WiiM Amp blows NAD M10v2

[cooky560]

that's not to say that some of them haven't gotten complacent recently - charging a premium just for their brand recognition. but that is a separate issue and in fairness - paying extra for a brand with a history of executing over a long period of time is also maybe not as silly as it sounds on face value and that's what competition is supposed to help stamp out anyways

This reason is why brands like Merecedes-Benz exist, these days you can get same toys in a high end Ford, but the Mercedes will still be going in 30 years.

 

[layer9]

But the established brands must keep up - for example it is not acceptable that a 2.5k amp disappears from the network all the time while a 0,5k amp does not and sounds equal.

In the case of the M10v2, I don‘t see why I should invest 2k more than for the WiiM!

 

[cooky560]

But the established brands must keep up - for example it is not acceptable that a 2.5k amp disappears from the network all the time while a 0,5k amp does not and sounds equal.

In the case of the M10v2, I don‘t see why I should invest 2k more than for the WiiM!

Always the option of going used. My technics su-v6 sounds as gorgeous now as it did 40 years ago.

 

[layer9]

I payed 1.8k for the NAD (used) and find it still way to expensive.

Re Technics: I recently bought a Technics SH GE 90 Equalizer for my 12y old son and this thing still sounds great.

 

[cooky560]

I payed 1.8k for the NAD (used) and find it still way to expensive.

Re Technics: I recently bought a Technics SH GE 90 Equalizer for my 12y old son and this thing still sounds great.

I find technics a truly underrated brand. Sure they made some crap, but the high end stuff like the v6 v9 and v909 are very good even 40 years later

 

[layer9]

Guys, today I am extensively testing the NAD against the WiiM Amp. I am currently under the impression that the NAD outperforms the WiiM at higher volume. Though not 100% sure yet. I have a feeling of better control of my speakers at high volumes.

Maybe this is the only advantage of the NAD compared to the WiiM due to the slightly better power amplifiers. However, for 2k more I still don‘t think it really is worth it.

 

[merifon]

Maybe this is the only advantage of the NAD compared to the WiiM due to the slightly better power amplifiers. However, for 2k more I still don‘t think it really is worth it.

I think you should give one more chance to Dirac. Download NAD target curve from Nad support site, load it in Dirac, create new filter (no new measure is needed, if good ones are already available) and enjoy...

 

[BowsAndArrows]

Guys, today I am extensively testing the NAD against the WiiM Amp. I am currently under the impression that the NAD outperforms the WiiM at higher volume. Though not 100% sure yet. I have a feeling of better control of my speakers at high volumes.

Maybe this is the only advantage of the NAD compared to the WiiM due to the slightly better power amplifiers. However, for 2k more I still don‘t think it really is worth it.

yes, that's probably what you'd expect to see, given the results some reviewers have gotten with the WiiM amp...

check out what scientific audiophile found in his:

i agree, the price difference in this case might not be favourable to the NAD. but others have compared it with products in a similar price range. like the andy robinson review that @D1N0 posted in the "mainstream audio..." thread...

either way, testing stuff for yourself in your system is the ideal way to buy new equipment imo

 

[steadyshot]

How many dbC or dbA are the higher volumes you mention and what is the listening distance you test? Elac vela is a 4 ohm speaker and not sensitive …

 

[layer9]

Measuring with my iPhone the higher volume is between 75-80dbA. It‘s 70% on the NAD.

Listening distance is 2,50 meters.



However I am not sure about whether this is related to the power amplifiers since I am comparing WiiM with EQ and NAD with Dirac enabled (although configured both nearly the same).

I am currently getting more and more into Dirac and think I am now at the point where the NADs sounds better in my room. But again, the WiiM sounds great as well and given the price difference…

However, I will keep both the NAD and WiiM. After all, it is fun to play with Dirac and the EQ and listen to both

 

[steadyshot]

Damn the mirror is bad for reflections …

 

[ToniToni]

Guys, today I am extensively testing the NAD against the WiiM Amp. I am currently under the impression that the NAD outperforms the WiiM at higher volume. Though not 100% sure yet. I have a feeling of better control of my speakers at high volumes.

Maybe this is the only advantage of the NAD compared to the WiiM due to the slightly better power amplifiers. However, for 2k more I still don‘t think it really is worth it.

