Wiim Amp USB vs Plex Media Server Question

[PretzelLogic28]

Hi - I'm a newbie to Wiim Amp. A little background about my current setup: I have a Raspberry Pi that hosts a Plex Media Server with an external hard drive connected with my music library (music is in .wav). The Raspberry Pi is connected via digital optical to my main listening receiver. I bought the Wiim Amp to have some better quality listening in a different room. I copied the .wav files ~7000 to a USB drive and am able to play the music though the Wiim via the USB source. Today, after doing some research, I saw that I can configure the Plex as DLNA and play the music library through the Wiim. Is there any difference b/t the 2 sources (USB vs Plex Media Server) ?

Appreciate any input.
Pretz

 

[Mr Ee]

Hi - I'm a newbie to Wiim Amp. A little background about my current setup: I have a Raspberry Pi that hosts a Plex Media Server with an external hard drive connected with my music library (music is in .wav). The Raspberry Pi is connected via digital optical to my main listening receiver. I bought the Wiim Amp to have some better quality listening in a different room. I copied the .wav files ~7000 to a USB drive and am able to play the music though the Wiim via the USB source. Today, after doing some research, I saw that I can configure the Plex as DLNA and play the music library through the Wiim. Is there any difference b/t the 2 sources (USB vs Plex Media Server) ?

Appreciate any input.
Pretz

From what others have written here, plex to the wiim uses chromecast, so isn't gapless.
But as I don't have any of plex, pi or wiim amp, probably best to wait to get some better advice

 

[jxrxme]

Hi - I'm a newbie to Wiim Amp. A little background about my current setup: I have a Raspberry Pi that hosts a Plex Media Server with an external hard drive connected with my music library (music is in .wav). The Raspberry Pi is connected via digital optical to my main listening receiver. I bought the Wiim Amp to have some better quality listening in a different room. I copied the .wav files ~7000 to a USB drive and am able to play the music though the Wiim via the USB source. Today, after doing some research, I saw that I can configure the Plex as DLNA and play the music library through the Wiim. Is there any difference b/t the 2 sources (USB vs Plex Media Server) ?

Appreciate any input.
Pretz

I have configured Plex as DLNA. I think the main benefit of this way (compared to USB) is that you don’t have to manage two libraries (plex library and USB library).
It you use Plex via DLNA it’s important to disable the plex server settings of sorting music media via type (singles, live album, compilations, etc). Else you will not see all data via DLNA.

 

[jxrxme]

From what others have written here, plex to the wiim uses chromecast, so isn't gapless.

This is the case if you use the App PlexAmp with Chromecast to WiiM.
If you play from DLNA (doesn’t matter if it’s a plex server behind or anything else) there is never a gapless option anyway.

You can do PlexAmp + AirPlay to WiiM if you want to keep the gapless play of PlexAmp though.

 

[simbun]

It you use Plex via DLNA it’s important to disable the plex server settings of sorting music media via type (singles, live album, compilations, etc). Else you will not see all data via DLNA.

Where is this setting? A number of WiiM users have noticed albums missing from the DLNA interface and I'm wondering if this is the cause.

 

[jxrxme]

This is the cause and due to the Plex behavior. Not WiiM to blame here.

The option can be found in the plex server settings under „Library“. You need to disable it in order to see all albums via DLNA.

 

[simbun]

This is the cause and due to the Plex behavior. Not WiiM to blame here.

The option can be found in the plex server settings under „Library“. You need to disable it in order to see all albums via DLNA.

View attachment 5963

I did see reference to 'Settings > Library' in a post from a couple of years ago, but in my installation it's not there.

I am a little behind (1.32.8.7639 ~ Nov 2023) as Plex isn't my primary music server, but could there be another reason for it not to appear?

​

 

[jxrxme]

Maybe depends on which media agent/scanner you use? Or whether you have a plex pass?

 

[PretzelLogic28]

Thanks for the replies and info. What about sound quality ? I'll do some comparisons on my own, but if the USB has .wav files - would streaming the same songs from Plex yield the same uncompressed sound ?

 

[jxrxme]

I don’t have *.wav files but a lot of lossless compressed files in my plex library and all are played in the original file format by WiiM via DLNA. I don’t expect any sound quality difference between USB or DLNA library.

 

[simbun]

As long as you avoid AirPlay (if using PlexAmp) just use the UI you prefer. Just bear in mind that any playlists created in WiiM will be siloed (not sure about Plex). Personally, unless you have a lot of gapless albums I'd go PlexAmp.

WiiM are working on enhanced Plex integration, though we don't know what that means yet, so at some point they'll be even more options.

 

[donjulien]

Gapless: The Holy Grail...
Chromecast is not implemented for gapless. There is one exception, though. If you use LMS (Lyrion Media Server) and its Chromecast plugin, you can cast gapless through your Chromecast devices.. And yes, there is a plugin to use DLNA servers (like Plex, when the option is enabled).
In this scenario, LMS takes charge of encoding all individual tracks as a continuous (hence, gapless) stream. Quite an achievement, if you ask me; only Roon can do the same.
But I'm not sure if you a) care about gapless, b) are willing to add another server, especially if you are happy with Plexamp (which is quite nice, BTW). Anyway, just a thought.
Plex compatibility is on the Wiim roadmap, so hang in there.