WiiM's Pro Plus DOES IT ALL: Spotify, Tidal, AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Roon & Squeezebox
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- čas přidán 14. 05. 2024
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🎥 Camera: John Darko / Olaf von Voss
🎬 Editor: John Darko
🌈 Colour: Olaf von Voss
🕺🏻 Motion GFX: John Darko
💰 Ad segment: Jana Dagdagan
🎵 Song IDs? Playlists of all music heard in this video - and other videos - can be found on PATREON: / johndarko
0:00 Intro
0:28 Spot the difference
3:14 vs Wiim Pro
7:52 vs. Bluesound Node or Squeezebox Touch
13:12 Speedy updates
15:22 vs. Sonos Port
21:15 vs. WiiM Pro + external DAC
23:52 What about...?
WiiM Pro Plus
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WiiM Pro
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WiiM Mini
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Logitech Squeezebox Touch
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Bluesound Node X
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Sonos Port
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Chord Mojo 2
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Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones
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Mushroom table lamp
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Streaming platform by Roon
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Darko.Audio may earn a small commission from items purchased via affiliate links, which are indicated with a '🛒'.
#spotify #tidal #hifi
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Just want to give the editor kudos for using "purposeful pauses" in the video to give the viewer a moment to digest. Also the content was awesome as per usual!
First; thanks John for your continuous good quality reviews and videos.
Second; sound quality.
To anyone considering getting the WiiM Pro Plus and can live without a few features, don't mind two separate boxes (which are actually smaller in footprint) and compares in price, I would strongly suggest buying the WiiM Mini instead and pair it with a Topping E30 II.
From a pure sound quality perspective, I find this setup way better than the WiiM Pro Plus, which sounds very thin and flat in comparison. With the WiiM Mini, you will still have the great pleasure to navigate your listening experience with the WiiM Home app.
If you want a all-in-one streaming dac, I guess you might be able to play around with the EQ settings as suggested but it will have it's limits.
With that said, I don't think one can stress enough how great the WiiM Home app is, especially to this price, and I definitely recommend everyone to try it out. But, in my opinion, do it with a WiiM Mini and external dac.
Anyway, I hope this comment finds someone and help you navigate through the audio equipment jungle. Good luck!
One more thing to help navigate; To anyone looking for a cheap amplifier to pair the WiiM Mini + Topping E30 II with, I found Fosi Audio V3 to be a lovely sounding little unit for very good money (but it has a massive power brick)
I wish more comments were as insightful as yours. 🚨
Thanks for sharing.
Just to add a tweak for sound quality of the wiim mini.
If one can swing $69 for an ifi power 2 powering your mini
I found an immediate sound improvement :)
I used a wiim mini as a dac / pre amp and streamer into
my power amp / speakers combo that cost £70k and the wiim did an admirable job . This set up was necessary because my main dac (dCS ) was back at the factory . The wiim UI was also much better than dCS mosaic . The wiim team are to be applauded.
Recommended the Wiim Mini to a friend for his Denon AVR for Qobuz support and it works ace for him.
Very much appreciated this video from you! Excellent job and very informative
Best video comparison.Apreciate your hard work.
Just got mine setup last weekend, boy am I content
I loved the excitement in his voice every time a new ‘Side by Side Comparison!’ was announced.
I really appreciate the multiple comparisons! Informative, clear and relevant. Your extra effort is awesome in this review.
Brilliant video! Intelligent , informative AND hugely entertaining. Thank you! 🐻
Thank you John for your hard work. Appreciate it ! You have simplified what we could not have otherwise done.
Really useful and very thorough set on comparisons, now I just need to book at session to listen to the WiiM Pro plus v Cambridge audio and make a decision! Cheers
Love the music recommendations, thank you
Thanks for your efforts on this JD!
Very thorough and informative video. Appreciate the scoring you've implemented it makes it easier to digest your thoughts. Cheers!
Another excellent video! Thanks so much for the comparisons and all your passion.
Darko Great job Thank you, greetings from Poland
👍
Nice video, thanks John!
FWIW, based on your previous review of the WiiM Pro (non-plus) I had purchased it early this year. The DAC was never an issue for me, as I connect the WiiM directly to digital active speakers via SPDIF. I'm really happy with the device, no regrets yet.
Wonderful as always. Thanks!
