@@TheTastefulThickness Yes but it depends on your living arrangement. Some TV's straight up don't accept Bluetooth from your phone, and requires using streaming apps. And the PC would have to be near your speakers which could be in a different room.
Thanks John for reviewing affordable gear - particularly relevant now in these difficult times for a lot of people. And of course top marks for continuing to fight for gapless playback!
Never, ever, ever leave out the blooper reel. Ever. Had the Wiim been available a year ago, definitely would have bought that instead of the node 2i. Great review of what Should have been chrome cast audio v2.
I had my WiiM Mini for over a month, having bought it after read your initial online review of it and I enjoyed it. Just for having support for Spotify/Tidal Connect, AirPlay 2 and the capability of doing 24/192 streams for $89 at the time of purchase, was a no-brainer. I couldn’t justify dropping $600 for a Node especially this being for my modest bedroom system. I have it connected via TOSlink to my NAD D3045 integrated amp/DAC and it sounds good to my ears.
I stumbled across this channel when searching for headphone reviews last summer. Consistently brilliantly produced, informative and wonderfully presented. Essential viewing (and the techno album reviews last year have produced some gems to add to my collection)
I did the pi streamer because of your video, and quickly realised the the WIMM mini was a replacement and bought it. Mine runs into a cheap KGUSS DAC via toslink and through my amp into exciter driven polystyrene panels supplemented with the 8 inch Polk Audio sub for bass and lower mids. I’m a pensioner and avoid subscriptions ruthlessly so I stream web radio using the Wiim home app through Tunin and IHeart Radio so far. I will put a second set of polystyrene speakers in the office and get a second Wiim streamer to do multi room. I listen by genre, classical, jazz, and Indian sitar music mostly so net radio works for me and the polystyrene speakers work for me because of they reproduce details like plucked strings so well. My ears are old and compromised but if I run a good cd into the KGUSS I believe I hear the increased audio quality. So I may consider trialing a hi res streaming service to see if I think it is worth the money. Really helpful content as always John. Particularly because you don’t make comparisons with equipment you have not tested. 😉
Loved the "rolling puck across the floor" video segue! I bought one of these a month ago and currently using Tidal's native app (that plays gaplessly!) on my phone, iPAD, and PC to control it. I have it in a "mid-fi" application feeding a DAC inside a Denon A/V Receiver. Works well. For $99 I'm very happy. Only caveat I have is that the Tidal program on my PC loses its place sometimes if I don't stay on that screen, but the music keeps playing. That's OK just a slight annoyance due more to Tidal than the WIIM Mini. I was fired up to buy a Node for my living room one day, but now you have me rethinking that idea and looking at the Chord Mojo 2. Thanks again for reviewing it! Oh, I used some double-sided VHB tape to stick my Mini on one of the ubiquitous doorstop weights (since you can't put something on top). Works well, Darko style...LOL. I'm more than happy to have CD quality via their Hi-Fi tier.
Bought one when I saw ur online review. Perfect for me as I don’t stream much so didn’t want to spend on a bluesound or similar. Paired with a Topping E30 i already had it sounds great.
I have a Wiim Mini and using it connected to my new Cambridge Audio CXA81 amp via toslink using the amps internal DAC and it sounds fantastic. I had issues with Tidal connect drop outs, so I sent the support team and email and they are working on fixing this. They also mentioned that they would be rolling out MQA support in April!
Really like your videos and especially this one: I bought WIIM MINI due to your recommendation and it's great: "gap less with spotify connect" and "touch feature play/pause" makes it superior for me compared to the Google Chromecast Audio I used before.
I have a Wiim Mini, connected via toslink to an Audiolab 6000A. It sounds a fraction ‘thinner’ than a CD to me, but not disturbingly so. I use Tidal connect, therefore for £89 I have gapless streaming. Great price, great product imo 😁
Considering that 48khz is the standard in the audio industry for recording and exchanging raw stems, I’m sure that the Apple Music limitation will not be noticed.
Thanks John ! I'm a little late into this conversation but this product is an absolute GEM !!! Just plug into your favourite DAC and you're on your way ! love it ! outstanding value !
The WiiM Mini currently plays back 24bit/192khz Amazon Music at 44kz CD quality there's an update coming at the end of April 2022 that will give it the full 24bit/192khz playback. I'm currently playing Amazon Music through my Firestick using a Topping E30 DAC and an AV-Access 4k Hdmi->RCA audio extractor for full 24bit/192khz audio until April .. it works !
Nice to know.... curious, with the Firestick, I assume you actually use Amazon Music APP to control the Firestick ? Or is it somethign else ? I have no experience with Firestick.
I use this exact set up. I have (as others online report) an issue with Amazon HD and UHD streams dropping from FLAC codec to standard Opus (non HD stream) after two or three songs. Resetting the track works but that's more buggy than gappy playback. It's unusable for me as a HD streaming solution because of this. When Wii mini supports Amazon Hires streams I'll get one. Such a deal breaker as the firestick hooked up to a small display fed via HDMI audio extractor into DAC of choice should be an unbeatable budget streamer for everything but Qobuz as it's not currently supported on the firestick appstore.
Nobody mentions Primare NP5 Prisma MKII streamer, I get a feeling hifi community is ignoring it for some reason tho, price almost the same as Node, has almost the same features + Chromecast and MQA passthru, the Primare app is on par with BluOS app, only difference doesnt have internal DAC and touchscreen... not a cheapest streamer but great alternative to the Node :)
Great video! I listen to Amazon Music with the WiiM Mini connected to the DAC in my integrated amp (up to 24-bit 192Khz). There is a tiny gap noticeable mostly on live recordings and concept albums. Otherwise, I am very happy with the purchase.
Hey, do u know if the wiim mini by-passes the built in internal dac when connected to your amp through toslink? Or does the streamer use it’s own dac? I’m just curious because my amp has a decent built in dac and I’ve heard the dac inside the wiim is pretty flat.
My current setup is a Sony 2 Channel receiver, Sony SSCS5 bookshelf speakers, the Wiim plugged in through RCA and a Polk subwoofer. The sound is amazing
Was just about to buy a streamer for the first time, stumbled upon this and did actually buy one from the german amazon. Seems they keep upgrading their stuff making this little fellow really good!
