Android device streaming

[Splatt]

I stream my music from my Samsung mobile via wi-fi to a Wiim Pro Plus DAC into a Quad 606 amp which powers Quad 989 speakers, so high end stuff. I'm trying to find out if the Samsung s20 FE is the best audio device for this. All the music files are FLAC and the sound is very good, but I'm wondering if I can improve it further. Cheers, Simon.

 

[nopiano]

As the Wiim is a streamer, you should ideally be streaming from that device, using your phone only as a remote control. However, you mention FLAC so are you holding those files on your phone? If so, then the weak link is presumably Bluetooth connecting your phone to the Wiim? Or is the phone acting like a server on your network?

Perhaps you can clarify the route your music is taking?

 

[Splatt]

The phone uses wi-fi, not bluetooth. The files are held on the phone, so my query relates to whether the files would provide better quality if a different phone was used, or a completely different type of device.

 

[Jasonovich]

I stream my music from my Samsung mobile via wi-fi to a Wiim Pro Plus DAC into a Quad 606 amp which powers Quad 989 speakers, so high end stuff. I'm trying to find out if the Samsung s20 FE is the best audio device for this. All the music files are FLAC and the sound is very good, but I'm wondering if I can improve it further. Cheers, Simon.

Hi Simon

I don't think any Android/Apple device would serve as a better option because listening to your music via wireless is the delimiting factor. I would suggest connecting your WiiM Pro Plus directly to your PC/laptop via the hardwired interconnects or optical . You should get better sound quality than using your mobile.

Actually and I'm going to contradict myself, I don't get bad sound using the Bluetooth input feature on WiiM, I have it sync to my DAP (TempoTec V6). It's a dedicated digital audio player, even it is from Bluetooth source, it will sound better than any mobile device.

You actually gave me an idea, My Digital Transport is Android based and the ethernet allows it to connect to my NAS server, where I have 2TB of stored music. I was trying to get my NAS to work with the WiiM Plus Pro but can't see a setting in the options.

Do you know or does anyone know how I can make the NAS's ethernet work with the WiiM or is this even possible?

 

[Rodolfo]

I doubt that a fancier or newer phone, or Android version, would make a difference in your sound quality. I still load FLAC files on my Samsung S10e, among several other devices.

If it was bluetooth, I'd recommend trying LDAC which all recent Android phones include, though that would be relevant only if your Wiim unit is LDAC-equipped. I've been a wired-biased listener forever, but LDAC has finally impressed me for when wireless is especially convenient.

By the by, I've always been satisfied with your and my "very good" sound reproduction, and although I have no doubt that I could forever "improve it further", I rarely wonder about it.

Cheers, and enjoy your very good.

 

[stormin]

I stream my music from my Samsung mobile via wi-fi to a Wiim Pro Plus DAC into a Quad 606 amp which powers Quad 989 speakers, so high end stuff. I'm trying to find out if the Samsung s20 FE is the best audio device for this. All the music files are FLAC and the sound is very good, but I'm wondering if I can improve it further. Cheers, Simon.

Hi,
Have you considered a dedicated a hi-res DAC player? Around £250 for a decent one. Phones just can't handle hi-res. They will eventually but expensive.
With regards to your NAS. You should able to download the high-res files to a laptop/pc over your LAN or via USB port on the NAS.
Hope this helps
Mark

 

[nopiano]

The phone uses wi-fi, not bluetooth. The files are held on the phone, so my query relates to whether the files would provide better quality if a different phone was used, or a completely different type of device.

So the phone is acting as a server, and no Bluetooth or AirPlay is involved? I didn’t even know that was possible, but I’m not familiar with Android phones.

I don’t use local files as I either stream, or play CDs/LPs, so I can’t help further. Hope you get a clear answer.

 

[nopiano]

I doubt that a fancier or newer phone, or Android version, would make a difference in your sound quality. I still load FLAC files on my Samsung S10e, among several other devices.

If it was bluetooth, I'd recommend trying LDAC which all recent Android phones include, though that would be relevant only if your Wiim unit is LDAC-equipped. I've been a wired-biased listener forever, but LDAC has finally impressed me for when wireless is especially convenient.

