WiiM Vibelink Amp Review

[Rednaxela]

WiiM Wonderful

 

[kyuu]

For example, the one I use - SMSL DL200 and Douk Audio A5.

That combination is over $400 and the amp is a bit weaker than the Wiim. Also, the $400 price is not official and the actual price is likely to be lower. But yes, if the price does end up being $400 then you can get roughly equivalent performance for the price out of two separate boxes.

 

[surroundman]

That combination is over $400 and the amp is a bit weaker than the Wiim. Also, the $400 price is not official and the actual price is likely to be lower. But yes, if the price does end up being $400 then you can get roughly equivalent performance for the price out of two separate boxes.

Excuse me? What is over $400?

 

[Deleted member 72219]

That combination is over $400 and the amp is a bit weaker than the Wiim. Also, the $400 price is not official and the actual price is likely to be lower. But yes, if the price does end up being $400 then you can get roughly equivalent performance for the price out of two separate boxes.

Douk A5 is $100 and SMSL DL200 is under $200; combination is under $300.

-Ed

 

[kyuu]

Excuse me? What is over $400?

Ah pardon me. Confused the Douk Audio A5 with the 3e Audio A5 there.

So your combo is around $300, but that Douk has not been measured that I'm aware of and the numbers on the website are pretty suspect. Pretty sure it does not match the performance of the Vibelink here.

 

[surroundman]

Ah pardon me. Confused the Douk Audio A5 with the 3e Audio A5 there.

So your combo is around $300, but that Douk has not been measured that I'm aware of and the numbers on the website are pretty suspect. Pretty sure it does not match the performance of the Vibelink here.

I see no reason to mistrust the manufacturer's measurements posted on the user's manual of the product. Sure, if this WiiM amp has about 10DB more SINAD compared to the Douk and this is what a person values more, everyone can make his own purchasing decision. I bought my combo for less than $250, the DAC has a headphone amp, and the amp has a high-pass filter. These two features, combined with the (more importantly) $150 difference make my choice a very easy one. The last thing I miss is 10 extra db SINAD. But absolutely, to each their own.

 

[Emiyanez]

Thanks a lot for the review @amirm. Great job as usual!

Quick question, due to the issues with ground loops when assessing the performance of the RCA, you used Toslink for most of the measurements. Does this mean that you somehow measured the performance of the DAC+Amp? Is the DAC contribution to the measurements negligible? It's not a critic but rather pure curiosity.

On a different note, I have seen comments on the WiiM user forum comparing the performance of the Vibelink over RCA with other TPA-based amplifiers without mentioning the ground loop issues. Would you say that the performance of the PA5-II is much better than this one based on the data in this thread?

 

[kyuu]

I see no reason to mistrust the manufacturer's measurements posted on the user's manual of the product. Sure, if this WiiM amp has about 10DB more SINAD compared to the Douk and this is what a person values more, everyone can make his own purchasing decision. I bought my combo for less than $250, the DAC has a headphone amp, and the amp has a high-pass filter. These two features, combined with the (more importantly) $150 difference make my choice a very easy one. The last thing I miss is 10 extra db SINAD. But absolutely, to each their own.

It's not merely about SINAD. It's about lack of PFFB (and therefore load dependency) and power figures listed without any noted impedance or distortion, or whether the figure is continuous or transitory. I'm quite certain the power figures in an ASR review would not resemble what they are listing.

 

[Miker 1102]

Seems like the dac is for folks who just have the streamer. It allows for some versatility for other uses but seems to aim at the Ultra users.
What I read on the forums is the ultra users are using the USB out quite a bit to connect to external dacs. Maybe this aimed for super wiim enthusiasts? It's still a very good product..just slightly confusing. Honestly, the Wiim Amp Pro is the best audio product I have seen in the last few years.

 

[surroundman]

It's not merely about SINAD. It's about lack of PFFB (and therefore load dependency) and power figures listed without any noted impedance or distortion, or whether the figure is continuous or transitory. I'm quite certain the power figures in an ASR review would not resemble what they are listing.

The Douk A5 does not lack PFFB. As for the rest, well, I would be more than happy if they send a unit to be measured here on the forum. It will surely have a more striking impact regarding the concepts of "value" and what a good/bad deal is.