I just notice you reactivated the comments section. I very much praise you for that I liked this video a lot. You looked well and happy, it's nice to see!
Really enjoying this mini streamer. I've had to use the inbuilt DAC so that I can go straight from toslink into my CD player. For now that sounds good enough through my Q Acoustics 3020. I have a very modest setup so I'll probably buy a second hand Chord Mojo to pair it with in the future. P.S nice to see the new Black country new road album on Mr Darko's phone.
I have a Cambridge Audio CXNv2 streamer in the living room connected to my Octavio AMP and Dali Spektor 2 speakers + a JVC subwoofer. It is my main system. In the kitchen I'm using a little Internet radio which has an AUX input. So I've connected a WiiM Mini to it and the pair make for some nice music while I'm busy in the kitchen. Roon AirPlay's to it. And listening to Internet Radio, Qobuz and Deezer for streaming. I've quit with Tidal, but it did play very nice with the WiiM Home app. As do Qobuz and Deezer. I've bought mine from Amazon US for 99 Dollars. As the same device in the local Dutch Amazon was nearly twice the amount in Euro's. Even with fast shipping and getting a European power adapter it was still cheaper. You can't go wrong with the Mini for 99 Dollars.
John, great review! Your review wasn't even over and I bought one. It is awesome! Hooked up to my Denon receiver/optical, my JBL L112s and Amazon music HD. It freaking rocks 👍👍👍👍😎 thank you so very very much 👍
I think its ease of use trumps part of that, but yeah, if you are going to buy a better DAC, why pay for one in the Node? If Bluesound would ever come out with a "DACless streamer" and offered it for $400 they'd have another hit on their hands.
@@ProfessorHamer yes. I was a very long time Spotify user, but got mad when they lied last year about rolling out lossless. Switched to Tidal Hi-Fi (capped at CD quality without any MQA mumbo jumbo) and haven't looked back. I did pay for a 3rd party service (it was only $5) to move all my favorited albums list and such to Tidal. Their Connect app seems to work about as well as Spotify's did. I'm hoping more streamers or streamer/DACs will start to include it.
@@rosswarren436 Yeah, if they did a "Node Lite" streamer section for £3-400 or so it would fly off the shelves....no preamp or sub high pass or DAC, just the streamer and presets.
Hi, I bought this and love it! It now has an EQ. When watching movies I change the setting to help with dialogue and it works great. I use a Schiit Modi and the sound is very good.
i've been looking for something like this for a while, actually that could be really useful for an "affordable" and flexible multi room system. A big downside is the lack of ethernet connection imo, that could cause additional problem if the home network is not the best. I've found a similar product that features the aforementioned rj45 and is called IEAST AudioCast Pro M50, price tag is similar, is got almost the same functions except for the vocal control through Alexa and/or Siri (i think? not sure) so that could be an alternative. Anyway, great video, cheaper doesn't mean necessarily useless or bad in general, everything has its spot in the market 💪
I've gone wiim this month. Replaced my Raspberry pi. The reason? A move from Spotify to Tidal. Im not paying an extra to use Tidal via Volumio on the pi. Tidal Connect through the Wiim into an old but still great sounding Arcam ardac works a treat. Ive obvs heard HR (Amazon music) and MQA (Tidal) resolutions and I don't miss them. You really really have to listen out for the difference to my middle age ears. Almost indetectable. CD quality works for me.
Hi lawrcene! I Have Arcam dac too and wiim mini. But this combo have one Big issue in my system. When using wiim and changing songs/plays/pause etc my Arcam Irdac clicks and dropping signal for a moment - ruclips.net/video/rAl22bvDjUI/видео.html - i cant use it like that :( Do you have same problem with yours?
Have you tried using this as a UPnP renderer with a controller other than the Wim? If I can control this with bubbleUPnP and it plays gapless then I'll order it now!
@@mateusznowakowski5895 have the same Arcam irDAC, obviously a fine dac, but it has a relay that disconnects the dac if there is no input signal (even though for the shortest of times). Arcam should really fix that; what they have done instead is a fix for PC (Windows etc) which maintain some digital zeros to enable gapless dac operation. Here i drive the dac with a project steam box and at least for local file streaming the irdac keeps in continuous operation i.e. no clicks.. but spotify comes with clicks between songs and mutiliated first half seconds
Thanks John - I've been waiting for something like this. Saves me 400€ on a streamer! Will be ordering shortly, plugging into my Audiolab 6000a dac & 30000ma powerbank for power. Must make time to look around those music stores you reviewed recently - I'm only 60km north of Lisbon. Cheers
You mention a compromise of the Wiim + external DAC would be the "slight" gap using Tidal, etc. from within the app. Why keep Tidal in this list? Who would use the Wiim app for Tidal if it has Tidal connect?
I bought mine in October 2022, and some of the previous problems have been addressed, and continue to be addressed. I still can't believe the $99 device can do what it does. I have a very high quality system that tortures you if the music is bad. So far streaming Amazon Music has been faultless. It is #1 for a person who is buying their first streamer.
I've been using this with my old Arcam irDAC, which is a very sufficient DAC, and I feel compelled to add that the WiiM makes the DAC sound rather thin. And the software on the WiiM is quite unreliable, in that it keeps dropping the stream mid-song, and will totally freeze. No, it isn't an issue with my wifi!
Hi Darko Community! I have two questions related with the benefits of using wiim mini compared with the toslink output from your tv. 1. How much it is actually better? 2. Could you control de volume via wiim app? 3. Is there any possibility to see in the tv the artwork or music you are playing when using the wiim mini? Well that were three…thank you!!
Nice review. I grabbed a Wiim Mini after seeing this one. I have a modest setup with a Sonos Amp + 2 x Q3030i + OSD Black Trevoce Sub. Of course, Sonos has its own excellent streaming platform, so, getting a Wiim did not really make sense here. But, curiosity and recent discounts got the better of me and boy I was surprised! I connected the Wiim's optical out to the Amp's HDMI port using the Sonos optical to HDMI adapter. A simple A/B test with HD (16/44.1) tracks from Amazon Music and the Wiim clearly came out as better! More clarity on the treble, stronger (but not boomy) bass, slightly better vocal and instrument separation and bigger soundstage. This in spite of both streaming from same source and showing same HD labels. The Wiim is set for fixed output at 24/48 resolution since Sonos won't take anything higher than 48khz. It make me wonder if the Sonos streaming is experiencing lossy compression somehow.
