Resolving 24/192 not working via SPDIF

[markovian72]

Previously, I had 24/192 sampling working via SPDIF on my WiiM Mini.

Today, I went into the WiiM App and noticed that all content was playing at 44.1 and was confused... thinking maybe it was a bug in the latest firmware.

I changed the Output Resolution to a lower value, 24/96 and sound played thru my DAC -> Headphone Amp -> Headphones. But when I changed the Output Resolution to 24/192 no sound came thru... even though I heard the DAC clicking to indicate it was changing its sampling rate.

After reading another support thread, I decided to swap from the aftermarket optical cable I've been using back to the stock cable which came with the WiiM. I rebooted WiiM and my DAC, but I could still only get 24/96 to play sound.

I thought maybe the optical cable connectors weren't quite properly seated between the DAC and WiiM, so I re-adusted them and tested again. Still no sound at 24/192.

Finally, I thought that perhaps having the optical cable fairly tightly wrapped around itself could be affecting the signal... so I disconnected both connectors, swapped which connector went to the DAC & WiiM, and then reconnected everything, but wrapping the cable around in a circle much looser (i.e. greater radius). After another reboot of the devices I'm now able to get 24/192 when configuring in the WiiM App and playing music.

I just wanted to share this troubleshooting resolution in case anyone else runs into the same problem.

 

[Pcryan5]

Brilliant troubleshooting, mate.

 

[Ken Tajalli]

Previously, I had 24/192 sampling working via SPDIF on my WiiM Mini.

Today, I went into the WiiM App and noticed that all content was playing at 44.1 and was confused... thinking maybe it was a bug in the latest firmware.

I changed the Output Resolution to a lower value, 24/96 and sound played thru my DAC -> Headphone Amp -> Headphones. But when I changed the Output Resolution to 24/192 no sound came thru... even though I heard the DAC clicking to indicate it was changing its sampling rate.

After reading another support thread, I decided to swap from the aftermarket optical cable I've been using back to the stock cable which came with the WiiM. I rebooted WiiM and my DAC, but I could still only get 24/96 to play sound.

I thought maybe the optical cable connectors weren't quite properly seated between the DAC and WiiM, so I re-adusted them and tested again. Still no sound at 24/192.

Finally, I thought that perhaps having the optical cable fairly tightly wrapped around itself could be affecting the signal... so I disconnected both connectors, swapped which connector went to the DAC & WiiM, and then reconnected everything, but wrapping the cable around in a circle much looser (i.e. greater radius). After another reboot of the devices I'm now able to get 24/192 when configuring in the WiiM App and playing music.

I just wanted to share this troubleshooting resolution in case anyone else runs into the same problem.

Good one.
192kHz on optical is at the edge of any optical system capability.
Indeed, Chord DACs only advertise that their DACs are 24/96 capable on optical! But that was chosen so that they would avoid disgruntled users from complaining. Their DACs can happily manage 192kHz, provided the sender and the optical cable are quality.
A good cable, not tangled up, as you have discovered, are essential to 192kHz compatibility.

 

[markallan]

Good one.
192kHz on optical is at the edge of any optical system capability.
Indeed, Chord DACs only advertise that their DACs are 24/96 capable on optical! But that was chosen so that they would avoid disgruntled users from complaining. Their DACs can happily manage 192kHz, provided the sender and the optical cable are quality.
A good cable, not tangled up, as you have discovered, are essential to 192kHz compatibility.

I am having simular problems. The test sound for 24bit 192 just plays static but if I say yes and play tidal I get audio. But how do I know what quality is actually playing?

 

[Ken Tajalli]

I am having simular problems. The test sound for 24bit 192 just plays static but if I say yes and play tidal I get audio. But how do I know what quality is actually playing?

Your DAC should tell you.

 

[adias]

I find that 192/24 is less stable on the Mini. Far more stable on the Pro. The developers should take another look to the Mini software regarding 192/24 performance.

 

[Mr Ee]

I am having simular problems. The test sound for 24bit 192 just plays static but if I say yes and play tidal I get audio. But how do I know what quality is actually playing?

It'd depend on your wiim app settings and your dac's mqa abilities.
I'm assuming you have tidal hifi plus!

