For those of you using them , how do you have them integrated into your audio environment ?
Been looking at a couple, but not really sure I “need” one.
I use a Wiim Pro connected to a SMSL DO100 Pro connected to an nCore NC252MP. I think it’s great! My own files play via DLNA, or use pretty much any streaming service you like. Has a parametric EQ per channel so I’m set for fine tuning.
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I have Wiim Pro Plus connected to 3e Audio A7 monoblocks. Love it. Just started. yesterday figuring out how to put my saved music into Plex and then stream through the Wiim.
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I’ve had a Cambridge CXN100 since around December. I run it in stereo through an older Yamaha HT receiver in our main living area. So far I’ve seen no need to subscribe to any streaming service. I like to play FLAC, ALAC and AIFF playlists over Airplay 2. If we’re looking to hear something random and different, we have a short list of internet radio stations stored on the Cambridge app that play a decent bitrate that are quite enjoyable. I don’t think I foresee ever needing anything more. My wife finds music very theraputic and our listening time has gone WAY up.
I’ve got a Wiim Ultra with sources from the TV, my Roku, and my NAS media stores. Not real happy with the phone app interface, but it sounds great. Using a Rotel 980BX right now, with a DH500 about to come on line.
I like WiiM because you don’t need their app except for EQ. You can just use your normal Music app and iDevice/Mac volume controls
My coolest use of a streaming box is in my desktop system I use a WiiM Pro connected to a Monoprice HTP-1* via optical BUT ALSO 12V trigger into the HTP-1’s trigger in. That solves the problem of the HTP-1 not having auto off.
*2-channel system with subs; HTP-1 used because it has Dirac ART and great loudness compensation.
Also use another WiiM Pro on the desktop connected to an RME ADI-2 for headphones (also optical). And two more for zone systems.
The main system uses an AppleTV streamer box (HDMI in to a(nother) Monoprice HTP-1) as source basically all the time.
Hmm, looked up Monoprice HTP-1 and could not find it…. Linky?
Since we are space limited my listening space is also the TV space. I slum it with any streaming through the Roku Ultra via HDMI to Denon DRA-800H. Though it is just Youtube or basic Amazon Music for streaming currently.
Another Wiim user here. I have a Mini for my vintage gear rack, another for my electronics bench, and a Pro feeding an SMSL DAC in my main system. I’m only streaming Tidal, no local media. The only issue I have with them is the occasional disconnection from my iPad if I have it running for a while. The music is still playing and I can see the title in the Wiim app, but Tidal has lost the connection and no longer controls playback.
On my main system I also have a WIIM Pro driving a Schiit Bifrost II driving a Schiit Freya driving a MiniDSP Flex HTx driving two Amp Camp Amps running bridged mono. The Flex HTx also drives a Crown XLS 1502 which drives two Dayton Audio Ultimax II 15” subwoofers, each in its own five cubic ft sealed, braced and dampened sun box. I’m still learning how to use MiniDSP WITH Dirac Live and REW, but so far, this is the best sounding system I’ve ever and one of the best systems that I’ve ever listened to.
wiim mini to a SMSl sanscrit DAC.
I have 2 Raspberry Pi set up, but haven’t used them yet.
A Pi Zero looks to be the cheapest way to get a “bit perfect” audio stream, some say the Pi 5 has less jitter, but I have not seen anything to confirm this.
Thanks all for the input . Sounds like you guys have been happy with the wiim , which was one of the brands I was looking at . Looks like the pro would have all the connections one would need. Fosi audio was on the radar as well but looks like thats been a pipe dream for about a year now.
Roku in the bar out to a cheap Yamahammer AVR.
HTPC in main space out to the big Marantz pre/pro.
Roku upstairs out to a Denon AVR.
PC in garage out to old Onkyo integrated.
PC to Dayton amp in The Nerdery.
Amazon music in most cases, PC in Nerdery and the HTPC I will sometimes play local files using VLC.
I have no experience with it but Bluesound has a new model called the Icon that looks interesting to me. If $1200 is within your comfort zone.
Thoughts ? Not sure on the price , havent seen anything posted. Release date this Monday the 16th.
For a while, I used to use a little lenovo mini computer (like what attached to back of monitor in medical office ~80 bucks used) and uses as Roon endpoint and also had minidsp flex connected to it where remote desktop into. But that was cumbersome and try to not waste money subscribing to Roon. Heh, I was early into streaming with logitech squeezebox with mods and ack dac in 2000’s - then my dog pissed on my 1tb of flac ripped music, shoulda had a backup and all orig CD’s destroyed in house fire when lived in Naperville 2010-2014.
Had Wiim Pro for a moment, but then ultra came out with usb out. One of reasons I used to use PC was to connect Chord Mojo2 dac directly via USB3 - it goes to sleep when use toslink and idle for more than 10 min or so. Tried a raspberry pi for a bit but it wouldn’t recognize the mojo dac over usb. Then tried the wiim ultra and finally, it could recognize the mojo dac on usb.
But these days been using an old Meridian 568.2 as dac/preamp since sometimes if wife goes to bed early I watch some tv shows in office as a master bedroom adjacent to fam room where too much noise. Less flipping around settings for surround sound vs 2 channel - all this being in my small home office. So wiim ultra coax out to Meridian, usb out to mojo2 dac and toslink to minidsp flex.
Had tried one of the recently hyped ‘digital reclockers’, that suppose to benefit coax or toslink signal path where been claims the clocking of those outputs on Wiim’s ok - maybe that where the spendy-er streamers do better(?). Less useful for usb connection since supposedly less ‘problems’ from jitter. But it made too bright too me and promptly returned. It made me suspect that sound tainted by the device to give an impression of improvement vs actually fixing a claimed problem. Plus then realized the Meridian has it’s only buffer thingamajig for ‘de-jitter’, albeit 24 year old unit/tech – all slippery slope into snake oil realm.
Interesting, for sure. App control AND BT remote seems redundant. I’m not sure how it competes with the WiiM Ultra without a display. I can’t imagine it will win on price, but we’ll see, I guess. Everyone has a unique set of needs it seems.
The Fosi has balanced output which pairs well with the Fosi V3 Mono amps. I don’t think any of the Wiim streamers have balances outputs.
Yes, we each have different use cases. I use my WiiM Pros only for their digital out as I run active multi-channel DSP before amplification. If balanced out is important to you, it can make a strong case over a WiiM offering. So much of what makes the WiiM products great is their app, so we’ll see how the Fosi app competes.
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