Amazon music Unlimited problems

[mshadows91]

Hey, folks
I've got some annoying issues with my Ultra.
I'm using Spotify for the most time and there is absolutely ZERO problem with it.

But for hi res music, I'm trying to use Amazon Unlimited and it's terrible.
When I chose new song to play it takes 20-40 sec time to buffering/staring. However, when current song ends, the next one starts immediately.
My Ultra connected via Ethernet to my router, 1GBs speed. I also tried WiFi connection - no luck.
I also have some troubles with quality, when I listen HD or Ultra HD songs, the following song starts to play with 313 kb/s 24 bit 48khz... Without HD mark on Ultra's screen.

Again, I've got zero issues with my internet connection.
Any suggestions?

 

[Mr Ee]

Welcome.

In the Network Status screen, try toggling each of the preferred dns and ipv6 settings.
It's been ages since i used Amazon, but iirc there's an 'HD' option somewhere...

 

[mshadows91]

Welcome.

In the Network Status screen, try toggling each of the preferred dns and ipv6 settings.
It's been ages since i used Amazon, but iirc there's an 'HD' option somewhere...

I tried both DNS and IPv6 on and off - no positive result

 

[Burnside]

Hey, folks
I've got some annoying issues with my Ultra.
I'm using Spotify for the most time and there is absolutely ZERO problem with it.

But for hi res music, I'm trying to use Amazon Unlimited and it's terrible.
When I chose new song to play it takes 20-40 sec time to buffering/staring. However, when current song ends, the next one starts immediately.

In the WiiM home app, under browse/amazon music/ settings, do you have HD/UHD toggled on?

And when you play, are you playing from the Amazon Music screens inside the WiiM home app?

If you’re not, and are using the Amazon Music app to cast, are you choosing your ultra from the casting screen with the rectangular icon beside its name? If so, you’re using Chromecast which Amazon only supports at HD but its resolution won’t be shown in either the Amazon music app nor WiiM home app - it’s a restriction with Chromecast.

Re the buffering issues, that can occur but not for as long as you describe. When that happens, I’d raise a ticket to WiiM via the more/feedback section in the WiiM app so they can look at your logs. Be sure to describe what you have tried already to improve the issue.

 

[mshadows91]

In the WiiM home app, under browse/amazon music/ settings, do you have HD/UHD toggled on?

And when you play, are you playing from the Amazon Music screens inside the WiiM home app?

If you’re not, and are using the Amazon Music app to cast, are you choosing your ultra from the casting screen with the rectangular icon beside its name? If so, you’re using Chromecast which Amazon only supports at HD but its resolution won’t be shown in either the Amazon music app nor WiiM home app - it’s a restriction with Chromecast.

Re the buffering issues, that can occur but not for as long as you describe. When that happens, I’d raise a ticket to WiiM via the more/feedback section in the WiiM app so they can look at your logs. Be sure to describe what you have tried already to improve the issue.

HD and Ultra HD are toggled.

I stream through Wiim app, not using Chromecast with Amazon music app.

Every new track, what I tried to play, takes about half a minute time to start. Every time.
I tried reboot and factory reset - no luck.
Tried to use Wiim in different apartment with different internet provider - same result.
Wiim Ultra is up to date.

 

[MGJ]

I stream through Wiim app, not using Chromecast with Amazon music app.

Every new track, what I tried to play, takes about half a minute time to start. Every time.

I prefer using the Amazon Music app and Chromecast vs. the WiiM Home app to stream Amazon Music. Like you said it just takes too long to start playing, about 22 seconds compared to less than 2 seconds for the Amazon Music app.

 

[Burnside]

I prefer using the Amazon Music app and Chromecast vs. the WiiM Home app to stream Amazon Music. Like you said it just takes too long to start playing, about 22 seconds compared to less than 2 seconds for the Amazon Music app.

Don’t you have AlexaCast in your region?

 

[MGJ]

Don’t you have AlexaCast in your region?

Yes I do. Using AlexaCast has the same issue of long load times. The only exception is if you have a playlist going and the next song is in the queue as the OP has stated.

 

[Burnside]

Thanks, I’ll maybe have a go tomorrow myself

 

[LesE]

I just tried streaming 24/192 content from Amazon using the WiiM Home app and I'm seeing a delay of approximately 4 seconds every time. This is consistent with the delay I normally experience.

Edit: I should also mention that my download speed is 330 Mb/s.

 

[goodmore]

I have three WiiM devices. I use the WiiM app pretty much exclusively. I do not have delays like that.

 

[mlsstl]

I have both Amazon HD and Qobuz, though mainly use Qobuz. The Amazon account is mainly for my wife so she can use the voice remote. I also have four Wimm streamers (Ultra, Pro+, Pro & Mini) on different systems. Just tried Amazon using the WiiM app on my phone with a dozen different albums and tracks and everything started playing within 3 to 5 seconds of pressing the play icon. Qobuz gave the same results. I'm wondering if your problem centers around your internet provider. You might want to make an inquiry through them.

 

[MGJ]

Just an FYI: My device is a WiiM Ultra and my internet speed is 80 Mbps. Ultra connected via WiFi. I may have to try a LAN connection to see if that helps. Android phone / Amazon Music Unlimited.

From a Google search:

Everything you need to know about Amazon's new Music HD high-end streaming service

Amazon's new Ultra HD music service costs $12.99 a month, with over 50 million high definition tracks from day one.

www.gearbrain.com

- """Internet speed requirements
Naturally, higher quality music requires faster internet. Amazon recommends a connection of 1.5-2Mbps for CD-quality HD streaming, and 5-10Mbps for Ultra HD music.

