Why does fixed volume output not work?

[JasonJustice]

I have a WiiM pro connected to a Schiit dac via toslink.

It is my understanding based on previous streamers that you want fixed volume on the streamer which should lock the output at 100%. So you can then adjust the volume via your amp.

With the WiiM, I have fixed audio turned on but can still adjust the volume in the app. What am I doing wrong? What am I not understanding?

 

[Mr Ee]

I have a WiiM pro connected to a Schiit dac via toslink.

It is my understanding based on previous streamers that you want fixed volume on the streamer which should lock the output at 100%. So you can then adjust the volume via your amp.

With the WiiM, I have fixed audio turned on but can still adjust the volume in the app. What am I doing wrong? What am I not understanding?

View attachment 4411

Just set that volume limit to 100% too, then ignore it!
It's a reasonably recent addition to the wiim app, and is an overall volume limiter.
Yes, the text under fixed volume is now out of date / confusing...
Indeed, that whole text is poorly written.

 

[canard]

I have a WiiM pro connected to a Schiit dac via toslink.

It is my understanding based on previous streamers that you want fixed volume on the streamer which should lock the output at 100%. So you can then adjust the volume via your amp.

With the WiiM, I have fixed audio turned on but can still adjust the volume in the app. What am I doing wrong? What am I not understanding?

View attachment 4411

try to vary by listening the limit it in "fixed" mode..and in" variable"
(you will have the answer)
;-)

 

[Mr Ee]

try to vary by listening the limit it in "fixed" mode..and in" variable"
(you will have the answer)
;-)

I read the question as why fixed volume didn't really mean fixed if it can be changed with volume limit; nothing to do with how fixed vs variable affects sound, or not, which is what I think your reply is alluding to.

 

[canard]

only acts in variable mode...
(at least at home...)

 

[Brantome]

If you have the Fixed Volume Output switched on, you can’t use the volume sliders in the WiiM to vary the volume and need to do that on your “audio system”.

The volume limit parameter is a multiplier of that fixed volume which I use, for example, to provide headroom for my use of PEQ. I still can’t use the WiiM app volume sliders so to all intents and purposes the volume of the signal output to my amp is fixed, albeit not at 100% of the original.

If you want bit perfect output from your WiiM streamer, you should set fixed volume, volume limit at 100% and don’t use EQ, PEQ nor Mono.

However, if like me you no longer want to worship at the altar of bit perfect and like what the PEQ does to the signal, then feel free to use it and set an appropriate volume limit to give you headroom to minimise clipping. At the end of the day, you could interpret “bit perfect” as the streamer not making any unwanted changes to the signal it receives, but if you want to change that signal, that’s your prerogative.

 

[JasonJustice]

Just set that volume limit to 100% too, then ignore it!
It's a reasonably recent addition to the wiim app, and is an overall volume limiter.
Yes, the text under fixed volume is now out of date / confusing...
Indeed, that whole text is poorly written.

Yes i know i can do that but, since that is NOT what should happen, i am concerned that something is not working correctly. also when i have fixed turned on and volume at 100% it is extremely loud compared to other inputs on my amp.

 

[JasonJustice]

only acts in variable mode...
(at least at home...)

what is variable mode? i do not see that in the app.

 

[JasonJustice]

If you have the Fixed Volume Output switched on, you can’t use the volume sliders in the WiiM to vary the volume and need to do that on your “audio system”.

The volume limit parameter is a multiplier of that fixed volume which I use, for example, to provide headroom for my use of PEQ. I still can’t use the WiiM app volume sliders so to all intents and purposes the volume of the signal output to my amp is fixed, albeit not at 100% of the original.

If you want bit perfect output from your WiiM streamer, you should set fixed volume, volume limit at 100% and don’t use EQ, PEQ nor Mono.

