Free Streaming?

[Rolling Ragu]

I haven't purchased yet, but have my eye on the Pro Plus for Prime Day price. Before I purchase...

For a few years, I have been using my MacBook to bluetooth to a dongle that is connected direct to an amplifier. I've been listening mostly to YouTube (free). I don't have a paid service, but am considering it to improve audio quality.

My primary question is: What are my free options if using a Wiim? Am I basically locked into a paid service?

Oh, and thanks for having me in the forum.

 

[Brantome]

You’re not locked in to a paid streaming service - you can play your local (ripped) files, files on your NAS (if you have one); you can use free Spotify; and you can use Chromecast from YouTube within the Chrome desktop browser or via the notification widget perhaps on a mobile. Or you can use Bluetooth for any audio on your phone.

 

[Brantome]

However, to improve audio quality for non-ripped files, you really do need to subscribe to a service like Qobuz, Amazon Music or Tidal. Or even Apple Music on your Mac using the system-wide airplay option.

 

[Rolling Ragu]

Thanks for your input. It is confusing to a beginner. I already own an AppleTV. If I subscribe to Apple Music and use an HDMI extractor (to RCA) straight into my amp, wouldn't I have the best quality without buying new equipment?

 

[Brantome]

I’m not an Apple TV nor Apple Music user, but perhaps one can jump in and answer that. It might well be the case

 

[Wiimaster]

You can also listen close to 50 000 free web radio stations with amazing quality, no ads, no talking etc.
Just add your favourites to your Wiim's presets.
More info at

High quality radio

I would like to be able to get good quality radio stations, as far as I can see the radio options we have are low quality bandwidth.

forum.wiimhome.com

 

[Rolling Ragu]

I have ordered a $10 extractor. It will be an experiment. Tempted to order the ProPlus with Amazon's great return policy. If I can't get it to do what I want or can't appreciate a difference, I'm not stuck.

 

[jed1]

I have a couple of $25 HDMI audio extractor (unbalanced) and $150 HDMI audio extractor (balanced). I bought them for PA application (i.e. to feed Apple TV 4K (lasted version) to an audio mixer). They are good enough for such application. However, in my opinion, they are not good enough for home audio setting.

If you only use Apple TV, an external DAC with optical or HDMI ARC input will meet your need.

 

[4legsgood]

I haven't purchased yet, but have my eye on the Pro Plus for Prime Day price. Before I purchase...

For a few years, I have been using my MacBook to bluetooth to a dongle that is connected direct to an amplifier. I've been listening mostly to YouTube (free). I don't have a paid service, but am considering it to improve audio quality.

My primary question is: What are my free options if using a Wiim? Am I basically locked into a paid service?

Oh, and thanks for having me in the forum.

VTuner has a vast number of free stations. If you go to:
Location->Continents->Internet Only (sic)
you will find around 50 genres from which to choose. I mostly listen to rock/indie and there must be well over 1,000 under the Rock category. OTOH I have a friend here in the UK, originally from Barbados, who listens to VOB (Voice of Barbados)

 

[goodmore]

Pandora has a free version with no commercials.

 

[Rolling Ragu]

Thanks everyone. Couple of things have changed since I posted earlier today. My cheap HDMI extractor came in and I do have the AppleTV connected to my amp. Using screen mirroring, I have an airplay connection from my Macbook to the AppleTV. It is working as I hoped from a connection standpoint.

Playing straight/basic YouTube, I couldn't tell any difference in audio quality. So...I went ahead and subscribed to Apple Music. I can tell a quality difference over Bluetooth. Enough? Probably not. So...I ordered the Wiim ProPlus. It will be here Friday. I am loving the easier format of Apple Music and not having ads.

I should then have lossless audio with a better DAC than this $10 one. More questions to come.

 

[4legsgood]

Pandora has a free version with no commercials.

I tried Pandora. Notes:

1. I was asked for a User Name and Password, with no option to register.
2. I then went to the Pandora website and got a message saying "Pandora is unavailable in this country or region" (I'm in the UK)
3. Wikipedia says "this service is available in an advertising-supported tier and additionally a subscription-based version. In 2017, the service launched Pandora Premium, which is an on-demand version of the service more in line with contemporary competitors". I can neither verify nor refute this as I can't access it, but it does say there is no ad-free service.