Prevent Active Speakers From Auto Power-Off, using Periodic Ping

[indispus]

My suggestion is to add a feature that periodically `pings` the active speakers to prevent them from automatically turning off.
This can be achieved by sending an inaudible signal to the speakers after (configurable) X minutes of inactivity.

Due to EU regulations, most active speakers automatically power down after a few minutes of inactivity, requiring users to switch them back on manually. This can be quite annoying.

My setup: WiiM Ultra + Q Acoustics M20 active speakers - used for TV audio and Spotify straming.
My problem: When pausing the TV, for example, the speakers turn off automatically, even if the WiiM Ultra is still on.

 

[Ronnie D]

the speakers turn off automatically

You could set up a preset on your WiiM remote to play a radio station at a reduced volume. Thats how I stop things powering down.

 

[indispus]

You could set up a preset on your WiiM remote to play a radio station at a reduced volume. Thats how I stop things powering down.

Could work, but it's not ideal...

 

[Hiliew]

That would actually be a pretty handy feature. A small, inaudible ping every so often could keep the speakers awake without affecting the listening experience. Auto power-off is useful for energy saving, but it becomes a hassle when your setup goes silent for a moment and you have to wake everything back up manually. Your use case makes sense, and a configurable keep-alive signal seems like a simple way to avoid that constant on/off cycle.

 

[HansD-NL]

"and you have to wake everything back up manually" -- Don't understand the manually part. As far as I know and have experience with a device with auto-off will automatically switch back on when a signal is present...

 

[indispus]

"and you have to wake everything back up manually" -- Don't understand the manually part. As far as I know and have experience with a device with auto-off will automatically switch back on when a signal is present...

That is not the case for most active speakers. They just turn off and won't turn on automatically when signal is resumed.

 

[HansD-NL]

That is not the case for most active speakers. They just turn off and won't turn on automatically when signal is resumed.

Please give some examples as I'm not aware. My Genelec, KRK, Alesis & Neumann speakers all turn on again without pushing knobs or switches. My DAC does and also some other devices.

 

[slartibartfast]

That is not the case for most active speakers. They just turn off and won't turn on automatically when signal is resumed.

Which speakers do you have?

Does your active loudspeakers auto-standby feature work as expected?

I'm interested to see how well this function is implemented. Please pick a choice in the poll - if you have several loudspeakers, then provide details of each in thread. When answering, answer for your main pair of speakers. Name your loudspeakers and comment on whether the auto standby feature...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[indispus]

Here are two examples of speakers that turn off automatically, but won't turn back on:
- Q Acoustics M20
- Heco Ascada 2.0

 

[HansD-NL]

Here are two examples of speakers that turn off automatically, but won't turn back on:
- Q Acoustics M20
- Heco Ascada 2.0

Aha is see, poor implementation of an auto standby function but these are exceptions, the vast majority of speakers and other devices work as you would expect.

 

[indispus]

So this feature request should cover the described scenario and brings value to the WiiM Ultra.

 

[Aquaman]

So this feature request should cover the described scenario and brings value to the WiiM Ultra.

You should rather place a request with the speaker manufacturer to introduce a wake-up function upon an incoming signal. On of my amps has this and it works flawlessly. Your problem is a shortcoming of your speakers, not of your WiiM.