So, the winner would be Bluesound Node with Mojo 2! Plus if you want multi-room speakers, the Bluesound ecosystem has some attractive, good sounding options there for whole house multi-room.
Just ordered my Wiim Mini last night...will get it tomorrow. Have to try it @ $84US given all the hoopla out there. I wish RUclips Music (paid service) would offer RUclips Music Connect vs. the need to use Airplay. I am fine with CD quality so tomorrow should be a great day!
Nice blooper reel and I saw what Olaf looks like, the product looks interesting but not available in South Africa unless I get it through Amazon imports.
Yep. Big fan here as well. I have two, one in the kitchen and one in my AV setup because it sounds better than Roon via Airplay to my Denon AV amp. Great little device.
@@jimfarrell4635 I regret I didnt keep the extra one they sent because of late delivery... they even offered me a discount if I keeped it... :( No more available now...
Use the Mojo 2 into a Bottlehead S.E.X. that I built and it sounds killer with Meze 109s and with older NHT bookshelf speakers. Not as good with IEMs, but that’s fine. Just bought the WiiM on this recommendation. Best to connect to Mojo via the Toslink?
this is od, I was just today exploring this device because I node was tooo expensive for my budgete and I already own ifi zen dac on which I'm gona hookup this wiiiii
I managed to get the Chord Mojo 1 and 2 connected via optical to the Wiim Mini and using max SPDIF outputs of 192kHz and 24 bits successfully played Airplay Apple Music to my amp. But a week later, none of that works. I am using the Mojo headphone output to RCAs on the amp. So, what am I doing wrong now? Do I have to adjust the volume on the Mojo? Did firmware updates to the Wiim (I think there was one) disable something? Little help?
Hey all, I have a vintage hifi that I want to play spotify on. My plan is to sit my spare google nest hub on top of the receiver to control my music with wifi. Connecting Wiim 3.5 jack to Y split RCA into AUX in receiver. Is this Wiim mini the best solution for my application now that chromecast audio is no longer available? Any other options?
I have this and a SMSL a0200 for a garage system. Can anyone recommend a cheap DAC that would improve on the DAC inside the WiiM Mini. Speaker are Polk R200 thanks!
I need a streamer to connect to KEF LS50 Wireless (version 1) to play Apple Music. I allready use my toslink input on the KEF to connect to my TV. I guess I can’t use this Wiim Mini in my case?
I' ve just bought the wiim mini and connected it to my vintage amplifier and i am completely satisfied. The only problem i have is that a cannot watch youtube videos, netflix, movies etc. The sound only comes from the laptop. Connecting via bluetooth doesn't work either, because of the huge delay that it has. Any suggestions how this issue could be solved?
That is exactly what I use. I have been very happy with it so far. It sounds like they will potentially add high-res through Tidal Connect in April. At least that's the rumor. It will be my ideal solution at that point.
@@Behine.DeChilis which incarnation of the Modi do you have? I have the older Modi 3+ with the AK4490 DAC. I think the newer 3E models are now using ESS Sabre DAC chips due to supply issues, but I'm sure Schiit has them sounding pretty good or even better.
@@BrianCoonley I like it. I was using a homebrew RPi situation for Tidal Connect that I thought sounded nice overall but was glitchy. This unit sounds very nice with the Modi, I'm hoping that it's just passing data to the DAC, probably the reason why I have not noticed any significant difference from my other setup. Quite pleased!
I don't seem to find a simple and cheap resolution, to stream mqa to an "offline" soundbar 🤷🏻♂️ Especially since the Chromecast and Fire Tv are also not able to do that simple task, anymore... 🤦🏻♂️
Cool video! I was looking into the similarly priced Belkin Soundform Connect. I am just interested in AirPlay 2, as I only subscribe to Apple Music and will not be using any proprietary app beyond connecting to WiFi. Anyone has experience or thoughts on how the two products compare?
I've bought a Wiim mini, but I'm sending it back. It does everything that is promised, but it sounds not as good as my iPhone or iPad connected to my Rega DAC trough toslink. I could have understand it with Apple Music since that is played through AirPlay when using the Wiim mini. Qobuz is also sounding better directly through the iPhone than via the Wiim mini. The most surprising for me is that Apple Music directly from the iPhone connected via USB to my Rega DAC is sounding the best of all possibilities. Do more people have the experience that Apple Music through iPhone via a separate DAC is a very good option?
“Gap-Gate”😆. Well if they can achieve removing that experiential hitch or barrier, hell yeah for this type of solution. Understood on the rest with my Node, it’s phenom interface options & Ethernet connect too.
Can it be paired with my home digital storage? For instance if I do not want to use it for other streaming services? I got a bunch of digital audio which I need to stream to my external DAC.
I just ordered this to stream with a Gold Note IS-1000. The built in streamer in the Gold Note has been unbearable for me which drops connection in the app, stops music after a track. Talk about ruining the listening experience 😂 Hope this little device will make me happy again
Thank you very much John. I was wondering if you tried connecting the Chord to the Node for sound improvement. Would that be worth the upgrade? Thank you in advance.
Hey John, I play My local digital music thru Jrivers media center software and I have it's tracks / albums with volume leveling and the usb computer's output to a ifi dac. I bought this Wiim MIni and like it but my question to you is if it's posible to do the same volume leveling for the Wiim Mini ? I respect your work. I'm fan of yours and keep up the good work ! My prayers for your health. Get better.
What about connecting the Mojo DAC to the Bluesound? How does the sound quality compare to the Wiim + Mojo? I already have a Schiit Modi 3 DAC (which I will likely upgrade in the future).
Do you know if it supports getting audio from Bluetooth and a line in at the same time to mix both sources? I bought a bass guitar that has a headphones output jack and I was thinking if I can use this to mix the signals from my phone and my bass to my headphones!
