiiM Amp:

In the WiiM Home App, enable the Subwoofer output (even with 2.0 systems), then set the Crossover frequency to the lowest value.

Put on some music with well extended bass response, then as you listen bump up the crossover frequency bit by bit.

Once you hear the sound quality deteriorate, go back down one step and leave the crossover frequency there.

This will filter out deep bass, reducing distortion from your Wharfedales and making sure that you're using the WiiM's power reserves to their fullest, not wasting power down where the Wharfedales won't produce meaningful SPL anyway.

So should the subwoofer bypass mode and the Main Speakers output bass switches both be toggled to ‘off’ ?

 

[staticV3]

So should the subwoofer bypass mode and the Main Speakers output bass switches both be toggled to ‘off’ ?

Correct.

 

[harkpabst]

I just turned on Subwoofer setting, and then I got many other options. Seems I will need much more time to investigate each individual setting. Unless, you have also suggestion for other settings. For a regular user, seems too complicated at first sight. At least, maybe there are some basics like what to turn on what not to touch etc... :-/

The only setting that matters (and yes, you must adjust it to match your speakers and room, as @staticV3 explained) is the crossover frequency. Leave everything else untouched.

"Subwoofer Bypass Mode" doesn't matter, as long as no subwoofer is connected, but there's absolutely no advantage to enabling it.
Same goes for the "Phase" setting and "Syncing Subwoofer & Speakers".
"Level" setting doesn't matter either, setting it to -15 dB cannot hurt.
"Main Speakers Output Bass" must be disabled, otherwise there's no point in this exercise at all.

 

[Sam3]

Does this unit have any relation to what Samsung has been selling as the Harman Kardon Citation Amp? Seems to be fairly similar basic spec and design.

 

[harkpabst]

Does this unit have any relation to what Samsung has been selling as the Harman Kardon Citation Amp? Seems to be fairly similar basic spec and design.

Not at all (even if some of the specs seem similar).

WiiM (or Linkplay) are not part of the Harman Group.

 

[Burnside]

Not at all (even if some of the specs seem similar).

WiiM (or Linkplay) are not part of the Harman Group.

Plus if it did have any Linkplay modules, you’d probably see the tell-tale cut down version of the WiiM app.

 

[archerious]

Love this amp. Bought one during prime sales and it has been fantastic with my Lintons.

Surprisingly well built for $239.