Intermittent stuttering with WiiM Ultra

[Newb0815]

Hi everyone!

I am new to the forum and just registered to share my experience: I am facing the same issues with my (new) Wiim Ultra and Tidal when having quality at max: The songs basically become unplayable, there is more stuttering than actual playing. This occurs both when playing via the Wiim app and using Tidal Connect. The WiFi connection is perfect, directly connected to the router (not a repeater) with high bandwidth. Rebooting the device didn’t help. Strangely, when playing via Tidal on my phone, there is no stuttering at all. So there seems to be an issue with the combination Wiim Ultra / Tidal.

I am looking forward to a hopefully quick solution since the device is currently unusable in fact.

Kind regards

 

[Mr Ee]

Hi everyone!

I am new to the forum and just registered to share my experience: I am facing the same issues with my (new) Wiim Ultra and Tidal when having quality at max: The songs basically become unplayable, there is more stuttering than actual playing. This occurs both when playing via the Wiim app and using Tidal Connect. The WiFi connection is perfect, directly connected to the router (not a repeater) with high bandwidth. Rebooting the device didn’t help. Strangely, when playing via Tidal on my phone, there is no stuttering at all. So there seems to be an issue with the combination Wiim Ultra / Tidal.

I am looking forward to a hopefully quick solution since the device is currently unusable in fact.

Kind regards

Welcome.

All songs, or just high sample rates?
Very occasionally i get some stuttering with 192 tracks from Tidal even though I use ethernet.

 

[AngryofM]

if I look at my home network 5GHz is more crowded than 2.4GHz. My apple devices, my PC, the WiiM and BluOS box, all of them think that they are something special and only deserve the best.

In that case you might be better off switching your WiiM(s) to the 2.4Ghz band....

 

[Newb0815]

Welcome.

All songs, or just high sample rates?
Very occasionally i get some stuttering with 192 tracks from Tidal even though I use ethernet.

I can‘t tell if there is a clear logic. What I noticed is that if I reduce the Tidal quality to low (or medium - I think that option is also available but can’t check right now), the stuttering is gone which is strange since the internet connection is far away from being a bottleneck here.

I will try to check and pay attention to this question the next days.

BTW: The new firmware is not available for my device yet - maybe it will soon and the bug is fixed (at least I hope so!)

Kind regards

 

[Mr Ee]

I can‘t tell if there is a clear logic. What I noticed is that if I reduce the Tidal quality to low (or medium - I think that option is also available but can’t check right now), the stuttering is gone which is strange since the internet connection is far away from being a bottleneck here.

I will try to check and pay attention to this question the next days.

BTW: The new firmware is not available for my device yet - maybe it will soon and the bug is fixed (at least I hope so!)

Kind regards

In the Network Status screen of the wiim app try toggling the Preferred DNS server and ipv6 settings.
Rather than being a bandwidth issue it's more likely that the wiim simply doesn't have enough of the track downloaded and is waiting for the next chunk.
If it persists use the wiim app to send feedback just after it happens from the main screen's '... More' menu. Device logs will be sent too.

 

[huyvoxyz]

UPDATE: The issue seems to be resolved after implementing two changes:

1. I stopped using the 1.1.1.1 DNS (I had set the manual DNS in the router some time ago and forgotten about it)
2. I updated Qobuz streaming quality and Wiim's optical output resolution to match the LSX II's spec of 24 bits / 96 kHz

I haven't noticed any stuttering since.

 

[Newb0815]

In the Network Status screen of the wiim app try toggling the Preferred DNS server and ipv6 settings.
Rather than being a bandwidth issue it's more likely that the wiim simply doesn't have enough of the track downloaded and is waiting for the next chunk.
If it persists use the wiim app to send feedback just after it happens from the main screen's '... More' menu. Device logs will be sent too.

Thanks. An hour ago, everything worked fine (just tested for a minute with a Flac song - no stuttering). Now trying to play any title is impossible regardless of bitrate or quality... Thanks for the hint regarding the feedback: I just sent this over to WiiM.

Since the new firmware has now been uploaded to the device, it is clear that it obviously doesn’t fix the problem.

I already tried enabling IPv6 yesterday but that just led to a complete loss of the connection. What should I change in terms of the DNS settings? This is all on auto currently.

Kind regards

Update: Tried all different kinds of DNS settings and also set up the whole device again for changing the WiFi to 2.4 GHz but there is no change at all.

 

[bub42]

It may be a TIDAL problem, I don´t know, but if I use the bubbleupnp Android app playing TIDAL tracks, no lagging or problems with the Wiim Pro Amp.

If you read across this and other forums, it is ALWAYS Tidal, that‘s creating problems in all colours shapes and sizes. I really wonder how they manage to stay in business.

