WiiM Vibelink Amp Review

[morillon]

(The "what is and what should have been" is of little interest now... which animates the bulk of the discussions... unless a revision is made one day ;-) )

 

[morillon]

temperature in use? approaching cooling? reasonable to position it just under the ultra for example?
etc

 

[Romario]

Why don't we just meet again in a year and see if nobody bought the WiiM Vibelink Amp as you predicted and they stopped making them?

Nobody needs it, everybody complains in the comments, the case should be clear.

Surely it will sell, at a pricepoint of 260 usd or so. Heck, then I'll buy one for my mother for tv duties.

 

[harkpabst]

Surely it will sell, at a pricepoint of 260 usd or so. Heck, then I'll buy one for my mother for tv duties.

I'll take your word for it.

 

[D700]

Guys, go outside and play.

 

[C0mbat]

How does this one fit in the rest of the Wiim line? I get that it does not have any streaming components or connections so we supply content. However, It's not for the ultra, it does not substitute the Wiim Amp Pro, or the Wiim Amp. Maybe match it with the Pro or Pro Plus. I dont see what space its supposed to be in when it does not have Sub Out / Bass Management that I can tell (still to up in their site). Yes its seems more powerful, but no Sub Out limits its application. @WiiM Team please comment.

Exactly. I just don't get this device. You wouldn't buy it to match the WiiM Amp/Amp Pro or the Ultra. Would you buy it instead at that price? What benefit does it being over choosing between the others? What the value proposition. Funnily the value proposition seems to be that you lose things like steaming.

For me, this is such a bizarre product that will barely sell.

 

[Burnside]

Exactly. I just don't get this device. You wouldn't buy it to match the WiiM Amp/Amp Pro or the Ultra. Would you buy it instead at that price? What benefit does it being over choosing between the others? What the value proposition. Funnily the value proposition seems to be that you lose things like steaming.

For me, this is such a bizarre product that will barely sell.

Of course you would be unlikely to buy it to match a WiiM Amp or Amp Pro as they already have amplification, but you might if you already had an Ultra which doesn’t have amplification. Adding a vibelink for such use isn’t bizarre in my book. The $400 price has already been stated to be wrong, so I wouldn’t judge it on that till the price is confirmed likely on its release in the coming week.

 

[morillon]

Of course you would be unlikely to buy it to match a WiiM Amp or Amp Pro as they already have amplification, but you might if you already had an Ultra which doesn’t have amplification. Adding a vibelink for such use isn’t bizarre in my book. The $400 price has already been stated to be wrong, so I wouldn’t judge it on that till the price is confirmed likely on its release in the coming week.

problem analogue input.. and type...(?)
dac inside?
technical approach of the potentiometer?
;-)

 

[C0mbat]

Of course you would be unlikely to buy it to match a WiiM Amp or Amp Pro as they already have amplification, but you might if you already had an Ultra which doesn’t have amplification. Adding a vibelink for such use isn’t bizarre in my book. The $400 price has already been stated to be wrong, so I wouldn’t judge it on that till the price is confirmed likely on its release in the coming week.

Why though? Then you've basically paid WiiM for two DACs and two pre-amps. They are two pretty expensive components in both devices. The overlap in tech between the two is greater than the tech that doesn't overlap.

It's akin to buying two sets of speakers and using one pair for above 500hz and the others for below 500hz. There might be a small amount of logic to that because one pair might be better for higher frequencies and the other for low frequencies. But the reality is that you're likely better just getting speakers and a subwoofer because the crossover is at a lower point and they don't overlap with each as much (particularly if your speakers don't have a low frequency response). In this instance you're better pairing the WiiM Ultra with a power amp or two mono power amps. I'm confused why WiiM didn't just create a power amp.

 

[harkpabst]

The overlap in tech between the two is greater than the tech that doesn't overlap.

Certainly not.

Can't you wait with your complaints until you know the final sales price instead of paying attention that Amir found this to be a golfing panther amplifier if sold for $400?

I'm confused why WiiM didn't just create a power amp.

Nobody knows but WiiM. Wild guess: Because they think the Vibelink will sell better than a pure power amplifier.

 

[s3igell]

.... you've basically paid WiiM for two DACs and two pre-amps. They are two pretty expensive components in both devices. The overlap in tech between the two is greater than the tech that doesn't overlap.

Paid for 2x DACs - yes. But the argument in other threads on the Forum is that the DAC Chip is under $15 in quantity and the support chips maybe another $15 - so (maybe) $50 of the VibeLink price in total. But the "pre-amp", no. That is performed in the plethora of SOC and DSP and HDMI and 2nd DAC and Ethernet/WiFi/BT module and Streaming support USB and Memory chips and the whole Display device that are NOT needed/present on the VibeLink.

It's akin to buying ... speakers and a subwoofer... I'm confused why WiiM didn't just create a power amp.

Where are you getting that this ISN'T a Power Amp?? Is the "vestigial" DAC confusing you?? (I believe the DAC is included to broaden the usability scope of the VibeLink to include the Mini / Pro / Pro Plus as well as just the Ultra.)

 

[gfchrist]

A subwoofer out would have been nice.

The early reviews said it had a dedicated subwoofer port, so it's puzzling not to see it. Not having a subwoofer will certainly affect sales.

 

[harkpabst]

The early reviews said it had a dedicated subwoofer port, so it's puzzling not to see it. Not having a subwoofer will certainly affect sales.

There's not been any review earlier than this one.

You might be confusing products here.

 

[Burnside]

The early reviews said it had a dedicated subwoofer port, so it's puzzling not to see it. Not having a subwoofer will certainly affect sales.

Never seen any mention of the vibelink having a sub port - got any links to these mistaken reviews?

 

[keithm55]

At WiiM Expands High-Fidelity Sound with Vibelink Amp, Now Officially Released
Tidbits:
"... including four TI OPA1612 op-amps and a TI TPA3255 amplifier chip,..."
"The Vibelink Amp will be available for US$299, with global availability"

 

[morillon]

At WiiM Expands High-Fidelity Sound with Vibelink Amp, Now Officially Released
Tidbits:
"... including four TI OPA1612 op-amps and a TI TPA3255 amplifier chip,..."
"The Vibelink Amp will be available for US$299, with global availability"

same dac of wiim amp pro...
but input analog same too ?....
wiim amp pro simplified (but more tension for more watts) ?

 

[harkpabst]

same dac of wiim amp pro...

No, same DAC chip as WiiM Ultra, if this source is correct.

Edit: Pardon me, the WiiM Ultra and WiiM Amp Pro share the same DAC chip, of course (ESS ES9038Q2M).

 

[morillon]

No, same DAC chip as WiiM Ultra, if this source is correct.

I can't open the link anymore...
if so, so much the better... take advantage of the ultra's efforts... ( for small wiim mini and pro-plus etc...)
but still nothing on the analog entry side?

 

[harkpabst]

I can't open the link anymore...
if so, so much the better... take advantage of the ultra's efforts... ( for small wiim mini and pro-plus etc...)
but still nothing on the analog entry side?

Sorry, I misread your original post. Ultra and Amp Pro feature the same DAC chip.

Still no information about the analoge processing and volume control.

 

[morillon]

Sorry, I misread your original post. Ultra and Amp Pro feature the same DAC chip.

Still no information about the analoge processing and volume control.

I had pointed out early on that it could be for reasons of development etc savings...a simplified pro amp, but inflated in voltage/power... ??
let's see for analog input (to be monitored) and volume management ?
;-)

but not class2 like amp pro ;-) ( problem with ana input ....?)