John - great video, as always! How does the Wym / mojo 2 versus the mojo / blue sound versus the mojo 2 / poly compare on sound quality. I get the Wym is cheap and comes with many features but the poly brings Roon readiness and hi res Audio (over wifi).
I think you might be mistaken on the highres capabilities - I've seen people commenting that with the latest software updates, this indeed will and can output highres from the optical out. You just need to configure the output maximum to be something higher than the default CD quality.
I *think* it is outputting 16-bit/44.1kHz CD Quality on my Tidal HiFI subscription, but the DAC I'm using does not show file properties so I can't be 100% sure. All I know is that it sounds pretty good to my ears. I'd like to see someone output to a DAC that does have a display using the various services, just to be sure.
@@aRc11-11 I'm on Tidal's HiFi tier which maxes out at CD quality, so 16/44.1 is PERFECT for me. The biggest improvement in sound is moving from lossy to CD quality. Any higher rez is OK, but more like adding a very slight amount of gravy to some rice. I'm just happy to finally have CD quality after sticking with Spotify all through last year only to find out they lied. Glad Tidal offered a CD quality tier.
Me again... So i have hooked it up copying your settings. (Mojo2, s/pdif, yada, yada...). Don't feel 100% comfortable using a headphone out (rather than fixed volume line out), and using a 3.5 to rca "Y" splitter connect..... But I guess that's the only possible way, right? (Oh, yes, also... only getting 44redbook/red light on the Mojo... Oh well...)
A question for anyone who has a Wiim mini. What DAC are you using? I just purchased one to replace my old chromecast audio that has been dropping the WiFi connection lately. I tried the Wiim with the with the internal DAC which wasn't terrible. Then I used The FiiO Taishan DO3K that cost About £20 a few years ago. How much will I gain from a better DAC and what will it cost?. I don't see the point of going the whole hog and getting a Chord Mojo as I probably won't get the the benefit from my system, a 25 year old Marantz amp and Mission speakers. Interested to hear what others have paired it with and what their system is.
Great video and would love to know your opinion. I have qty 10 of these TDA7498 amps that I got for $8 each many years to handle my 10 zones across my house, garage and outside. I have direct RCA from two TVs to those amps. The others have a Chromecast Audio device for each amp and zone. Looking to move away from Google and a fan of Airplay 2 and have tested one of the WIIM Mini streamers and am thoroughly pleased. Curious if you would see any benefit replacing those TDA7498 with a FOSI amp for each zone or something budget similar? If only, WIIM had a device with built in amp.
They can take my Chromecast Audios with optical out from my cold dead fingers (channeling Charleton Heston)! But might I suggest at your Liesure adding to your list of ones to try, the Amazon Firesticks,(two way Bluetooth) Google TV/Chromecasts (casting native app loading) AND HDMI and either a splitter(bedroom firestick) or amplification with any device fitted with HDMI. Against the optical the Chromecast device (via an AVR) sounds good but dryer and I can switch the TV off use voice or even the AVR’s (Yamaha) remote for vol up vol down play pause next last mute and stop
thanks a lot for your testing and explaining the feature of this Wiim Mini. I am using, currenly, my Samsung S22 Ultra as a music source for a pair of active/powered speakers, via Bluetooth 5.0, which deliver 24bit/96kHz quality as so stated. My streaming source of Android S22 is Apple Music, which now offers Hi Res music pieces. I am not sure if (1) Wiim Mini works with Apple Music App on Android, and (2) could the sound improves assuming that the Wiim Mini gets directly the Apple Music via WiFi rather than from my Samsung phone. Any advice?
Another great video on good audio at the ‘smaller’ price range than usual. Would you consider doing a video on inexpensive ‘chi-fi’ IEM’s?? Anything under €100 for example.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
This is EXACTLY what audio community needed. Cheap , easy, good sounding solution for multiple streaming services with digital output.
Now wiim Pro
Isn't this what your pc is for?
@@TheTastefulThickness Yes but it depends on your living arrangement. Some TV's straight up don't accept Bluetooth from your phone, and requires using streaming apps. And the PC would have to be near your speakers which could be in a different room.
@@TheTastefulThickness you're absolutely right, I'll setup a PC at every location I'd like to stream music.
@@TheTastefulThicknessWhat's a PC? I think I had used one 10+ years ago. There's a mobile app for everything, y'know.
Thanks John for reviewing affordable gear - particularly relevant now in these difficult times for a lot of people. And of course top marks for continuing to fight for gapless playback!
Regarding the last remark: I was not aware that non gapless playback was still an issue. Even standard Sonos stuff supports gapless playback.
What's the issue for a second or so between tracks.. genuinely asking
@@TheVishaq That's a second wasted
Never, ever, ever leave out the blooper reel. Ever. Had the Wiim been available a year ago, definitely would have bought that instead of the node 2i. Great review of what Should have been chrome cast audio v2.
Crome audio had decent DAC inbuilt
Same @bassandtrebleclef. I also use the toslink-in on the bluesound to send audio from my TV to my external DAC/hifi which is a nice feature
Far and away the finest audio channel on RUclips. Has great content for audiophiles of all tastes, lifestyles and budgets. Phenomenal production too!
But can we afford this😂
@@Yashcky_ I can minus the Chord Mojo lol
Congrats for 300k! amazing ! we love you darko
I had my WiiM Mini for over a month, having bought it after read your initial online review of it and I enjoyed it. Just for having support for Spotify/Tidal Connect, AirPlay 2 and the capability of doing 24/192 streams for $89 at the time of purchase, was a no-brainer. I couldn’t justify dropping $600 for a Node especially this being for my modest bedroom system. I have it connected via TOSlink to my NAD D3045 integrated amp/DAC and it sounds good to my ears.
Can I use this device to playback my own digital I have on SD and Flash drives?
I stumbled across this channel when searching for headphone reviews last summer. Consistently brilliantly produced, informative and wonderfully presented.
