Introducing the WiiM Edition of the Audio Pro A10 MKII and C10 MKII

[Burnside]

I think the interesting thing here is how these new Audio Pro W speakers/Apps will interact wth current WiiM products and the Wiim App if you have both in your network?

I’d expect a higher degree of integration than the old models, which did integrate to a degree when it came to grouping speakers etc.

 

[dtc]

I think the interesting thing here is how these new Audio Pro W speakers/Apps will interact wth current WiiM products and the Wiim App if you have both in your network?

New version (Audio Pro) "coming soon" for Android. Sounds like you cannot get the new W products with Android support.

It is not clear that all Wiim Home features with be available on Audio Pro or that Wiim products will also work with Audio Pro. Either they need to explicitly state that or else people will just have to wait until Audio Pro is out.

Looks like "W" stands for Wiim.

 

[gorman]

or else people will just have to wait until Audio Pro is out.

Well, not the best way to introduce a product, surrounding it with confusion.

 

[Burnside]

New version (Audio Pro) "coming soon" for Android. Sounds like you cannot get the new W products with Android support.

It is not clear that all Wiim Home features with be available on Audio Pro or that Wiim products will also work with Audio Pro. Either they need to explicitly state that or else people will just have to wait until Audio Pro is out.

Looks like "W" stands for Wiim.

Their info pages clearly state the Android app is coming soon.

 

[dtc]

Their info pages clearly state the Android app is coming soon.

That's what I said "coming soon". I guess I should have added "currently" but I thought that was obvious.

 

[slartibartfast]

That's what I said "coming soon". I guess I should have added "currently" but I thought that was obvious.

I wonder how soon "soon" is. If it was only a few days they would have delayed the announcement so it probably doesn't mean imminent

 

[dtc]

I wonder how soon "soon" is. If it was only a few days they would have delayed the announcement so it probably doesn't mean imminent

The delay is a bit confusing if they are, in fact, just using the Wiim app, which works fine on Android. Hopefully, the delay is just one of testing, not reprogramming. If they are going to do significant reprogramming, that is a concern.

I also do not understand the logic of having the Wiim software on a separate company's extensive new line of speakers when Wiim is about to launch it's first speaker, unless Audio Pro is going to become Wiim's speaker partner and manufacturer. I don't see Wiim developing a broad speaker line just to compete with a company that is already using its software. I am not clear on the strategy here.

 

[slartibartfast]

The delay is a bit confusing if they are, in fact, just using the Wiim app, which works fine on Android. Hopefully, the delay is just one of testing, not reprogramming. If they are going to do significant reprogramming, that is a concern.

I also do not understand the logic of having the Wiim software on a separate company's extensive new line of speakers when Wiim is about to launch it's first speaker, unless Audio Pro is going to become Wiim's speaker partner and manufacturer. I don't see Wiim developing a broad speaker line just to compete with a company that is already using its software. I am not clear on the strategy here.

How similar are these new Audio Pro speakers to the existing Audio Pro WiiM Editions? Very confusing

 

[Burnside]

The delay is a bit confusing if they are, in fact, just using the Wiim app, which works fine on Android. Hopefully, the delay is just one of testing, not reprogramming. If they are going to do significant reprogramming, that is a concern.

Sounds like it’s an updated version of their old app they're releasing, but more in line with the WiiM app and the new firmware the speakers have which brings more WiiM-like features. And it’s no more confusing than the staged development of the WiiM iOS and Android apps that aren’t always 100% in step.

I also do not understand the logic of having the Wiim software on a separate company's extensive new line of speakers when Wiim is about to launch it's first speaker, unless Audio Pro is going to become Wiim's speaker partner and manufacturer. I don't see Wiim developing a broad speaker line just to compete with a company that is already using its software. I am not clear on the strategy here.

I guess we should laud Audio Pro for what looks like negotiation with Linkplay to have access to a better version of firmware than they originally had on their speakers given they’re based on Linkplay modules similar if not identical to those in some older Wiim devices. Looks like it’s one way of Audio Pro bringing “WiiM edition” versions of their range to a wider market.