I have one and love it, it’s replaced my pi setup running wonky Volumio and I’m happy
Excellent. Side by side is essential. I put my Mojo 2 with Bluesound Node and it sounds so good, so really helpful to know your scoring.
As always, a worthwhile watch- looking forward to seeing how the WiiM amp measures up when it comes out.
I won't be surprised if it's the biggest story of the year in budget audio.
I liked the scoring system. Makes the comparison more tangible. Please keep doing it.
It's a bit of a stretch though don't you think, that a sub $300 streamer/DAC can get a 6/10 compared to a using the same streamer with a $9000 Tambaqui DAC. Maybe if he was going to throw in the Mola Mola as his "10" he would think these others, at most, would garner a 5, not a 6, and that a WiiM + Mojo would rank as high as 7.5, but those are his numbers.
The law of diminishing returns in action. You could go from a 2 to a 5 by spending a little bit of money, but going from a 7 to a 9 requires a lot of money.@@rosswarren436
Love side-by-side comparisons!
Yep. Sent my remote back too. Tried everything. But, for the money and customer service, WiiM is killing it. Great info! Thanx!
I just installed Wiim Pro Plus earlier. Playback is excellent, very easy to connect and configure.
Awesome work,I’m impressed Darko
Thank you for using numerical ranking to distinguish the relative performance between streamers and DACs. It's difficult to express sound differences with language whereas numbers convey performance differences more accurately. Hope you continue to use numerical comparison in future videos too!
Many many thanks for this comparison vid. Very helpful. Brings things in perspective. 😊👍👍👍
Hi Darko, I hope that you already know this: You are truly a music lover and you found a way to share your passion and help us discover so many songs. The fact that you combine it so well with all the limitations of youtube is the proof of your resolve. I like listening to your video with my subwoofer at +6db on my really good speakers just to ear all the production value that you put together. And the aesthetics of hifi gear **chef's kiss**
Keep up the passion and the awesome work!
Got it a few weeks back to play with my old Genelec active monitors in the dining room/kitchen. I'm sooper happy with it!
Thanks for taking the time to include the Squeezebox Touch. I had been wondering how it stacks up against current streaming dacs like the wiim.
Thanks for all the comparisons. It really helps flesh out the use case scenarios for this device compared to others, especially knowing it has a better clock circuit and that TI op-amp. And thanks for the albums shown in the video. I always find something new (or old) to listen to. I think I could buy the WiiM Pro Plus and be very happy with it at your 6/10 rating for a long time, then buy a better R2R DAC later on, like a Denafrips Ares 12th or Gustard R26 and call it a day in my system. I have 3 of the WiiM Mini streamer/DACs scattered about my home with external DACs (various versions of the Schiit Modi) and love their user interface and love how responsive the company, Linkplay, have been to customer "wishlists" and fixing bugs. More companies should look into that kind of customer service and device support. It is noticed by consumers.
After watching your reviews of the Audiolab 6000a i stream in to it with the wiim mini . Sounds great !
I have been listening to the Wiim pro+ for a few days now. I ended up installing it in the bedroom system. The DAC is so different from the Logitech Touch. Committed now to doing a side-by-side with my living room system of the Touch DAC, the Wiim DAC and the Burr-Brown built into my 20 year old pre-processor.
Very thorough review. Although I was waiting for a transport comparison between the solo and the pro plus which are similar in price and have reviewed in the past.
Love this video - great content and love this amount of comparisons. The ratings really help too - hope to see more like this ❤
Robert Leiner… nice! First heard his track on Trance Europe Express and been a fan ever since
Both entertaining AND informative; thank you!
The most useful review of this product by a mile. Well done!
cheers for having Death In Vegas in the playlist
nice one J' ..always articulate
Nice review, John. I have the WiiM Mini connected via TOSlink to the internal DAC inside my NAD D3045 in my bedroom and have been eyeing the Node X for use with our vintage 00’s-era McIntosh C15 pre / MC202 power amp in the living room. Skipped the Pro due to having the same DAC as the Mini but this new upgraded DAC for the Pro Plus has me interested.
Very good/objective comparison. Very helpful thx!
I've just ordered a wiim pro on the back of this video. I've been using squeezbox basically since it's inception and have many radios, booms and pi devices with hifiberry DACs running my ceiling speakers and hifi. I've also installed some pis in some commercial buildings but I'm hoping the wiim might be the answer to my next streamers outside of Sonos. Great videos. Thanks. Looking forward to having a play with them all.
