WiiM Mini Review (Streamer)

[PeteL]

Indeed : “It also has the analog audio input so you could connect your audio device and listen it on multiple devices”

Overview - WiiM Mini - WiiM

wiimhome.com

Strangely, I was having this odd conversation the other day, with someone telling me, I'd like to purchase a turntable, you're in audio, what would you say I should buy. My first question was what's the rest of your chain?
She told me: "A Sonos speaker". I scratched my head but it made me realize that it's easy for audiophiles like us to lose touch with the real state of the market. I was surprised of this answer, but I think it maybe much more common that I would think. So my guess: for that same exact reason. One can plug this thing directly to cheap powered speakers that has no free input, you can add a turntable, a radio tuner, the analog output of your TV, etc. Why not.

 

[sarumbear]

Thanks a lot @amirm for this detailed test.

Detailed???

 

[TheBatsEar]

Detailed???

I think the issue is that a full test is time consuming, because it can't be fully automated with the instrumentation at hand.
I'm fine with this. We know digital output is fine and analog out is ok'ish. Good enough.

It costs 106€ at Amazon Germany right now (US $114.6).

As for Roon, it's a personal thing it seems. Vote "Great" if you think it's great.
Could be the first device that is voted great against Amirs opinion

 

[Brantome]

I'm wondering, if the WiiM fully support UPNP?

It does support UPNP - I use it with Minimserver

 

[Brantome]

Or they went to the same OEM Amazon went...

It’s smaller than any current or recent amazon device, maybe apart from the echo input which similarly had no speaker. Apart from the shape (which is hardly unique) and its integration with Alexa, I don’t see the Amazon link.

 

[flz]

I never have and probably never will use Roon. Quite happy with the WiiM connected optical out to SMSL Su-9n. Not a MQA user either. Not sure about others, but I won't be returning mine despite the not recommended review.

 

[Jmudrick]

I never have and probably never will use Roon. Quite happy with the WiiM connected optical out to SMSL Su-9n. Not a MQA user either. Not sure about others, but I won't be returning mine despite the not recommended review.

I'll probably buy two more. I haven't used Chromecast since installing the WiiM and can see it replacing Chromecast in my other systems in the house.

 

[dasdoing]

why does it force the app anyways?
my $26 tx/rx acts like a normal bluetooth device and I can use whatever player I like https://pt.aliexpress.com/item/4000...o2bra&spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.60e8caa43VDMEg

 

[Jmudrick]

why does it force the app anyways?
my $26 tx/rx acts like a normal bluetooth device and I can use whatever player I like https://pt.aliexpress.com/item/4000...o2bra&spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.60e8caa43VDMEg

Not sure what this means . I almost never use the app. You can use any app which is DLNA compatible (and use BubbleUpnp Audio Cast for those which are not). Not sure how Bluetooth works don't use. If you're streaming from your phone via Bluetooth you don't need to buy this as a streamer.

 

[mateolo2]

WiiM has support for Spotify see screenshot.

Ok i know… but. When you click Spotify its show Window to that you can use it only with Spotify App

 

[Jmudrick]

Ok i know… but. When you click Spotify its show Window to that you can use it only with Spotify App

There are only advantages to using the Spotify app. The WiiM app is extremely weak in queue and playlist management. You don't want to use it if you don't have to.

 

[tsoltan]

An interesting product. Looks like it has an analog input and ADC…if I'm understanding the specs correctly. I wonder what the intended applications are for this input. @amirm , did you test the analog input? Looks like it accepts up to 1V. I can imagine folks using a pair of these to "beam" vinyl playback to the patio over Wi-Fi.

Do you know what is the output of the turntable(phono-pre) or how to calculate it - because I assume It would be higher than 1V.

 

[Ralph_Cramden]

is the app only for setup or do you actually need it if your just using spotify connect etc?

You don’t need the app with Tidal, Spotify, Amazon Music; all use their native apps with this device. It also supports Bluetooth, UPnP, Alexa and Siri without the app. It is, for the price, the most technically sophisticated streamer you will find.

 

[Ralph_Cramden]

Ok i know… but. When you click Spotify its show Window to that you can use it only with Spotify App

Which is the case with every streamer that supports Spotify. LMS is the only system, to my knowledge, which can use Spotify service without the Spotify app.

 

[PeteL]

why does it force the app anyways?
my $26 tx/rx acts like a normal bluetooth device and I can use whatever player I like https://pt.aliexpress.com/item/4000...o2bra&spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.60e8caa43VDMEg

It won't force the app with Bluetooth. Audio over IP is a different animal, you won't find a wifi streaming device that don't have some sort of application in the background wether it's proprietary or not.

 

[Jmudrick]

You don’t need the app with Tidal, Spotify, Amazon Music; all use their native apps with this device. It also supports Bluetooth, UPnP, Alexa and Siri without the app. It is, for the price, the most sophisticated streamer you will find.

Agreed x 1000. At $89 It's absurd to criticize the unit for its performance as a DAC when it offers transparent optical output.

 

[D700]

It would be beneficial if someone whith knowledge/overview/time compiled some nice spreadsheet style comparison of current "affordable" HW streamers, both reviewed and untested. Because otherwise google searchers are left with something like this:
I started one here on ASR long time ago but abandoned it to others. Just search

 

[Dogen]

Completely fit for purpose and at a great price. This will meet the needs of a very large number of users, and the performance is quite good.

 

[Soniclife]

Do you know what is the output of the turntable(phono-pre) or how to calculate it - because I assume It would be higher than 1V.

Probably less than 1V for many people, cart and phono stage combinations will let this be all over the place.

@amirm are you able to measure the ADC? The ability to not only do this conversion, but also stream it to another one of these in the house is an interesting and fairly unique feature.

 

[Brantome]

You don’t need the app with Tidal, Spotify, Amazon Music; all use their native apps with this device. It also supports Bluetooth, UPnP, Alexa and Siri without the app. It is, for the price, the most technically sophisticated streamer you will find.

However, Amazon Music only supports Alexa Cast which I suspect is still only lossy SD. Hopefully the imminent app update will help confirm this.

If the WiiM app follows other third party implementations of Amazon Music, they’ll be able to support lossless bit perfect 16 and 24 playback over SPDIF in the near future - if their claim to support these hires tracks when casting, they’ll be the first to do that in my experience.