streaming in 24bit/192khz from Amazon Music through the WiiM Home app and outputting via the WiiM Mini's Toslink optical out is coming as an update at the end of April 2022
Loving the Spotify-like gapless playback on Tidal Connect. So many other low cost streamers don't A.) Have Tidal Connect and B.) Don't play gaplessly. For much of the music I enjoy (prog rock, jazz, electronica, ambient, live rock shows) gapless is a REQUIREMENT. Other low cost streamers like the Audioengine B-FI, the Arylic S50 Pro+, and the Andover Songbird need to step it up to be competitive.
I'm using Tidal HiFi (their relatively new CD quality 16-bit/44.1kHz without any MQA snake oil service for $10/month). It seems to work well, but my DAC, a Schiit Modi 3+, does not have a display showing file properties. I was initially concerned when the "bit-perfect" update came along and 44.1 was not among the selections you could choose, but your video shows that even if you select 48kHz, it outputs 44.1kHz. That is good to know. High res formats are cool, but I'm just happy to have full CD quality. I was on Spotify, but got mad when they lied about rolling out their Spotify HiFi last year. I don't like being lied to. Finding a company like WIIM who says they are going to do something and follows through on it means a lot. For $99 this thing rocks. And it having Tidal Connect is a huge bonus. Other streamers below the Bluesound Node's $600 price point need to add that ASAP. Yeah, for the living room I'll keep my Node, but for the bedroom, den, and basement (feeding internal DACs on older AVRs via the Toslink optical out), it will definitely be a WIIM Mini. My only regret is not buying 3 of them and getting the even better discount. LOL. Thanks for the review.
If the song exists in mqa you only get the compressed mqa version without any unfolding. I use Qobuz Tidal and Spotify. I still hope Spotify comes out with lossless or even high res. Qobuz is the best hifi streaming service but they don't have all the songs and they don't have their own connect version yet so you need something to host the stream like Roon.
@@marcusm5127 A TIDAL HiFi membership supports the following sound options: HiFi - Lossless quality audio (1411kbps or 16bit / 44.1kHz). High - Best compromise between data usage and sound quality (320kbps AAC). Normal - Reduced data usage for slower connections. Don't think the CD Quality HiFi is some doctored MQA file that isn't unfolded properly. At least they don't indicate that, otherwise they couldn't call it "lossless". All the other services that are truly lossless would be screaming about that subterfuge in their ads if it were true.
@@rosswarren436 MQA is a flac file with extra info to unfold. If the MQA version of the song exists there is no lossless true flac saved it is the unfolded mqa version. Also many of the MQA songs a just 44.1 24 and 48 24. Therefore normal flacs are way better.
@@marcusm5127 indeed. If the files aren't "bit-perfect" to a Redbook CD, they can't be called "lossless", or shouldn't be. If Tidal wants to play with higher res files and encode them with MQA and call them "Masters" that is up to them, but if they are going to provide CD quality and call it lossless, it ought to be "bit-perfect" to the CD without any other bits at all. Otherwise they shouldn't get away with calling it "lossless 16-bit/44.1kHz". There should be no difference between an Apple Music CD quality file and a Tidal one, if both are truly "lossless". The numerical value of the bits should be identical to what would come off of a Redbook CD I could buy off Amazon. Glad they are using FLAC though. FLAC is perfectly fine - literally.
hello, I would be very grateful to you for your advice. I have a good external DAC in my system and I am looking for a device that will be a good streamer for Spotify and tidal. When using the digital output for an external Dac, will there be a difference in sound quality between the wiim mini and the Bluesound Node 2i?
