Wiim Pro or Pro Plus for BBC Sounds

[ant_jone]

Good day to you all

We listen to a lot of BBC Sounds over the weekend, mostly on a slight delay so we can skip the news and the annoying adverts. We use the app to catch up with programmes too. I am currently doing this with a Bluetooth receiver connected to my stereo and with the Sounds App on my tablet.
The Bluetooth doesn't sound great, so I would like to use Chromecast functionality, which I believe lets a device "pull" the audio stream from the internet.

I already have DLNA playback and Spotify Connect. I don't need an external remote control. "New unused" but still 2ndhand Chromecast Audio are around £50 on eBay.

I will be using the DAC in the WiiM, so my question is whether the improved DAC in the WiiM Pro Plus is worth the extra £100 over the WiiM Pro.
There is a page on WiiM's website comparing Pro and Pro Plus, but it doesn't actually compare them

Any thoughts gratefully received.

PS I'm hoping to power it from the USB socket on my Yamaha Receiver.

 

[Brantome]

The Pro Plus arguably has a better DAC and opamps than the Pro, as well as a better analogue input stage. Whether that translates into better sound depends on your other kit, room acoustics, speakers, preferences, ears and brain so it’s impossible to say which one sounds better for you until you try it. Also, it depends how good your Yamaha is and whether you want to feed that digitally from the WiiM thereby using the amp’s DAC whose sound you may be used to and prefer, rather than feeding it over analog using the WiiM’s DAC.

Having said that, you’re using two lossy MP3/AAC services with BBC Sounds and Spotify, so perhaps any difference between WiiMs (or amp) will be minimal.

Sorry I can’t be any more definitive as to which is better but I find these matters very subjective.

PS The Pro Plus (incl. Remote which accounts for around £18-20 of the total cost) is £219, while the Pro is £149, so only £70 apart…

 

[ant_jone]

Thank you @Brantome
I have indeed got the price wrong there.
Tricky.
It's not a huge difference, as you say.
I don't think I'd notice the difference in current setup, but life is long and I keep stuff a long time.
Yamaha is over a decade old, and the Technics amp in the garage is about 35yo, so at some point I'm likely to be pleased at my forward thinking. ,
Happy Rabbie Day on Thursday

 

[Mr Ee]

I'm hoping to power it from the USB socket on my Yamaha Receiver.

You may well find the Yamaha usb socket doesn't have enough power for that.

 

[Brantome]

You may well find the Yamaha usb socket doesn't have enough power for that.

Good point, meant to say that earlier