Bluetooth Stutter

[Shozzer]

Morning All,

New WiiM Pro owner as of last week. Works flawlessly over Wi-Fi when connected to my Denon amplifier via Line Out and also Optical Out (Coax is a no go as my current connectors don't fit onto the WiiM!) but when connecting to Bluetooth devices - Dali Katch, Sony Headphones and a cheap headband (for use when going to sleep - not a good look!) the sound stutters badly. Have other users had similar problems and were they able to overcome them? The experience varies. Sometimes when the stutter starts, pausing a few seconds allows the sound to buffer and then normal playback is possible. Sometimes it then becomes necessary to repeat the process if the stutter starts again.

The problem occurs whether streaming from LMS or Qobuz via WiiM and happens irrespective of Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection. A device reset did partly improve the situation but essentially Bluetooth is unusable which is a shame as that was the main reason for getting the WiiM. I have submitted a ticket to WiiM but wondered if others had similar experiences they could share.

Thanks for reading.

Steve

 

[wiimamp user]

Dont know what bluetooth version these speakers have.
Maybe raise a ticket to Wiim.
I had some stutter issues before using Dali io6 headphones.
The update did solved it later.
Using other headphones brands on the Whim had no issues at all.
Don't know if it has something to to with the connection has to made via the app.. ?
I wonder what BT version is a factor too..dont know a BT version can be updated later?

I wonder someone has reported some issues with BT in the Ultra?
I assume there is none.
Again the updates solved it for me regarding the Dali..and my other headphones had no problem at all with the Wiim.

 

[onix]

Latest release note (2024/08/16) says "eliminate stuttering issues". In my case, yes, it reduced some but still remains a lot. Knowing they are working on it is my pleasure.

 

[Shozzer]

Yes, still experiencing some stutter but it is improving. It's just not reliable for general listening!

Steve

Latest release note (2024/08/16) says "eliminate stuttering issues". In my case, yes, it reduced some but still remains a lot. Knowing they are working on it is my pleasure.

 

[dragonfly]

So an update to my case. I was initially using the WiiM mini. Had bad stuttering on it. So I returned it within the return window. At the time I was (naively) hoping this might be better on the WiiM Pro Plus, so I had placed an order on that device. That device arrives today. and oh my god, it is so much worse on the WiiM Pro Plus. And that is after the latest firmware updates. On the mini it would stutter after a few minutes and it would stutter once in 10 sec or so. On the Pro Plus it stutters right out the gate and the stuttering is non-stop. You can’t make out anything. Not that the mini was useable but you could grind your teeth and make do. The Bluetooth out on the Pro Plus is so bad, you can’t even do that. It’s simply unusable. I’m now playing the same songs on my phone and they stream flawlessly to the same Bluetooth speakers. I don’t know what to say. Slight stuttering here and there might go unnoticed. But this is laughably bad. I can’t imagine how it passed any quality control. I’ll try other Bluetooth devices just for curiosity. But at the main speakers I was targeting for use, don’t work.

 

[wiimamp user]

So an update to my case. I was initially using the WiiM mini. Had bad stuttering on it. So I returned it within the return window. At the time I was (naively) hoping this might be better on the WiiM Pro Plus, so I had placed an order on that device. That device arrives today. and oh my god, it is so much worse on the WiiM Pro Plus. And that is after the latest firmware updates. On the mini it would stutter after a few minutes and it would stutter once in 10 sec or so. On the Pro Plus it stutters right out the gate and the stuttering is non-stop. You can’t make out anything. Not that the mini was useable but you could grind your teeth and make do. The Bluetooth out on the Pro Plus is so bad, you can’t even do that. It’s simply unusable. I’m now playing the same songs on my phone and they stream flawlessly to the same Bluetooth speakers. I don’t know what to say. Slight stuttering here and there might go unnoticed. But this is laughably bad. I can’t imagine how it passed any quality control. I’ll try other Bluetooth devices just for curiosity. But at the main speakers I was targeting for use, don’t work.

