Wiim Pro Streamer Review

Not surprised. Too many damn videos on YouTube with titles like "BEST STREAMER EVER FOR $50!!!" for this to be an organically excellent product.

 

What is the best streamer you have heard under $20k? I need a goal so I can work harder ‍

My current reference streamer is Linn Akurate DS/3 via BNC.

 

As with any shitty product, a bunch of people praising it for the low cost more then for the quality itself. Sometimes you really get what you payed for.

 

This is a statement to how untrustworthy almost all reviewers are. This unit has been praised by so many people I have never read a negative review until this one. Its total BS out there. We are lucky to have SBAF

 

Granted these Wiim products are likely most purchasers' first foray into the dedicated streamhole, the number of positive consumer reviews doesn't suprise me. Also, easy affiliate links mean more positive reviews.

Thanks for the review! You're on a roll. Add a Zen, Eversolo and Bluesound to the list. Question for consideration in these streamer reviews: does it sound better than a Mac Mini running Audirvana, etc.? (I would say a Mac Mini is a good streamer baseline since it's ubiquitous and also in that price point. But more variables to address)

 

Easy. Lumin U2. You can read my review of it here:
https://hometheaterhifi.com/reviews/audio-player/media-streamer/lumin-u2-streaming-transport-review/

Oh, BTW, the Lumin U2 supports connectivity via optical fiber (LC/LC specification) which is how I used it for the review and it also has an innovative, very low-noise, direct-coupled USB-A port that is specifically designed for connecting to audio components via USB. I connected it to my upstream Roon Core, an Akasa-cased NUC, named Alita, Battle Angel, via LC/LC optical fiber from my Uptone EtheREGEN's optical port, both of which were "upstream" of the main audio rack in the RSR (Remote Server Room). Using Roon, Alita sends music files downstream via the optical fiber connection to the Lumin U2 in the main audio rack. Optical fiber is the really the right way to do this rather than using "copper" USB cable because it is not susceptible to low-source impedance leakage current (usually caused by SMPS), which results threshold jitter, which concomitantly result in timing errors, the impact of which is audible (this is because our brains can discern timing errors in the picosecond domain when listening to music).

The Lumin U2 also has a proper chassis ground-terminal, so you can make the best ground-plane connection to a Shunyata Research Altaira ground-plane noise reduction hub, which is also how I used it. Here it is in my rack for the review I wrote for it at Secrets of Home Theatre and High Fidelity It's the Lumin unit in black between my Lumin P1 on the bottom (which for this review, functioned as the system DAC & preamp) and the Shunyata Altaira stack on top.


The Lumin U2 is absolutely superb, and would be my top choice for a "standalone" streamer component.

 

I have a Lumin U1 and it sounds very very good. I have USB, optical coax and aes all hooked up. I like optical coax and aes all sound really good with slight differences, not better or worse just different. The usb also is very good just flatter in its presentation.

 

Maybe it's the sedation I'm coming out of (dental surgery this morning) but I finally have to make a primal scream post. I have a Wiim Pro, Vali 3, Meze 99neo headphone setup that I've been enjoying for a couple months. I have a real love/hate relationship with headphones to begin with but I needed something for quiet house listening. I know it's not high end but I like it. I was looking at the Soekris 1221 as an upgrade, but now I'm just sort of pissed off. I know the Wiim isn't high end but it is simple to use and that means a lot, you know? I had a pi2 ( the first one) and hated the interface. I use Qobuz for streaming now and through the Wiim app it just works, and makes it easy to just relax and listen to music. I hate feeling stupid for wanting ease of use AND decent sound.

So I/m cooling off now and I guess my question is would it make more sense to go to a Mercury V3 dac or add the Soekris to the Wiim output? I know the sound quality might be better with the Mercury but if the interface makes me want to throw it out the window when all I want to do is listen then it's worthless to me. The Wiim makes me forget about the hardware and relax.

Sorry this post is evolving as I type. What makes me uncomfortable here is the feeling that the high end guys are forgetting where they came from, and that not everyone can or wants to spend 5k on a frigging streamer. You can laugh at my sad little system, but realize that I feel like I'm being chased off, and that sucks for the hobby. Feels a lot like the 2 channel guys from the '90's on.

I really kind of hate this hobby.

 

Rockna Wavedream NET.

 

Couple of things come to mind:

1) Marv's eval is for budget-ish streamers (I know others are bringing up $$$$ stuff, but he's kept it sub-$1k because as far as I can tell Marv doesn't care to spend more than that on stuff this far upstream, and would rather throw money at components closer downstream to the transducer or at transducers themselves), and he's pairing them with systems that are not particularly budget-ish. As in, he's using DAC's north of $1k, headphones and amps and speakers well north of that. So, I don't know how much I'd extrapolate these conclusions to a budget setup. Hell, if I I was building a budget setup, I don't think I'd pay much attention to streamer quality at all (or even think to include one), it's all about synergy at that point, whatever it is, which leads me to...