Dirac makes the difference.
I own two Wiim amps and a NAD M10.
The Wiim app is much better than BlueOs however.

 

[harkpabst]

check out what scientific audiophile found in his:

What he found? He didn't find anything. He just doesn't understand what he's doing, unfortunately.

 

[layer9]

Dirac makes the difference.
I own two Wiim amps and a NAD M10.
The Wiim app is much better than BlueOs however.

Indeed. After playing around more and more with Dirac the better it gets.

However, does anybody know if Dirac more or less is simply an EQ, or does it more than just EQing the sound? I don’t really understand why NAD offers a target curve for download. My understanding was that Dirac creates the target curve depending on the measurements and that this target curve shall sound better in the room measured.

I however am more using it like a simple EQ in that I bump frequencies up so that in the end it sounds good to me

Not sure however if the result would be the same if there had been no measurement before.

 

[merifon]

Indeed. After playing around more and more with Dirac the better it gets.

However, does anybody know if Dirac more or less is simply an EQ, or does it more than just EQing the sound? I don’t really understand why NAD offers a target curve for download. My understanding was that Dirac creates the target curve depending on the measurements and that this target curve shall sound better in the room measured.

I however am more using it like a simple EQ in that I bump frequencies up so that in the end it sounds good to me

Not sure however if the result would be the same if there had been no measurement before.

Dirac does more, temporal impulse alignement and phase also. In wich way they apply Dirac's equations, I don't know but results are astounding...
Regard target curve, they stay a little conservative, they don't follows Harman recommendations but alternatively to target pre suited curves they added the customizable low and high shelf cursor, that are similar to somewhere downloadable Harman curves...

 

[layer9]

I have an update on the NADs network outages. Another owner of the NAD M10v2 told me he had the same issues and he changed some WiFi settings in his router to solve them. I did the same and it actually solved the problem for my NAD as well!

What I did was to change automatic channel selection and set a WiFi 5GHz channel below channel 100. Since then, the NAD did not loose its network connection anymore. I‘ll keep my fingers crossed!

After all my new experience now it seems that the NAD is actually better than the WiiM Amp but still too espensive for the value added over the WiiM. However, Dirac really can make a significant difference if one puts some effort and time in its customization.

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

I have an update on the NADs network outages. Another owner of the NAD M10v2 told me he had the same issues and he changed some WiFi settings in his router to solve them. I did the same and it actually solved the problem for my NAD as well!

What I did was to change automatic channel selection and set a WiFi 5GHz channel below channel 100. Since then, the NAD did not loose its network connection anymore. I‘ll keep my fingers crossed!

After all my new experience now it seems that the NAD is actually better than the WiiM Amp but still too espensive for the value added over the WiiM. However, Dirac really can make a significant difference if one puts some effort and time in its customization.

In which ways do you find the NAD to be better? Cheers.

 

[layer9]

Mainly because of Dirac as ist allows me to indeed tune the sound very finely. The NAD has also a display which is nice.

But as said above, this does not justify for the price difference by all means.

A slightly more expensive WiiM amplifier with a little more power and room correction would indeed blow the NAD away…

 

[Brantome]

Mainly because of Dirac as ist allows me to indeed tune the sound very finely. The NAD has also a display which is nice.

But as said above, this does not justify for the price difference by all means.

A slightly more expensive WiiM amplifier with a little more power and room correction would indeed blow the NAD away…

There was talk of a second more powerful WiiM amp (110w iirc) for the pro/custom installation market, and room correction is currently in beta and can’t be long away from a public release. WiiM have teased us about the imminent release of another product around the time of the release of the imminent WiiM Ultra, so who knows??

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

Mainly because of Dirac as ist allows me to indeed tune the sound very finely. The NAD has also a display which is nice.

But as said above, this does not justify for the price difference by all means.

A slightly more expensive WiiM amplifier with a little more power and room correction would indeed blow the NAD away…

It's up to WiiM, I suppose.

But at the moment, they're doing very heavily specced kit at budget prices. Dirac is, I believe, expensive.

I could be wrong, but from my perspective, they're trying to be as plug-and-play, easy user interface, as possible.

I think room correction beyond what they're doing now, okay maybe add a little delay, make it stereo, tweaks like that. But anything beyond that, to me it doesn't feel like it fits the brand.

Just my opinion, happy to be wrong.