However, if like me you no longer want to worship at the altar of bit perfect and like what the PEQ does to the signal, then feel free to use it and set an appropriate volume limit to give you headroom to minimise clipping. At the end of the day, you could interpret “bit perfect” as the streamer not making any unwanted changes to the signal it receives, but if you want to change that signal, that’s your prerogative.

"If you have the Fixed Volume Output switched on, you can’t use the volume sliders in the WiiM to vary the volume and need to do that on your “audio system”."

Not true and that is the point of my original post. With Fixed switched on, the volume slide still works and is not "fixed"

 

[DRC]

Not true and that is the point of my original post. With Fixed switched on, the volume slide still works and is not "fixed"

You are confusing two things: the Volume Limit and the volume slider that appears when streaming music, but no doubt you will tell me that I am wrong.

 

[canard]

Not true and that is the point of my original post. With Fixed switched on, the volume slide still works and is not "fixed"

sorry...
you are right

in fact... even in fixed and eq off the limit impacts the analog output... (see on the digital?)...
it's stupid because the idea was to compensate for the absence of adaptation to positive gain in eq mode or peq etc..so should only concern the eq peq modes...

 

[Brantome]

Not true and that is the point of my original post. With Fixed switched on, the volume slide still works and is not "fixed"

If I have set fixed volume as shown, the volume slider on the devices page shows a padlock and can’t be moved on either my iPad or android phone. Delete and re install the WiiM home app and see if that sorts your issue.

 

[JasonJustice]

thanks everyone. i think i figured this out. volume limit is not the same thing as the volume control of the device. i still dont understand the purpose of volume limit if there is also a volume control. thanks all.

 

[Brantome]

thanks everyone. i think i figured this out. volume limit is not the same thing as the volume control of the device. i still dont understand the purpose of volume limit if there is also a volume control. thanks all.

It’s merely a multiplier applied to the volume level, whether volume is fixed or not. Say for example you never want the full load of what the WiiM can deliver feeding into your Amp or speakers, but have decided that all that can be handled is 70% of that, so you’d set volume limit at 70% but you’d still be able to vary the volume slider fully from left to right safe in the knowledge that your amp/speakers won’t deliberately or accidentally be fed more than what can be safely handled.
Another use case is where you are using PEQ but you don’t put want the output to be clipped as a result of that, so you set fixed volume but a volume limit of say 95% to give you 3dB of headroom in the signal to cushion against clipping - that’s what I do.

 

[JasonJustice]

If you have the Fixed Volume Output switched on, you can’t use the volume sliders in the WiiM to vary the volume and need to do that on your “audio system”.

The volume limit parameter is a multiplier of that fixed volume which I use, for example, to provide headroom for my use of PEQ. I still can’t use the WiiM app volume sliders so to all intents and purposes the volume of the signal output to my amp is fixed, albeit not at 100% of the original.

If you want bit perfect output from your WiiM streamer, you should set fixed volume, volume limit at 100% and don’t use EQ, PEQ nor Mono.

However, if like me you no longer want to worship at the altar of bit perfect and like what the PEQ does to the signal, then feel free to use it and set an appropriate volume limit to give you headroom to minimise clipping. At the end of the day, you could interpret “bit perfect” as the streamer not making any unwanted changes to the signal it receives, but if you want to change that signal, that’s your prerogative.

i reread this again and it make sense now. thank you.

 

[JasonJustice]

It’s merely a multiplier applied to the volume level, whether volume is fixed or not. Say for example you never want the full load of what the WiiM can deliver feeding into your Amp or speakers, but have decided that all that can be handled is 70% of that, so you’d set volume limit at 70% but you’d still be able to vary the volume slider fully from left to right safe in the knowledge that your amp/speakers won’t deliberately or accidentally be fed more than what can be safely handled.
Another use case is where you are using PEQ but you don’t put want the output to be clipped as a result of that, so you set fixed volume but a volume limit of say 95% to give you 3dB of headroom in the signal to cushion against clipping - that’s what I do.

yep. so i will balance this with my other inputs and leave it alone thank you!