Edit: and where are you playing tidal? Within wiim app, or tidal connect from tidal app?
I believe it's still the case that tidal from within wiim app is limited to 48 max, i.e. no mqa.

 

[markallan]

It'd depend on your wiim app settings and your dac's mqa abilities.
I'm assuming you have tidal hifi plus!

Edit: and where are you playing tidal? Within wiim app, or tidal connect from tidal app?
I believe it's still the case that tidal from within wiim app is limited to 48 max, i.e. no mqa.

Now the 24bit 192 passes the test and I have it set to that. I do not know what has changed to make it work?

 

[rarewolf]

Now the 24bit 192 passes the test and I have it set to that. I do not know what has changed to make it work?

I wondered how the WiiM might handle a 192kHz track when configured for SPDIF 96kHz. My player is still reporting 192kHz…(?)

 

[rarewolf]

I wondered how the WiiM might handle a 192kHz track when configured for SPDIF 96kHz. My player is still reporting 192kHz…(?)

Oops!, my bad… My DAC is reporting the correct value, 96kHz… my player must be reading the file’s tags…

… and that brings up a question. If I want to govern the the output sampling rate which is best? To have Jriver downsample 192=>96kHz (using SoX) from the server, or to have the WiiM do it?

 

[Mr Ee]

Assuming you need 96 max out of the wiim as that's the max the dac accepts, I'd set it in the wiim anyway as the wiim will only downsample if necessary.
Up to you whether you then decide to downsample before sending to wiim based on whether you prefer JRiver's downsampling method / sound.

 

[rarewolf]

Having tested it, the WiiM’s ‘on the fly’ downsampling is certainly efficient and practically transparent. One advantage of having the Jriver server take care of it is that it’s only half the data would be transferred via a 2-story wifi mesh. It would certainly come down to how efficiently Jriver can handle it, and I cannot imagine differences I would be able to detect, let alone the difficulty of a serious A-B comparison…

 

[karol.k]

Short question. During setup of WiiM mini I can hear only 48 kHz through my speakers (old JBL 97 + Akai AM-55 ampliffier with toslink option, DAC built in). So my spdif is setup on 48 kHz but Akai shows me only 44.1. Why is that? I know it can play much more because my friend has DAC DIY and leds on my Akai turn off when he start play from Tidal. Sound is amazing. I'm not using Tidal but Apple Music. Any advices?

 

[onlyoneme]

What frequency your amp shows when you play a test file at 48 kHz?

 

[karol.k]

44 kHz

 

[onlyoneme]

WiiM Home app test files used during the setup of the digital port resolution are in the selected resolution, there is no resampling here. So if the receiver indicate a different resolution it's probably a receiver's issue.

 

[karol.k]

You know, I'm wondering why WiiM play 48kHz test file (I hear it in speakers) and my ampliffier support this frequency but doesn't play it?

 

[WiiM Support]

You know, I'm wondering why WiiM play 48kHz test file (I hear it in speakers) and my ampliffier support this frequency but doesn't play it?

Hi karol.k,

Are you playing Apple Music via the AirPlay 2? If so, the AirPlay transmits the 44.1k/16-bit audio to AirPlay 2 receivers like the WiiM Mini or Pro that decodes and outputs in the original sample rate without any resampling (to get the best possible audio quality). Thus, you'll see the 44.1k/16-bit with AirPlay 2. Thank you!

 

[karol.k]

Hi karol.k,

Are you playing Apple Music via the AirPlay 2? If so, the AirPlay transmits the 44.1k/16-bit audio to AirPlay 2 receivers like the WiiM Mini or Pro that decodes and outputs in the original sample rate without any resampling (to get the best possible audio quality). Thus, you'll see the 44.1k/16-bit with AirPlay 2. Thank you!

No. WiiM is connected with wifi router on one point and optical toslink to amplifier on second. I play music from iPhone or PC (iTunes) and I can't achive more bit rate than 44k. Once I connected WiiM with amplifier by jack 3.5 mm to WiiM and 2xRCA to amplifier. Then I was able to play higher bit rate what suprised me because it's analog connection, not digital.

 

[karol.k]

I have the amp with internal DAC and it's good quality that's why I connected WiiM by toslink not RCA. But it seems it's better to use toslink with rating 44k rather than using RCA.