Need help integrating WiiM Pro Plus into my audio setup...

[kurator]

Hi all!
I recently purchased WiiM Pro Plus for music streaming and would like to know what is the best way to connect it to my system?
I am currently using FiiO K7 Full Balanced HiFi DAC Headphone Amplifier, connected to my PC, to power my speakers and headphones.
I also upgraded my speaker setup from cheap Logitechs to Klipsch Nines McLaren edition, which are powered speakers with built in DAC.

What is the best way to connect WiiM Pro Plus?
Should I skip FiiO DAC completely? PC > WiiM Pro Plus > Klipsch Nines
Insert WiiM Pro Plus before FiiO DAC? PC > WiiM Pro Plus > FiiO K7 > Klipsch Nines
Insert WiiM Pro Plus after FiiO DAC? PC > FiiO K7 > WiiM Pro Plus > Klipsch Nines

I still would like to use my FiiO DAC for my headphones if possible, so should I just completely separate these DACs?
Should I use RCA analogs or digital output?

Thanks for all the help and your time!

 

[Mr Ee]

Hi all!
I recently purchased WiiM Pro Plus for music streaming and would like to know what is the best way to connect it to my system?
I am currently using FiiO K7 Full Balanced HiFi DAC Headphone Amplifier, connected to my PC, to power my speakers and headphones.
I also upgraded my speaker setup from cheap Logitechs to Klipsch Nines McLaren edition, which are powered speakers with built in DAC.

What is the best way to connect WiiM Pro Plus?
Should I skip FiiO DAC completely? PC > WiiM Pro Plus > Klipsch Nines
Insert WiiM Pro Plus before FiiO DAC? PC > WiiM Pro Plus > FiiO K7 > Klipsch Nines
Insert WiiM Pro Plus after FiiO DAC? PC > FiiO K7 > WiiM Pro Plus > Klipsch Nines

I still would like to use my FiiO DAC for my headphones if possible, so should I just completely separate these DACs?
Should I use RCA analogs or digital output?

Thanks for all the help and your time!

Hi, and welcome,

Do you mean physically connect the pc to the wiim? What do you intend to listen to that might require that?
I'd probably connect the wiim to the K7 digitally, but you could also try wiim analog out to K7 line in to see if you prefer the wiim dac output.
Going via the K7 retains headphone listening capability from any source.

 

[Wiimer]

Hi all!
I recently purchased WiiM Pro Plus for music streaming and would like to know what is the best way to connect it to my system?
I am currently using FiiO K7 Full Balanced HiFi DAC Headphone Amplifier, connected to my PC, to power my speakers and headphones.
I also upgraded my speaker setup from cheap Logitechs to Klipsch Nines McLaren edition, which are powered speakers with built in DAC.

What is the best way to connect WiiM Pro Plus?
Should I skip FiiO DAC completely? PC > WiiM Pro Plus > Klipsch Nines
Insert WiiM Pro Plus before FiiO DAC? PC > WiiM Pro Plus > FiiO K7 > Klipsch Nines
Insert WiiM Pro Plus after FiiO DAC? PC > FiiO K7 > WiiM Pro Plus > Klipsch Nines

I still would like to use my FiiO DAC for my headphones if possible, so should I just completely separate these DACs?
Should I use RCA analogs or digital output?

Thanks for all the help and your time!

Hi,

I have the same question as @Mr Ee. How do you connect PC to WiiM?

You can test all the connection methods and compare them with your own ears.

But, in my case, I prefer a simple connection as much as possible.

WiiM > (Coax or Optical) > Klipsch Nines
WiiM > (Opt or Coax) > FiiO K7 > headphone

In this way, you can switch the output with WiiM and use headphones and speakers separately.

 

[Mr Ee]

Hi,

I have the same question as @Mr Ee. How do you connect PC to WiiM?

You can test all the connection methods and compare them with your own ears.

But, in my case, I prefer a simple connection as much as possible.

WiiM > (Coax or Optical) > Klipsch Nines
WiiM > (Opt or Coax) > FiiO K7 > headphone

In this way, you can switch the output with WiiM and use headphones and speakers separately.

Nah, mine's simpler!
Just plug in headphones to stop speakers, no wiim app output switching required!
(Assuming headphones auto-mute the K7 analog out.)

Still wondering if the pc is required as a wired source to either the wiim or K7, having got the wiim.
Assuming that right now it's pc usb > K7 usb ?

 

[Wiimer]

Nah, mine's simpler!
Just plug in headphones to stop speakers, no wiim app output switching required!
(Assuming headphones auto-mute the K7 analog out.)

How does it connect?
Wiim > Fiio > klipsch in Okay?
Sorry, I've never used a Fiio dac.

Still wondering if the pc is required as a wired source to either the wiim or K7, having got the wiim.
Assuming that right now it's pc usb > K7 usb ?

I agree.
@kurator,
What streaming are you using?
Do you also want to play music files on your PC?

 

[kurator]

Hi, and welcome,

Do you mean physically connect the pc to the wiim? What do you intend to listen to that might require that?
I'd probably connect the wiim to the K7 digitally, but you could also try wiim analog out to K7 line in to see if you prefer the wiim dac output.
Going via the K7 retains headphone listening capability from any source.

