WiiM Pro Plus Streamer Review

[staticV3]

So are y'all saying that I can watch TV (Netflix, etc) using the Wiim remote if the TV ARC output is plugged into the Wiim Ultra?

In that scenario, Netflix on your TV can be controlled using the TV remote.
While volume can be controlled using the TV remote, the WiiM remote, the WiiM Home App, or the WiiM Ultra volume knob.

f using a Pro with no remote, would I control the streaming apps from the Wiim app on my phone?

You can stream to the WiiM from directly inside the steaming Apps. No need to launch a separate App.

 

[jakeC]

In that scenario, Netflix on your TV can be controlled using the TV remote.
While volume can be controlled using the TV remote, the WiiM remote, the WiiM Home App, or the WiiM Ultra volume knob.


You can stream to the WiiM from directly inside the steaming Apps. No need to launch a separate App.

Thanks. I think I'm beginning to understand!

Since my phone and Wiim would be on wifi I'll get the higher quality playback directly from Tidal, Pandora, etc, vs the same situation between my phone and the Sevens (without the Wiim) since it would be streaming via Bluetooth to Sevens since the Sevens don't support wifi connectivity. Do I have that right?

 

[staticV3]

Since my phone and Wiim would be on wifi I'll get the higher quality playback directly from Tidal, Pandora, etc, vs the same situation between my phone and the Sevens (without the Wiim) since it would be streaming via Bluetooth to Sevens since the Sevens don't support wifi connectivity. Do I have that right?

Correct, although it's not likely that you'd hear the difference between lossless casting to the WiiM vs lossy Bluetooth to the Klipsch.

Having said that, sometimes it's nice just knowing that your signal chain is clean, even if the technically worse alternative would be inconsequential in practice.

 

[nn_in]

Using Spotify via>Wiim Pro Plus with LAN in connected and Optical out to >Audiolab 9000A (amp with build in DAC using ES9038PRO i think)>Super Dentons. This is my assumption as i think some more sound can be improved from the audiolab 9000A. What is the "external" DAC i need to consider to get a better soundstage and instrument separation considering i keep the other components the same. I use only spotify as source.

 

[staticV3]

What is the "external" DAC i need to consider to get a better soundstage and instrument separation

No external DAC available today can improve soundstage and instrument separation over the WiiM Pro Plus.

 

[nn_in]

No external DAC available today can improve soundstage and instrument separation over the WiiM Pro Plus.

Oh ok.What if I replace the wiim pro plus with another external dac that can do better than wiim and audiolab9000A internal dac.
I thought the sound stage, imaging, instrument seperation and placement if present in the source/recording is preserved in the dac and amplifier and communicated via speakers ( all this assumes that all components have the capability). If my understanding is incorrect i need to look up on asr forums.

 

[staticV3]

Oh ok.What if I replace the wiim pro plus with another external dac that can do better than wiim and audiolab9000A internal dac.
I thought the sound stage, imaging, instrument seperation and placement if present in the source/recording is preserved in the dac and amplifier and communicated via speakers ( all this assumes that all components have the capability). If my understanding is incorrect i need to look up on asr forums.

To improve stage, imaging, instrument separation, and placement, you want to look into speakers, speaker placement, room treatment, and room correction.

The rest is effectively irrelevant.

Edit:
BACCH is a notable exception to this rule, see here: https://archimago.blogspot.com/2023/10/stereo-crosstalk-cancellation-xtc.html

 

[Tres]

Using Spotify via>Wiim Pro Plus with LAN in connected and Optical out to >Audiolab 9000A (amp with build in DAC using ES9038PRO i think)>Super Dentons. This is my assumption as i think some more sound can be improved from the audiolab 9000A. What is the "external" DAC i need to consider to get a better soundstage and instrument separation considering i keep the other components the same. I use only spotify as source.

Am I correct that you use the DAC chip of the audiolab 900 A ?

