WiiM Vibelink Amp Review

[fritobugger]

Very nice amp section but wtf were they thinking regarding inputs? One line input. No USB DAC and no bluetooth. Really limits the usefulness of the unit.

 

[Lukerator]

Thanks for another review, always appreciated.

Seems a decent Amp, I like the neat form factor and layout. Enough power.

What I find strange is that to get better performance you need to use the internal DAC. Good with the WiiM mini, or Pro but less of a good idea with the Pro Plus or Ultra (they have better DACs)
It would work well with a CD transport, but that's an odd combination.

I realise that the performance with analogue input is probably fine, but it's not exciting.

Nice looking Amp though.

Ultra has a sub out, while the Mini and pro don't have it

 

[Saponetto]

Thanks @amirm for this appreciated rewiew, i was quite curious about this iteration of the AMP WiiM line.

Sorry if I bother, maybe I misunderstood but is the Toslink input of this amp actually -not-supporting the 24/192 output of the Ultra?

 

[morillon]

Thanks @amirm for this appreciated rewiew, i was quite curious about this iteration of the AMP WiiM line.

Sorry if I bother, maybe I misunderstood but is the Toslink input of this amp actually -not-supporting the 24/192 output of the Ultra?

not necessarily... the ap being a development around 2010..its toslink probably limited at 96k..
which was rather the norm (which was then forced by a "pro" use , adat, with more flow)

----- the ana input and this ground loop would deserve to be checked with other approaches it seems to me... no? (the amp pro did not have it for example...) ------ !

 

[Lukerator]

not necessarily... the ap being a development around 2010..its toslink probably limited at 96k..
which was rather the norm (which was then forced by a "pro" use , adat, with more flow)

but like wiim amp,it has been tested with toslink multitone. (It requires an audio output file with a sampling rate of 192k, also for 19k&20k) ,funny

 

[morillon]

but like wiim amp,it has been tested with toslink multitone. (It requires an audio output file with a sampling rate of 192k, also for 19k&20k) ,funny

it seems to me that even if not specified..the amp pro also tested in 96k.. but maybe I'm wrong ;-)

ps for me..and this is just my opinion...
donations from individuals are one thing...
donations from brands for the forum... something else...

 

[Geert]

Very nice amp section but wtf were they thinking regarding inputs? One line input. No USB DAC and no bluetooth. Really limits the usefulness of the unit.

I also wondered why the Toslink but no USB input. They have probably foreseen the Toslink to easily hook up their WiiM Pro or Ultra streamers.

 

[telemike]

I feel the Fosi V3 mono amps are a better "deal" and "SINAD performance" winner over the VIbelink for the Ultra as a preamp. The Vibelink is $150 more than the $250 Fosi amps which offer more power.

I do appreciate the matching look and built-in power supply of the VIbelink and I may have bought it instead of the Fosi's had it been out, but I don't see any reason to swap over to the Vibelink currently.

If WiiM had offered a $300 Vibelink without a DAC and volume control (a pure power amp), that would be the perfect match for the Ultra.

 

[Talisman]

It is aimed exactly at use in combination with the Wiim Ultra (same size) or WiiM Pro. As you would use a poweramp - so with the volume fixed at max level.

But that's why I find it a bit weird to include volume control and a DAC (without USB). Curious to hear/find out if the internal DAC is supposed to be an upgrade compared to the Ultra's internal one.

Doesn't the fact that they've put an Analog volume control in an amplifier that was specifically created to go with the Wiim Ultra (which has a volume control) ring alarm bells for those who lightheartedly recommend driving power amplifiers with DACs?

 

[Mort]

that was specifically created to go with the Wiim Ultra

I don't think we know this. It merely has the same form factor, as does the Wiim Amp and amp pro.

Even if they do belong together, does having a second DAC ring alarm bells? Maybe we all need two DACs in case one fails?

 

[Matt_Holland]

Should drive tricky loads better than a B200

Clearly this is to partner the Ultra and possibly has been rushed out as Wiim are seeing business going to the likes of the IOM Ultra.

There are a huge amount of Wiim Ultra users who eschew its analogue outputs and use it purely as a streamer. These customers wouldn’t go near the Vibelink unless is had a USB input and audiophile BS credentials.
The Ultra customers who do enjoy its analogue outputs are probably looking for a straightforward analogue only power amplifier to partner it.

