Why no more Audio Pro?

[Yi Tsin Bao]

As a loyal WiiM customer, I have enjoyed their products since 2022. They are great, rarely any trouble and sound amazing!
I have also been a long time Audio Pro enthusiast (more than 15 years) and have several of their speakers at home.

Since the beginning, these have worked flawlessly together. I highly prefer the WiiM Home app (for many reasons) so of course, I use this almost entirely.
I have also recommended this setup (WiiM and Audio Pro) to lots of friends and colleagues, especially since the huge Sonos issue a year ago (amazing how many of my friends that are fed up and are actively swaping system).

Now I read about WiiM discontinuing support for Audio Pro and I get very confused. Why?? I dont get it.
Will this mean that this amazing compatibility between two great brands is coming to an end?

If they wont work together anymore, I am not sure that I can stay with WiiM because honestly, streamers/amps aside, the sound sooner or later has to come from a speaker. Yeah, sure, I know about the coming WiiM speakers, and Im sure they will be great as well, but they are not really comparable to real stereo-pairs or one-boxes, the use-cases are just not the same. I will never buy a soundbar (hate them) and I cannot really place the smaller WiiM speakers on the floor, even with stands, they are just not right for me (nor many others, Im sure).

So, can anyone explain this, or have any theories?
Are there not very obvious benefits for WiiM in having a heavy-hitter like Audio Pro, to complement their own systems? Why wouldn't they love this great cooperation that they in fact started themselves (Audio Pro WiiM Editions)?

Please, anyone? How can we fix this?

 

[Burnside]

As mentioned elsewhere, it’s been fixed in app v3.3.6

 

[Yi Tsin Bao]

Yeah, on existing products, but apparently not the new W products (these will still be actively excluded).
This means all new Audio Pro products, basically from now on.

 

[Burnside]

Yeah, on existing products, but apparently not the new W products (these will still be actively excluded).
This means all new Audio Pro products, basically from now on.

I haven’t seen anyone explicitly say that

 

[dtc]

I haven’t seen anyone explicitly say that

The ONLY thing I know that they have said was on Facebook and they said "existing products". Until they and Audio Pro clarify their support, I would be very carefully about buying right now. They fact that Wiim has not given any explanation here makes me concerned.

 

[slartibartfast]

I haven’t seen anyone explicitly say that

That's true but why would they say that existing products would be supported again if future products would also be supported. They clearly deliberately blocked Audio Pro products then reversed the decision when there was a backlash from current users of Audio Pro products. A bit like the Winter Fuel Allowance U-turn

 

[rubato]

This is why I prefer to keep my streamers and speakers separate whenever it's reasonably convenient. My AudioEngine A5s will never suddenly stop working due to random software changes at some company I used to trust. That said, I do have an Audio Pro A10 (WiiM Edition) in my kitchen, replacing an old Sonos Play:3.

But the simplest and also the most charitable explanation is that it was a mistake. Speaking as a retired software developer, I'd like to say that I was never responsible for a broken release but, well, I'd be lying What matters is how the company handles it afterwards.

 

[Minty]

That said, I do have an Audio Pro A10 (WiiM Edition) in my kitchen, replacing an old Sonos Play:3.

~snip~

How do you find the A10 compared to the Sonos audio wise?

As a long time Sonos user, S1 devices only, I’m looking for a product to replace them long term. I’m currently considering WiiM pro+ plus active speakers. However, I would prefer to cut down the box count in some locations which is why Audio Pro has piqued my interest

 

[rubato]

How do you find the A10 compared to the Sonos audio wise?

As a long time Sonos user, S1 devices only, I’m looking for a product to replace them long term. I’m currently considering WiiM pro+ plus active speakers. However, I would prefer to cut down the box count in some locations which is why Audio Pro has piqued my interest

The A10 sounds much better, but the Play:3 is smaller and dates from 2011 so this is not too surprising. I also like to think that my bookshelf speakers sound better with the WiiM Pro+ than they did with the Sonos Connect, but I never did a straight up comparison and it may be motivated reasoning.

 

[Minty]

The A10 sounds much better, but the Play:3 is smaller and dates from 2011 so this is not too surprising. I also like to think that my bookshelf speakers sound better with the WiiM Pro+ than they did with the Sonos Connect, but I never did a straight up comparison and it may be motivated reasoning.

Thank you. I’m waiting for the November Black Friday sales to purchase a few additional toys, which currently include WiiM Pro+ and WiiM amp pro’s. This may change and include some Audio Pro W speakers depending on their price and availability.

 

[Mr Ee]

Thank you. I’m waiting for the November Black Friday sales to purchase a few additional toys, which currently include WiiM Pro+ and WiiM amp pro’s. This may change and include some Audio Pro W speakers depending on their price and availability.

You may want to look into / wait for the Wiim Sound speakers.
Not available yet, but expected later this year I believe.
Pretty sure they won't be in the Black Friday sale though!

 

[Minty]

You may want to look into / wait for the Wiim Sound speakers.
Not available yet, but expected later this year I believe.
Pretty sure they won't be in the Black Friday sale though!