I don’t know the specifications of your Audiolab but you could try to let the Wiim handle the DAC conversion and use the RCA out and connect it to your Audiolab using a RCA cable. You could also use the room correction of the Wiim and benefit from that. My setup works that way and I am very pleased with what the Wiim can achieve. In my situation it sounds better than letting my AVR do the conversion. If possible you might give it a try and report back.

Buying new stuff is nice but often not necessary …

 

[nn_in]

Am I correct that you use the DAC chip of the audiolab 900 A ?

I don’t know the specifications of your Audiolab but you could try to let the Wiim handle the DAC conversion and use the RCA out and connect it to your Audiolab using a RCA cable. You could also use the room correction of the Wiim and benefit from that. My setup works that way and I am very pleased with what the Wiim can achieve. In my situation it sounds better than letting my AVR do the conversion. If possible you might give it a try and report back.

Buying new stuff is nice but often not necessary …

Yes wiim (room correction set up) >optical out into Audiolab 9000A optical in (ESS9038PRO 32-bit DAC chip).Wiim room correction works on digital and analog outputs .
I did try wiim analog output to audiolab analog in also.

 

[Tres]

Yes wiim (room correction set up) >optical out into Audiolab 9000A optical in (ESS9038PRO 32-bit DAC chip).Wiim room correction works on digital and analog outputs .
I did try wiim analog output to audiolab analog in also.

Allright.. I understand.

I don’t use the optical out of my Wiim. I didn’t knew the Wiim also puts the roomcorrection to optical out, that’s nice to know.

You might benefit from the DAC inside the Wiim. It’s transparant. Is the DAC inside the audiolab as good ? You might also try to AB test them with both connections available. When performed blind tested the results might be without bias…

 

[nn_in]

Allright.. I understand.

I don’t use the optical out of my Wiim. I didn’t knew the Wiim also puts the roomcorrection to optical out, that’s nice to know.

You might benefit from the DAC inside the Wiim. It’s transparant. Is the DAC inside the audiolab as good ? You might also try to AB test them with both connections available. When performed blind tested the results might be without bias…

I think the Audiolab 9000A internal DAC may be better. Cant really do a exact AB test to find out. I may have to consider $700-$1500 external dacs (gustard,others)to get any audible difference. But that iam not too sure.

 

[staticV3]

I think the Audiolab 9000A internal DAC may be better. Cant really do a exact AB test to find out. I may have to consider $700-$1500 external dacs (gustard,others)to get any audible difference. But that iam not too sure.

It can't get an better than transparent.
The Pro Plus is transparent.

 

[nn_in]

It can't get an better than transparent.
The Pro Plus is transparent.

If I understand correctly.wiim pro plus is transparent .
So consider using the wiim analog out to
audiolab analog in .

 

[Whatsthephuss]

Awesome device!! I was thinking about getting a Mojo 2 for ~$450 but decided to get a WiiM Pro Plus + FiiO Melody for half the price to do the same tasks. Still waiting on the FiiO dongle (for USB -> SPDIF -> WiiM), but the analog outputs on the Pro Plus exceeded my expectations!

For shits and giggles, I bought an RCA -> 6.35mm (female) adaptor, and tried all of my headphones via the Line Out. I read the output impedance is somewhere around 10 or 11ohms?, which is lower than my current portable interface (RME Babyface OG). The Babyface headphone jack is specced at +7dbu or ~1.7V, but that’s been plenty of output for any headphone I care to bring outside the house.

So for me, the WiiM Pro Plus + an external battery = an amazing transport that reminds me a lot of the old portable CD players I grew up with (similar size/shape/weight). All of my headphones sounded great from the line out with their own individual EQ profiles, and the only two headphones that maxed out the volume were the HE6SE and AKG K340 (neither would leave home anyway). All of my other headphones were driven to very adequate sound levels, often limiting the volume at 60-70%.

WIIM Pro Plus w/ Battery Bank + a DDC (USB->SPDIF) Dongle means both the battery as well as the usb bridge are easily upgradable to keep up with future advancements, and the rest of the I/O on the WiiM is just icing on the cake.

