WiiM Mini Streamer

[id.ray]

TIDAL hi-res (master) supported?

We now support TIDAL Hi-Res master that's higher than CD quality (44.1 kHz/16 bit). It's 44.1kHz or 48kHz, 24-bit lossless FLAC. The MQA core decoder has been supported with TIDAL Connect, you can go to the Device tab-> Device settings gear ...

wiim.freshdesk.com

Thank you ralph, also found this on that page... looking forward to this.. might have to sell the blusound and get one of these and hook it up to a topping e50 which will render mqa through toslink

Tidal Connect - will this pass through hifi quality or even master quality to an external dac to unfold? Does this support an external dac through tos? Print​

Modified on: Wed, Mar 2, 2022 at 11:39 AM

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It passes through HiFi quality (not Master MQA) to the external DAC via TOSLINK. We have a plan to support MQA later this year.

 

[Ralph_Cramden]

High hopes for the WiiM, but fingers crossed. It's using a newer version of the LinkPlay modules in devices that @amirm has tested in the past. They all measured pretty poorly. Let's hope this one measures better.

KEiiD KD-W01 Streaming DAC

This is a review and detailed measurements of the KEiiD KD-W01 streaming DAC and Bluetooth receiver. It was kindly purchased and drop shipped to me by a member. It costs only $69 from Amazon including Prime shipping. I must say, as super budget products go, the look of this little streamer is...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Andover Audio Songbird Review (Streamer)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Andover Audio Songbird hifi streamer and switcher. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $149. The Songbird is quite small and is powered by micro-USB jack which strangely is in front, not the back: The one button in the front...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Audioengine B-Fi Review (Streamer)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Audioengine B-Fi wifi wireless music streamer with included DAC. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $189. I must say, the packaging for the B-Fi is well above average for a budget streamer: You can't quite see it but the shell...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[mateolo2]

Do we know when @amirm will do the test of this streamer?

 

[Jmudrick]

Bubble Upnp rolled out a new Audio Cast feature today in Android. Selecting Audio Cast and the WiiM as renderer not only allows Apple Music playback (Apple Music doesn't see the WiiM), but it does so gapless. Control is via the Apple Music app. This is pretty great. Is it lossless? AFAIK, Bubble Upnp reports "WAV 44.1" but can't be sure.

 

[TimW]

Bubble Upnp rolled out a new Audio Cast feature today in Android. Selecting Audio Cast and the WiiM as renderer not only allows Apple Music playback (Apple Music doesn't see the WiiM), but it does so gapless. Control is via the Apple Music app. This is pretty great. Is it lossless? AFAIK, Bubble Upnp reports "WAV 44.1" but can't be sure.

Hmm seems convoluted.

Also it seems like you can only use it for 15 min if you don't have premium?

 

[Jmudrick]

Hmm seems convoluted.
View attachment 192695
Also it seems like you can only use it for 15 min if you don't have premium?
View attachment 192696

Sure, having to use two apps rather than one is an inconvenience but it works as when Apple rolls out its classical interface it may render Qobuz a second place choice for me . Bubble Upnp and USB Audio Player Pro are both worth the pittance required to support their work as far as I'm concerned.

 

[TimW]

Sure, having to use two apps rather than one is an inconvenience but it works as when Apple rolls out its classical interface it may render Qobuz a second place choice for me . Bubble Upnp and USB Audio Player Pro are both worth the pittance required to support their work as far as I'm concerned.

You're right, I hadn't thought about the fact I was using the free version but I have really liked it. Just paid the $5.

 

[Jmudrick]

You're right, I hadn't thought about the fact I was using the free version but I have really liked it. Just paid the $5.

Bubble Upnp Audio Cast also supports the XM Radio.app which is handy if you use it. The app otherwise doesn't recognize the WiiM device.

 

[flz]

High hopes for the WiiM, but fingers crossed. It's using a newer version of the LinkPlay modules in devices that @amirm has tested in the past. They all measured pretty poorly. Let's hope this one measures better.

KEiiD KD-W01 Streaming DAC

This is a review and detailed measurements of the KEiiD KD-W01 streaming DAC and Bluetooth receiver. It was kindly purchased and drop shipped to me by a member. It costs only $69 from Amazon including Prime shipping. I must say, as super budget products go, the look of this little streamer is...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Andover Audio Songbird Review (Streamer)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Andover Audio Songbird hifi streamer and switcher. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $149. The Songbird is quite small and is powered by micro-USB jack which strangely is in front, not the back: The one button in the front...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Audioengine B-Fi Review (Streamer)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Audioengine B-Fi wifi wireless music streamer with included DAC. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $189. I must say, the packaging for the B-Fi is well above average for a budget streamer: You can't quite see it but the shell...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Sorry for my ignorance but what exactly is the function of these LinkPlay modules? In at least 1 of these 3 reviews you cite, Amir used both an ethernet connection in and an optical connection out to external DAC. In that case, the limiting factor should not be either Wifi, bluetooth, or the internal DAC since none of those were used.