Same boat. Did it?
This video was clutch. The whole time I'm wondering how the Chord Mojo 2 compares to all of his other comparisons and then he throws it in the conclusion for a bonus 5th comparison. It's like he read my mind! That just earned him another patron on patreon. Well done sir! *standing ovation*
Awesome John! Fantastic review, guess within the time you had, did a remarkable thing to provide a wonderful comparison of most popular, affordable streamer DACs. Now I came with an intention of seriously looking at a WiimPro plus or a Node, that have been in the cart for a while. But your comparison with the SBT just convinced me to stick to my current setup for few more years. My SBT, though it lost its Wi-Fi, but now hardwired, is still going strong in its 13th year! That SBT needs to be pried of my dead cold hands 😂
For the money - a fantastic product!
Great video ❤
Thanks John, that was great fun and very informative.
Peace etc.
👏🏼👏🏼🙌👌 let me tell you John you really did a great job on this review all these comparisons. I am so glad I bought the pro plus, thank you for confirming what I thought you are the best. Love you be well stay safe.❤❤❤
I too had issues with the remote. You have to have your phone, and remote very close to the pro plus fit it to pair.
Fantastic episode!
Happy owner of a WiiM Pro + external DAC, best of both worlds imo.
Which DAC? thx
Up until you want to play resolutions higher than 192k. That’s the best you can do with the optical and coax outputs.
Absolutely loved your review, extremely detailed. Food for my ears and thanks a million!!🖖
Your final comparison with the external DAC made me think if you're not using the Wiim pro plus's internal DAC why not just use the Wiim Mini or Pro and their toslink output? They're cheaper too. 😉
I plan to get a Wiim pro around this holiday season. As my Denon receiver doesn't have any DAC, I'll need to purchase one. My thoughts are that using an outboard DAC gives me a greater path towards upgrading.
Nicely done! Side to side comparisons are always very insightful. Truth is, I would expect a comparison to Argon Solo, which sells for approx the same price. Or is it just me?
I bought the WiiM mainly for the PEQ which is fantastic. The sound from my Focal Aria 926's and Marantz PM6007 is now much more to my liking. With a few tweaks the sound is warmer, vocals are easier to follow and, the highs are smoothed out. To me the WiiM PEQ made a much bigger difference to the sound than when I changed my Amplifier to one costing 5x the price!
Was given a WiiM Pro plus for Xmas. It’s v good.
Darko's content is always first rate and this was no exception. I have the Mini and occasionally wonder whether I should upgrade to the Pro or Pro Plus. Darko's detailed review and comparisons here provide all the info I need to answer that question. For my needs, the Mini connected to an external DAC is still all I need ,and spending more money (quite a bit more for the Pro Plus) is only going to get me a bit more functionality that I don't currently need.
Yeah, mainly Chromecast, right? I like that better clock circuit in the Pro Plus for less jitter, but I wonder if I could really tell a difference playing through the same external DAC. I've got three Mini devices. Best bargain in audio. You can't begin to build a Raspberry Pi for $99 yet here is a full-blown streamer with a great app for that price. Not bad.
Input for 10 more thoughts follow up Video.
The wiim pro plus get close to an older used bluesound node 2i. I'm wondering what's the better device and for what user/use case.
Love your videos/content. Sparked my teen love for good old techno again. Hope will pass that onto my kids !
Saw Suede this year in LA. Hadn't seen them since 92' with The Cranberries. Couldn't believe how good they were. Don't miss them if you have the opportunity.
You got it all, John. I have the Pro and several minis. They sit on my the Wi-Fi in my house. I use them all with external dacs and use the WiiM app for Tidal and Qobuz. Both services interface with the app very well. I’m able to access all my lists. Occasionally, I’ll use tidal connect but I find the WiiM app seems to take over and the native Tidal app loses control.
Fantastic, thank you.
What a time we're living in the world is just a crazy place to live.
Thank you once again for your priceless effort towards helping us (auidiofiles). I'm a proud owner of WiiM Mini + Chord Mojo 2 combo, like it very much. In your video I have noticed that the colours of the volume on Mojo 2 are set "blue" on the output (as it has no longer a dedicated line-out mode to switch to) and wanted to ask - in wich manually set colour, that indicates the output V you are using the Chord Mojo 2 as an externall DAC for stereo system?
