Powering WiiM Pro Plus with a power bank

[freaknout]

"When people don't understand, they invent their own explanation"

Too true!

 

[MCG555]

Interesting theory.

'The only thing..'

How can you prove you are not fooling yourself?



Bud, it doesn't really matter if it's real or not. If you like it, you like it. No one can experience what you experience. No one can deny your experience.

You'll have to get used to uncertainty. Uncertainly drives discovery. Discovery means change. I can see why folks are afraid of change. They like rules.

Some might really need to reconsider if music is a suitable hobby for them given that's its a phycoacoustic experience.

Of course I agree in the term, when it makes you feel good and you believe it has a positive hearing experience for you - go for it! No matter if it is placebo!

 

[jed1]

Instead of a power bank that has a internal battery management circuit, I'd rather use a combination of;

• battery cases - each holding 4 D battery. Two battery cases are wired together in parallel for higher capacity and/or battery change without shutting off. This will power WiiM with either 4 or 8 batteries.
• metal hydride rechargeable batteries - D-size, 1.2V output. 4 D batteries in series output 4.8V
• USB-C power pigtail - 2 wires to connect to battery case

These are off-the-shelf items and relatively easy to rig up.

I'm not sure whether this can improve sound or not, but it is unlikely to introduce any power-related noises.

 

[HansD-NL]

I replaced the included (WiiM Pro) 5V USB supply with an Apple 12W supply that I don't use for anything else anymore but that was just out of safety concerns. It's better build, stringent safety certifications, lower leakage current & very stable at high(er) power draw. Did the same with my Topping DX3 Pro+, it now has a top quality Mean Well 15V power supply.

 

[Horsey]

Of course I agree in the term, when it makes you feel good and you believe it has a positive hearing experience for you - go for it! No matter if it is placebo!

If you don't have all the equipment to measure differences in your testing but your ears, you can always have a couple of friends come over and let them act as the blind test portion.

When their mouths drop, then you know you were (confidently) correct all along. My friend has a lot of testing equipment on his bench but we don't need it to know about changes/improvements. The bench tests confirm the details.

 

[harkpabst]

That's what some believe and others argue against from a scientific point of view.

 

[Aquaman]

I shall try it on my coffee machine.
My girl friend will surely smell the difference from another room.

 

[Horsey]

That's what some believe and others argue against from a scientific point of view.

Think the issue comes where only some limited measurements are claimed to determine audio equipment performance.
The human ear has a great depth of perception and beyond today's audio measurements. This is the case today and going back decades.

As one famous designer of an American audio company today has said, "Measures great, sounds like shite."

True story.

 

[HansD-NL]

The human ear has a great depth of perception and beyond today's audio measurements. This is the case today and going back decades.

I'm not going to challenge your believe but the above statement is false.

 

[Aquaman]

I'm not going to challenge your believe but the above statement is false.

Leave them be. They‘re in another camp. You can have your fun with them but not argue. Useless.

 

[Horsey]

I'm not going to challenge your believe but the above statement is false.

You can challenge my experience and ears if you like. Actually, if you look back over the decades, there was measurements that were highly presented as most significant that did not turn out to be the end all. I've had amps I fancied back in the day like a Yamaha integrated, it was tops among an AX series.

Had kept it as a backup in the late 90s when I obtained some midrange Rotel 200 watt amplifier and preamp to drive B&W speakers.
When a minor issue came up with the amp, I put back in the Yamaha AX700u, glad I had the backup.

It sounded hard, sterile and frankly awful compared to the midfi Rotel amp and preamp. But hey, the Yamaha measured great!
Ok, we're getting off track so I'll point out that my experience using a battery driven WiiM Pro in my big tube amp monoblock system is superb and leave it at that. Enjoy the music and a blessed Happy Thanksgiving to all.

 

[Horsey]

Leave them be. They‘re in another camp. You can have your fun with them but not argue. Useless.

Kinda think of myself as being in both camps. Today, we have equipment that is available to measure but in the end our ears play the final decision for any number of reasons from the room to the sonic benefits in separation, tonal character, spatial perception, etc. I've seen results from both and doubt the journey with the human ear is concluded, IMHO. We will learn more.

 

[MCG555]

It sounded hard, sterile and frankly awful compared to the midfi Rotel amp and preamp. But hey, the Yamaha measured great!

Not a very good example, as Amp components deteriorate over time, as you know…

 

[slartibartfast]

Not a very good example, as Amp components deteriorate over time, as you know…

The hi-fi press always used to criticise most Japanese amplifiers didn't they? Maybe they didn't have enough distortion

 

[harkpabst]

Think the issue comes where only some limited measurements are claimed to determine audio equipment performance.
The human ear has a great depth of perception and beyond today's audio measurements. This is the case today and going back decades.

As one famous designer of an American audio company today has said, "Measures great, sounds like shite."

True story.

I didn't say you should measure stuff instead of listening.

I do say that you cannot trust your own listening experience, no matter how many like-minded friends you bring along, unless the listening environment is well controlled and statistical methods are employed for evaluation. You cannot escape the multiple biases we are prone to, even if you know about them.