@@davesmusicchannel7050 My Wiim mini is plugged to my external DAC with toshlink. In the qobuz section of the Wiiim home app , I choose streaming 24 bit/192…. Obviously in the preferences of the Wiim digital output I did choose 24 bit 192 too… All is working good
Have mine feeding Tidal to a SMSL SU-8 DAC and it sounds amazing. I just have issues with control. I have tidal on my laptop (desktop app and web browser link) on my iPhone 13 and Tidal can also be selected in the WiiM app. Sometimes it will drop out and I cannot get it to reconnect so I’ll try one of my other options and after time the music will come back but it’s not clear which is feeding the streamer. I’m sure this is more of an user error but it’s frustrating
I have Tidal's CD quality "Hi-Fi" service. It works great, but yeah, I have similar issues (and even those with Bluesound Nodes have the same issue) with the PC desktop app "losing its place" or connection with the WIIM. Sometimes if I hit on the speaker icon, it will reconnect and "find its place" in the song. The music URL is passed off to the WIIM so it usually just keeps playing. I have noted that if I keep the desktop Tidal app open and don't do anything else for very long (like looking at Facebook) it won't lose its place, but if I go more than a minute it does. I think this might be an issue more with Tidal's app than with the WIIM since those running Bluesound Nodes have the same problem. Oh well. I can live with it. Ironically, Spotify's desktop PC app never loses its place using the WIIM.
Does your comment at 2:30 about Amazon Ultra HD imply that you're using the DAC to power the Wiim (since it doesn't feature a dedicated USB output) and have you tested it?
Sorry I wasn’t clear. The Amazon music app on my iPad sowed that the track was playing at ultra hd. In fact it was not and that was actually the only time something like that showed. The rest of the time the app said that it can’t give track quality info while “casting.” The Wiim Mini was being powered by its dedicated power adapter. The only connection with the dad/amp was the toslink cable.
Purchased this to get 24/192 from Amazon Unlimited to my amp but according to this video sounds like it won't work.According to the Wii website it should "supports up to 192kHz, 24-bit audio output" so wonder why it's not working for Amazon
So far I’m only getting CD quality from Amazon and Qobuz. Another viewer reports high res from Qobuz so I’m waiting to see if he has advice or perhaps it has to do with which dad you use. Not sure at this point.
@@sethclark5572 ah yes, hadn’t looked into it. Wiim Home asks you to set up Amazon and Alexa. Check the box to stay logged in and you’ll have no problem. Haven’t figured out how to get high res but staying in the Amazon app is cool. Have fun and thanks for watching.
I don’t have Apple Music so I don’t know for sure. However, I’m almost positive that you are meant to Airplay to the Wiim from Apple Music. I have an iPad and in every app I have that supports Airplay 2, both of my Wiim Minis show up in the list of devices when you tap the Airplay symbol.
Thanks for your work on this. I have a suggestion, but I could be totally wrong. What if you play Amazon Music from within the Wiim app which you can co, as opposed to streaming from the separate Amazon app? Does that give you the ultra high res output? Just a thought, as I don't really understand all this. Also I think it already streams UHD Amazon out of the analogue outs, but I could be wrong as I can't test it.
I'm pretty sure that the last time I tested Amazon through the Wiim Home app, it also switched to CD quality. I'll try again when I put together a fuller re-review. The analog output used to be the only way to get bit perfect hi res on the Wiim Mini but the updated firmware adds that to the optical out. The "problem" seems to be that Amazon switches to CD quality as soon as it starts streaming to any device. The one exception might be Firestick which I will explore in a video soon. Thanks for watching.
Amazon streams UHD through HEOS, and through a few streamers when using the streamers native app. I think the issue is casting, for some reason. I've never seen Amazon stream above 16/44.1 when casting the signal from the Amazon mobile app
@@davesmusicchannel7050 Thanks Dave and Brady ! I bought a 4K firestick exactly for this purpose, with ethernet adapter, and plugged it in to my amp. When it worked it worked very well and (according to amazon tv on my tv) it was playing back full UHD (from the firestick app, not streaming from phone, I didn’t do that.) Unfortunately the firestick itself was totally unreliable and constantly buffered, and I have v fast broadband, and so I bought the wiim which seems to work fine using analogue out, although, of course, I don’t have a DAC with read out to test it. Anyway, thank you for looking at all this and I look forward to your fuller review !
the 4k Firestick will play 24bit/192khz, I've tried it and tested it and it works (I put a short video on my UA-cam channel how I did it) but basically I used an audio extractor to get a optical output from the hdmi stream from the Firestick .. this I input into my DAC for improved quality though not needed for 24bit/192khz. The WiiM Mini / WiiM Home app is having another update at the end of April 2022 to enable full 24bit/192khz optical Toslink output from the Mini of Amazon Music content via the WiiM Home App
If the update comes late next month you'll be ready. Already works with Amazon Music if CD quality is good enough. I've been happy. Thanks for watching.
