Mini problems with optical SPDIF

[Maurizio]

I don't know if happened after latest update, because I use more Pro than Mini and I had not used Mini from time.
Today i used Mini and I discovered that at 24/192 audio become intermittent. The screen of my DAC flashes with a Wright UNLOCK. If I change resolution to 24/96 all is working.
My DAC reports 96 and the music flows.
Never had before this behavior. At24/192 the Mini reproduced with no problems.
Some other has encountered this failure?
Any help is welcomed

 

[onlyoneme]

My Mini started suffering from this recently. 192 unstable, 96 stable. Try with another cable but beware multiple plugging/unplugging as it will make things even worse.
How old is your unit? Is it the one with black toslink cover or a grey one?
Is it sensitive to touching the cable/plug especially near the WiiM port?

 

[steadyshot]

Check the cable

 

[Maurizio]

Check the cable

The cable is Ok

 

[Maurizio]

My Mini started suffering from this recently. 192 unstable, 96 stable. Try with another cable but beware multiple plugging/unplugging as it will make things even worse.
How old is your unit? Is it the one with black toslink cover or a grey one?
Is it sensitive to touching the cable/plug especially near the WiiM port?

Hi @onlyoneme
Thx replying.
I bought my Mini on 20February 2022. When it arrived it had a faulty SPDIF flap. It broke on first use, plus the SPDIF plug was slow. It peeled off easily. I wrote to Linkplay and within 2 weeks they replaced it with a Mini from the 2nd batch. Now the connection is strong, it doesn't detach anymore and when the plug is inserted a loud click is heard.
I have to tell you, however, that this had already happened in the past. I'll tell you.
Although I had read that some (the defects that appear to someone and to someone do not, in my opinion are the worst) gave problems with the optical cable, I had bought the Topping D50s.
Connected the Mini everything worked perfectly, so I thought I was among the lucky ones. After a FW update, however, it started giving instability problems with 24/192. Same wright UNLOCKING on DAC display and intermittent audio, 24/96 worked without problems. D50s powered by a common phone charger.
Thinking about the famous D50s problem, I returned it. As time passed, however, I had an afterthought about it. The sound signature of the D50s fascinated me and I thought it was better to have that DAC, even limited to 24/96 than not.
So I bought back the D50s. In the meantime I had also bought the P50 linear power supply and when the D50s arrived, this time I connected it to the P50. As it still is.
Everything worked at his best even at 24/192. So I thought it was probably the power supply with the phone charger. It seems that the D50s is sensitive to Jitter.
This until yesterday, when I noticed that the old instability on 24/192 via SPDIF reappeared and in combination with a FW update.
This time I'm sure it's neither the power supply nor the D50s, because everything worked perfectly before.
The Mini has been permanently fixed since the 1st day I had it. I never go to touch the Mini itself or the cables, which can't be touched by accident. I should do it on purpose.
I could try resetting the Mini, but I doubt it will work. I already tried the reset the 1st time, but it didn't help. Yesterday I also opened a ticket from the App about this failure by sending the log too.
Let's see what @WiiM Support and @WiiM Team will reply , if they reply, because lately it seems to me that they leave a lot to be desired.
Thanks again, bye

 

[Wiimer]

I don't know if happened after latest update, because I use more Pro than Mini and I had not used Mini from time.
Today i used Mini and I discovered that at 24/192 audio become intermittent. The screen of my DAC flashes with a Wright UNLOCK. If I change resolution to 24/96 all is working.
My DAC reports 96 and the music flows.
Never had before this behavior. At24/192 the Mini reproduced with no problems.
Some other has encountered this failure?
Any help is welcomed

Is the WiiM app up to date?

Although it has nothing to do with this case.
My mini lost Wi-Fi last night and needed a factory reset. The Japan often behaves strangely after updating Wiim (which may happen outside of the English-speaking world).

My friend became unable to move the value of "Sample rate switch latency" at 738ms after the recent update.

 

[Maurizio]

Is the WiiM app up to date?

Although it has nothing to do with this case.
My mini lost Wi-Fi last night and needed a factory reset. The Japan often behaves strangely after updating Wiim (which may happen outside of the English-speaking world).

My friend became unable to move the value of "Sample rate switch latency" at 738ms after the recent update.

HI @Wiimer
Yes. as the Mini as the App are updated to the last version

 

[onlyoneme]

So the plug sits firmly in the WiiM socket? Nothing bad/good will happen if you put some pressure on it in 192kHz mode?

In my case it became very sensitive to even slightest pressure.

 

[Maurizio]

Hi to all @onlyoneme @Brantome
I solved my problem and..in the stupidest way. What annoyed me was not so much 96 rather than 192 Khz, in my opinion and also according to others, the difference by ear is zero, but the fact that a function that worked until recently would no longer work.
However I simply replaced my cable with the one supplied with the Mini and....... got 24/192 back as confirmed by the DAC display.
That says a lot about cables!!
Speaking of cables, I intend to buy the SMSL 500 MKIII DAC. When I get it I need an RCA cable to connect it to the Pre Amp.
How about the RCA cable that comes with the Pro? Is it okay or better to buy a better quality RCA cable?
I would like to know what you think
Cheers

 

[Brantome]

Interesting to know, thanks. I’m using a budget 2m (or 3m?) optical cable because I needed the additional length for my WiiM’s optical output but haven’t touched it or the WiiM since I installed it. I do tend to use my Pro most of the time, but will switch back to the Mini for a few days to see if I experience any issues - from a quick trial earlier today, everything seemed fine.

