Wiim Amp future use

[Bgray71]

Hi all.. A quick question please?

As I don't quite have the cash to purchase my Integrated Amp/CD combination (approx £1k), which will hopefully be Audiolab 6000a /6000cdt, I am thinking of picking up a Wiim Amp as an £300 stop gap until funds allow....
Can I then use the Wiim Amp as a "Streamer" connected to the Audiolab Amp via Optical ? The Wiim streaming interface/software seems far superiors to the DTS Play Fi that Audiolab have with their 6000a Play......
Hope this makes sense.. Comments much appreciated

 

[Brantome]

No, the Amp doesn't have digital out

 

[d6jg]

No, the Amp doesn't have digital out

But you could buy a WiiM Pro, Pro Plus or indeed Mini - they all have optical out.

 

[Bgray71]

No, the Amp doesn't have digital

 

[Bgray71]

Ahhh, I thought the Amp had a digital out.... Is that only an input ?

 

[d6jg]

If you are looking for a cheap stop gap solution that will also work with your future Audiolab acquisition then my advice would be to get a WiiM Pro / Pro + and a secondhand amplifier.

 

[Brantome]

Ahhh, I thought the Amp had a digital out.... Is that only an input ?

You can cast airplay and bluetooth, but it's not intended as a standalone streamer. As above, the other models would be better for that, so I'd perhaps go for the Amp just now, and when funds allow for the Audiolab, budget in the cost of a WiiM Pro as well (or keep your eyes out for offers around Black Friday etc). You could always sell the WiiM Amp then or use it as a second system.

 

[Bgray71]

If you are looking for a cheap stop gap solution that will also work with your future Audiolab acquisition then my advice would be to get a WiiM Pro / Pro + and a secondhand amplifier.

Bearing in mind the Pro Plus is £219 & the Amp is priced at £300, thought it would be prudent to go for the Amp as a 1 box soloution - certainly from an aesthetic POV.. But yeah, that's a fair shout Cheers

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

I think the best currently available alternative to a WiiM Amp (£300) if you’re wanting flexible future use would be the WiiM Pro Plus (£220) and Fosi Audio V3 (£80) or ZA3 (£150).

 

[Bgray71]

You can cast airplay and bluetooth, but it's not intended as a standalone streamer. As above, the other models would be better for that, so I'd perhaps go for the Amp just now, and when funds allow for the Audiolab, budget in the cost of a WiiM Pro as well (or keep your eyes out for offers around Black Friday etc). You could always sell the WiiM Amp then or use it as a second system.

My thoughts exactly, now I aware.. Thanks a lot
Selling the Amp would fund the Pro/Plus in the future, but at least it gets me "on the road" to instant listening of my music......
Just hope the little thing can give me a tune out of my gorgeous Focal Aria 926's.......

 

[Bgray71]

I think the best currently available alternative to a WiiM Amp (£300) if you’re wanting flexible future use would be the WiiM Pro Plus (£220) and Fosi Audio V3 (£80) or ZA3 (£150).

Appreciate the info - shall have a look.. May still pull the trigger on the Amp and sell to fund the Pro/Plus in the future....

 

[harkpabst]

Just hope the little thing can give me a tune out of my gorgeous Focal Aria 926's.......

The Aria 926 is one of the many current loudspeakers, which are advertised as being nominally 8 ohms, when they surely are not. The minimum impedance drops to 2.9 ohms at 110 Hz. Many cheaper amps (in particular cheaper class AB amps with traditional linear power supply) will have their issues driving these speakers.

Luckily, the WiiM Amp is not one of them. This combination should play nicely. Speakers probably don't need any toe-in.

 

[Bgray71]

The Aria 926 is one of the many current loudspeakers, which are advertised as being nominally 8 ohms, when they surely are not. The minimum impedance drops to 2.9 ohms at 110 Hz. Many cheaper amps (in particular cheaper class AB amps with traditional linear power supply) will have their issues driving these speakers.

Luckily, the WiiM Amp is not one of them. This combination should play nicely. Speakers probably don't need any toe-in.

Thank you for the heads up.. Does Class D make such a positive difference over Class AB.....?? Never knew.....
It may well be that I still crack on with the Wiim Amp for the foreseeable, then maybe looks the 7000a or Rocksan Attessa then....?? Some horror stories about it running crazy hot though

 

[harkpabst]

Does Class D make such a positive difference over Class AB.....?? Never knew.....

Well, no, I wouldn't say so in general. In fact, many people won't accept anything class D as even Hi-Fi.

But for a price as low as 300 quid you can have a class D amp that is perfectly stable into 4 ohms and even less. With traditional lower cost class AB amplifier this was rarely the case, because what is needed to make that happen is what makes amplifiers expensive: Big transformers, big smoothing capacitors, big heatsinks, potentially multiple output transistors in parallel.

I'm oversimplifying this case a bit. Class AB amps can be used with switching mode power supplies, class D amplifiers can be used with linear power supplies.

But still, amplifiers as cheap as the WiiM Amp have not not been able to crank out enough current for low impedance speakers, traditionally.

 

[Bgray71]

Well, no, I wouldn't say so in general. In fact, many people won't accept anything class D as even Hi-Fi.

But for a price as low as 300 quid you can have a class D amp that is perfectly stable into 4 ohms and even less. With traditional lower cost class AB amplifier this was rarely the case, because what is needed to make that happen is what makes amplifiers expensive: Big transformers, big smoothing capacitors, big heatsinks, potentially multiple output transistors in parallel.

I'm oversimplifying this case a bit. Class AB amps can be used with switching mode power supplies, class D amplifiers can be used with linear power supplies.

But still, amplifiers as cheap as the WiiM Amp have not not been able to crank out enough current for low impedance speakers, traditionally.

VERY informative comments - thank you.. Well, only 1 way to find out at this moment in time.......
Pull that trigger !!

 

[Brantome]

In fact, many people won't accept anything class D as even Hi-Fi.

I’d like to think my £3k Linn Majik DSM/4 with its class D amp is “hi-fi”

 

[harkpabst]

I’d like to think my £3k Linn Majik DSM/4 with its class D amp is “hi-fi”

I would graciously agree.

 

[wiimamp user]

Info class a,b,a/b..d.

 

[Bgray71]

Well, no, I wouldn't say so in general. In fact, many people won't accept anything class D as even Hi-Fi.

But for a price as low as 300 quid you can have a class D amp that is perfectly stable into 4 ohms and even less. With traditional lower cost class AB amplifier this was rarely the case, because what is needed to make that happen is what makes amplifiers expensive: Big transformers, big smoothing capacitors, big heatsinks, potentially multiple output transistors in parallel.

I'm oversimplifying this case a bit. Class AB amps can be used with switching mode power supplies, class D amplifiers can be used with linear power supplies.

But still, amplifiers as cheap as the WiiM Amp have not not been able to crank out enough current for low impedance speakers, traditionally.

Think the 6000a is around 9A as a reference....... Do we know what the Wiim has ??

 

[harkpabst]

Yes, we do, at least roughly.

120 W RMS into 4 ohms, so it's at least ~5.5 A per channel, possibly a little more into even lower loads (and max. 21.9 V).