WiiM Mini Review (Streamer)

[Mort]

Used pro is $110 on eBay, about $40 more than a used mini. Unless you have some really weird space constraint and really need that $40, get a pro instead of a mini. It does nothing worse and many things better than the mini.

 

[Smitty2k1]

Used pro is $110 on eBay, about $40 more than a used mini. Unless you have some really weird space constraint and really need that $40, get a pro instead of a mini. It does nothing worse and many things better than the mini.

Wish they would just bake Squezelite into my mini so I can stick it in a closet and use it for my whole home audio system.

Very happy with my Pro that replaced it on my desktop.

 

[Burnside]

Wish they would just bake Squezelite into my mini so I can stick it in a closet and use it for my whole home audio system.

Very happy with my Pro that replaced it on my desktop.

No chance -it doesn’t have the necessary resources/memory

 

[Smitty2k1]

No chance -it doesn’t have the necessary resources/memory

Less power than a Pi huh?

 

[Burnside]

Less power than a Pi huh?

I don't see the relevance of that comment. Along with all the other features it already supports, the Mini simply doesn't have the capacity needed to squeeze in the squeezelite client. There was a hare-brained suggestion they might remove some features to accommodate it, but they'd then have two sets of firmware to maintain in step and no doubt there'd be complaints about what they had removed.

 

[rcstevensonaz]

Less power than a Pi huh?

Less CPU power than the WiiM Pro and beyond.

 

[Smitty2k1]

Less CPU power than the WiiM Pro and beyond.

They gave it PEQ though

 

[markstein]

Update from WiiM is that they currently have no plans to add fixed resolution to the Mini, and that it’s still in testing for the Ultra.

A classic example of "improvements" (streaming services providing "high resoltion" music with varying sample rate and bit depth) being no improvements in real live. But the opposite.

I am using two WiiM minis with two DAC combinations. One processes the SR changes between different titles well, without clicks and crackle and stutter (RME ADI-2 Pro), the other one crackles each time the SR changes during playback, and I activated the SRC with 3dB attenuation in the RME to get rid of it (RME ADI-2 Pro into Fireface UFX II - the Fireface needs more time than the ADI-2 Pro for detecting sample rate and needs to reload all RoomEQ settings for each change).

When providing "high resolution" music, I would much prefer all titles with one sample rate and bit depth to prevent switching during playback which always can be problematic as it is not the correct use case.
And: Upsampling has to be done with appropriate care to avoid intersample clipping.

 

[Burnside]

They gave it PEQ though

They already had GEQ, so maybe adding peq wasn’t that big of a deal and/or more of an app change. Anyway with a quarter of the RAM and half the number of cpu cores, it’s more than evident it can’t accommodate what its siblings can.

 

[Mort]

They already had GEQ, so maybe adding peq wasn’t that big of a deal and/or more of an app change. Anyway with a quarter of the RAM and half the number of cpu cores, it’s more than evident it can’t accommodate what its siblings can.

Gotta agree. I would not invest in minis.

I know we like to be frugal but the pro is one worthy $40 upgrade.

 

[Smitty2k1]

Gotta agree. I would not invest in minis.

I know we like to be frugal but the pro is one worthy $40 upgrade.

Yeah I just already have one laying around from when they first came out. I also have a Pro that I use more frequently

 

[markstein]

Honestly, I do not understand why anybody should NOT be using the WiiM mini. It does bit perfect streaming for little money...

 

[Witterings]

Honestly, I do not understand why anybody should NOT be using the WiiM mini. It does bit perfect streaming for little money...

The only reason I changed, I use Amazon Music and play quite a bit of multiroom which it wouldn't do at high res but if it wasn't that it's a hell of a bit of kit for very little money.

 

[Mort]

Maybe because you don’t want to give a Chinese company backed by Chinese investors access to your home network.

Oh let's not go there.

The mini is a significant generation behind in ways that matter to me - for low cost bump.

However, these are consumer decisions about which reasonable minds can differ.

 

[ShadowBoxer]

know we like to be frugal but the pro is one worthy $40 upgrade.

The Pro is $60 more than a Mini (70%).

(2) Minis + $25 = (1) Pro

 

[Ajorge73]

hi, need a streamer to use with a CA Dacmagic 200m (wi-fi + 50 cm optical cable). I use qobuz and spotify mainly. Don't care about other features, i'm just tired of using my phone (through USB to the DAC) when i want to stream something at home. Considering this, are there any limitation in the mini that i should consider or is it fine?

 

[Burnside]

hi, need a streamer to use with a CA Dacmagic 200m (wi-fi + 50 cm optical cable). I use qobuz and spotify mainly. Don't care about other features, i'm just tired of using my phone (through USB to the DAC) when i want to stream something at home. Considering this, are there any limitation in the mini that i should consider or is it fine?

I’d watch out for sales and go for the Pro or Pro Plus tbh, just in case Qobuz Connect (if and when it might eventually appear) will only be supported on the more capable models.

 

[Power Pop 23]

WiiM's parent company LInkplay sometimes offers refurbished variants of select WiiM streamers at their outlet store on Ebay:

Items for sale by linkplay | eBay

Shop eBay for great deals from linkplay!

www.ebay.com

 

[Ajorge73]

I’d watch out for sales and go for the Pro or Pro Plus tbh, just in case Qobuz Connect (if and when it might eventually appear) will only be supported on the more capable models.

Thank you. I am considering the mini also because of size cause i might use it occasionaly on a 2nd home on and old stereo. I know the dac will be worse than the pro and pro plus (altough i doubt it will be that much worse on my 45 year old sony with original speakers i have in that 2nd home ) but using the optical on the main system should there be a noticeable difference between the 3?

 

[Power Pop 23]

Thank you. I am considering the mini also because of size cause i might use it occasionaly on a 2nd home on and old stereo. I know the dac will be worse than the pro and pro plus (altough i doubt it will be that much worse on my 45 year old sony with original speakers i have in that 2nd home ) but using the optical on the main system should there be a noticeable difference between the 3?

No

The 'Pro' uses the same DAC as the Mini. The 'Pro Plus' uses a newer generation DAC.