Essential viewing (and the techno album reviews last year have produced some gems to add to my collection)
I did the pi streamer because of your video, and quickly realised the the WIMM mini was a replacement and bought it. Mine runs into a cheap KGUSS DAC via toslink and through my amp into exciter driven polystyrene panels supplemented with the 8 inch Polk Audio sub for bass and lower mids. I’m a pensioner and avoid subscriptions ruthlessly so I stream web radio using the Wiim home app through Tunin and IHeart Radio so far. I will put a second set of polystyrene speakers in the office and get a second Wiim streamer to do multi room. I listen by genre, classical, jazz, and Indian sitar music mostly so net radio works for me and the polystyrene speakers work for me because of they reproduce details like plucked strings so well. My ears are old and compromised but if I run a good cd into the KGUSS I believe I hear the increased audio quality. So I may consider trialing a hi res streaming service to see if I think it is worth the money. Really helpful content as always John. Particularly because you don’t make comparisons with equipment you have not tested. 😉
Loved the "rolling puck across the floor" video segue! I bought one of these a month ago and currently using Tidal's native app (that plays gaplessly!) on my phone, iPAD, and PC to control it. I have it in a "mid-fi" application feeding a DAC inside a Denon A/V Receiver. Works well. For $99 I'm very happy. Only caveat I have is that the Tidal program on my PC loses its place sometimes if I don't stay on that screen, but the music keeps playing. That's OK just a slight annoyance due more to Tidal than the WIIM Mini. I was fired up to buy a Node for my living room one day, but now you have me rethinking that idea and looking at the Chord Mojo 2. Thanks again for reviewing it! Oh, I used some double-sided VHB tape to stick my Mini on one of the ubiquitous doorstop weights (since you can't put something on top). Works well, Darko style...LOL. I'm more than happy to have CD quality via their Hi-Fi tier.
Bought one when I saw ur online review. Perfect for me as I don’t stream much so didn’t want to spend on a bluesound or similar. Paired with a Topping E30 i already had it sounds great.
I have a Wiim Mini and using it connected to my new Cambridge Audio CXA81 amp via toslink using the amps internal DAC and it sounds fantastic. I had issues with Tidal connect drop outs, so I sent the support team and email and they are working on fixing this. They also mentioned that they would be rolling out MQA support in April!
I think I'll just keep playing my CD's! Thanks John!
I play 90% CD’s but with a reasonable price it’s a great item to use for music discovery.
Thank you as always for your reviews...but also for bringing back the outtakes.
Really like your videos and especially this one: I bought WIIM MINI due to your recommendation and it's great: "gap less with spotify connect" and "touch feature play/pause" makes it superior for me compared to the Google Chromecast Audio I used before.
I have a Wiim Mini, connected via toslink to an Audiolab 6000A.
It sounds a fraction ‘thinner’ than a CD to me, but not disturbingly so.
I use Tidal connect, therefore for £89 I have gapless streaming. Great price, great product imo 😁
What a cool comparison- loved that. Thanks for your honesty!
Considering that 48khz is the standard in the audio industry for recording and exchanging raw stems, I’m sure that the Apple Music limitation will not be noticed.
Thanks John ! I'm a little late into this conversation but this product is an absolute GEM !!! Just plug into your favourite DAC and you're on your way ! love it ! outstanding value !
Thanks for the review! Would love see a video of you explaining what do you use each stream service for!
The WiiM Mini currently plays back 24bit/192khz Amazon Music at 44kz CD quality there's an update coming at the end of April 2022 that will give it the full 24bit/192khz playback. I'm currently playing Amazon Music through my Firestick using a Topping E30 DAC and an AV-Access 4k Hdmi->RCA audio extractor for full 24bit/192khz audio until April .. it works !
Nice to know.... curious, with the Firestick, I assume you actually use Amazon Music APP to control the Firestick ? Or is it somethign else ? I have no experience with Firestick.
I use this exact set up. I have (as others online report) an issue with Amazon HD and UHD streams dropping from FLAC codec to standard Opus (non HD stream) after two or three songs. Resetting the track works but that's more buggy than gappy playback. It's unusable for me as a HD streaming solution because of this. When Wii mini supports Amazon Hires streams I'll get one. Such a deal breaker as the firestick hooked up to a small display fed via HDMI audio extractor into DAC of choice should be an unbeatable budget streamer for everything but Qobuz as it's not currently supported on the firestick appstore.
Nobody mentions Primare NP5 Prisma MKII streamer, I get a feeling hifi community is ignoring it for some reason tho, price almost the same as Node, has almost the same features + Chromecast and MQA passthru, the Primare app is on par with BluOS app, only difference doesnt have internal DAC and touchscreen... not a cheapest streamer but great alternative to the Node :)
Great video! I listen to Amazon Music with the WiiM Mini connected to the DAC in my integrated amp (up to 24-bit 192Khz). There is a tiny gap noticeable mostly on live recordings and concept albums. Otherwise, I am very happy with the purchase.
Hey, do u know if the wiim mini by-passes the built in internal dac when connected to your amp through toslink? Or does the streamer use it’s own dac? I’m just curious because my amp has a decent built in dac and I’ve heard the dac inside the wiim is pretty flat.
My current setup is a Sony 2 Channel receiver, Sony SSCS5 bookshelf speakers, the Wiim plugged in through RCA and a Polk subwoofer. The sound is amazing
Was just about to buy a streamer for the first time, stumbled upon this and did actually buy one from the german amazon. Seems they keep upgrading their stuff making this little fellow really good!
I know what I'm giving John for his birthday... A gapless playback shirt. Great video!
I just notice you reactivated the comments section. I very much praise you for that
I liked this video a lot. You looked well and happy, it's nice to see!
Really enjoying this mini streamer. I've had to use the inbuilt DAC so that I can go straight from toslink into my CD player. For now that sounds good enough through my Q Acoustics 3020. I have a very modest setup so I'll probably buy a second hand Chord Mojo to pair it with in the future. P.S nice to see the new Black country new road album on Mr Darko's phone.
I have a Cambridge Audio CXNv2 streamer in the living room connected to my Octavio AMP and Dali Spektor 2 speakers + a JVC subwoofer. It is my main system.
In the kitchen I'm using a little Internet radio which has an AUX input. So I've connected a WiiM Mini to it and the pair make for some nice music while I'm busy in the kitchen.
Roon AirPlay's to it. And listening to Internet Radio, Qobuz and Deezer for streaming. I've quit with Tidal, but it did play very nice with the WiiM Home app. As do Qobuz and Deezer.
