What products you'd like to see WiiM produce?

[canard]

I agree with you on most of your points, but saying dual sub outs don't improve sound is a stretch. Adding a second sub can significantly enhance the quality of your system's sound.

This is coming from a guy running only a single sub.

-Ed

The hardware is basic... but the software just needs to offer stereo settings like the PEQ mode.

 

[Wiimer]

The DAP can be designed with either one of two software approaches:
1) based on Android, but the WiiM Home App controls the DAP directly via touchscreen (essentially like any other DAP using its own native music app, such as HiByMusic on a HiBy R4).
2) LinkPlay develop a version of the OS in the WiiM Ultra to run on a larger vertical display with the complete feature set of the phone/tablet app as the interface of the WiiM DAP itself.

The point of the DAP would the same sort of usage as the old iPods, so higher performance DAC and headphone amp integrated within than smartphones have (specifically the amp stage, something with the power to drive even moderately power hungry planar magnetic headphones), offering both, 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced (which can put out 4X the power of the single-ended output) outputs. It would have a micro SD slot for one’s personal library and then a WiFi radio to take advantage of either your phone’s hotspot or any other available WiFi. A Bluetooth radio with at least AptX Adaptive and AptX Lossless support if not also LDAC and/or LHDC.

The point is to have that same WiiM listening experience you have at home, but when you’re on the go.

My other suggestions about the added value functionality were to have a calibrated mic integrated for when you ARE at home to improve the functionality of your home WiiM devices’ RoomFit and sub calibration workflows. Additionally, since DAPs have physical buttons for Play/Pause/Skip/Repeat/Return and Volume Up/Down, it should be able to sync to your home WiiM device and act as a remote for the home devices when on the shared network. The big advantage here is that, unlike the normal remotes, which are synced via Bluetooth to the specific device/streamer that it belongs to, the DAP would work over WiFi so you can control whichever WiiM device you choose from any room in the house with WiFi, an especially useful thing to have if you don’t want to have to seek out the remote, want to control playback in a different room, and don’t want to have to open/unlock the screen and open an app.

Smartphones don’t have headphone jacks anymore, but not everyone wants to use wireless crap. A good quality DAC/amp integrated already makes any DAP better than a smartphone without headphone jacks for serious listeners. WiiM potentially can make the best UI on the market for a DAP, and the integration with the rest of the ecosystem would be icing on the cake.

-Ed

Thank you for the detailed explanation.

I think I now have a much better understanding of the DAP. What interests me most is the Wi-Fi Remote feature.
I actually suggested the Wi-Fi Remote in the recent WiiM survey.

 

[EddNog]

Thank you for the detailed explanation.

I think I now have a much better understanding of the DAP. What interests me most is the Wi-Fi Remote feature.
I actually suggested the Wi-Fi Remote in the recent WiiM survey.

Yes; additionally, many people don't want to deal with the UI clutter on phones, the constant notifications, the constant distractions, etc. A dedicated DAP filters all that crap out.

-Ed

 

[michigan]

What products would you like to see based on what you've experienced so far?

Of like to see a balanced, full feature preamp.
1. Bass control, crossovers for the speakers.
2. Multiple subwoofer outputs
3. At least 4 pr RCA inputs and 2 pair of balanced input. Not TRS, the regular one.
4.Maybe a interactive room correction suite.
5. Built in quality phono stage
I want a do it all, and do it very well unit. Like the Parasound P5 and P6 but add a couple things.
6. How about full size gear?

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

Of like to see a balanced, full feature preamp.
1. Bass control, crossovers for the speakers.
2. Multiple subwoofer outputs
3. At least 4 pr RCA inputs and 2 pair of balanced input. Not TRS, the regular one.
4.Maybe a interactive room correction suite.
5. Built in quality phono stage
I want a do it all, and do it very well unit. Like the Parasound P5 and P6 but add a couple things.
6. How about full size gear?

I’d be surprised if they deliberately eschewed TRS. Why? The sound quality is no different and, especially with the large amount of sockets you’re suggesting, space will be a premium.

More ins and outs is always better, but WiiM will have to balance the increased cost against the number of people for whom each extra one is a must have.

Finally, if you want them to go that got down the analogue road, an improved ADC is a must.

 

[hgo58]

I’d be surprised if they deliberately eschewed TRS. Why? The sound quality is no different and, especially with the large amount of sockets you’re suggesting, space will be a premium.

