Review Wiim Pro: One man's view

[Symples]

I had been looking on prchasing a new streamer.

My Pioneer N50A sounds good, but no Qobuz, Tiidal, Amazon etc... It has Spotify and internet radio.
I could access them via my laptop plugged in to my CD players DAC, but to be honest, a bit of a chore.

So I was looking for something with all these features.

I had my eye on a Cambridge Audio CXN v2 or an Arcam ST60.

I kept reading about this Wiim product and dismissed the no name product.....

Suddenly.... I saw this product advertised on a hifi store (The one with seven trees)
Perhaps this no name product is good....thinks I'

Off the Amazon and £150 later (I can always send it back)

I bought the Pro as I wanted to connect via COAX and use me ethernet connection. (I have read that the wireless often drops)

This instructions are poo. However once I had downloaded the app, it was a simple as Simple Simon to setup.

Now if I am correct. you can only ger 96K from optical at much higher 192K on COAX. Well I could if My Onkyo TX-RZ800 went that high. 96K max it is.

I ignored the line outputs of the Pro and used the DAC in the amp instead.

As stated eariier. It was dead easy to setup and access to a mutitude of streaming services. I have tried it with Amozon Music, Spotify, Qobuz and Tidal... not omitting files from my NAS.

As I am connecting via an ethernet cable. There are no connection problems.

Dead easy to setup and dead easy to use. Sounds great through my amp (Next attempt is using my CD's DAC)

Now I was prepared to spend £800-1000 on a new streamer, but to be honest, besides looking better. There is no point.

I was tempted towards the CXN and ST60 because of their displays, but realised that even though my Pioneer N50A has a display. I rarely look at it. It's all done from my tablet (I've just bought Samsung Tab 9 Ultra)

I had poo pooed the Wiim Pro as I had not heard the name, but I can heartily recommend it. I am not sure sure of it's line out quality, but connect it to a good DAC and you're laughing and you're not so much out of pocket.

Give it a try. I am sure that you would not be disappointed.


BIG thanks to all those who had reommended it

 

[matthewpianist]

I've recently switched from a Bluesound Node 2i to the WiiM Pro, and I prefer the WiiM both in sound and user experience. That's not to say there is especially anything wrong with the Node (except slightly more frequent stability issues than I would like), but because the WiiM is (IMO) even better. It's also exceptionally good value for money.

 

[Jasonovich]

If you're still looking, though from the sound of it, you seem happy with the WiiM Pro

If you were looking and £800-1000 is your budget and no doubt for this amount of money you should find first class Streamer/DAC combination. There are two products that really stand out and if anyone has the budget; maybe worth their while checking out.

A year ago, the Cambridge CXN or the Audiolab 7000N would be the first name(s) that would roll off my tongue but the pace of change is remarkable, and there are a plethora of players that have regulated the abovementioned further down the queue. not to say these are bad products but I think consumers are looking for a different kind of experience, better interface, better sound quality, more value for money. Again this is just my opinion, so please take it with a pinch of salt and do the due diligence.
There are two products that I'm really impressed with; the cheapest of the two is Matrix Audio mini i-4, is an excellent DAC and Streamer, the other is of course; none other than the Eversolo DMP-A6, has everything the former has, bigger 6 inch touch screen and bigger price tag.

BTW, I just purchased WiiM Pro Plus for £209 on Amazon, doesn't have the grace or the sophistication of the big boys but it does the job admirably.

 

[landco]

A streamer as a technical device has a cheap cost, making a streamer is very simple, there are thousands of them on the market and I no longer see any reason to review another uninteresting streamer with a bad design, how uninteresting it is to read reviews about USB flash drives today

 

[doifeellucky]

If you're still looking, though from the sound of it, you seem happy with the WiiM Pro

If you were looking and £800-1000 is your budget and no doubt for this amount of money you should find first class Streamer/DAC combination. There are two products that really stand out and if anyone has the budget; maybe worth their while checking out.

