SoundWaves
New member
- Joined
- May 24, 2025
- Messages
- 1
I'm strongly considering buying a WiiM Pro Plus, but I'm still unsure. I want to use the Pro Plus with a (relatively old) Yamaha AX 596 amplifier, which only has analog inputs (and therefore no DAC, right?). I will mainly be playing music via TIDL. Now I heard in a review that the sound quality is better via a digital connection, but it wasn't explained why this should be the case. So I'm wondering if the Pro Plus is the best option (maximum sound quality at minimum price) even if I don't have a digital input on my amplifier?
I'm not sure if I understand the technology correctly. TIDL streams with a quality of up to 24 bit, 192 kHz, which the WiiM Pro and even the Mini can do. Now, I have read that the difference lies in the DAC. I don't understand why the sound quality should change due to the type of output if the digital signal is already converted to analog in the WiiM anyway (and that's exactly what a DAC does, isn't it?). If I use the digital output and feed it into an amplifier, then the signal is passed directly from TIDL to the amplifier in digital form, so to speak, and only there is it converted into an analog signal, or is there a multiple conversion between analog and digital? Or is the statement “the digital output has a better sound quality” only correct if the amplifier has a better DAC than the WiiM? If I understand this correctly so far, then a Pro Plus should be worthwhile for my old amplifier in particular, as I want the best possible DAC if I don't have a (good) external DAC or a DAC in the amplifier, right?
Why would someone who has a DAC in their AVR or has an external DAC invest in anything other than a WiiM Mini?
And an additional question: If I have an old CD player with a mediocre DAC, but it has a digital output, I can run it through the WiiM Pro Plus and use it as an external DAC, so to speak, and the sound quality should benefit, right?
Many thanks for your help in advance
I'm not sure if I understand the technology correctly. TIDL streams with a quality of up to 24 bit, 192 kHz, which the WiiM Pro and even the Mini can do. Now, I have read that the difference lies in the DAC. I don't understand why the sound quality should change due to the type of output if the digital signal is already converted to analog in the WiiM anyway (and that's exactly what a DAC does, isn't it?). If I use the digital output and feed it into an amplifier, then the signal is passed directly from TIDL to the amplifier in digital form, so to speak, and only there is it converted into an analog signal, or is there a multiple conversion between analog and digital? Or is the statement “the digital output has a better sound quality” only correct if the amplifier has a better DAC than the WiiM? If I understand this correctly so far, then a Pro Plus should be worthwhile for my old amplifier in particular, as I want the best possible DAC if I don't have a (good) external DAC or a DAC in the amplifier, right?
Why would someone who has a DAC in their AVR or has an external DAC invest in anything other than a WiiM Mini?
And an additional question: If I have an old CD player with a mediocre DAC, but it has a digital output, I can run it through the WiiM Pro Plus and use it as an external DAC, so to speak, and the sound quality should benefit, right?
Many thanks for your help in advance