Storage requirements
You can download HD and Ultra HD tracks to listen offline, but be warned: they are huge compared to regular music files. Amazon states that normal SD tracks are around 9MB in size, whereas HD tracks at 44.1kHz are about 51MB, and Ultra HD songs at the maximum 192kHz sample rate weigh in at around 153MB — that's 17 times the size of a track from Apple or Google.""" -

 

[MrX]

For what's its worth. I exclusively use Amazon Music UHD, using both the Wiim home app and Alexacast without issues. Tracks usually take 3 seconds to load. Generally speaking, you should not specific a different DNS server, you should use your default ISP's DNS server because content caching algorithms depend on this aspect for best performance.

 

[Wiimer]

Hey, folks
I've got some annoying issues with my Ultra.
I'm using Spotify for the most time and there is absolutely ZERO problem with it.

But for hi res music, I'm trying to use Amazon Unlimited and it's terrible.
When I chose new song to play it takes 20-40 sec time to buffering/staring. However, when current song ends, the next one starts immediately.
My Ultra connected via Ethernet to my router, 1GBs speed. I also tried WiFi connection - no luck.
I also have some troubles with quality, when I listen HD or Ultra HD songs, the following song starts to play with 313 kb/s 24 bit 48khz... Without HD mark on Ultra's screen.

Again, I've got zero issues with my internet connection.
Any suggestions?

Here are some suggested tests you can do yourself, but please note that most of them are to identify the cause, not the solution. (Including some you have already tried.)

1. Reboot phones, routers, and WiiM
2. Reinstall the apps
3. Open Amazon music settings in the WiiM app browse menu and turn off the "Block Explicit Songs" and "Amazon music HD/UHD" toggles and see if the delay goes away
4. Use voice control with the mic button on the WiiM remote and compare the amount of delay
5. Connect to a device other than WiiM with AlexaCast and compare latency (preferably a third-party device, but you can also connect to an Echo speaker or FireTV stick)
6. Connect the WiiM to the LAN socket of your provider's modem or router (eliminating hubs, etc.)
7. Do not use LAN cables of Category 7 or higher
8. Connect WiiM to Wi-Fi 5gHz and turn on "5gHz only" in the WiiM app
9. Try connecting to other networks
10. Turn off router firewalls, etc.

This may be a difficult problem to solve. In my country we had one case of the same problem in the past and we could not solve it in the end. Like you, there was a delay of more than 30 seconds at the start of playback.

As already mentioned by other members, in some cases turning off DNS solved the delay. Also, sending tickets is a top priority.

 

[mshadows91]

Here are some suggested tests you can do yourself, but please note that most of them are to identify the cause, not the solution. (Including some you have already tried.)

1. Reboot phones, routers, and WiiM
2. Reinstall the apps
3. Open Amazon music settings in the WiiM app browse menu and turn off the "Block Explicit Songs" and "Amazon music HD/UHD" toggles and see if the delay goes away
4. Use voice control with the mic button on the WiiM remote and compare the amount of delay
5. Connect to a device other than WiiM with AlexaCast and compare latency (preferably a third-party device, but you can also connect to an Echo speaker or FireTV stick)
6. Connect the WiiM to the LAN socket of your provider's modem or router (eliminating hubs, etc.)
7. Do not use LAN cables of Category 7 or higher
8. Connect WiiM to Wi-Fi 5gHz and turn on "5gHz only" in the WiiM app
9. Try connecting to other networks
10. Turn off router firewalls, etc.

This may be a difficult problem to solve. In my country we had one case of the same problem in the past and we could not solve it in the end. Like you, there was a delay of more than 30 seconds at the start of playback.

As already mentioned by other members, in some cases turning off DNS solved the delay. Also, sending tickets is a top priority.

Thanks, I already sent a ticket.
I find that even turning off Amazon Unlimited HD quality, make song buffering about 7-10 seconds, which is obviously too much.

Tried all suggestions - nothing helped.

 

[Wiimer]

Thanks, I already sent a ticket.
I find that even turning off Amazon Unlimited HD quality, make song buffering about 7-10 seconds, which is obviously too much.

Tried all suggestions - nothing helped.

You said "20-40 sec time" in your first post, is it now 7-10 seconds?

 

[mshadows91]

You said "20-40 sec time" in your first post, is it now 7-10 seconds?

Yes, when I'm turning off HD and Ultra HD quality of Amazon music in Wiim app.

However, Spotify works perfectly from Wiim app.
And Amazon Unlimited from my phone takes 1-2 sec to start playing in hi res ...

 

[Wiimer]

Yes, when I'm turning off HD and Ultra HD quality of Amazon music in Wiim app.

However, Spotify works perfectly from Wiim app.
And Amazon Unlimited from my phone takes 1-2 sec to start playing in hi res ...

When playing Amazon music (HD/UHD) on the phone's speakers, it does not go through Amazon's API. Similarly, when Bluetooth earphones are connected to the phone, there should be little to no delay. This is because the phone's Amazon app is performing the playback directly.

If you are using a device such as WiiM to playback via network (API), there will be more or less delay. In my case it averages about 4 seconds, but it can take 7 seconds or more.

However, in your case, the delay increases drastically when HD/UHD is turned on, so I have a feeling that there is a problem somewhere in the network from the Amazon server to WiiM.

I don't know if this can be resolved on the WiiM device side, but we'll wait for the support team to get back.