Connecting iphone to Amp for streaming

[nads]

I see posts like this and can not understand why someone would want to stream anything from their phone.

I just use the phone as a controller for a streamer. Can access all my music. Can stream full fat music from any potential source that I might pay for.

 

[Fandango Andy]

Has anyone bought a Wiim from Amazon and returned it? I try it and don't get on with it I don't really want to be stuck with it - assume no issue with it being opened, packaging seals broken etc?

Amazon say "As well as your statutory cancellation rights described above, you can return most products from the Amazon sites to Amazon within 30 days of receipt of the products if the products are in an unused and undamaged condition. To return an item please go to Your orders."

If you are in the UK, you have a legal 14 day cooling of period for online purchases. To exercise this you need to inform the seller you don’t want the item within 14 days of receiving it. You then have another 14 days to send the item back.

 

[Burt25]

So I got my hands on a Wiim Pro Plus from Amazon and have been trying it out with Tidal and Qobuz for the last 2 days on my setup which includes a Rega Brio Amp and Fyne Audio F302i speakers (Also Technics SL-P 720 CD Player)

Some initial thoughts.

1. From taking it out of the box to having music playing was no more than 5 minutes- really great app with absolutely no faffing around.
2. The sound quality from this little device for the price is really something else. Lovely clarity, good sound stage and reasonable level of warmth.
3. Doing a direct comparison with my 30+ year old CD player using the same recordings at CD quality showed that my aging CD player can hold its own very well with the more modern DAC in the Wiim with almost imperceptible differences in audio quality. Indeed, I would say that the CD player displays slightly more clarity and sound stage when compared to CD quality files streamed from the Wiim.
4. Listening to higher resolution recordings on the Wiim does elevate the level of detail in the presentation, not hugely but enough to be noticeable especially in quieter portions of the music.
5. Connecting the Wiim to my vintage Denon PAM250SE amp and Mission M73 speakers is quite transformative, breathing a huge amount of new life into some old gear!
6. Listening to Radio with the Wiim is a truely lovely experience.

I'm going to hold on to this little box for a little longer while I decide whether to send it back or keep it - I can see the massive benefit of having access to a truly vast library of top quality music files, but at £20-£25 per month I question if its worth it compared to buying 2-3 new CDs or a new Vinyl LP every month to expand my physical collection? If hi-res streaming wasn't so expensive, I think this would be a no-brainer but at current Tidal and Qobuz prices I'm not so sure, especially when you compare that Netflix or Amazon Prime give access to 4K movie content for a lot less. I would say though that the price of the Wiim is worth it if you already have an expansive collection of digital media and also just for the radio listening experience.

 

[DCarmi]

If you already have Amazon prime it might be worth looking at Amazon Music Unlimited. You can often pick up a multi- month free trial.

 

[My2Cents]

"I can see the massive benefit of having access to a truly vast library of top quality music files, but at £20-£25 per month I question if its worth it compared to buying 2-3 new CDs or a new Vinyl LP every month"

Qobuz is £10.83 a month in the UK if you purchase a 1 year subscription, that's less than 1 CD and a lot less than 1 vinyl LP... no?

 

[Burt25]

Qobuz is £10.83 a month in the UK if you purchase a 1 year subscription, that's less than 1 CD and a lot less than 1 vinyl LP... no?

Yes, if you are happy to tie yourself to a full year subscription to one provider and most cds these days can be picked up online for around £7

 

[DCarmi]

Yes, if you happy to tie yourself to a full year subscription to one provider and most cds these days can be picked up online for around £7

It depends on how you intend to use the streaming service. I often listen when on-the-go, away on holiday, in the park with the dog (who just wants to chase squirrel) or on a speaker in the kitchen away from the hifi.

I also use it for music discovery. Sometimes I just stream some quiet music and read a book. (Streaming is good for that because i don't have to get up and change the LP or CD.)

I probably stream at least 20 CDs worth a month, at a guess.

If you don't plan to do any of that then saving money for physical media is the way to go.

 

[Witterings]

Yes, if you are happy to tie yourself to a full year subscription to one provider and most cds these days can be picked up online for around £7

Double check with Amazon because I'm not 100% sure but I heard somewhere if you pay for the year and 1/2 way through decide to cancel it, I think they refund you pro-rata .... I'm not sure though if that's pro-rata from the monthly cost or against what you paid.
I also had it on a 3 month free trial when I signed up so was plenty of time to see if I felt it was of benefit.

My whole life I've always believed in buying everything outright (apart from a mortgage) and absolutely abhore monthly subscriptions with a vengeance so resisted streaming services for years.
Someone turned round to me one day and said ..... when you were younger did you but 1 album a month (£10/12 in them days) and the answer was yes .... he said for the same cost now you have 80 million tracks at your fingertips.

It completely converted me, not only did I have every album I'd ever bought (now sitting in the loft warped) at my finger tips but also every album I ever borrow off of friends and access to a multitude of new bands / artists I can listen to without buying a CD of just one artists album and finding I don't really like them and the money being wasted music.

 

[DCarmi]

without buying a CD of just one artists album and finding I don't really like them

In addition, there were many albums and tracks, that I've listened to with friends or on the radio etc and liked but not enough to ever buy. Now I can stream them any time I fancy.