It may be a TIDAL problem, I don´t know, but if I use the bubbleupnp Android app playing TIDAL tracks, no lagging or problems with the Wiim Pro Amp. /B

 

[Newb0815]

Hi all,

I also tried Spotify Premium yesterday (lossless) - no issues at all. Once I switched to Tidal, the stuttering started again. There seems to be some server-related bandwidth/implementation issue between WiiM and Tidal.

Kind regards

 

[aligunel06]

I have coaxial selected as Audio Output and it only jumps coaxially. There is no such jump in optical and rca outputs.

 

[Bietschek]

In the meantime, every evening I have the problem that Tidal Connect is virtually unuseable. Never a problem in the afternoon.

 

[Newb0815]

In the meantime, every evening I have the problem that Tidal Connect is virtually unuseable. Never a problem in the afternoon.

Yeah, same for me, and heavily dependent on day and time. Yesterday, everything worked great, two hours ago as well, while I had terrible stuttering 15 min ago.

The strange thing (at least for me) remains that it all works fine if I stream on my iPhone connected to the very same WiFi. That tells me it’s something related to both bandwidth (of the Tidal servers?) and the interaction with WiiM.

 

[hgo58]

Yeah, same for me, and heavily dependent on day and time. Yesterday, everything worked great, two hours ago as well, while I had terrible stuttering 15 min ago.

The strange thing (at least for me) remains that it all works fine if I stream on my iPhone connected to the very same WiFi. That tells me it’s something related to both bandwidth (of the Tidal servers?) and the interaction with WiiM.

Tidal is probably regulating the bit rate down on the app when the streaming get congested. The WiiM don't do that.

Can you check the bit rate on both when you get the issue?

 

[Newb0815]

Tidal is probably regulating the bit rate down on the app when the streaming get congested. The WiiM don't do that.

Can you check the bit rate on both when you get the issue?

The displayed quality in the Tidal app was exactly the same as the one displayed in the WiiM App.

When it plays flawlessly on the IPhone and you switch to the Connect function and the WiiM becomes the streamer, the stuttering starts (when it is a period during which this issue occurs).

Kind regards

 

[hgo58]

The displayed quality in the Tidal app was exactly the same as the one displayed in the WiiM App.

When it plays flawlessly on the IPhone and you switch to the Connect function and the WiiM becomes the streamer, the stuttering starts (when it is a period during which this issue occurs).

Kind regards

The quality markings may be the same but Tidal use variable bitrate streaming, which means the bitrate can change depending on network conditions and the complexity of the audio being played. This may be done differently in the App and in the WiiM with Tidal Connect?

So even though the phone App play fine, it's probably still a network or Tidal service congestion issue.

We could ask @WiiM Team if the WiiM also uses variable bit rate.

 

[HansD-NL]

Maybe one of the reasons why Tidal is a little wonky especially at evenings/nights is because there is extensive integration in DJ software/hardware, where a user can load up and play 2 and sometimes 4 tracks at the same time (depending on the DJ software/hardware used).

Spotify was the first streaming service that allowed that years ago, then they killed it, Tidal took over but after a while demanded an extra monthly payment for "DJ Integration" and now recently Spotify is back providing the same and (for now) without an extra payment so only a standard premium account necessary.

Edit: Forgot to mention there is also a fairly popular online service that can rip (flac/lossless) files directly from Tidal. I know nothing, don't ask

 

[Newb0815]

Hi all,

again - same issue.

Just looked at the quality details in the WiiM app vs Tidal app for two songs (please see attached). Since the bitrate is not displayed using Tidal directly, it is not entirely clear if there are indeed differences. However, even with the “full” bitrate for these songs (which is far away from being really high) it is ridiculous that this is causing problems.

I just tried streaming via Sonos and am also facing issues using Tidal. This could indicate it is indeed rather a Tidal problem (which would imply the app applies a variable bitrate streaming via the phone vs via the Ultra regardless of whether the Ultra streams via its native app or Tidal Connect). If true, the fact that the bitrate is not displayed in the Tidal app would hide any variable bitrate covering potential server or bandwidth problems…

If this persists, I will cancel my Tidal subscription and never go back.

Kind regards

 

[Aquaman]

Hi all,

again - same issue.

Just looked at the quality details in the WiiM app vs Tidal app for two songs (please see attached). Since the bitrate is not displayed using Tidal directly, it is not entirely clear if there are indeed differences. However, even with the “full” bitrate for these songs (which is far away from being really high) it is ridiculous that this is causing problems.

I just tried streaming via Sonos and am also facing issues using Tidal. This could indicate it is indeed rather a Tidal problem (which would imply the app applies a variable bitrate streaming via the phone vs via the Ultra regardless of whether the Ultra streams via its native app or Tidal Connect). If true, the fact that the bitrate is not displayed in the Tidal app would hide any variable bitrate covering potential server or bandwidth problems…

If this persists, I will cancel my Tidal subscription and never go back.

Kind regards

It IS a Tidal issue. It runs across all audio forums concering all hard- and software implementations.