2) If you have good synergy with a budget setup, which means you like the sound, that is all that matters, full stop. Reviews like this can't account for all possible synergies. Even components that sound like ass in one setup can add some layer of color that is pleasing in combination with other pieces in another setup, or are good enough, or whatever.

Anyway yeah, if you were telling me you felt defensive about your $50 streamer in an otherwise $10k+ rig, I'd maybe have you question your attachment, but even then, what you can get enjoyment out of in this hobby is king.

 

You’ll eventually want to do a standalone dac. Since you already have the wiim I’d be tempted to get the dac you want then upgrade the streamer later. I don’t think any of the audio distros has really terrible ux but ymmv, the wiim software support seems pretty decent as far as that goes.

 

@Brian D - I also have a Wiim Pro, originally got it for a third system, but moved it out tonight to directly compare with my Allo DigiOne, which, I assume is a better streamer. While I agree with pretty much all of the impressions shared in the video, it's also important to note that the differences between streamers - at least, between the Wiim and my Allo - are small. To my ear, smaller than the differences between different DACs, which is already quite small.

The challenge is, it's really hard to write clearly and concisely about small differences between pieces of audio gear without getting into the weeds of overused phrases like "a little bit" here and "a touch" there. And sometimes the communication style makes small differences sound much bigger than they really are.

Plus, the differences are only made so apparent to the listener when comparisons are made, and comparison is the thief of joy. I now have a better idea what the Wiim sounds like, and yeah, it's a step down, but it still plays music. And I actually agree with what you said, and what was noted in the video - it just works, and there's something to be said about that. My Allo suffers from frequent dropouts, and it's a pain in the butt sometimes - the Wiim just plays.

If you're happy with the Wiim, stay happy and don't sweat it. I know I'm going to keep using mine, but if/when it's time to upgrade or add another streamer to my setup, the Mercury V3 will be the likely contender for me. (Unless I take some inspiration from @neo_the_one and his post here.)

 

Copying over my comment from here as it's more relevant in this thread:

I briefly had a WiiM Ultra. Fed it HDMI-ARC from the tv, or my wife used it to stream spotify. I tried to see if my laptop/JRiver would recognize it but it did not (I was hoping it would autodetect on the network like the Sonnet Hermes that I had years ago; I'm a bit of a streaming luddite, so it's probably my fault I couldn't figure this out).

When it worked*, it was fine. In use it was on tv duty or streaming, neither of which has much familiarity to me, and listened on speakers which were also new to me, so I had zero reference points. That all said, I thought it was a reasonably well built unit, the app was nice, the functions were good, the built-in room wizard was ok-ish, and I did not feel there was anything wrong with the sound.

* The issue I had was that the digital outputs would intermittently stop working (perhaps every second day) which required a hardware reboot. I did some reading online and did not see anyone with a similar issue, so it's possible I had a lemon or it was some quirk between my tv and the WiiM. Because of this I returned it. The analog outputs were ok though.

**edit: the glitch only occurred with hdmi-arc input, it was fine with wifi streaming

If I didn't have the weird digital output issue, I may have kept it for my eventual basement setup (the basement isn't even finished though, so that's a ways down the road yet). There just aren't all that many options for taking in HDMI-ARC that aren't big honkin' receivers, though I suppose this will change rapidly in the next couple years. If it also recognized from my laptop (or perhaps I'm just dumb and didn't know how), I would have kept it to be a wifi transport that could also do TV duty.

 

I guess it was Darko who started the hype. He knows how to get views on youtube. Hype cheap products as giant killer on youtube and get views.

 

Thanks for the comments guys, especially @gsanger. I guess the main thing my rant tells me is that I need to take a break from thinking about equipment. I'm just glad I don't have Purr1ns hearing.

Have fun y'all.

 

The best thing you can do if you are happy with a piece of equipment is to stop reading/searching/researching. Be happy, be content, fight that itch, kill that urge. Give yourself the gift of sanity for months or years. THEN go back and start researching what you might be missing, or what the next step is.

There are HEAPS of people out there who will be happy with a Wiim for their entire lives. And that's OK. Any system built around a Wiim is probably leagues better than, say, the U-shaped Bluetooth crap they were using beforehand. And then there are others who will switch out the Wiim in minutes, on their way to optical fibre, power conditioners, boutique fuses, etc. And everything in between. But you don't know which you are, unless you give yourself time to be happy.

And if anyone tells you your system sucks, that you shouldn't like what you hear, tell them to f**k off.