Okay, thank you.

It would be great to have all the products from the one supplier for ease of use.

 

[slartibartfast]

You may want to look into / wait for the Wiim Sound speakers.
Not available yet, but expected later this year I believe.
Pretty sure they won't be in the Black Friday sale though!

It would be a lot more attractive if it had a built in battery. I noticed only one of the upcoming Audio Pro W speakers has a battery as well. I wish WiiM would produce something similar to a Squeezebox Radio.

 

[harkpabst]

I still find no single reference to where WiiM stated that the WiiM Home app will not be compatible with future Audi Pro products.

Complaints have all been about existing products, since nobody is using non-existing products (such cowards!) and that's what WiiM replied to. From my point of view every other interpretation shows clear traces of paranoia.

What if Audi Pro decides to come up with a product featuring a streaming module not made by Linkplay? Do you still expect WiiM to support this product?

Anyway, as we all know: Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you ...

 

[slartibartfast]

I still find no single references to where WiiM stated that the WiiM Home app will not be compatible with future Audi Pro products.

Complaints have all been about existing products, since nobody is using non-existing products (such cowards!) and that's what WiiM replied to. From my point of view every other interpretation shows clear traces of paranoia.

What if Audi Pro decides to come up with a product featuring a streaming module not made by Linkplay? Do you still expect WiiM to support this product?

Anyway, as we all know: Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you ...

Questions have also been asked about the Audio Pro W (for WiiM) generation. WiiM only have one speaker (apart from the Audio Pro WiiM edition which isn't available in Europe) so it is understandable that a new compatible range would be attractive.
The announcement of the W generation of and the removal of support happened very close together. Could be coincidence but there was also the removal of the WiiM references on the Audio Pro website as well. Time will tell

 

[Burnside]

And like the A-word debacle a while ago, I guess much is covered by commercial confidentiality but the inevitable endless speculation will continue…

 

[wiimamp user]

As a loyal WiiM customer, I have enjoyed their products since 2022. They are great, rarely any trouble and sound amazing!
I have also been a long time Audio Pro enthusiast (more than 15 years) and have several of their speakers at home.

Since the beginning, these have worked flawlessly together. I highly prefer the WiiM Home app (for many reasons) so of course, I use this almost entirely.
I have also recommended this setup (WiiM and Audio Pro) to lots of friends and colleagues, especially since the huge Sonos issue a year ago (amazing how many of my friends that are fed up and are actively swaping system).

Now I read about WiiM discontinuing support for Audio Pro and I get very confused. Why?? I dont get it.
Will this mean that this amazing compatibility between two great brands is coming to an end?

If they wont work together anymore, I am not sure that I can stay with WiiM because honestly, streamers/amps aside, the sound sooner or later has to come from a speaker. Yeah, sure, I know about the coming WiiM speakers, and Im sure they will be great as well, but they are not really comparable to real stereo-pairs or one-boxes, the use-cases are just not the same. I will never buy a soundbar (hate them) and I cannot really place the smaller WiiM speakers on the floor, even with stands, they are just not right for me (nor many others, Im sure).

So, can anyone explain this, or have any theories?
Are there not very obvious benefits for WiiM in having a heavy-hitter like Audio Pro, to complement their own systems? Why wouldn't they love this great cooperation that they in fact started themselves (Audio Pro WiiM Editions)?

Please, anyone? How can we fix this?

Are you sure the Wiim speakers Arent comparable to audiopro?
Isn,t that a assumption?
I can imagine you want the audio pro with the Wiim app.
And im sure those speakers are excellent..not so Strange Wiim did work together with audiopro.
But did They?.
And why did those speakers never come to Europe?
I can understand you like audiopro..-again i am convinced that deliver excellent sound - but why are you not so pleased with their app then?
Why cant they fix what customers are wanting on the software side of things?
Hardware is important but software likewise and the support and development of it . Isn,t it?
Take for instance RC,EQ,PEQ or all the support, development of an app they could predict this is very important to customers..
To say the coming Wiim speakers Arent comparable is not just in my opinion its a assumption.

 

[jlmsouth86]

I'm going to share my personal experience, but I have indeed noticed that my Audio Pro C3 has become outdated compared to the Wiim Home App update. It just works in a limited way, and it seems there's no intention to bring it up to date. (Also, my Spotify presets aren't working, but I'm not sure if it's because of that.)

 

[wiimamp user]

In a way Audio pro must see software is as important as hardware.
It is and and always has been.
Wiim understands this very well.. Audio pro maybe want to go on like all those other companies did.
But is this the right way not developing forward ?..and only rely on hardware and the software side they wont deliver...i dont think so.

 

[slartibartfast]

In a way Audio pro must see software is as important as hardware.
It is and and always has been.
Wiim understands this very well.. Audio pro maybe want to go on like all those other companies did.
But is this the right way not developing forward ?..and only rely on hardware and the software side they wont deliver...i dont think so.

Audio Pro will have a new app as well. The question is will each companies devices be compatible with both apps.