WiiM Pro - Review & Measurements (Streamer)

[anonyless]

I guess I know what you mean. When I tap exactly on the cog wheel the settings come up reliably. When I tap slightly right of it (the small space between the cog wheel and the right edge of the display), the now playing screen pops up.

In case this is the behavior you mean, I think I have already reported this to WiiM.

I haven't reported it, as I thought it could be device specific issue. noticed though on the latest WiiM home app for Android 3.2.250521.2ecf99b (seriously WiiM people?!) - it is a lot better.

Another bug: when you clear the queue, the title that is currently playing gets stopped

 

[Witterings]

Assuming the Ultra and the Bluesound connected to the same DAC… what was the perceived sound difference?

Also… why the Node over the Nano?

Yes it is into the same DAC, I bought a KVM switch so I could do instant changes from A to B and found USB out the best for both ..... The Bluesound had the edge in terms of clarity and the detail of instruments and makes the WiiM sound as though it's ever so slightly "muddy" in the lows to mids, the WiiM also had a slight brightness in the higher frequencies altough you don't pick up on it playing it on it's own, only when you compare it to something else.

Generally the Bluesound has a slightly "fuller" / warmer sound along with the extra detail.

I upgraded from Nano to Node as I didn't think it through when I bought the Nano. I still use all my WiiM's and have various multiroom groups set up which I can also control via voice commands .... the WiiM are much more user friendly / integrate much better with Alexa.
The Node has optical in (Nano doesn't) which can be set to auto switch input when receiving a signal so I have my Wiim Pro plugged into it and use it for non critical listening / multiroom so it was a functional / input upgrade as opposed to sound.

I still think WiiM are absolutely brilliant products and better for integration, I think they put pressure on Bluesound and made them have to "up their game" and rather than just trying to compete on cost have instead improved the quality of their product. I lent my neighbour my Nano to compare to his Node n130 and he felt it was a significant upgrade so as a result has just bought himself an Icon.

 

[AAudio]

Yes it is into the same DAC, I bought a KVM switch so I could do instant changes from A to B and found USB out the best for both ..... The Bluesound had the edge in terms of clarity and the detail of instruments and makes the WiiM sound as though it's ever so slightly "muddy" in the lows to mids, the WiiM also had a slight brightness in the higher frequencies altough you don't pick up on it playing it on it's own, only when you compare it to something else.

Generally the Bluesound has a slightly "fuller" / warmer sound along with the extra detail.

I upgraded from Nano to Node as I didn't think it through when I bought the Nano. I still use all my WiiM's and have various multiroom groups set up which I can also control via voice commands .... the WiiM are much more user friendly / integrate much better with Alexa.
The Node has optical in (Nano doesn't) which can be set to auto switch input when receiving a signal so I have my Wiim Pro plugged into it and use it for non critical listening / multiroom so it was a functional / input upgrade as opposed to sound.

I still think WiiM are absolutely brilliant products and better for integration, I think they put pressure on Bluesound and made them have to "up their game" and rather than just trying to compete on cost have instead improved the quality of their product. I lent my neighbour my Nano to compare to his Node n130 and he felt it was a significant upgrade so as a result has just bought himself an Icon.

Assuming both units (BS and WiiM) were set for bit perfect, via USB, the difference might be due to USB port filtering. With galvanic/filtered USB ports there might not be a difference. In my case I hear zero difference between a Ultra and an iPad (strictly set for streaming) via Schiit Unison ports.

Thanks for your comments!

 

[Joffieb]

Is anyone able to explain how the WiiM's deal with adjustments in the digital domain (volume, room correction, EQ)? That is, do they leave the original file in tact and send it to the DAC with a sort of xml or sidecar file attached with instructions of how to adjust the original file or does it decode the original and recompile it with the adjustments?
I'm still trying to get my head around how a crazy money streamer can be better than a WiiM in a digital only scenario especially where the external DAC re-clocks the signal (like a Chord would) or with an external clock. If the WiiM is messing with the original data when applying adjustments then the argument for a mad money alternative that does that better may make sense but still leaves the WiiM as good as any when no adjustments are applied.

 

[Joffieb]

Then I watched that Hollander Hans who pretty much crapped all over the digital output of Wiim's, although he uses them himself, or did at the time, stating that "digital signals are analog".
I have no idea what the opinion is here, but that totally took the wind out of my sails.

One question; Ive disabled the EQ on the Pro, and set volume to fixed; should I change it to 95% and just keep it like that or is 100% the cleanest?

1. On Hans, go and see my comments on that video. It's rubbish. I had a Mini before I got the Pro and even then there was never an issue getting a center image and making the speakers disappear.

2, The issue of the EQ causing clipping at 100% volume has been corrected in firmware updates.

 

[somebodyelse]

Is anyone able to explain how the WiiM's deal with adjustments in the digital domain (volume, room correction, EQ)? That is, do they leave the original file in tact and send it to the DAC with a sort of xml or sidecar file attached with instructions of how to adjust the original file or does it decode the original and recompile it with the adjustments?

Nothing sends files to a pure DAC. They send a series of audio samples in whatever format the DAC needs. The Wiim decodes the file, stream or whatever it's playing, and instead of sending it direct to the DAC it applies EQ, volume adjustment of whatever before sending it.

I'm still trying to get my head around how a crazy money streamer can be better than a WiiM in a digital only scenario especially where the external DAC re-clocks the signal (like a Chord would) or with an external clock. If the WiiM is messing with the original data when applying adjustments then the argument for a mad money alternative that does that better may make sense but still leaves the WiiM as good as any when no adjustments are applied.

Look for evidence if anyone tries to tell you that the mad money alternatives do it any better. They probably won't have any.

 

[Martin83]

Hello everyone,
What impresses me is the sound quality of AirPlay 2.
I can barely hear any differences between the Tidal app and Apple Music AirPlay 2.
AirPlay is absolutely stable, with no clock fluctuations or dropouts.
That wasn't the case with my previous Auralic Aries and the Bluesound Node.
What I also really like is the ability to adjust the balance.
In my room, my left speaker is quieter than the right. I can compensate for this very well with the WiiM Pro and adjust it to my hearing.