By the by, I've always been satisfied with your and my "very good" sound reproduction, and although I have no doubt that I could forever "improve it further", I rarely wonder about it.

Cheers, and enjoy your very good.

So can you play your phone-stored FLAC files at full resolution in the way the OP implies?

 

[Messiah]

So can you play your phone-stored FLAC files at full resolution in the way the OP implies?

A quick Google suggests locally stored files can be streamed via the Wiim App. Not sure if there are limits on the resolution though as did not look that far.

On that basis I would not have thought another phone would make much difference as the Wiim will be doing the digital to analogue conversion, right?

 

[Vincent Kars]

Do you know or does anyone know how I can make the NAS's ethernet work with the WiiM or is this even possible?

WiiM is DLNA compatible. Either your NAS comes with a UPnP/DLNA server (QNAP, Synology) but you probably have to activate it explicitly in the interface.
If not you have to install one.

DLNA might as well be used when your phone is the transport. DLNA can handle up to 24 bit / 192 kHz.

 

[Jasonovich]

WiiM is DLNA compatible. Either your NAS comes with a UPnP/DLNA server (QNAP, Synology) but you probably have to activate it explicitly in the interface.
If not you have to install one.

DLNA might as well be used when your phone is the transport. DLNA can handle up to 24 bit / 192 kHz.

Thanks Vincent, appreciate your feedback. Okey-Dokey I'll look into this, many thanks.

 

[Splatt]

So, pardon my lack of technical nous, are we saying that the android when used with the Wiim pro plus, is the best I can do? It is pretty good, but I was wondering if an upgrade of some sort is possible.

 

[Vincent Kars]

Spec wise you can improve on the DAC part. This is the Pro

WiiM Pro - Review & Measurements (Streamer)

WiiM Pro - Review & Measurements Hey folks, It is time for my first review of 2023... This one is about a complete objective analysis of the new WiiM Pro streamer. The aforementioned has been recently announced, back in November 2022, and I can see quite a strong hype around it since. That...

www.audiosciencereview.com

This is a great DAC: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...version-2-dac-and-headphone-amp-review.13379/

Feed the digital output of the WiiM in a DAC like the RME and you certainly improve spec wise. If it is also a audible improvement is a different question.

 

[Rodolfo]

So can you play your phone-stored FLAC files at full resolution in the way the OP implies?

Yes, partly, to your compound question, though I don't stream much with my phone, and I mostly play through either wired head or earphones, or since last year, when I opened up to trying LDAC equipped devices. I'm satisfied that music sounds very good these ways, but don't pay any specific attention to resolution fullness. I just don't rip differently for my phone's storage/uses.

The main, almost only way I play music through my phone is when it connects automatically via an after-market bluetooth install, while launching VLC, to the nice stereo in my car, through which I play my mostly-FLACd collection, or with the Android app, my Amazon Music-subscription offerings. I especially enjoy this on road trips (when I then plug in the phone's charger). Otherwise. I use a hi-res HiBy DAP for most portable and more-critical listening of the same digital collection (only).

 

[Fandango Andy]

I stream my music from my Samsung mobile via wi-fi to a Wiim Pro Plus DAC into a Quad 606 amp which powers Quad 989 speakers, so high end stuff. I'm trying to find out if the Samsung s20 FE is the best audio device for this. All the music files are FLAC and the sound is very good, but I'm wondering if I can improve it further. Cheers, Simon.

By reputation Apple phones sound better than Android, I don't know if thats true, but it probably isn't the best solution here.

The WiiM is a streamer that uses wifi. It has bluetooth too, but that is very lossy. if you are using bluetooth, that is probably the week link not the phone, so improving the phone probably won't help.

The answer may be to start using the streamer to the best of its ability. Can you use the WiiM app to get the WiiM Plo Pluss to pull the files in from a DLNA share place?

 

[Splatt]

I have concluded that I'm probably getting as good quality as I can, apart from spending huge amounts on upgrading. I use wi-fi, not bluetooth, and, as others have said, the phone is not the issue, if there is even an issue.

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions, very interesting and useful.