I've bought mine from Amazon US for 99 Dollars. As the same device in the local Dutch Amazon was nearly twice the amount in Euro's. Even with fast shipping and getting a European power adapter it was still cheaper.
You can't go wrong with the Mini for 99 Dollars.
John, great review! Your review wasn't even over and I bought one. It is awesome! Hooked up to my Denon receiver/optical, my JBL L112s and Amazon music HD. It freaking rocks 👍👍👍👍😎 thank you so very very much 👍
The bluesound node is way too expensive if you don’t use its built in dac.
I think its ease of use trumps part of that, but yeah, if you are going to buy a better DAC, why pay for one in the Node? If Bluesound would ever come out with a "DACless streamer" and offered it for $400 they'd have another hit on their hands.
@@rosswarren436 indeed, but I think both tidal connect and Spotify connect negate any UI advantages
@@ProfessorHamer yes. I was a very long time Spotify user, but got mad when they lied last year about rolling out lossless. Switched to Tidal Hi-Fi (capped at CD quality without any MQA mumbo jumbo) and haven't looked back. I did pay for a 3rd party service (it was only $5) to move all my favorited albums list and such to Tidal. Their Connect app seems to work about as well as Spotify's did. I'm hoping more streamers or streamer/DACs will start to include it.
@@rosswarren436 Yeah, if they did a "Node Lite" streamer section for £3-400 or so it would fly off the shelves....no preamp or sub high pass or DAC, just the streamer and presets.
@@DomRivers67 great idea for sure
Hi,
I bought this and love it! It now has an EQ. When watching movies I change the setting to help with dialogue and it works great. I use a Schiit Modi and the sound is very good.
i've been looking for something like this for a while, actually that could be really useful for an "affordable" and flexible multi room system. A big downside is the lack of ethernet connection imo, that could cause additional problem if the home network is not the best. I've found a similar product that features the aforementioned rj45 and is called IEAST AudioCast Pro M50, price tag is similar, is got almost the same functions except for the vocal control through Alexa and/or Siri (i think? not sure) so that could be an alternative. Anyway, great video, cheaper doesn't mean necessarily useless or bad in general, everything has its spot in the market 💪
Connected an SMSL D300 DAC to my Node 2i and am very happy. Holographic sound stage and good resolution.
I've gone wiim this month. Replaced my Raspberry pi. The reason? A move from Spotify to Tidal. Im not paying an extra to use Tidal via Volumio on the pi. Tidal Connect through the Wiim into an old but still great sounding Arcam ardac works a treat. Ive obvs heard HR (Amazon music) and MQA (Tidal) resolutions and I don't miss them. You really really have to listen out for the difference to my middle age ears. Almost indetectable. CD quality works for me.
Hi lawrcene! I Have Arcam dac too and wiim mini. But this combo have one Big issue in my system. When using wiim and changing songs/plays/pause etc my Arcam Irdac clicks and dropping signal for a moment - ruclips.net/video/rAl22bvDjUI/видео.html - i cant use it like that :( Do you have same problem with yours?
Have you tried using this as a UPnP renderer with a controller other than the Wim? If I can control this with bubbleUPnP and it plays gapless then I'll order it now!
@@mateusznowakowski5895 have the same Arcam irDAC, obviously a fine dac, but it has a relay that disconnects the dac if there is no input signal (even though for the shortest of times). Arcam should really fix that; what they have done instead is a fix for PC (Windows etc) which maintain some digital zeros to enable gapless dac operation. Here i drive the dac with a project steam box and at least for local file streaming the irdac keeps in continuous operation i.e. no clicks.. but spotify comes with clicks between songs and mutiliated first half seconds
Thanks John,, 👍😎👍!
Thanks John - I've been waiting for something like this. Saves me 400€ on a streamer! Will be ordering shortly, plugging into my Audiolab 6000a dac & 30000ma powerbank for power.
Must make time to look around those music stores you reviewed recently - I'm only 60km north of Lisbon. Cheers
Thanks John, great review. Interesting little thing
You mention a compromise of the Wiim + external DAC would be the "slight" gap using Tidal, etc. from within the app. Why keep Tidal in this list? Who would use the Wiim app for Tidal if it has Tidal connect?
Right on the point. Very good review.
Amazing! Thanks for sharing.. and very sad Wiim Mini is already not available anymore on Amazon…
Love the outtakes.
Your B-roll music is always so good
I saw Robyn Hitchcock doing Soft Boys stuff this weekend at the Southbank. Nice to see you like him too.
I bought mine in October 2022, and some of the previous problems have been addressed, and continue to be addressed. I still can't believe the $99 device can do what it does. I have a very high quality system that tortures you if the music is bad. So far streaming Amazon Music has been faultless. It is #1 for a person who is buying their first streamer.
I've been using this with my old Arcam irDAC, which is a very sufficient DAC, and I feel compelled to add that the WiiM makes the DAC sound rather thin. And the software on the WiiM is quite unreliable, in that it keeps dropping the stream mid-song, and will totally freeze. No, it isn't an issue with my wifi!
Hi Darko Community! I have two questions related with the benefits of using wiim mini compared with the toslink output from your tv.
1. How much it is actually better?
2. Could you control de volume via wiim app?
3. Is there any possibility to see in the tv the artwork or music you are playing when using the wiim mini?
Well that were three…thank you!!
Nice review. I grabbed a Wiim Mini after seeing this one. I have a modest setup with a Sonos Amp + 2 x Q3030i + OSD Black Trevoce Sub. Of course, Sonos has its own excellent streaming platform, so, getting a Wiim did not really make sense here. But, curiosity and recent discounts got the better of me and boy I was surprised! I connected the Wiim's optical out to the Amp's HDMI port using the Sonos optical to HDMI adapter. A simple A/B test with HD (16/44.1) tracks from Amazon Music and the Wiim clearly came out as better! More clarity on the treble, stronger (but not boomy) bass, slightly better vocal and instrument separation and bigger soundstage. This in spite of both streaming from same source and showing same HD labels. The Wiim is set for fixed output at 24/48 resolution since Sonos won't take anything higher than 48khz. It make me wonder if the Sonos streaming is experiencing lossy compression somehow.