Someone recently wrote in this thread that all streamers should perform exactly the same when using the optical out to an external DAC. That doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[flz]

Yes, I do. You will find quite a number of measurements on this site supporting my opinion.

So Amir tested 3 streamers (all using LinkPlay modules) that all tested horribly even when using optical out to external DACs. If you're saying all streamers perform the same when using optical out to external DAC, then ALL streamers are that bad? See link below (Post #42 of this thread).

WiiM Mini Streamer

https://wiim.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/72000525435-tidal-hi-res-master-supported- Thank you ralph, also found this on that page... looking forward to this.. might have to sell the blusound and get one of these and hook it up to a topping e50 which will render mqa through toslink...

audiosciencereview.com

 

[Ralph_Cramden]

Sorry for my ignorance but what exactly is the function of these LinkPlay modules? Someone recently wrote in another thread that all streamers should perform exactly the same when using the optical out to an external DAC. That doesn't seem to be the case.

If the streamer's digital output is bit-perfect, that's true. If it's poorly engineered, such as truncating 24-bit to 16-bit, and introducing so much noise that it can't output bit-perfect even at 16 bits, then it won't perform the same via an external DAC, as @amirm has measured.

Linkplay does all the heavy-duty engineering that, for example, Sonos does, including cloud services connecting to all the various streaming providers, licensing deals with the providers, highly integrated hardware, etc. It provides all this to third-party audio companies that don't have the technical resources or expertise to do it in-house. In the case if the WiiM Mini, LinkPlay appears to be selling directly to consumers vs through OEMs.

 

[mugbot]

I wish it did chromecast

 

[ClassicGuy]

If I connect a Bluetooth remote to the Android phone/tablet that has LinkPlay app, can I control Wiim Mini using that remote? Such as play/pause/prev track/next track? Also mute/vol+/vol- ?

 

[flz]

Many of us are waiting for Amir's review of this device. Before that comes out, has anyone looked at the published specs (linked below)? Specs are given for "Line in to SPDIF out" and "BT in to SPDIF out". For example, for the BT in to SPDIF out, they say SNR = 297 dB and dynamic range = 213 dB (which are much better than for Line in to SPDIF out). But they didn't say anything about Wifi in to SPDIF out. Can anyone draw any assumptions/guesses about performance from any of this?

Specs - WiiM Mini - WiiM (wiimhome.com)

 

[MaxBuck]

Hi,

I was thinking about adding node 2i to my system as digital transport to my dac. But with wiim mini i can have exactly the same for 1/5 price of node. It will be any sound difference When using optical out only? I know about difference in clocks, but really it will be any notacible difference? @amirm we are waiting for your test and advice! Thanks

The difference won't be in sound quality. It will be in availability of streaming services and the convenience and usability of the control application.

 

[flz]

The difference won't be in sound quality. It will be in availability of streaming services and the convenience and usability of the control application.

Some of you insist that streamers wont have a sound difference when using the optical out to an external DAC. But look at post #42 of this thread. Amir's tests clearly show differences in streamers even when using optical out to external DACs, with some streamers performing very poorly.

 

[MaxBuck]

Some of you insist that streamers wont have a sound difference when using the optical out to an external DAC. But look at post #42 of this thread. Amir's tests clearly show differences in streamers even when using optical out to external DACs, with some streamers performing very poorly.

I said the WiiM and the Node wouldn't sound different. I haven't studied the others.

 

[thorvat]

So Amir tested 3 streamers (all using LinkPlay modules) that all tested horribly even when using optical out to external DACs. If you're saying all streamers perform the same when using optical out to external DAC, then ALL streamers are that bad? See link below (Post #42 of this thread).

WiiM Mini Streamer

https://wiim.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/72000525435-tidal-hi-res-master-supported- Thank you ralph, also found this on that page... looking forward to this.. might have to sell the blusound and get one of these and hook it up to a topping e50 which will render mqa through toslink...

audiosciencereview.com

That happened because of poor implementation of digital volume control which affected performance over SPDIF. It is something that you don't see often, but it is of course possible.

Btw, we live in a days when it is very easy and cheap to build your own streamer that will perform exceptionally. Get yourself RPi4 and ToppingD10S, connect them via USB, install streaming software of your choice on RPI4 and you've got yourself a perfect streamer. You can even add room EQ software on it.

 

[amirm]

Do we know when @amirm will do the test of this streamer?

I am still working through stuff that has come earlier. Let me see if I can get it done in a week to 10 days.

 

[mateolo2]

I am still working through stuff that has come earlier. Let me see if I can get it done in a week to 10 days.

Thanks!!!!