No amazon ultra HD via external DAC

[Popmaster109]

Hi on the wiim app, on SPDIF output resolution I've selected 192khz + 24bits
It plays the tune + my external separate DAC it shows it's received a HD signal yet when I play a amazon music ultra HD track the HD light goes off, I have made sure inches wiim app I've selected HD/UHD for amazon music/ Then on amazon music app I've selected via the settings streaming quality HD/UHD + still when playing UHD tracks on my external DAC the HD/Hi-res light goes off??? Then I went back to the wiim Pro app and once again went to SPDIF output preferences and selected 192khz + 24 bit played test audio clicked yes and the test music played and the HD light came on my DAC'S front panel??? Any advice

 

[Vangelo51]

The new casting device in the Amazon Music app should be your Wiim - the protocol for casting that Amazon Music uses is called AlexaCast (for legacy reasons) and that’s why you need to link your WiiM Home app to your Alexa account. The WiiM device acts like an Amazon Echo in that respect and should also appear in the Alexa app.

If you look at the Amazon app before casting, it should have a badge indicating HD or UHD - click on that and it will give you the big depth and sample rate. It could be that you’re actually playing a 16/44.1 as reported by your DAC and that there’s a bug in the WiiM Home app amazon music display. Try playing a 24/192 track (if your DAC supports that) like ELO’s “Mr Blue Sky” and see what transpires.

I get the UHD badge (24/44) before casting & while casting, but at DAC shows 16/44
Yes.....playing hires files through the Wiim App gives me full resolution at the DAC.

 

[Vangelo51]

Are you using Chromecast by mistake?

If you see two WiiM Pros on the Connect to Device screen in the Amazon Music app, tap the round icon. The square icon is Chromecast, which in this case cannot be played in HD/UHD.

View attachment 1473

Yes, I get this now and playing UHD via the Wiim Pro icon it still displays 16/44 at DAC

 

[Vangelo51]

Interesting.

The UHD tracks I wasn't getting the display to show UHD on my DAC display were from my playlists I transferred from Tidal.
I tried some new UHD tracks from Amazon Music and everything worked!

Is there an explanation?

Update: Weird. Some of my Tidal transfer tracks displaying the Amazon UHD badge give me a resolution at my DAC of 44. Some display 48, and a few 96. So I guess its working.........maybe my DAC doesnt like 44/24............

Thanks guys for solving this for me!

 

[Brantome]

How did you transfer the playlists? Perhaps you got a higher resolution display from the tracks in Tidal as they were perhaps MQA tracks that were unfolded to a higher resolution, but the Amazon Music versions were only available in CD quality? I can’t think of any transfer mechanism where just the track metadata (I.e, album,artist, track etc) would cause what you describe.

 

[Vangelo51]

How did you transfer the playlists? Perhaps you got a higher resolution display from the tracks in Tidal as they were perhaps MQA tracks that were unfolded to a higher resolution, but the Amazon Music versions were only available in CD quality? I can’t think of any transfer mechanism where just the track metadata (I.e, album,artist, track etc) would cause what you describe.

It wasn't transfer. My DAC only displays Khz, so the 44 would not change, even though bitrate did. Only when I played files of 48 or higher did I realise I was actually getting UHD.

 

[edo gawa]

Yes having just carried out some listening tests it sounds like to me it's playing in top sound quality many thanks to everyone who has contributed

I also have a Naim Dac. If you are playing hi res files you certainly want to see that HD lamp lit on the nDac and should be able to hear the difference. Next time you are playing a hi res file and don't see the HD lamp lit try briefly changing the input of the dac with one of the other 3 buttons on the front and then switch back to the input that has the WiiM while it is playing. That might make a difference. Sometimes the nDac is a bit fussy when locking onto a signal.

 

[Mr Ee]

see that HD lamp ... hear the difference