Wow, Looking forward to the Vivid Audio S12 review, :)))
Good stuff Darko
So, the winner would be Bluesound Node with Mojo 2! Plus if you want multi-room speakers, the Bluesound ecosystem has some attractive, good sounding options there for whole house multi-room.
Be nice if this was tested
Mojo only has an analogue output so pretty pointless feeding it into the Node for it to be digitised again.
I listen to LPs via a fairly basic, belt drive turntable, would this device help make the music play along the songs be gapless?
Why didn’t you try the node with the mojo2 dac?
Very intriguing! Especially since the Raspberry Pi is still very expensive.
Yes. What normally goes for $55 USD here (A Pi 4 4GB) is going for $200 on Amazon now. Ugh.
🤣🤣
Just ordered my Wiim Mini last night...will get it tomorrow. Have to try it @ $84US given all the hoopla out there.
I wish RUclips Music (paid service) would offer RUclips Music Connect vs. the need to use Airplay. I am fine with CD quality so tomorrow should be a great day!
Nice blooper reel and I saw what Olaf looks like, the product looks interesting but not available in South Africa unless I get it through Amazon imports.
Bring back the Chromecast Audio! :P Glad I bought a refurbisched Chromecast Audio one year ago! ;)
Yep. Big fan here as well. I have two, one in the kitchen and one in my AV setup because it sounds better than Roon via Airplay to my Denon AV amp. Great little device.
@@jimfarrell4635 I regret I didnt keep the extra one they sent because of late delivery... they even offered me a discount if I keeped it... :( No more available now...
Thank you!
Use the Mojo 2 into a Bottlehead S.E.X. that I built and it sounds killer with Meze 109s and with older NHT bookshelf speakers. Not as good with IEMs, but that’s fine. Just bought the WiiM on this recommendation. Best to connect to Mojo via the Toslink?
If I had a chord mojo I'd just use a frikkin raspberry Pi and Volumio. No uncecessary screens, no hats, no expensy PSUs, job done.
Thorough review 👍
good job ~ but I would like to back ground check ~ who is running those firmware and cloud services of those home appliance.
vividaudio kaya-s12 in the back ground..cannot wait to listen to Darko's opinion
this is od, I was just today exploring this device because I node was tooo expensive for my budgete and I already own ifi zen dac on which I'm gona hookup this wiiiii
I managed to get the Chord Mojo 1 and 2 connected via optical to the Wiim Mini and using max SPDIF outputs of 192kHz and 24 bits successfully played Airplay Apple Music to my amp. But a week later, none of that works. I am using the Mojo headphone output to RCAs on the amp. So, what am I doing wrong now? Do I have to adjust the volume on the Mojo? Did firmware updates to the Wiim (I think there was one) disable something? Little help?
Maybe you need to select what’s going in and out of the WiiM Mini using the app.
Hey all, I have a vintage hifi that I want to play spotify on. My plan is to sit my spare google nest hub on top of the receiver to control my music with wifi. Connecting Wiim 3.5 jack to Y split RCA into AUX in receiver. Is this Wiim mini the best solution for my application now that chromecast audio is no longer available? Any other options?
I have this and a SMSL a0200 for a garage system. Can anyone recommend a cheap DAC that would improve on the DAC inside the WiiM Mini. Speaker are Polk R200 thanks!
Schiit Modi 3. 99 bucks.
I need a streamer to connect to KEF LS50 Wireless (version 1) to play Apple Music. I allready use my toslink input on the KEF to connect to my TV. I guess I can’t use this Wiim Mini in my case?
Looking forward to the Kaya S12 review ; )
I' ve just bought the wiim mini and connected it to my vintage amplifier and i am completely satisfied. The only problem i have is that a cannot watch youtube videos, netflix, movies etc. The sound only comes from the laptop. Connecting via bluetooth doesn't work either, because of the huge delay that it has. Any suggestions how this issue could be solved?
I wonder how the mini would sound with a Schitt Modi. That might be my future set up
That is exactly what I use. I have been very happy with it so far. It sounds like they will potentially add high-res through Tidal Connect in April. At least that's the rumor. It will be my ideal solution at that point.
@@Behine.DeChilis how does it sound with the modi?
I have both also. If you don't care about mqa, to me, it sounds better than Node, much more precise, better image and wider soundstage
@@Behine.DeChilis which incarnation of the Modi do you have? I have the older Modi 3+ with the AK4490 DAC. I think the newer 3E models are now using ESS Sabre DAC chips due to supply issues, but I'm sure Schiit has them sounding pretty good or even better.
@@BrianCoonley I like it. I was using a homebrew RPi situation for Tidal Connect that I thought sounded nice overall but was glitchy. This unit sounds very nice with the Modi, I'm hoping that it's just passing data to the DAC, probably the reason why I have not noticed any significant difference from my other setup. Quite pleased!
I don't seem to find a simple and cheap resolution, to stream mqa to an "offline" soundbar 🤷🏻♂️
Especially since the Chromecast and Fire Tv are also not able to do that simple task, anymore... 🤦🏻♂️
So using the Optical Out to my DAC/AMP will be the best way?
Cool video! I was looking into the similarly priced Belkin Soundform Connect. I am just interested in AirPlay 2, as I only subscribe to Apple Music and will not be using any proprietary app beyond connecting to WiFi. Anyone has experience or thoughts on how the two products compare?
I've bought a Wiim mini, but I'm sending it back. It does everything that is promised, but it sounds not as good as my iPhone or iPad connected to my Rega DAC trough toslink. I could have understand it with Apple Music since that is played through AirPlay when using the Wiim mini. Qobuz is also sounding better directly through the iPhone than via the Wiim mini. The most surprising for me is that Apple Music directly from the iPhone connected via USB to my Rega DAC is sounding the best of all possibilities. Do more people have the experience that Apple Music through iPhone via a separate DAC is a very good option?
Not high rez for Amazon HD either. A little buggy but sounds great .
Anyone knows if jitters from Wiim mini influence the sound of mojo2? Does a ifi spdif Ipurifier could increase SQ even more?