I use the wiim pro with an ifi ipower x an smsl m500 mk III dac into a tube preamp to a Sansui 331 receiver. With mission 700 leading edge speakers. It sounds pretty sweet.
In Canada the Wiim pro offer support for Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, deezer, Napster, Amazon music, pendora and is Roon ready,
inputs are line, Toslink, wifi, Bluetooth.
output are line, s/pdif, Toslink, Bluetooth, airplay.
Great review!
How about paring these with a TUBE amp (thinking about the Wilsenton types sold on china hifi) + wiim proplus + B&W or Kef Q350?
would this combination work well in a small room/office, of ~12sq meters?
Overall it would cost around €2000+ and I'm thinking if it would beat my existing KEF LS50 Wireless 2, which I managed to purchase for less and I'm Very satisfied with them.
Thinking for a future second setup in my office.
Thanks again!
Kudos to the hard work, I would have liked to know how it compared to the CXN V2
The Bluesound X obviously higher in price therefore I wonder how the Eversolo DMP A6 would have rated in this comparison ! I'm guessing John didn't have it on hand to compare as he had sent it back to the supplier.
I have both a pro and a mini and use both with an external DAC as wasn’t particularly fond of the internal DAC - I think you answered two questions. No point in upgrading to pro plus if using external DAC. And probably not a lot on the market in terms of streamers that are significantly better quality musicality wise even for significantly more money. Thanks as always for honest review.
The ADC is upgraded, which he didn't touch on. The Analog input goes to an ADC.
Temporarily the WiiM Pro Plus has replaced the Cambridge CXN V.1 in my system, primarily because of the lack of native support on the Cambridge unit for many of the streaming apps, especially Amazon HD Music.
Great to see the Touch in the review list
Hi Darko, thank you so much for your content.
I only got into Hifi earlier this year and have spent a lot of time bargain hunting on our local trading platforms and ended up with a pretty nice setup for not a lot of money. I'm currently running a pair of B&W DM308 powered by a Rotel RA-400.
My next goal was to find a good streamer and I had my eyes on a Wiim Pro+. I do however live at the end of the world (New Zealand) and getting my hands on one for a reasonable price (if available at all) is next to impossible.
Thanks to your video comparing the Wiim to a few other streamers I learned about the Squeezebox Touch and I got lucky yesterday and found one for cheap on Trademe. And now I'm sitting here all excited waiting for my parcel to arrive.
A big thanks to you from a Berliner now living in NZ.
"End of the world," I rather think you guys are untouched by all of the worlds crap, lucky bastard! 🤣
thank you!!
Did you set up the remote with wiim's APP? You have to do that so it pairs with your device. I have mine working fine with my wiim mini.
Very entertaining. The Bluesound is more than double the price of the Wim so amazing value.
Thanks for a great video! I know you use a Samsung Frame TV... and that the Samsung remote is "universal" and meant to work with some receivers, etc. Any chance the Samsung remote will control volume on the Wiim Pro Plus?
I am curious how earlier tested dacs compare to the Wiim Pro +, I use the Wiim Pro Plus myself connected via coax to my Anthem receiver and really like it, and the firmware is also constantly evolving.
As always, a very informative review enriched with your personal touch, John. The question that now remains is whether to take the Wim Pro Plus or the Mini and add a DAC that costs around 100 Euros. And following on from that, which DAC in this price range delivers the "best" result in terms of sound? Thank you!
This depends first on the functionality you need. The Pro Plus also has a digital input and it supports the Chromecast streaming protocol, which might be useful for casting from some apps. I hesitated, as I wanted to use Chromecast to cast from radio apps. But the Wiim Home app has vTuner (and many more) built in, allowing me to stream all radio channels to the mini.
As for DACs, you can probably get the same performance as the Wiim Pro Plus with offerings from Topping, SMSL, ... (check their more recent and cheapest DACs with the I/O you need). However, it is an open question whether you will hear any difference or 'improvement' at all, since the Wiim Pro Plus seems to have an excellent DAC implementation.
If you have a DAC or digital in in your receiver or integrated amp and don't need Chromecast, the Mini is fine; otherwise the Wiim Pro Plus seems like a better value proposition.
I'm looking to get into a streamer/DAC for my Hi-Fi, this was a useful video - thanks!