Why using BT on the Wiim..?
Quality over BT is never great is it?
Wiim is using SBC..
Quality over BT will never be that great on any device will it?
Why not using the phone my question would be.
For serious listening..better not using BT at all am I right?

But I think your right of a company offers BT it must work.
But if the BT speakers don't work can you blame Wiim for it?
They work on the phone but don't with Wiim..but can you conclude it's due to Wiim?

 

[castalla]

Why using BT on the Wiim..?
Quality over BT is never great is it?
Quality over BT will never be that great on any device will it?
Why not using the phone my question would be.
For serious listening..better not using BT at all am I right?

It's a mystery. I have no stuttering ever on the mini, but the pro was unusable.

 

[marcmo60]

It's a mystery. I have no stuttering ever on the mini, but the pro was unusable.

Indeed, I have Bose Soundlink Revolve 2 speakers and they don't stutter with anything but the WiiM devices I've tried. Originally a Pro Plus that I returned for an Amp without any improvement. I've tried Ethernet and Wi-Fi on the back-end without success, same issue streaming music off of a USB drive. It's disappointing because I really like the device and the app...

 

[wiimamp user]

But BT is not that important is it?
Question is always if it ain't working is is because of WIIM?
I assume BT 5.3 being the most stable..
Don't know if the version of BT can be updated?

 

[marcmo60]

But BT is not that important is it?
Question is always if it ain't working is is because of WIIM?
I assume BT 5.3 being the most stable..
Don't know if the version of BT can be updated?

If audio fidelity is the primary concern then no I suppose BT is not that important. If it's the only way to connect speakers to ones audio sources, then it becomes pretty darn important. I wonder if a USB Bluetooth transmitter would bridge this issue?

 

[marcmo60]

I was able to connect a pair of small bookshelf speakers to the WiiM Amp and my music playback issues were no more. I changed the audio input from Wi-Fi, to Ethernet and finally to USB drive to test out all my source media paths. Results were no more stutter or cut-out of the music regardless of the path into the WiiM Amp. In my uneducated opinion, something is seriously wrong with the Bluetooth implementation on the WiiM Pro Plus and the Amp. FYI, my Bluetooth speakers are using BT 4.2. Any thoughts or suggestions on how to proceed? Open a ticket with log while the issue is happening or some other approach.

 

[onix]

I hope it is not due to Broadcom's native issue.

 

[marcmo60]

I did open a ticket and ask about using a BT 5 USB adapter, the answer was it's not a supported option.

 

[cmcc]

I just bought a WiiM Pro Plus specifically for Bluetooth to connect to a Nest Hub to create an alarm with music since Google for some reason dropped their media alarm earlier this year. Also trying to replace an old LMS radio.
The connection is terrible. I have the Pro Plus right next to the Nest Hub and it still stutters. I enabled Bluetooth from a PC two rooms away and it sounds fine. Hope they can do something to improve the signal!

 

[WiiM Support]

I just bought a WiiM Pro Plus specifically for Bluetooth to connect to a Nest Hub to create an alarm with music since Google for some reason dropped their media alarm earlier this year. Also trying to replace an old LMS radio.
The connection is terrible. I have the Pro Plus right next to the Nest Hub and it still stutters. I enabled Bluetooth from a PC two rooms away and it sounds fine. Hope they can do something to improve the signal!

Hi cmcc,

Could you please check if your WiiM Pro Plus is connected to your router via the 5 GHz Wi-Fi band? Since Bluetooth operates on the 2.4 GHz band, connecting over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi may cause interference. If the issue persists, please submit a support ticket so we can assist you with troubleshooting and get it resolved promptly. Thanks for your help!

 

[cmcc]

Hi cmcc,

Could you please check if your WiiM Pro Plus is connected to your router via the 5 GHz Wi-Fi band? Since Bluetooth operates on the 2.4 GHz band, connecting over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi may cause interference. If the issue persists, please submit a support ticket so we can assist you with troubleshooting and get it resolved promptly. Thanks for your help!

It was a wired GB ethernet connection. I’ll submit a ticket. Thanks.