Hello. Thanks for help. I was writing my post after pulling all nighter lol. These are the options that I meant:

1. Sound source > WiiM Pro+ > Fiio K7 > Klipsch Nines
2. Sound source > Fiio K7 > WiiM Pro+ > Klipsch Nines
3. Sound source > WiiM Pro+ > Klipsch Nines

So what I am trying to do is, still able to play music from my source (PC, Laptop, etc), but then I want to be able to stream from my phone at any time and speakers start playing streaming music without switching anything. I hope it makes it clear...

 

[kurator]

Hi,

I have the same question as @Mr Ee. How do you connect PC to WiiM?

You can test all the connection methods and compare them with your own ears.

But, in my case, I prefer a simple connection as much as possible.

WiiM > (Coax or Optical) > Klipsch Nines
WiiM > (Opt or Coax) > FiiO K7 > headphone

In this way, you can switch the output with WiiM and use headphones and speakers separately.

Thanks for reply. I replied to previous post on what I meant with the setup. I think my confusion is coming from the fact that all 3 devices (K7, Wiim and speakers) are all have DACs built in. So I wasn't sure if I am chaining them correctly.

 

[kurator]

Nah, mine's simpler!
Just plug in headphones to stop speakers, no wiim app output switching required!
(Assuming headphones auto-mute the K7 analog out.)

Still wondering if the pc is required as a wired source to either the wiim or K7, having got the wiim.
Assuming that right now it's pc usb > K7 usb ?

K7 has special switch in front to flip between speakers/headphones.

Also as clarified in above post, I meant Sound source instead of PC in my original post. Sorry for confusion mate!

 

[kurator]

How does it connect?
Wiim > Fiio > klipsch in Okay?
Sorry, I've never used a Fiio dac.



I agree.
@kurator,
What streaming are you using?
Do you also want to play music files on your PC?

I mostly use PC to play music from Beatport. Got Wiim Pro+ to be able to stream lossless music to Klipsch Nines from my phone and Fiio m11s player (FLACs)

From steaming services, I mostly use Deezer and Soundcloud.

 

[Mr Ee]

Hello. Thanks for help. I was writing my post after pulling all nighter lol. These are the options that I meant:

1. Sound source > WiiM Pro+ > Fiio K7 > Klipsch Nines
2. Sound source > Fiio K7 > WiiM Pro+ > Klipsch Nines
3. Sound source > WiiM Pro+ > Klipsch Nines

So what I am trying to do is, still able to play music from my source (PC, Laptop, etc), but then I want to be able to stream from my phone at any time and speakers start playing streaming music without switching anything. I hope it makes it clear...

What's on the PC? (Edit: somehow I missed the bit in the post above about beatport and m11s !)
If it's simply a load of mp3s or flacs I'd still go option 1, Wiim > K7 > Nines. (Digital out of wiim into K7, analog out of K7 to Nines)

There's likely no need to connect the pc to either the wiim or the K7 anymore.
Install a media server on the pc, something like minimserver, and then use the wiim app on your phone (or another app such as bubbleupnp on android) to play the pc files on the wiim.
Use either the wiim app or native apps for deezer and soundcloud; chromecast to wiim if using native apps.
The only switching you should then need to do is turning everything on/off, and flipping the headphone switch.

 

[Mr Ee]

There's nothing stopping you from also connecting the wiim to the Nines directly via either analog or digital, whichever the K7 isn't using.
But yes, this would require switching the wiim's outout and/or the Nines' input.
While convenience is (mostly) King, you may find that you prefer the sound of the wiim analog out into the Nines, or maybe the wiim digital into the Nines and then using the Nines' dac.

Maybe try each way for a day or two each, and when you can't decide just fall back to the easy option, wiim > K7 > Nines

 

[Wiimer]

I agree with @Mr Ee's proposal, but I think you can switch almost any route and try it if you wire it like this figure.

I don't know the detailed specifications of the Klipsch Nines, but if it's a D-class amplifier, I'd say that all connections will use the built-in DAC. In that case, the path indicated by the pink line is likely to have the highest sound quality. However, it depends on the performance of the Klipsch.

You can't go wrong with which connection method you choose. Find out what is most preferred for you.

 

[Mr Ee]

Nice picture! Someone has far too much free time...
btw, I'm told that the Nines do not digitise the analog input.

 

[Wiimer]

Nice picture! Someone has far too much free time...
btw, I'm told that the Nines do not digitise the analog input.

Is the Nines an AB amp?
It looks like it has a built-in DSP.
I wonder if there is a mode like Pure Direct.

Did you compliment me? Thank you.

 

[kurator]

Wow you guys are awesome! I am gonna start playing with all these different setups tonight. Will report back which one worked out for me! Again thanks alot!

 

[kurator]

I agree with @Mr Ee's proposal, but I think you can switch almost any route and try it if you wire it like this figure.

I don't know the detailed specifications of the Klipsch Nines, but if it's a D-class amplifier, I'd say that all connections will use the built-in DAC. In that case, the path indicated by the pink line is likely to have the highest sound quality. However, it depends on the performance of the Klipsch.

You can't go wrong with which connection method you choose. Find out what is most preferred for you.

View attachment 3157

This is epic! Thanks alot!