WiiM Amp Streaming Amplifier Review

[ZolaIII]

Walsh "3.3000" they have vintage cabinets but modern drivers. I used a super cheap avr with them when I first got them. They aren't hard to drive. Maybe I got a bad wiim unit. I really want it to work. Nothing else I can think of with hdmi arc and streaming at this price point.

How about WiiM Pro and second hand Yamaha A-S700 or R-S700. That will cost you 300~400 $/€ depending how cheap you find Yamaha (150~250 $/€) and you won't have HDMI input but optical.

 

[tom_tom]

Yamaha A-S700 or R-S700

Is amp section of A-S700 or R-S700 the same ? On my local market R-S700 is less expensive and that was exactly my idea to combine it with Wiim Pro Plus.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

I am beginning to be a little suspicious of these tests. I have given the wiim a go and I think it sounds terrible next to some devices that were reviewed with poorer results. I don't get how it can score so high in tests when in use it doesn't sound that great. It is a cool device especially at it price but it struggles to play full range without distortion with any of the speakers I own.

It’s not just measurements.

Amir, Erin and countless others give similarly good subjective reviews.

 

[antcollinet]

Walsh "3.3000" they have vintage cabinets but modern drivers. I used a super cheap avr with them when I first got them. They aren't hard to drive. Maybe I got a bad wiim unit. I really want it to work. Nothing else I can think of with hdmi arc and streaming at this price point.

Are you comparing sighted?

Or are you comparing blind and accurately level matched?


If sighted you really can't rely on your perceptions of difference being caused by the amp performance. Even if you perceive those differences as being "obvious"

 

[ZolaIII]

Is amp section of A-S700 or R-S700 the same ? On my local market R-S700 is less expensive and that was exactly my idea to combine it with Wiim Pro Plus.

Yes it is, R-S has additional analog radio tuner and there for little lower analog input SNR. Thing is you can find newer (or even new for about 500 $/€) A-S700 then R-S700 (discontinued earlier) and there for less used and that's the main reason for price difference. Future more it's same stage on newer A-S 70x and 80x line and now probably R-N1000A line but analog input paths circuit is degraded regarding SNR (they switched to integrated circuit from their property one). It's not something that will impact performance, only that old ones will be little more quiet whan pushed hard regarding self noise.

 

[tom_tom]

Many Thanks @ZolaIII . I want to buy it for looks itself and variable loudness. If there is no big difference I'll go with R-S700 locally.

 

[ZolaIII]

Many Thanks @ZolaIII . I want to buy it for looks itself and variable loudness. If there is no big difference I'll go with R-S700 locally.

There isn't and you do get analog radio tuner.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

Just as a reminder:

In my listening test with the last class D amp so situated, it sounded wonderful driving my Revel Salon 2 speakers.

 

[ZolaIII]

Just as a reminder:

Lot to argue there.

So yes boost in uper mids and highs caused by load impedance dependance would probably subjectively be characterised as "sounding better" rising second harmonics. Truth is you don't want amplifier to do that.

 

[harkpabst]

Boost is a hefty word ...

 

[Antlestxp]

Are you comparing sighted?

Or are you comparing blind and accurately level matched?


If sighted you really can't rely on your perceptions of difference being caused by the amp performance. Even if you perceive those differences as being "obvious"

Distortion is distortion. I have been able to push my speakers above what I'm comfortable listening to without distortion. The wiim could barely cover "exciting" levels without a shift in its sound. I have sent it back for a replacement. Curious if I got a bad unit. If I can't get it to work I will will probably grab a powernode

 

[Antlestxp]

How about WiiM Pro and second hand Yamaha A-S700 or R-S700. That will cost you 300~400 $/€ depending how cheap you find Yamaha (150~250 $/€) and you won't have HDMI input but optical.

I actually had a as801 for a while. That was a fantastic amp. No hdmi tho and it's big. This setup is for our bedroom. I'm trying to find something small hence the sonabs. They are small and like to live in corners.

 

[Antlestxp]

It’s not just measurements.

Amir, Erin and countless others give similarly good subjective reviews.