More ins and outs is always better, but WiiM will have to balance the increased cost against the number of people for whom each extra one is a must have.

Finally, if you want them to go that got down the analogue road, an improved ADC is a must.

And you can always add additional inputs by extending your setup with additional WiiM devices (e.g. Pro Plus).

 

[s3igell]

all our devices iOS , Mac OS , ATV, show great interfaces, the software / OS of WiiM is possibly the best and makes changing to competitor not attractive...

Realize that no future WiiM Device is likely to have Apple Music / AirPlay support - as the "feud" between Apple and LinkPlay seems to be adamant.

 

[s3igell]

Of like to see a balanced, full feature preamp.
1. Bass control, crossovers for the speakers.
2. Multiple subwoofer outputs
3. At least 4 pr RCA inputs and 2 pair of balanced input. Not TRS, the regular one.
4.Maybe a interactive room correction suite.
5. Built in quality phono stage
I want a do it all, and do it very well unit. Like the Parasound P5 and P6 but add a couple things.
6. How about full size gear?

Instead of WiiM moving to a full-size Audio Video Unit format, why not an existing full-size A-V Manufacturer adopt the LinkPlay/WiiM SoC/Software?? Let a Parasound or Denon or Yamaha (et al) provide the "old-school" hardware that they have spent decades perfecting be combined with the Multi-room / Multi-source / Multi-DSP featured Control Platform which is so impressive of WiiM.

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

Realize that no future WiiM Device is likely to have Apple Music / AirPlay support - as the "feud" between Apple and LinkPlay seems to be adamant.

That has crossed my mind. I wouldn’t be sure it’s correct, but I suspect it may well be.

 

[canard]

What are the sources for this "information"?

What do the wiim members who participate in the forum say?
(but we don't even know what hardware might be in development at Wiim...)

 

[Burnside]

That has crossed my mind. I wouldn’t be sure it’s correct, but I suspect it may well be.

That's all it is, suspicion and speculation

 

[s3igell]

That's all it is, suspicion and speculation

You really think that LinkPlay wouldn't include AirPlay in any of their latest 5 Streaming Devices if they had any choice??

 

[Burnside]

You really think that LinkPlay wouldn't include AirPlay in any of their latest 5 Streaming Devices if they had any choice??

Do you definitively know there's a "feud" between Apple and Linkplay, or are you simply speculating? If you have a reliable source that states that, I'd be interested if you could post the link.

I still think this post best sums it up https://forum.wiimhome.com/threads/what-products-youd-like-to-see-wiim-produce.725/post-126825

 

[s3igell]

If you have a reliable source that states that, I'd be interested if you could post the link.

The only "reliable sources" would be Apple (known for their restrictions and uses of NDA at will) and LinkPlay (who may still have hopes of a better resolution in the future). Otherwise, @harkpabst captured the best speculative answers in the same post as you reference.

But, you didn't answer my question:

You really think that LinkPlay wouldn't include AirPlay in any of their latest 5 Streaming Devices if they had any choice??

 

[harkpabst]

You really think that LinkPlay wouldn't include AirPlay in any of their latest 5 Streaming Devices if they had any choice??

I thought of this as a rhetorical question and assumed that @Burnside did so, too.

Obviously, the answer is no. Remember, WiiM had initially announced the Ultra to come with AirPlay 2 support ...

Everything else is speculation (as I mentioned in the post linked above) unless you are either working on the very topic on Apple's or Linkplay's part. I don't work for either of them.

 

[Burnside]

I thought of this as a rhetorical question and assumed that @Burnside did so, too.

Obviously, the answer is no. Remember, WiiM had initially announced the Ultra to come with AirPlay 2 support ...

Everything else is speculation (as I mentioned in the post linked to above) I less you are either working on the very topic on Apple's or Linkplay's part. I don't work for either of them.

And even if any of us did, as you say in your excellent post linked above, it'd undoubtedly be covered by an NDA...

 

[Achim2026]

Maybe I could sue one of them for you?

 

[Burnside]

Maybe I could sue one of them for you?

You'd need pockets as deep as the Mariana Trench to do that though

 

[Achim2026]

You'd need pockets as deep as the Mariana Trench to do that though

This is never my own money

 

[taube Taube]

You'd need pockets as deep as the Mariana Trench to do that though

Because the 'rule of law' is definitely how you win in court, right?