 

[kyuu]

Interesting, I did miss the mention of PFFB for the Douk. I haven't yet seen a box that cheap implement PFFB well (I believe at least one or two have been measured where the PFFB implementation failed to eliminate the load dependency). Would definitely be interesting to see proper measurements.

In any case, until those measurements happen I feel confident in assuming that the Douk is not in the same performance class as the Vibelink (which is basically a slightly improved version of the Amp Pro's amp section it seems). It's certainly seems a perfectly cromulent budget amp, though.

 

[Deleted member 72219]

Interesting, I did miss the mention of PFFB for the Douk. I haven't yet seen a box that cheap implement PFFB well (I believe at least one or two have been measured where the PFFB implementation failed to eliminate the load dependency). Would definitely be interesting to see proper measurements.

In any case, until those measurements happen I feel confident in assuming that the Douk is not in the same performance class as the Vibelink (which is basically a slightly improved version of the Amp Pro's amp section it seems). It's certainly seems a perfectly cromulent budget amp, though.

You’re citing what, for example? I suppose Aiyima a80? Although that amp actually costs twice as much as Douk A5 and still doesn’t quite get it (PFFB) right.

-Ed

 

[kyuu]

You’re citing what, for example? I suppose Aiyima a80? Although that amp actually costs twice as much as Douk A5 and still doesn’t quite get it (PFFB) right.

Yes the A80 is one example. I want to say I remember seeing at least one or two more, but I'd have to search through the amp reviews to actually find them as I don't recall the amps off-hand. Or my memory could be faulty.

 

[perceptionist]

DAC included is great. Although Wiim try to trick people to buy Wiim ultra, Wiim mini will do the job.

 

[amirm]

Does this mean that you somehow measured the performance of the DAC+Amp? Is the DAC contribution to the measurements negligible? It's not a critic but rather pure curiosity.

That's correct.

 

[Burnside]

DAC included is great. Although Wiim try to trick people to buy Wiim ultra, Wiim mini will do the job.

It all depends on what job you want to do. I don’t see any trickery here.

 

[JeremyFife]

Some suggestions:
WiiM Amp...Just Amp
WiiM Amp Loud
WiiM Not WiiM
WiiM Amp Minus
WiiM MiiW (pronounced mew like some cats do)
WiiM Power DAC
WiiM Macro
WiiM Artlu (it's ultra...but backwards)

-Ed

WiiM-p

(Perhaps not ...)

 

[shuppatsu]

I don't have strong feelings, and maybe it's worthwhile, but to me it creates the appearance of impropriety.

Interesting, I did miss the mention of PFFB for the Douk. I haven't yet seen a box that cheap implement PFFB well (I believe at least one or two have been measured where the PFFB implementation failed to eliminate the load dependency). Would definitely be interesting to see proper measurements.

In any case, until those measurements happen I feel confident in assuming that the Douk is not in the same performance class as the Vibelink (which is basically a slightly improved version of the Amp Pro's amp section it seems). It's certainly seems a perfectly cromulent budget amp, though.

Some measurements here. PFFB seems good. Weirdly high distortion though, increasing steadily with more power, hitting 1% THD at 40W for the 32V PS.

 

[D700]

DAC included is great. Although Wiim try to trick people to buy Wiim ultra, Wiim mini will do the job.

"Trick" is unnecessarily critical. It's a matching amp to the Ultra. If YOU want to use a Mini, knock yourself out.

Consider also that Ultra supports DD5.1, so this amp will power FL/FR with virtual center with Ultra. Add 2 wireless Wiim speakers for back/surround and a powered sub you've got a tidy Dolby 5.1 surround system and solid 2.1 stereo system, with better specs than almost any AVR...and very competitively priced.

I think it's a unique, high quality/value solution. Again, kudos Wiim.

 

[hashhar]

"Trick" is unnecessarily critical. It's a matching amp to the Ultra. If YOU want to use a Mini, knock yourself out.

Consider also that Ultra supports DD5.1, so this amp will power FL/FR with virtual center with Ultra. Add 2 wireless Wiim speakers for back/surround and a powered sub you've got a tidy Dolby 5.1 surround system and solid 2.1 stereo system, with better specs than almost any AVR...and very competitively priced.

I think it's a unique, high quality/value solution. Again, kudos Wiim.

The Dolby thing using their multi-room tech to add wireless surrounds is in beta already. See https://faq.wiimhome.com/en/support...ing-up-a-wiim-dolby-5-1-surround-sound-system