 

[onlyoneme]

Hi to all @onlyoneme @Brantome
I solved my problem and..in the stupidest way. What annoyed me was not so much 96 rather than 192 Khz, in my opinion and also according to others, the difference by ear is zero, but the fact that a function that worked until recently would no longer work.
However I simply replaced my cable with the one supplied with the Mini and....... got 24/192 back as confirmed by the DAC display.
That says a lot about cables!!
Speaking of cables, I intend to buy the SMSL 500 MKIII DAC. When I get it I need an RCA cable to connect it to the Pre Amp.
How about the RCA cable that comes with the Pro? Is it okay or better to buy a better quality RCA cable?
I would like to know what you think
Cheers

I'm not surprised that the default cable works best with the Mini, I use it too simply because my "better" cables doesn't fit well due to the chassis shape near the port. I would stay suspicious and cautious anyway if I were you.
Regarding the RCA cable, for me everything is about a good shielding here. Even stock cable can work ok if environment is clean of interferences.

 

[Maurizio]

Interesting to know, thanks. I’m using a budget 2m (or 3m?) optical cable because I needed the additional length for my WiiM’s optical output but haven’t touched it or the WiiM since I installed it. I do tend to use my Pro most of the time, but will switch back to the Mini for a few days to see if I experience any issues - from a quick trial earlier today, everything seemed fine.

Hi @Brantome
I don't know what happened. Just like you I have touched no more my Mini since I installed it and it's positioned in such a way that you can't touch it by chance. My cable was 50 cm. Long. I also, now, I'm more on Pro rather than Mini, but from time to time I switch them so yesterday I had that bitter surprise

 

[Maurizio]

I'm not surprised that the default cable works best with the Mini, I use it too simply because my "better" cables doesn't fit well due to the chassis shape near the port. I would stay suspicious and cautious anyway if I were you.
Regarding the RCA cable, for me everything is about a good shielding here. Even stock cable can work ok if environment is clean of interferences.

Hi @onlyoneme
I agree with you about RCA cables. Shielding is a very important thing and I have no idea how the WiiM's shielding cable may be. I think my environment is interference free, but better not to take risks and buy some good RCA cable.
I think the 500MKIII is worth a cable of good quality. Even without exaggerating.
Sorry, but you say "would stay suspicious and cautious" but... in which respect?
Thx for your reply

 

[Maurizio]

Hi again @Brantome
Sorry, I forgot to thank you for your reply

 

[onlyoneme]

Sorry, but you say "would stay suspicious and cautious" but... in which respect?

With that toslink issue. It shouldn't happen that the existing cable stops working without any reason.

 

[Maurizio]

With that toslink issue. It shouldn't happen that the existing cable stops working without any reason.

Yes, you are right, and that thing is driving me mad

 

[Maurizio]

Cables...a never ending story. For me a cable must look good, feel good, is good handcrafted and has a good fit due to good plugs. For phono I look at impedances. That's it, but that alone makes really cheap difficult. Sure no snake oil prices. I believe, that in special setups a cable can make a difference, not a better sound but different. And for me, a fool: if look and feel is good it sounds good. In my HiFi life I often met people who wanted their 1000 € amp sounding better with 1000 € interconnects.They failed

As usually I agree with you. Without spending 1000 €, of course.
A proportion between device price and cables, for me, is mandatory

 

[Mr Ee]

Hi to all @onlyoneme @Brantome
I solved my problem and..in the stupidest way. What annoyed me was not so much 96 rather than 192 Khz, in my opinion and also according to others, the difference by ear is zero, but the fact that a function that worked until recently would no longer work.
However I simply replaced my cable with the one supplied with the Mini and....... got 24/192 back as confirmed by the DAC display.
That says a lot about cables!!
Speaking of cables, I intend to buy the SMSL 500 MKIII DAC. When I get it I need an RCA cable to connect it to the Pre Amp.
How about the RCA cable that comes with the Pro? Is it okay or better to buy a better quality RCA cable?
I would like to know what you think
Cheers

But... you said "The cable is Ok"

Analog interconnects... different people will have different opinions.
Maybe best / simplest to go to a local dealer and borrow (deposit / return) a few to see what you think.

 

[Maurizio]

But... you said "The cable is Ok"

Analog interconnects... different people will have different opinions.
Maybe best / simplest to go to a local dealer and borrow (deposit / return) a few to see what you think.

Hi @Mr Ee
Yes, that's exactly what I said and you're right. I'm just a donkey. The thing is, I tried to change the cable as a last resort. Without believing it much, and instead it worked. Even now, however, I don't understand how a cable that is well connected and that nobody has ever touched since the installation can stop working. It does not make sense. It's a cable and has nothing electronic/mechanical to break.
So either it goes or it doesn't, but from the first moment.
Mystery!!
I also agree about the RCA cables.

 

[steadyshot]

I do not know what you are saying about cables . After connecting with a pearl optical from audioquest (1.5m), the cheapest of the line, immediately highs became so much better that I did not need to turn the volume down even on treble heavy music that was not so well recorded .

The included one was inferior.