The competition doesn't sleep

[canard]

I‘m sure they are sitting there just waiting for me.

Make sure to specify that it's "urgent and important"...
Make sure to specify that it's for you (they might even engrave your name on the case) And make a very precise list of your needs...
and therefore the price, which will necessarily reflect everything that will be removed...

see... if you're an ( futur) "influencer" online... suggest they give it to you for free...
That seems like a good idea to me...

 

[RazzFazz]

You should tell them to make a very simplified version that's well-suited to you. For you, at a very low price, of course...

Isn’t that exactly the behavior that an extremely large number of 'individualists' here assume with WiiM? ;-)

 

[canard]

Sure?
;-)

 

[Dude]

All with AirPlay support.

The big mystery is why did Yamaha go dark on competing in this category now? They had a line of streaming preamp and D amps. They stopped making them a few years ago. Many expected replacements by now. But nothing has appeared to replace them. Musiccast is not bad but, just needs to stay competitive and Yamaha makes good stuff. I like WiiM, I like Yamaha, I like global competition. Japan, USA, Canada, and Europe cannot ceed it all to China because of sleepiness! The older brands are sleepwalking into their graves. Yamaha (giant conglomerate of many things musical and audio — consumer and professional + motorsports things) won't go away but, common. Compete!

 

[Wiimer]

The big mystery is why did Yamaha go dark on competing in this category now? They had a line of streaming preamp and D amps. They stopped making them a few years ago. Many expected replacements by now. But nothing has appeared to replace them. Musiccast is not bad but, just needs to stay competitive and Yamaha makes good stuff. I like WiiM, I like Yamaha, I like global competition. Japan, USA, Canada, and Europe cannot ceed it all to China because of sleepiness! The older brands are sleepwalking into their graves. Yamaha (giant conglomerate of many things musical and audio — consumer and professional + motorsports things) won't go away but, common. Compete!

In my opinion, Yamaha is simply responding to changing demand and focusing on profitable categories. Broadly speaking, they're concentrating on premium audio and pro audio. However, they are releasing new soundbar products where demand is high. E.g., AVRs require significant development costs, and demand for them is shrinking.

 

[Aquaman]

In my opinion, Yamaha is simply responding to changing demand and focusing on profitable categories. Broadly speaking, they're concentrating on premium audio and pro audio. However, they are releasing new soundbar products where demand is high. E.g., AVRs require significant development costs, and demand for them is shrinking.

I don’tt see how soundbars are premium audio. The same applies to streaming receivers. Those are at best middle class from a hifi perspective.
My first hifi stack was all Yamaha. And I like them. But now there‘s not a single product in their range that I would need, want or buy. I find it very sad. @Dude has described the situation very well.

 

[RazzFazz]

I don’tt see how soundbars are premium audio. The same applies to streaming receivers. Those are at best middle class from a hifi perspective.
My first hifi stack was all Yamaha. And I like them. But now there‘s not a single product in their range that I would need, want or buy. I find it very sad. @Dude has described the situation very well.

Nothing you like or nothing within reach?

 

[Aquaman]

Nothing you like or nothing within reach?

Like.

 

[Aquaman]

Traditional amps may be nice but I have moved on. I will never have a class A/B amp again.

 

[Wiimer]

I don’tt see how soundbars are premium audio. The same applies to streaming receivers. Those are at best middle class from a hifi perspective.
My first hifi stack was all Yamaha. And I like them. But now there‘s not a single product in their range that I would need, want or buy. I find it very sad. @Dude has described the situation very well.

It seems my point isn't getting across, but I never said soundbars were premium audio. However, it's clear soundbars are the most in-demand AV product, so it's only natural Yamaha continues to release them. But like AVRs, I suspect network receivers are a less profitable segment for them.

 

[canard]

Yamaha still has an audio range, even a new series of fairly serious speakers... Perhaps the streaming market is too crowded and difficult... especially with players like Wiim Eversolo, etc.

 

[Aquaman]

It seems my point isn't getting across, but I never said soundbars were premium audio. However, it's clear soundbars are the most in-demand AV product, so it's only natural Yamaha continues to release them. But like AVRs, I suspect network receivers are a less profitable segment for them.

I realise that soundbars snd AVRs are a hot market. But so are streamers. How else would people get the audio into their systems otherwise? Sure, you can hook up a laptop. But is this what most folks really do? I doubt it.

