What's the advantage of a WiiM streamer VS an Echo device for Amazon Music to AVR?

[Woody]

The speakers are in-wall and seem to be decent but were put in before me so not sure of the specs.
I purchased a Marantz Cinema 60 to drive the speakers, which also has Amazon Music streaming built in.
Problem is I can't get the Marantz AVR to be a part of a speaker group which is something I would like to have.
I connected an Echo and have it working the way I like but would like to know if a WiiM Streamer of some type would be a significant difference. I'm also making an assumption that a WiiM Streamer will play with Echo speaker groups like my WiiM Amp does. Any suggestion on models? Sound quality better with WiiM is understood.
Thank you.

 

[Burnside]

If you’re taking the analog aux out from an echo device then you’ll be using the echo’s DAC which is unlikely to be as good as that in a WiiM device - which echo model/gen are you using btw? Also, unless you’re using an Echo Studio/Link/Link Amp, you’ll only be playing Amazon Music at 24/48 at best, not the 24/96 or 24/192 tracks a WiiM device will support.
All WiiM devices (the WiiM edition audio pro speakers apart) can be part of an Alexa MRM group, but again there you’re limited to 24/48 in group playback.

 

[Woody]

If you’re taking the analog aux out from an echo device then you’ll be using the echo’s DAC which is unlikely to be as good as that in a WiiM device - which echo model/gen are you using btw? Also, unless you’re using an Echo Studio/Link/Link Amp, you’ll only be playing Amazon Music at 24/48 at best, not the 24/96 or 24/192 tracks a WiiM device will support.
All WiiM devices (the WiiM edition audio pro speakers apart) can be part of an Alexa MRM group, but again there you’re limited to 24/48 in group playback.

The one I have connected is a 3rd generation, I believe. It's the puck shape with speaker cloth around the perimeter. I never thought about it, but playing in MRM is going 24/48 so a new WiiM is going to be the same resolution as the Echo 3rd gen but with a much better DAC?
I was really hoping the new Marantz would play in MRM like the WiiM products, but it appears not. Says "incompatible" in the device list when I try to add it.

 

[Burnside]

The one I have connected is a 3rd generation, I believe. It's the puck shape with speaker cloth around the perimeter. I never thought about it, but playing in MRM is going 24/48 so a new WiiM is going to be the same resolution as the Echo 3rd gen but with a much better DAC?
I was really hoping the new Marantz would play in MRM like the WiiM products, but it appears not. Says "incompatible" in the device list when I try to add it.

Not many devices can play in an Alexa MRM - I haven’t encountered any AVR/amp that does even if they had an Alexa skill. When you consider its age and what a 3rd gen echo dot (the “puck”) actually cost, I’d expect even a WiiM Mini to perform better.

 

[Woody]

Not many devices can play in an Alexa MRM - I haven’t encountered any AVR/amp that does even if they had an Alexa skill. When you consider its age and what a 3rd gen echo dot (the “puck”) actually cost, I’d expect even a WiiM Mini to perform better.

Thanks for your help. I was really hoping WiiM would have a nice AVR but my Rotel processor decided to stop sending audio to the amp before that happened.