@@davesmusicchannel7050 yes, that's what the company replied to my question. Actually I do have CD quality altrady, using my amp's aptx blutooth receiver. :-)
streaming in 24bit/192khz from Amazon Music through the WiiM Home app and outputting via the WiiM Mini's Toslink optical out is coming as an update at the end of April 2022
Thanks so much for sharing. Where did you hear that? I reached out to Wiim but haven’t heard back.
I asked WiiM the question and they emailed back 21st Feb after the last firmware update
Qobuz streams HD and gapless - fixed output -> toslink -> HD DAC Topping DX3 Pro : astonishing quality for the price.
Loving the Spotify-like gapless playback on Tidal Connect. So many other low cost streamers don't A.) Have Tidal Connect and B.) Don't play gaplessly. For much of the music I enjoy (prog rock, jazz, electronica, ambient, live rock shows) gapless is a REQUIREMENT. Other low cost streamers like the Audioengine B-FI, the Arylic S50 Pro+, and the Andover Songbird need to step it up to be competitive.
Just tried Qobuz and hi res tracks switch to CD quality in the Wiim Home app. Any ideas? Could it be something between the Mini and my Loxjie.
@@davesmusicchannel7050 i noted the same issue with my wiim mini +qobuz.
I get in touch with the producer (Arylic Audio) and they confirmed that the actual firmware does not support hi res with qobuz.
Here’s the mail from acrylic: The current firmware, only Spotify supports 192khz/24bit Hi-Res Audio Other apps, we are working hard to update.
I'm using Tidal HiFi (their relatively new CD quality 16-bit/44.1kHz without any MQA snake oil service for $10/month). It seems to work well, but my DAC, a Schiit Modi 3+, does not have a display showing file properties. I was initially concerned when the "bit-perfect" update came along and 44.1 was not among the selections you could choose, but your video shows that even if you select 48kHz, it outputs 44.1kHz. That is good to know. High res formats are cool, but I'm just happy to have full CD quality. I was on Spotify, but got mad when they lied about rolling out their Spotify HiFi last year. I don't like being lied to. Finding a company like WIIM who says they are going to do something and follows through on it means a lot.
For $99 this thing rocks. And it having Tidal Connect is a huge bonus. Other streamers below the Bluesound Node's $600 price point need to add that ASAP.
Yeah, for the living room I'll keep my Node, but for the bedroom, den, and basement (feeding internal DACs on older AVRs via the Toslink optical out), it will definitely be a WIIM Mini. My only regret is not buying 3 of them and getting the even better discount. LOL. Thanks for the review.
If the song exists in mqa you only get the compressed mqa version without any unfolding. I use Qobuz Tidal and Spotify. I still hope Spotify comes out with lossless or even high res. Qobuz is the best hifi streaming service but they don't have all the songs and they don't have their own connect version yet so you need something to host the stream like Roon.
@@marcusm5127 A TIDAL HiFi membership supports the following sound options:
HiFi - Lossless quality audio (1411kbps or 16bit / 44.1kHz).
High - Best compromise between data usage and sound quality (320kbps AAC).
Normal - Reduced data usage for slower connections.
Don't think the CD Quality HiFi is some doctored MQA file that isn't unfolded properly. At least they don't indicate that, otherwise they couldn't call it "lossless". All the other services that are truly lossless would be screaming about that subterfuge in their ads if it were true.