A year ago, the Cambridge CXN or the Audiolab 7000N would be the first name(s) that would roll off my tongue but the pace of change is remarkable, and there are a number of players that have regulated the abovementioned further down the queue. not to say these are bad products but I think consumers are looking for a different kind of experience, better interface, better sound quality, more value for money. Again this is just my opinion, so please take it with a pinch of salt and do the due diligence.
There are two products that I'm really impressed with; the cheapest of the two is Matrix Audio mini i-4, is an excellent DAC and Streamer, the other is of course; none other than the Eversolo DMP-A6, has everything the former has, bigger 6 inch touch screen and bigger price tag.

BTW, I just purchased WiiM Pro Plus for £209 on Amazon, doesn't have the grace or the sophistication of the big boys but it does the job admirably.

Have you actually heard the CXN V2, 7000N, Matrix Mini- i 4, or DMP-A6, or are you just basing your comments on YouTube reviews? The 7000N only came out a few months ago, and I wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole due to Play-Fi

You also said you only just ordered the Wiim Pro Plus in another post this morning so, you haven’t actually heard that either.

 

[Jasonovich]

Much of it is from various reviews from web portals and Youtube. I also have a friend from the cottage industries, I shan't name, who has given me heads up on most of the products and his assessment is pretty reliable.
If you're suggesting I'm waving the flag after one happy Youtube review you're sadly mistaken and I did say in my last thread.....my opinion, so please take it with a pinch of salt and do the due diligence.

Like everyone on this thread I am entitled to my own views and I am sure people of rational thinking will decipher that this is just an opinion, just like USB cables and everything else I said, it is an opinion and honestly, how many people on this thread have actually listen to the pieces of HiFi they say they're going to buy, it's mostly from an exchange of words that one accepts as a basis to pursue and investigate.
Yes in an ideal world, we should listen before purchase.

No I haven't heard the ViiM Pro Plus, does it bother me? No

---

.

 

[manicm]

I've recently switched from a Bluesound Node 2i to the WiiM Pro, and I prefer the WiiM both in sound and user experience. That's not to say there is especially anything wrong with the Node (except slightly more frequent stability issues than I would like), but because the WiiM is (IMO) even better. It's also exceptionally good value for money.

Are you using the Wiim's internal DAC or connecting it digitally to your Rotel?

 

[Revolutions]

Would a WiiM without a DAC be much cheaper? Seems almost everyone who has one on here connects via coax/optical.

 

[manicm]

Would a WiiM without a DAC be much cheaper? Seems almost everyone who has one on here connects via coax/optical.

It's about expectations. What do you expect from a 80 quid streamer? That's not too big a price for flexibility, as well as a fully formed app.

 

[Noddy]

Have you actually heard the CXN V2, 7000N, Matrix Mini- i 4, or DMP-A6, or are you just basing your comments on YouTube reviews? The 7000N only came out a few months ago, and I wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole due to Play-Fi

You also said you only just ordered the Wiim Pro Plus in another post this morning so, you haven’t actually heard that either.

Play-Fi is much improved and very useable. It used to be a bit crummy.

 

[Noddy]

I have the basic Wiim Mini, and as long as you already have a good DAC, and wifi, there’s no point spending more. It is very very good. Except the connector sockets don’t hold cables well, so best not bump it.

 

[Revolutions]

It's about expectations. What do you expect from a 80 quid streamer? That's not too big a price for flexibility, as well as a fully formed app.

I have a WiiM mini. But was just interested as I’m a weirdo minimalist who doesn’t like features that I’m not going to use when it comes to electronics and such.

 

[Symples]

Edited "have been" to "had been"
I am happy and am sticking with the Wiim.

I must add that the Wiim app is a lot better than the apps for my Pioneer and my Onkyo (made be the same company)

 

[Gray]

Would a WiiM without a DAC be much cheaper?

Possibly not.
But many would welcome them shaving £10-£15 off the price by offering a DACless version.