 

[dtaylo1066]

WiiM products = huge bang for the buck. I have the Ultra and could not be happier as it far exceeded expectations and I find it's DAC and functions most excellent. Not sure how they are avoiding tariff increases.

 

[gwing]

Yes consider both approaches as they are likely to have identical sound quality.

Personally I prefer to use the optical out from the Wiim as I have a wired network connection plus multiple devices connected to the Wiim and using optical out to an external DAC isolates any electrical issues from any of those devices from my amplifier so, even though audio quality is identical, I prefer to do it that way. Likewise you may find one option or the other gives you more convenience in how you control the volume.

 

[jareinertson]

Here's a tip, if you want to test at a slightly lower level:

Can you hear a difference between dac+amp path with 92dB vs. 78dB SINAD? (test)

Can you hear a difference between dac+amp path with 92dB vs. 78dB SINAD? Quite a lot has been said here about “audibility” of SINAD, or existing/non-existing sound differences between amplifiers or DACs. Quite often we forget to evaluate SINAD of the whole audio chain consisting of a DAC, power...

audiosciencereview.com

I found this a good read on the audibility of SINAD.

Evaluating SINAD - Why it's NOT important

Blaine Lacross and Andrew Park examine SINAD, a popular index commonly used to evaluate amps and DACs. In this article, they explain why it's not important

headphones.com

 

[Jazz]

I just wanted to briefly share a discovery I made today with my Pro Plus, which I've only had for five days. I wanted to send it back tomorrow because the sound of the internal DAC was annoying and tiring me. I was looking for a DAC that wasn't annoying, even if the resolution wasn't the most modern. Then today, by chance, I tried a setting without much expectation. It fundamentally changed the sound of the Pro Plus for the better, and I'm going to keep it. I had a Node N132 for four months, but despite its great spatiality, listening to it also tired me out a lot.
So what did I change on the Pro Plus? It's the so-called volume limitation in the device settings. I reduced it from (default) 100% to 80%. Maybe it doesn't need to be reduced that much, but I only just discovered it and with 80% it is a bery noticeable change for the better. Later on one can reduce the decrease of volume. The Pro Plus was wonderful for quiet passages. But it sounds very strained with complex music and loud passages.

When the “volume limitation” is reduced, it seems that the Pro Plus no longer overloads on the digital level. Now everything sounds very inviting and spacious. It's no longer like a knife in your ear, but the opposite. It's a bit tragic because the pre-gain is at zero, e.g. for Qobuz, and that leads to overloading and distortion. Here's a quote from the Wiim forum that explains well what volume limitation does at which level:

„This depends on what input and output you use.

The voltage settings is for the analog output only (after DAC).

The pre-gains are digital and before EQ.

Volume limitation is a upper digital volume level.

If any of those are set too high, it may cause distortion. Else they don't cause any sound quality issues“

Me again.
I've been listening for hours now, and the Pro Plus sounds open, pleasant, musical, and lively, with no harshness or distortion. I think Wiim should reduce the default setting for “volume limitation.” It's like night and day.
Thanks for reading..

Streaming services apply -1 to -3 dB peak limiting when loudness normalization is on. Turning on the sound check/loudness normalization like feature might be a better way to go.

 

[gwing]

Streaming services apply -1 to -3 dB peak limiting when loudness normalization is on. Turning on the sound check/loudness normalization like feature might be a better way to go.

I think you will find that if you choose to do volume control on the Wiim rather than passing that digital signal downstream at 100% it will also solve your problem. Basically any solution that reduces the digital volume level is a fix for music that has been recorded at too high a level.

 

[Jazz]

I know you figured it out but maybe for clarity for many others who make the same error.

You need to lower the max volume not change the output voltage setting.
The signal is going to clip at max volume with something boosted. You can see why right?
If you boost 80hrz by 6db and turn volume output to 100% you are asking for 6db more output at 80hrz but the output would already maxed at 0db (with no extra gain).

This one nice thing about my miniDSP is it has some headroom built in.

I thought LUFS have this built in now?