“Gap-Gate”😆. Well if they can achieve removing that experiential hitch or barrier, hell yeah for this type of solution. Understood on the rest with my Node, it’s phenom interface options & Ethernet connect too.
Any idea what optical cables were being used in this vid?
Can it be paired with my home digital storage? For instance if I do not want to use it for other streaming services? I got a bunch of digital audio which I need to stream to my external DAC.
I just ordered this to stream with a Gold Note IS-1000. The built in streamer in the Gold Note has been unbearable for me which drops connection in the app, stops music after a track. Talk about ruining the listening experience 😂
Hope this little device will make me happy again
Thank you very much John. I was wondering if you tried connecting the Chord to the Node for sound improvement. Would that be worth the upgrade? Thank you in advance.
Hey John, I play My local digital music thru Jrivers media center software and I have it's tracks / albums with volume leveling and the usb computer's output to a ifi dac. I bought this Wiim MIni and like it but my question to you is if it's posible to do the same volume leveling for the Wiim Mini ? I respect your work. I'm fan of yours and keep up the good work ! My prayers for your health. Get better.
What about connecting the Mojo DAC to the Bluesound? How does the sound quality compare to the Wiim + Mojo? I already have a Schiit Modi 3 DAC (which I will likely upgrade in the future).
Do you know if it supports getting audio from Bluetooth and a line in at the same time to mix both sources? I bought a bass guitar that has a headphones output jack and I was thinking if I can use this to mix the signals from my phone and my bass to my headphones!
Doesn't the WIIM DAC limit what the 2nd dac receives?
Is there anyway to convert that optical output to usb as my DAC only takes usb input ?????
John - great video, as always! How does the Wym / mojo 2 versus the mojo / blue sound versus the mojo 2 / poly compare on sound quality. I get the Wym is cheap and comes with many features but the poly brings Roon readiness and hi res Audio (over wifi).
All of this
I have fosi v3… i want to buy a bluetooth dac for it… which one would be better if I want to connect via rca - wiim mini or nobsound Q4 ?
I think you might be mistaken on the highres capabilities - I've seen people commenting that with the latest software updates, this indeed will and can output highres from the optical out. You just need to configure the output maximum to be something higher than the default CD quality.
I *think* it is outputting 16-bit/44.1kHz CD Quality on my Tidal HiFI subscription, but the DAC I'm using does not show file properties so I can't be 100% sure. All I know is that it sounds pretty good to my ears. I'd like to see someone output to a DAC that does have a display using the various services, just to be sure.
It claims "you're at 24/192" but it isn't. The readout on the dac is 16/44.1
@@aRc11-11 Is that from Tidal or Qobuz? As this doesn’t have MQA support, from Tidal the output would max out at CD quality in any case.
@@aRc11-11 I'm on Tidal's HiFi tier which maxes out at CD quality, so 16/44.1 is PERFECT for me. The biggest improvement in sound is moving from lossy to CD quality. Any higher rez is OK, but more like adding a very slight amount of gravy to some rice. I'm just happy to finally have CD quality after sticking with Spotify all through last year only to find out they lied. Glad Tidal offered a CD quality tier.
Yes. I'm a wiim mini owner. Via wiim mini app it outputs 24/192 on Qobuz by SPDIF.
Me again... So i have hooked it up copying your settings. (Mojo2, s/pdif, yada, yada...). Don't feel 100% comfortable using a headphone out (rather than fixed volume line out), and using a 3.5 to rca "Y" splitter connect..... But I guess that's the only possible way, right? (Oh, yes, also... only getting 44redbook/red light on the Mojo... Oh well...)
How does the Node sound, when you connect it to the Mojo?
A question for anyone who has a Wiim mini. What DAC are you using?
I just purchased one to replace my old chromecast audio that has been dropping the WiFi connection lately.
I tried the Wiim with the with the internal DAC which wasn't terrible. Then I used
The FiiO Taishan DO3K that cost About £20 a few years ago.
How much will I gain from a better DAC and what will it cost?. I don't see the point of going the whole hog and getting a Chord Mojo as I probably won't get the the benefit from my system, a 25 year old Marantz amp and Mission speakers.
Interested to hear what others have paired it with and what their system is.
Great video and would love to know your opinion. I have qty 10 of these TDA7498 amps that I got for $8 each many years to handle my 10 zones across my house, garage and outside. I have direct RCA from two TVs to those amps. The others have a Chromecast Audio device for each amp and zone. Looking to move away from Google and a fan of Airplay 2 and have tested one of the WIIM Mini streamers and am thoroughly pleased. Curious if you would see any benefit replacing those TDA7498 with a FOSI amp for each zone or something budget similar? If only, WIIM had a device with built in amp.
They can take my Chromecast Audios with optical out from my cold dead fingers (channeling Charleton Heston)! But might I suggest at your Liesure adding to your list of ones to try, the Amazon Firesticks,(two way Bluetooth) Google TV/Chromecasts (casting native app loading) AND HDMI and either a splitter(bedroom firestick) or amplification with any device fitted with HDMI. Against the optical the Chromecast device (via an AVR) sounds good but dryer and I can switch the TV off use voice or even the AVR’s (Yamaha) remote for vol up vol down play pause next last mute and stop
Cool video John,
What was the cable you used to connect it to your Chord Mojo 2 .
Thanks in advance.
Anthony
thanks a lot for your testing and explaining the feature of this Wiim Mini. I am using, currenly, my Samsung S22 Ultra as a music source for a pair of active/powered speakers, via Bluetooth 5.0, which deliver 24bit/96kHz quality as so stated. My streaming source of Android S22 is Apple Music, which now offers Hi Res music pieces. I am not sure if (1) Wiim Mini works with Apple Music App on Android, and (2) could the sound improves assuming that the Wiim Mini gets directly the Apple Music via WiFi rather than from my Samsung phone. Any advice?
Another great video on good audio at the ‘smaller’ price range than usual.
Would you consider doing a video on inexpensive ‘chi-fi’ IEM’s??
Anything under €100 for example.
Thanks for the information. Does anyone (Or John) try whether it supports gapless on pure DLNA streaming?
I'd love to see a comparison to and review of the Argon Audio Solo.