Should I use the digital or analog out of my Wiim Pro or Pro Plus when connecting it to an AVR?

[Wiimforme78]

Hello,

I am wondering if I should use the digital out (optical) instead of the analog out of my Wiim devices (I have booth Pro and Prol Plus) when connecting them to an AVR. I assume the digital out would be best unless you are setting the receiver sound setting to "Direct." I believe "Direct" is the only setting where there will be no digital processing and therefore remove any additional ADC and DAC in the path. As such, there would be a benefit in using the better DAC of the Wiim Pro Plus when running the analogue out of it into the analogue in of the AVR (In this case a Onkyo RX-50Z or a Denon x4400h). However, if the receiver is doing any processing, including creating an all-stereo output, then I believe it would be best to use the digital output, which would be of the same quality on the Wiim Pro or Pro Plus.

Do I have this correct? Any comments, questions or concerns are greatly appreciated!

 

[Smartplug]

Hello,

I am wondering if I should use the digital out (optical) instead of the analog out of my Wiim devices (I have booth Pro and Prol Plus) when connecting them to an AVR. I assume the digital out would be best unless you are setting the receiver sound setting to "Direct." I believe "Direct" is the only setting where there will be no digital processing and therefore remove any additional ADC and DAC in the path. As such, there would be a benefit in using the better DAC of the Wiim Pro Plus when running the analogue out of it into the analogue in of the AVR (In this case a Onkyo RX-50Z or a Denon x4400h). However, if the receiver is doing any processing, including creating an all-stereo output, then I believe it would be best to use the digital output, which would be of the same quality on the Wiim Pro or Pro Plus.

Do I have this correct? Any comments, questions or concerns are greatly appreciated!

Connect both analog and digital. Listen carefully which dac you prefer.

 

[harkpabst]

Hello,

I am wondering if I should use the digital out (optical) instead of the analog out of my Wiim devices (I have booth Pro and Prol Plus) when connecting them to an AVR. I assume the digital out would be best unless you are setting the receiver sound setting to "Direct." I believe "Direct" is the only setting where there will be no digital processing and therefore remove any additional ADC and DAC in the path. As such, there would be a benefit in using the better DAC of the Wiim Pro Plus when running the analogue out of it into the analogue in of the AVR (In this case a Onkyo RX-50Z or a Denon x4400h). However, if the receiver is doing any processing, including creating an all-stereo output, then I believe it would be best to use the digital output, which would be of the same quality on the Wiim Pro or Pro Plus.

Do I have this correct? Any comments, questions or concerns are greatly appreciated!

You summed things up correctly: If the analogue input gets digitised by the AVR, then its DAC and an additional ADC will be in the signal chain, anyway. The potentially better DAC of the Pro Plus won't help at all. Plus the optical connection shouldn't be prone to RFIbor ground loops.

You can still try it out both ways, but if you still prefer the analogue output, this just means you prefer the "sound" of the AVR's ADC.

 

[rccarguy]

Typically for a AVR, use digital, as you want to benefit from the AVR's room correction, levels, bass management. If you send it analogue the AVR will digitise analogue inputs anyway. UNLESS your AVR has analogue bypass function, in which case that's ok use "pure direct" but then you lose room correction, bass management, levels etc.

Unless you just want to use the PEQ in the Wiim, for example if you find the AVR room correction too aggresive, you can then use pure direct, analogue out and the Wiim manual PEQ like one PEQ filter only, rather than OTT correction

 

[pieterv1]

Going to agree with above comments:

Your AVR more than likely digitizes all analog inputs and outputs all audio through its own DAC circuit.

Better to skip one stage of DA and AD conversion by sending digital audio from the WiiM to the AVR.

 

[Wiimforme78]

Thank you all for confirming my suspicions. No need to go with the pro plus as I would rather skip the ADC/DAC.