 

[EddNog]

I realise that soundbars snd AVRs are a hot market. But so are streamers. How else would people get the audio into their systems otherwise? Sure, you can hook up a laptop. But is this what most folks really do? I doubt it.

Let’s be honest, here—most people are just using terrible sounding AAC Bluetooth, accepting convenience over sound quality.

-Ed

 

[Aquaman]

Yamaha still has an audio range, even a new series of fairly serious speakers... Perhaps the streaming market is too crowded and difficult... especially with players like Wiim Eversolo, etc.

A crowded market is good, for everyone involved. I‘d say soundbars and AVRs are also in fierce competition with each other across brands.
I‘m sure Yamaha could make a top tier and yet sensible preamp/streamer if only they decided to do so.

 

[Aquaman]

Let’s be honest, here—most people are just using terrible sounding AAC Bluetooth, accepting convenience over sound quality.

-Ed

I see what you mean. But BT is anything but convenient in my eyes. You walk out of the room and audio breaks. Great!

 

[Wiimer]

I‘m sure Yamaha could make a top tier and yet sensible preamp/streamer if only they decided to do so.

Do you think a major corporation like Yamaha could pull off the same low-margin, high-volume streaming model as WiiM, while also updating apps and firmware every month and releasing multiple new products each year?

However, since Linkplay has a proven track record of providing software to Yamaha, partnering with them in the streamer field would be intriguing.

 

[dtc]

Yamaha actually provides a very robust streaming environment through its MusicCast app and MusicCast devices and has had that for many years. No need to get into a head to head comparison with Wiim - both have their strengths and weaknesses. I just wanted to point out that Yamaha does have an integrated streaming set of products.

MusicCast has all the major streaming apps and many radio stations. It uses WI to connect to Yamaha devices as well as Bluetooth and AirPlay 2. The WiFI connections are lossless and include both PCM and DSD. Devices include stereo preamps and receivers, AV receivers, amplifiers, a turntable and all sorts of speakers and soundbars - all controlled by the MusicCast app on your phone. It supports multiple linked devices with the main device playing at the native sample rate of the source and linked devices at 48K.

Yahama has always aimed at a higher end market than Wiim and it's devices typically have more flexibility in terms of inputs and outputs compared to Wiim. They also have AV devices devices that WIim does not have. What they do not have is low cost streaming devices like Wiim has.

Anyway, Wiim is clearly on the cutting edge of low cost streaming devices but don't count out Yamaha.

 

[Aquaman]

Yamaha actually provides a very robust streaming environment through its MusicCast app and MusicCast devices and has had that for many years. No need to get into a head to head comparison with Wiim - both have their strengths and weaknesses. I just wanted to point out that Yamaha does have an integrated streaming set of products.

MusicCast has all the major streaming apps and many radio stations. It uses WI to connect to Yamaha devices as well as Bluetooth and AirPlay 2. The WiFI connections are lossless and include both PCM and DSD. Devices include stereo preamps and receivers, AV receivers, amplifiers, a turntable and all sorts of speakers and soundbars - all controlled by the MusicCast app on your phone. It supports multiple linked devices with the main device playing at the native sample rate of the source and linked devices at 48K.

Yahama has always aimed at a higher end market than Wiim and it's devices typically have more flexibility in terms of inputs and outputs compared to Wiim. They also have AV devices devices that WIim does not have. What they do not have is low cost streaming devices like Wiim has.

Anyway, Wiim is clearly on the cutting edge of low cost streaming devices but don't count out Yamaha.

All I see are streaming receivers. I don‘t see any streaming preamps as you say. Can you point me to one?

 

[RazzFazz]

My post was referring to the “uninteresting” hi-fi segment, where, in my opinion, Yamaha actually has quite a lot to offer. I certainly wouldn’t want to be without my Yamahas.
When it comes to the streaming sector, however, they currently seem to show no real interest. Towards the end of the 2010s there was something like a WXA-50 or similar, but I can’t really comment on that. Streaming via services has never been my thing and probably never will be. But that’s surely not the topic here.

 

[dtc]

All I see are streaming receivers. I don‘t see any streaming preamps as you say. Can you point me to one?

My mistake. They are receivers not preamps. Will correct above. Sorry.

Some of the receivers do have a pre-outs which is what I was thinking of when I said preamp. I use several Yamaha receivers as "preamps" just using the pre-outs with no speakers attached.