The digital inputs seem to be there to give the product a wider appeal than just to partner the Ultra. But weirdly narrow the appeal at the same time because it lacks HDMI, BT and Sub-out

 

[Burnside]

“Breaking away from its tradition of streaming-focused products, WiiM is positioning the Vibelink Amp as the ideal companion for its Mini, Pro, and Ultra models.”

WiiM Unveils Vibelink Amp at Bristol Hi-Fi Show – A Pure Amplification Solution

WiiM has taken the wraps off its latest innovation at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show, offering a first glimpse of the WiiM Vibelink Amp - the company’s first integrated amplifier without built-in streaming functionality.

stereonet.com

And re the “second DAC”, I’d see that being used by the older streamers over the digital inputs, with the Ultra probably using the RCA input.

 

[Matt_Holland]

Doesn't the fact that they've put an Analog volume control in an amplifier that was specifically created to go with the Wiim Ultra (which has a volume control) ring alarm bells for those who lightheartedly recommend driving power amplifiers with DACs?

Lots of folks on the owners groups claim the Ultra is hampered by its pre-amp (usually none near claims), and unfortunately that rumour has spread, so I suspect the Vibelink is designed to give Ultra users an option to fix the output and use an analogue volume control in the amp.

Does the Vibelink have a BT remote? If so how would that work with another Wiim remote controlled product?

 

[Talisman]

I don't think we know this. It merely has the same form factor, as does the Wiim Amp and amp pro.

Even if they do belong together, does having a second DAC ring alarm bells? Maybe we all need two DACs in case one fails?

In reality for me generally this amplifier is a hybrid that I do not understand compared to the WiiM offers, it costs more than the wiim amp and a little less than the amp pro, but without all that package of functions that make wiim amp and amp pro absolute best buys, sub management, digital crossover, peq, streaming....
As a stand alone amplifier for the same amount we can find better, unless, of course, it is made to match a wiim ultra, which could make more sense. I made a hypothesis based on the use case that seems more sensible from a commercial point of view.

 

[JDS]

Lots of clean power for the price, but the lack of USB input is curious.

 

[mlsstl]

RCA input performance of Vibelink Amp is not worth matching with Wiim Ultra, at least the measurements don’t suggest it IMO.
If it is to be used with Wiim Ultra then it has to be optical/coax out on Ultra to optical/coax input on Vibelink amp.
And so, it makes more sense (performance wise) to pair Wiim Mini or Pro with digital out to Vibelink.
PS. This is excluding things like small display or other unique features wrt Ultra.

My comment and your response are a good illustration of how difficult a job Wiim has in deciding what features to include (or not) on their models. Over at the Wiim forum, they have a subforum for "Feature Requests" with threads for each of their models. I'm continually amazed at what people ask for on what are budget value products. Can't say whether this has happened or not, but wouldn't be surprised if someone has asked for a CNC machined case -- and without raising the price!

 

[Deleted member 72219]

I feel the Fosi V3 mono amps are a better "deal" and "SINAD performance" winner over the VIbelink for the Ultra as a preamp. The Vibelink is $150 more than the $250 Fosi amps which offer more power.

I do appreciate the matching look and built-in power supply of the VIbelink and I may have bought it instead of the Fosi's had it been out, but I don't see any reason to swap over to the Vibelink currently.

If WiiM had offered a $300 Vibelink without a DAC and volume control (a pure power amp), that would be the perfect match for the Ultra.

Some people have a really serious aversion to external power blocks.

-Ed

 

[pieterv1]

Doesn't the fact that they've put an Analog volume control in an amplifier that was specifically created to go with the Wiim Ultra (which has a volume control) ring alarm bells for those who lightheartedly recommend driving power amplifiers with DACs?

Why? It's just there for flexibility or when using a cd player or other source with fixed volume output. I have absolutely 0 issues running the WiiM Ultra as a preamp, straight into my poweramp.

 

[harkpabst]

If WiiM had offered a $300 Vibelink without a DAC and volume control (a pure power amp), that would be the perfect match for the Ultra.

Well, at least WiiM just confirmed on their own forum that the previously announced price figures "are incorrect". Would you mind a $300 Vibelink with a DAC and volume control?

That's not to say that I had any knowledge of the final pricing. I'm just kidding around a little.

 

[telemike]

Some people have a really serious aversion to external power blocks.

-Ed

I can understand that. Divorcing the power supply does eliminate any power supply induced noise. Mine is sitting behind my entertainment center out of sight. If I was to buy an amp for my Ultra now, I would probably buy the Vibelink for that matching looks.