Do measurements take in account the variable load of a speaker?

 

[antcollinet]

Distortion is distortion. I have been able to push my speakers above what I'm comfortable listening to without distortion. The wiim could barely cover "exciting" levels without a shift in its sound. I have sent it back for a replaced. Curious if I got a bad unit. If I can't get it to work I will will probably grab a powernode

So you are driving it into clipping? Are the amps you are comparing of the same power rating? At both 4 and 8 ohm?

 

[harkpabst]

Do measurements take in account the variable load of a speaker?

There are measurements that do.

I'm under the impression that some people (not you, of course) falsely assume, the terms "load" and "load dependancy" had anything to do with "power" or with "loudness". They don't. Not as far as frequency response is concerned.

Should an amplifier be unable to drive reactivate loads properly, then yes, it will start clipping at lower voltages than it will into purely resistive load. But that's really not the issue everybody's talking about when it come to "load dependancy". I'd go so far and say it's not an issue at all with conventional dynamic speakers, unless the unit is faulty.

 

[pjug]

"load dependancy". I'd go so far and say it's not an issue at all with conventional dynamic speakers, unless the unit is faulty.

I would say that is going too far. This is a budget amp that can expected to be paired with budget speakers. There are definitely speakers that cause these kind of amplifiers to have audible problems (again, see here https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/weird-c-note-problem.40929/post-1483319).

I agree that most speakers will probably only cause a fraction of a dB of deviation in the audible band. For me, that isn't something I mind (I have two Sonos amps and a fraction of a dB deviation is the situation I have with them). But some people don't accept this and I can't say they are wrong to feel that way.

 

[Sokel]

There are measurements that do.

I'm under the impression that some people (not you, of course) falsely assume, the terms "load" and "load dependancy" had anything to do with "power" or with "loudness". They don't. Not as far as frequency response is concerned.

Should an amplifier be unable to drive reactivate loads properly, then yes, it will start clipping at lower voltages than it will into purely resistive load. But that's really not the issue everybody's talking about when it come to "load dependancy". I'd go so far and say it's not an issue at all with conventional dynamic speakers, unless the unit is faulty.

It's all very well explained by Amir:

Check his video at 12.00 and 35.00 min. so this debate ends once and for all:

 

[harkpabst]

I would say that is going too far.

Let my clarify the context.

Should an amplifier be unable to drive reactivate loads properly, then yes, it will start clipping at lower voltages than it will into purely resistive load.
...
I'd go so far and say it's not an issue at all with conventional dynamic speakers, unless the unit is faulty.

My statement was with regards to clipping due to reactive loads, not frequency response variation due to load dependancy. I don't say this can never be an issue ...

There are definitely speakers that cause these kind of amplifiers to have audible problems (again, see here https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/weird-c-note-problem.40929/post-1483319).

Hard to tell what has been measured here (Output voltage? SPL?) and how this measurement has been taken. 5 dB variation in SPL is surely audible, but I wonder if this was really just down to load dependancy of the amp. In the end, I don't know.

In particular with budget speakers, variation between what 's sold as "pairs" will be higher than a fraction of a dB.

I agree that most speakers will probably only cause a fraction of a dB of deviation in the audible band. For me, that isn't something I mind (I have two Sonos amps and a fraction of a dB deviation is the situation I have with them). But some people don't accept this and I can't say they are wrong to feel that way.

I absolutely agree, amplifiers should behave better than that and technically it is all doable, even with class D.

 

[harkpabst]

Check his video at 12.00 and 35.00.min so this debate ends once and for all:

Would you be so nice and add your personal point in textual form, so I know if you agree or disagree with what I said?

I might be watching the video sooner or later, then.

 

[pjug]

Hard to tell what has been measured here (Output voltage? SPL?) and how this measurement has been taken. 5 dB variation in SPL is surely audible, but I wonder if this was really just down to load dependancy of the amp. In the end, I don't know.

I have a pair of Overnight Sensations speakers that have similar impedance curve to the C-note. I will see if I have a little time to show how bad the amplifier voltage frequency curve is when driving these speakers with a Class D amplifier (no FFFB).