I agree the timing isn’t perhaps good for the WiiM Sound, albeit the devices will have different features e.g. the newer Audio Pro versions have Airplay but no Alexa/Alexacast whereas the WiiM Sound doesn’t have the former but does have the latter.

I guess from an optimistic user point of view (unusual for this forum, I know ), choice is surely a good thing? I’m sure the pros and cons of the different ranges will soon become evident and the fact that they’re likely to have a good degree of interoperability means it’s win-win all round.

 

[gorman]

The delay is a bit confusing if they are, in fact, just using the Wiim app, which works fine on Android.

This is what I found most confusing.

In any case, I hope it will be available for Europe and it will support Lyrion Music Server integration, which is 90% of my usage (rest Spotify Connect).

 

[dtc]

I guess from an optimistic user point of view (unusual for this forum, I know ), choice is surely a good thing? I’m sure the pros and cons of the different ranges will soon become evident and the fact that they’re likely to have a good degree of interoperability means it’s win-win all round.

For a user, choice is a good thing. I just do not understand the long term business model here. Is Wiim setting up to have a long term competitive situation with Audio Pro speakers or is there going to be some sort of coalescing of the lines? Will Audio Pro make speakers for Wiim going forward? As competitors, I guess Wiim/Linkplay would have to be making a significant profit on the components it is providing to Audio Pro. Is the strategy to also move the Wiim software to other platforms that Linkplay already supplies? I doubt we will know answers to that soon, but it does making both current and future purchases somewhat uncertain from a long term perspective.

 

[Burnside]

This is what I found most confusing.

In any case, I hope it will be avilable for Europe and it will support Lyrion Music Server integration, which is 90% of my usage (rest Spotify Connect).

Don't see anything on their website to suggest squeezelite support, but who knows...

Try dropping a line to audio pro support and see if they have any info yet

 

[gorman]

Don't see anything on their website to suggest squeezelite support, but who knows...

Try dropping a line to audio pro support and see if they have any info yet

Just did that. Thanks for your suggestion.

 

[Burnside]

I contacted Audio Pro support re the lack of availability of the iOS app here in the uk and how these would work alongside WiiM devices and they said “The app will be released in a couple of weeks. The products will most probably work together, but we still have some testing to do.”

So I guess it’s wait and see for a few weeks till the app and the products hit the market…

 

[slartibartfast]

I contacted Audio Pro support re the lack of availability of the iOS app here in the uk and how these would work alongside WiiM devices and they said “The app will be released in a couple of weeks. The products will most probably work together, but we still have some testing to do.”

So I guess it’s wait and see for a few weeks till the app and the products hit the market…

So it isn't just the Android app that is "coming soon"

 

[Burnside]

So it isn't just the Android app that is "coming soon"

2 weeks I hear

 

[slartibartfast]

2 weeks I hear

They have much in common with WiiM

 

[Burnside]

I contacted Audio Pro support re the lack of availability of the iOS app here in the uk and how these would work alongside WiiM devices and they said “The app will be released in a couple of weeks. The products will most probably work together, but we still have some testing to do.”

So I guess it’s wait and see for a few weeks till the app and the products hit the market…

Update: I also asked about their new firmware and what features their speakers will have compared to the WiiM Edition a10 & c10 and all I got was that more info will be added to their website “in the fall”. Sounds like they’re still working in things and perhaps their announcement was a tad premature.

 

[dtc]

I contacted Audio Pro support re the lack of availability of the iOS app here in the uk and how these would work alongside WiiM devices and they said “The app will be released in a couple of weeks. The products will most probably work together, but we still have some testing to do.”

So I guess it’s wait and see for a few weeks till the app and the products hit the market…

That is somewhat surprising. I would have thought that interoperability would be a design requirement. Maybe the engineering cooperation is not as close as it originally seemed it might be.

 

[slartibartfast]

Update: I also asked about their new firmware and what features their speakers will have compared to the WiiM Edition a10 & c10 and all I got was that more info will be added to their website “in the fall”. Sounds like they’re still working in things and perhaps their announcement was a tad premature.

Did you ask about Squeezelite?