Wiim Amp real winner?

[ghulamr]

It really started off with the need to drive my wired outdoor speaker and have the ability to stream music while enjoying the summer evenings. Needed something simple with a small form factor and decent sound - Wiim Amp came in highly recommended so I went ahead with the purchase, knowing full well it's not going to break my bank.

Turned out I ended up hooking up the amp to my home office listening area. Currently the set up in the home office is a pair of Harbeth P3esr driven by Croft Integrated amp and Rel T5i sub. Using a Node2i streamer and Metrum Onyx NOS DAC. Replacing the Croft with the Wiim amp was close in sound given the added advantage of bypassing the Node2i and expanding more streaming capabilities including the ability for the amplifier to go in standby mode. With my office being outside (glass office) the temperature variances can be extreme between night and day. Having a tube amp like Croft run 24x7 is probably not the best idea. The little Wiim amp goes in standby mode as configured per choice.

It would be unfair/incorrect to say the Wiim Amp is an audiophile equipment, though I think it can come close with the correct PEQ settings and room correction. This is where my struggle comes in: I am trying real hard to make the Wiim Amp work for me and replace the Croft Integrated Amp. There are a few issues that I seem to not overcome and can definitely use some expert help.

1. When I connect my Rel T5i sub using the High Level Speakon cable to the amp the subwoofer hums loudly. I have taken the black ground wire and taped it up and let it float as per Rel's recommendation for connecting to a class D amp. Not sure how I can overcome this issue.

2. I need to bring out more details and tone seperation in the music. I think adjusting the PEQ settings can help. What's the opitimum way to go about this?

3. Can I bypass the Wiim Amp DAC to connect my Meter Onyx.

Thanks,

 

[Brantome]

Re 3, not really. While there’s a beta firmware version that will allow the amp to use its USB connection as audio out to feed an external DAC or amp which will presumably bypass the WiiM Amp’s DAC, you’d still have the issue of where the Onyx’s output was going - it couldn’t loop back and feed the WiiM Amp for example.

 

[harkpabst]

1. When I connect my Rel T5i sub using the High Level Speakon cable to the amp the subwoofer hums loudly.

Simply don't do that. REL are wrong. Period. You want those little P3ESR high pass filtered by the WiiM Amp, they will sound better and sub integration will be better.
REL don't think about stereo amps with proper bass management, like the WiiM has on offer.

2. s tough to answer. The easiest approach and first step to try would be automatic RC (in case you have an Apple device at hand).

 

[slartibartfast]

Have you tried connecting the sub using the low level input from the sub out on the amp? This is normally preferred as the crossover is then set in the WiiM app

 

[rccarguy]

Simply don't do that. REL are wrong. Period. You want those little P3ESR high pass filtered by the WiiM Amp, they will sound better and sub integration will be better.
REL don't think about stereo amps with proper bass management, like the WiiM has on offer.

2. s tough to answer. The easiest approach and first step to try would be automatic RC (in case you have an Apple device at hand).

yup Rel are 20 years out of touch with bass management, room EQ and setup. I think they do that on purpose, catering to the old school uninformed crowd that Rel have tapped into some higher plane of audio nirvana.

Use low level to your sub. Problem solved.

High pass those speakers to around 80hz, with the subwoofer low pass around 80hz as well.

 

[rccarguy]

"old school uninformed crowd".....what an ignorant bullock!

nah it's funny reading their facebook forum and videos with nonsense about sub setup, due to the lack of delay/variable phase on their subs, refusal for subwoofer EQ, dorking around with "clicks" on the backplate, moving it a inch to get it right rather than putting a bloody variable phase, buying six subs just to stack them rather than place in strategic locations around the room, according to best placement in REW, setting speakers to large on AVR then high level to sub for a ...makes me laugh.

 

[ghulamr]

Thanks for your replies. Really appreciate it.
Been reading a few articles on hooking up REL to class D amps and they keep mentioning ground the 'black wire' to the amp chassis. Since I dont see any visible screws on the Wiim Amp - any idea on how to ground the wire (maybe connecting to the RAC or HDMI input)?

If all else fails I will connect using the low level input - its just that the distance from the amp to the sub is more then 12 feet.

@Brantome how do I access the beta firmware?

 

[Brantome]

@Brantome how do I access the beta firmware?

Try raising a ticket thru the settings/feedback section in the app asking for access to the beta usb out firmware, but hopefully it won’t be long until it’s part of the public release

 

[slartibartfast]

Thanks for your replies. Really appreciate it.
Been reading a few articles on hooking up REL to class D amps and they keep mentioning ground the 'black wire' to the amp chassis. Since I dont see any visible screws on the Wiim Amp - any idea on how to ground the wire (maybe connecting to the RAC or HDMI input)?

If all else fails I will connect using the low level input - its just that the distance from the amp to the sub is more then 12 feet.

@Brantome how do I access the beta firmware?

My sub came with a 5m cable.