Compared to other streamers it's a bargain of course, but not everyone regards £80 as 80p.....and nobody should want to pay for an internal DAC they're never going to use.

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

Whilst my power amp is in for repair, I'm running the WiiM Mini via optical into my Naim Uniti Lite and it sounds pretty damn good to my ears. Struggling to tell the difference between (say) Radio Paradise streamed via the Mini and streamed by the Naim.

Has got me thinking that a good second / third system could be a WiiM Pro Plus into a Naim NAP 100. A nice little half-width system.

 

[Messiah]

Struggling to tell the difference between (say) Radio Paradise streamed via the Mini and streamed by the Naim.

Both streams would be using the same DAC right? So would make sense they sound the same.

 

[matthewpianist]

Are you using the Wiim's internal DAC or connecting it digitally to your Rotel?

The WiiM internal DAC. The Rotel CD player doesn't offer any DAC facilities. I haven't yet tried it into the DAC in the Triangles - when I have time I will do.

 

[Gray]

Both streams would be using the same DAC right? So would make sense they sound the same.

Makes perfect sense 👍.....unless.... you're one of those that has paid thousands of pounds for the streaming part.

Then it becomes a case of 1s and 0s not all being equal.
The streamer costing one tenth the price of the other sends a bit-perfect stream.
But the more expensive streamer sends a better bit-perfect stream.....once you take 'other factors' into account.
It's those other factors that make the more expensive streamer worth the money.....is what those with expensive streamers will happily tell you.

....Unless, like Juzzie Wuzzie above, you use your ears to judge and speak with honesty.

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

Both streams would be using the same DAC right? So would make sense they sound the same.

Except (I think) the RP stream for Naim is at a higher quality than via other sources (or at least I remember that from a while back)? But I agree with you that they sound the same irrespective of quality of source (as both sources are of suitable quality).

 

[Gray]

Except (I think) the RP stream for Naim is at a higher quality than via other sources (or at least I remember that from a while back)? But I agree with you that they sound the same irrespective of quality of source (as both sources are of suitable quality).

Well the RP stream is at CD/FLAC quality via my Raspberry Pi / Volumio streamer.
I can't imagine it being any less via a Wiim.

 

[daytona600]

WiiM Pro Plus DAC is excellent VFM @ £200. Used as a streamer and connected to a DCS Rossini & lampizator Horizon
Outstanding

 

[Symples]

WiiM Pro Plus DAC is excellent VFM @ £200. Used as a streamer and connected to a DCS Rossini & lampizator Horizon
Outstanding

😃😃😃

 

[DCarmi]

I have both a Mini and a Pro and my Netgear router hates them (or rather the security software I use on the router hates them).

375 vulnerabilities

• 70 are potential buffer overflows
• 164 miscellaneous ones which the software claims to protect me from
• 1 device settings vulnerability
• 133 device lockout vulnerabilities
• 7 device memory corruption vulnerabilities

I have several other connected devices, phones, computers, plugs, lights etc. The Wiims are the only ones it picks on. They are both patched with the latest firmware.

 

[manicm]

I have a WiiM mini. But was just interested as I’m a weirdo minimalist who doesn’t like features that I’m not going to use when it comes to electronics and such.

In the WiiM Mini, what won't you use? The optical port?

 

[manicm]

I have both a Mini and a Pro and my Netgear router hates them (or rather the security software I use on the router hates them).

375 vulnerabilities

• 70 are potential buffer overflows
• 164 miscellaneous ones which the software claims to protect me from
• 1 device settings vulnerability
• 133 device lockout vulnerabilities
• 7 device memory corruption vulnerabilities

I have several other connected devices, phones, computers, plugs, lights etc. The Wiims are the only ones it picks on. They are both patched with the latest firmware.

You mention you have several other devices connected to your router, well have you tried connecting another established brand streamer? Maybe it's not the WiiM specifically, just the nature of being a streamer.