Nice to hear that they make a better version. I’ve a mini and I never use the dac. I have a topping d50s. Q: does the d50 a better job do you think? And is the Hegel h90 internal dac better than the topping. Thinking of take it down to compare the two. Ty for a great video.
omg i was just about to pull the trigger on the pro! thanks john
Well done, thanks
Hey, John! I've just finished listening to your latest podcast, with the brilliant Peter Comeau and was wondering if you'll review anytime soon his new Quad Revela 1 and Wharfedale Aura bookshelf speakers. Great episode, btw!
On the audio input page in the app, can it auto sense the optical input like the mini can with the aux in ?
I want to connect a tv to it to play through some ceiling speakers. But I want to be able to use it as Spotify streamer too when tv is off. Is this possible.
Ceiling speakers are analogue
I went from the mini to the pro to the pro plus. I thought the pro plus was just as good as my Geshelli j2 with the AK so the Geshelli was sold. Wiims next version hopefully will have HDMI arc.
Nice
Good review but I would love to see the how Wiim Pro compares with Wiim Pro Plus with an external DAC, e.g., I wonder whether Wiim Pro with Chord Mojo will also have a 7.5 score.
Also I am curious about the impact of "cheaper" DACs, such as Schiit Modi, on Wiim Pro and/or Plus on the sound quality.
After I see these reviews, I would be able to decide between Wiim Pro/Plus and Bluesound Node.
As for Sonos, Sonos unfortunately cannot handle anything above 24-44, so any streaming platform above this is a "Sonos killer".
Great video
Your videos are very useful. Could you please compare the analog section (internal DAC) of the WiiM Pro Plus with the Eversolo A6
Wich score would you give the Qutest in comparaison to the mojo 2 wich is 7.5/10? 8? 9?
It would be particularly useful to know since the Qutest is triple the price of mojo 2. (Usecase is an hi-fi 2 Channel system only )
Waiting for the WiiM Pro Plus Ultra ;-)
Great review again 👍 Thankyou. Does anyone know how this units dac would compare to a Rega DAC ?
John I really missed out comparison with Eversolo DMP - A6! - so I guess my SBT will survive once again...and of coarse also the microRendu which seems to be forgotten these days
Great video thanks. Just one idea how about the chord and the wiim pro(not pro plus) and save money!
John, silly question did you do the set up connection of the remote to the wiim pro plus?
I have both the pro and pro plus, and for £217 I feel it’s a monster buy, I’m sure some one will come up with an external PS mod for the wiim that improves it. I assume that the blue sound node you have left on holiday then that may be a 6 out of 10, which sort of makes the wiim pro plus a bloody good buy.
Anyway, I like mine wiim pro plus it’s sounds great in my system and would not spend £500+ to get little more quality. I have boxed up my wiim pro and it wont be seeing the light of day again….feel quite sad for the little thing.
1 comment about the Mojo + WiiM combo for those of us that EQ/use tone controls to either better match other equipment or the room. The fine tuning that the Mojo allows for EQ adjustment is basically a multi-band eq controlled by the lighted 'bubbles'. The Node (or at least the Node 2i I have) only allows bass and treble adjustments, not a finer tuning of specific frequencies.
Not true about the Mojo 2 - its equalisation options are probably more advanced than any other DAC out there, including more expensive ones. And its EQ always operates in the digital domain which is also fairly rare in DACs at this price point, if at all.
While I agree that the Pro Plus using analog outputs is worth the money, what if you want to add streaming to an older HTR with multiple Toslink inputs. In that case, the more cost-effective solution is the Mini as you leverage the DAC inside the HTR.
How dang nice is it for John to NOT put the screws to his viewers... very nice indeed. "If you’d be so willing to support me over on Patreon even if for only one month". Well this video was (as you yourself hinted to) over the top... just a absolute terrific job (as is really all your videos), and so Yeah a TWO coffee video for sure... Heck, more like an entire week's worth of coffee my good Friend! (heading over to join your Patreon a little later today). Ps. I'm still rocking an entire whole house (6 devices) Logitech Squeezebox setup and have been looking to cut over to something supported by Roon (which I have yet to use or hear, however hear very good things about).
Don't think i could have made it through uni without the Pro Plus!
First, thank you so much for all the great information! I have some vintage Philips 22 RH 544 II active speakers that utilize the old DIN connectors. Luckily I also have the DIN-to-RCA connector. I purchased the WIIM Pro after listening to this podcast and would like to add a DAC to it. Would you recommend a Schiit MODI DAC (I am on a budget) or something else for this configuration? Thanks in advance.