 

[ghulamr]

update: I was able to connect the High Level Speakon cable without the hum by simply taking the ground wire and plugging it in the RCA input.

@Brantome thank you. I did send an email to support requesting the beta firmware. It would be great to test my Metrum Onyx R2R DAC by bypassing WiiM amp DAC. Excited!!

 

[slartibartfast]

update: I was able to connect the High Level Speakon cable without the hum by simply taking the ground wire and plugging it in the RCA input.

@Brantome thank you. I did send an email to support requesting the beta firmware. It would be great to test my Metrum Onyx R2R DAC by bypassing WiiM amp DAC. Excited!!

What will you plug the output of the Onyx into?

 

[rccarguy]

Thanks for your replies. Really appreciate it.
Been reading a few articles on hooking up REL to class D amps and they keep mentioning ground the 'black wire' to the amp chassis. Since I dont see any visible screws on the Wiim Amp - any idea on how to ground the wire (maybe connecting to the RAC or HDMI input)?

If all else fails I will connect using the low level input - its just that the distance from the amp to the sub is more then 12 feet.

@Brantome how do I access the beta firmware?

You do realise high level is the wrong connection method for the wiim amp? Not only because it's class D, but because you'll lose the high pass function.

Just use low level.

 

[ghulamr]

the USB of my WiiM amp.

 

[rccarguy]

the USB of my WiiM amp.

For subwoofer use the subwoofer RCA output . Don't use high level.

Enable the high pass function in the amp then decide on crossover setting for speaker and sub. On the subwoofer itself, set crossover to maximum or bypass the subs own crossover.

 

[FreakyKiwi]

If all else fails I will connect using the low level input - its just that the distance from the amp to the sub is more then 12 feet.

Why is this an issue?
I have a 40 foot cable connecting my sub to my HT amp.

 

[slartibartfast]

the USB of my WiiM amp.

No. You will plug the input of the Onyx to the USB of the WiiM amp. What will you connect the output of the Onyx too? You will need another amplifier.

 

[ghulamr]

@slartibartfast so what you are saying is there is no way to bypass the WiiM internal DAC to use my Metrum Onyx.

Also - thank you all. I was able to find a long enough cable from my sub out to my REL low level and it's night and day. Now on to the hard task of fine tuning the sound. When I use the built in room correction software the result is a very muffled sound with the higher frequencies pretty much non-existent. I need to somehow play with the PEQ settings (a daunting task) but I am certain it will produce amazing results. Any suggestions where I start?

 

[slartibartfast]

@slartibartfast so what you are saying is there is no way to bypass the WiiM internal DAC to use my Metrum Onyx.

Also - thank you all. I was able to find a long enough cable from my sub out to my REL low level and it's night and day. Now on to the hard task of fine tuning the sound. When I use the built in room correction software the result is a very muffled sound with the higher frequencies pretty much non-existent. I need to somehow play with the PEQ settings (a daunting task) but I am certain it will produce amazing results. Any suggestions where I start?

You were told this earlier. You can use the USB output to feed the Onyx but you can't feed the output of the Onyx back into the WiiM amp.

 

[Brantome]

@slartibartfast so what you are saying is there is no way to bypass the WiiM internal DAC to use my Metrum Onyx.

No, as I replied in comment #2

 

[LucAce]

It really started off with the need to drive my wired outdoor speaker and have the ability to stream music while enjoying the summer evenings. Needed something simple with a small form factor and decent sound - Wiim Amp came in highly recommended so I went ahead with the purchase, knowing full well it's not going to break my bank.

Turned out I ended up hooking up the amp to my home office listening area. Currently the set up in the home office is a pair of Harbeth P3esr driven by Croft Integrated amp and Rel T5i sub. Using a Node2i streamer and Metrum Onyx NOS DAC. Replacing the Croft with the Wiim amp was close in sound given the added advantage of bypassing the Node2i and expanding more streaming capabilities including the ability for the amplifier to go in standby mode. With my office being outside (glass office) the temperature variances can be extreme between night and day. Having a tube amp like Croft run 24x7 is probably not the best idea. The little Wiim amp goes in standby mode as configured per choice.

It would be unfair/incorrect to say the Wiim Amp is an audiophile equipment, though I think it can come close with the correct PEQ settings and room correction. This is where my struggle comes in: I am trying real hard to make the Wiim Amp work for me and replace the Croft Integrated Amp. There are a few issues that I seem to not overcome and can definitely use some expert help.

1. When I connect my Rel T5i sub using the High Level Speakon cable to the amp the subwoofer hums loudly. I have taken the black ground wire and taped it up and let it float as per Rel's recommendation for connecting to a class D amp. Not sure how I can overcome this issue.

2. I need to bring out more details and tone seperation in the music. I think adjusting the PEQ settings can help. What's the opitimum way to go about this?

3. Can I bypass the Wiim Amp DAC to connect my Meter Onyx.

Thanks,

Does the WiiM Amp have a loudness function? And will the WiiM Amp Pro have one?