@@rosswarren436 MQA is a flac file with extra info to unfold. If the MQA version of the song exists there is no lossless true flac saved it is the unfolded mqa version. Also many of the MQA songs a just 44.1 24 and 48 24. Therefore normal flacs are way better.
@@marcusm5127 indeed. If the files aren't "bit-perfect" to a Redbook CD, they can't be called "lossless", or shouldn't be. If Tidal wants to play with higher res files and encode them with MQA and call them "Masters" that is up to them, but if they are going to provide CD quality and call it lossless, it ought to be "bit-perfect" to the CD without any other bits at all. Otherwise they shouldn't get away with calling it "lossless 16-bit/44.1kHz". There should be no difference between an Apple Music CD quality file and a Tidal one, if both are truly "lossless". The numerical value of the bits should be identical to what would come off of a Redbook CD I could buy off Amazon.
Glad they are using FLAC though. FLAC is perfectly fine - literally.
hello, I would be very grateful to you for your advice. I have a good external DAC in my system and I am looking for a device that will be a good streamer for Spotify and tidal. When using the digital output for an external Dac, will there be a difference in sound quality between the wiim mini and the Bluesound Node 2i?
I wish it outputs 16/44 for Spotify through optical
Works perfectly in 24 bit/192 with Qobuz !
Please share how! Mine keeps switching to CD quality on Qobuz and Amazon.
@@davesmusicchannel7050 My Wiim mini is plugged to my external DAC with toshlink. In the qobuz section of the Wiiim home app , I choose streaming 24 bit/192…. Obviously in the preferences of the Wiim digital output I did choose 24 bit 192 too… All is working good
Have mine feeding Tidal to a SMSL SU-8 DAC and it sounds amazing. I just have issues with control. I have tidal on my laptop (desktop app and web browser link) on my iPhone 13 and Tidal can also be selected in the WiiM app. Sometimes it will drop out and I cannot get it to reconnect so I’ll try one of my other options and after time the music will come back but it’s not clear which is feeding the streamer. I’m sure this is more of an user error but it’s frustrating
Tidal connect work olny at 44,1/16 or like mconnect at 44.1/24 master? thanks.
I have Tidal's CD quality "Hi-Fi" service. It works great, but yeah, I have similar issues (and even those with Bluesound Nodes have the same issue) with the PC desktop app "losing its place" or connection with the WIIM. Sometimes if I hit on the speaker icon, it will reconnect and "find its place" in the song. The music URL is passed off to the WIIM so it usually just keeps playing. I have noted that if I keep the desktop Tidal app open and don't do anything else for very long (like looking at Facebook) it won't lose its place, but if I go more than a minute it does.
I think this might be an issue more with Tidal's app than with the WIIM since those running Bluesound Nodes have the same problem. Oh well. I can live with it. Ironically, Spotify's desktop PC app never loses its place using the WIIM.
Does your comment at 2:30 about Amazon Ultra HD imply that you're using the DAC to power the Wiim (since it doesn't feature a dedicated USB output) and have you tested it?
Sorry I wasn’t clear. The Amazon music app on my iPad sowed that the track was playing at ultra hd. In fact it was not and that was actually the only time something like that showed. The rest of the time the app said that it can’t give track quality info while “casting.” The Wiim Mini was being powered by its dedicated power adapter. The only connection with the dad/amp was the toslink cable.
Is around a kind of this device also including a dnla ? I mean capability to use "TRANSMIT TO" from a PC for listening a generic audio file ?
The Wiim Mini does play music files from network attached storage. Watch my first video review and you'll see the Wiim Home app display the DLNA logo.
Purchased this to get 24/192 from Amazon Unlimited to my amp but according to this video sounds like it won't work.According to the Wii website it should "supports up to 192kHz, 24-bit audio output" so wonder why it's not working for Amazon
I think it already streams UHD Amazon out of the analogue outs, but I could be wrong as I can't test it.
So far I’m only getting CD quality from Amazon and Qobuz. Another viewer reports high res from Qobuz so I’m waiting to see if he has advice or perhaps it has to do with which dad you use. Not sure at this point.
Best to optical or rca. Running into NAD T 758? Thanks
Optical out with fixed output
Can you use its USB as a digital out put
The USB port is only for the 5V power in.
Wiim mini isn't showing up as a casting option in the native Amazon app. I have the newest update. Any suggestions?
I figured it out gotta setup Alexa and the app will connect. Amazon music is my favorite.
@@sethclark5572 ah yes, hadn’t looked into it. Wiim Home asks you to set up Amazon and Alexa. Check the box to stay logged in and you’ll have no problem. Haven’t figured out how to get high res but staying in the Amazon app is cool. Have fun and thanks for watching.
@@sethclark5572 What if you don't have an Alexa device? I want AmazonHD but don't have Alexa
device.
How does it work with apple music?
I don’t have Apple Music so I don’t know for sure. However, I’m almost positive that you are meant to Airplay to the Wiim from Apple Music. I have an iPad and in every app I have that supports Airplay 2, both of my Wiim Minis show up in the list of devices when you tap the Airplay symbol.
Is Amazon Music gapless with this streamer?
Yes!
Can you streaming yt music?
It does not work with UA-cam music
Thanks for your work on this. I have a suggestion, but I could be totally wrong. What if you play Amazon Music from within the Wiim app which you can co, as opposed to streaming from the separate Amazon app? Does that give you the ultra high res output? Just a thought, as I don't really understand all this. Also I think it already streams UHD Amazon out of the analogue outs, but I could be wrong as I can't test it.
I'm pretty sure that the last time I tested Amazon through the Wiim Home app, it also switched to CD quality. I'll try again when I put together a fuller re-review. The analog output used to be the only way to get bit perfect hi res on the Wiim Mini but the updated firmware adds that to the optical out. The "problem" seems to be that Amazon switches to CD quality as soon as it starts streaming to any device. The one exception might be Firestick which I will explore in a video soon. Thanks for watching.
Amazon streams UHD through HEOS, and through a few streamers when using the streamers native app. I think the issue is casting, for some reason. I've never seen Amazon stream above 16/44.1 when casting the signal from the Amazon mobile app
@@davesmusicchannel7050 Thanks Dave and Brady ! I bought a 4K firestick exactly for this purpose, with ethernet adapter, and plugged it in to my amp. When it worked it worked very well and (according to amazon tv on my tv) it was playing back full UHD (from the firestick app, not streaming from phone, I didn’t do that.) Unfortunately the firestick itself was totally unreliable and constantly buffered, and I have v fast broadband, and so I bought the wiim which seems to work fine using analogue out, although, of course, I don’t have a DAC with read out to test it. Anyway, thank you for looking at all this and I look forward to your fuller review !
@@MrAndyGB yes, I’ve tried the firestick thing and it’s a little janky. I plan to do a video about it. Thanks.
the 4k Firestick will play 24bit/192khz, I've tried it and tested it and it works (I put a short video on my UA-cam channel how I did it) but basically I used an audio extractor to get a optical output from the hdmi stream from the Firestick .. this I input into my DAC for improved quality though not needed for 24bit/192khz.
The WiiM Mini / WiiM Home app is having another update at the end of April 2022 to enable full 24bit/192khz optical Toslink output from the Mini of Amazon Music content via the WiiM Home App
Dave thanks for the Video, will it play Amazon HD with 16bit 44.1 or 24bit ?
I don't know. I could only guess and if I did I would guess 16 bit. Thanks for watching. I'll have more soon.
Work on Tidal hi res?
Right now it can do the Tidal Hifi tier (44.1/16 bits) on optical output
Thank you! I was about to buy it but I use Amazon Music...
If the update comes late next month you'll be ready. Already works with Amazon Music if CD quality is good enough. I've been happy. Thanks for watching.
@@davesmusicchannel7050 yes, that's what the company replied to my question. Actually I do have CD quality altrady, using my amp's aptx blutooth receiver. :-)