After last WiiM Talk’s deep dive into Vibelink, the response from our community has been incredible. The thoughtful questions keep rolling in, and we’re thrilled to continue the conversation. To ensure we’re addressing as many of your inquiries as possible, I’ve once again sat down with the Product Manager behind Vibelink and other WiiM innovations.
In this second installment, we’ll explore more of what makes Vibelink tick, tackling your latest questions about its features, design choices, and what’s next for this exciting lineup. We're happy to keep having these talks, so please ask questions in the comments or to me directly and we'll answer what we can!
Feel free to spread out as well, we'll be moving on to other topics than just the Vibelink Amp.Ryan: Thanks for taking the time to answer more questions! We’ve seen several questions about the lack of a remote on the Vibelink Amp and with the launch of our Remote 2 which doesn’t support Vibelink Amp, there’s bound to be more. So, what are the main factors in this decision?
Product Manager: That’s a great question and one we anticipated would come up. The decision not to include remote functionality for the Vibelink Amp ultimately comes down to simplicity and cost. The volume knob on the Vibelink Amp is entirely physical, which means adding remote control functionality would require extra components to motorize the knob or integrate additional digital volume control circuitry. These added features would increase the overall cost and complexity, which goes against the Amp’s design philosophy of focusing on pure, straightforward audio performance.
For users who prefer remote control, pairing the Vibelink Amp with a WiiM Ultra provides options for streaming and control without compromising simplicity. The Amp is designed to pair seamlessly with WiiM streamers such as the Ultra, Pro, Pro Plus, or Mini, allowing users to adjust volume through their preamp's remote. For best results, set the Vibelink Amp to maximum volume and adjust levels using the WiiM streamer for smooth and convenient control.
Ryan: We’ve also been asked about the inclusion of a volume knob, most pure power amplifiers don’t include a volume knob, so why did we decide to add one to the Vibelink Amp?
PM: The Vibelink Amp features a volume knob to provide both safety and flexibility for your audio setup. Many users prefer to set their source devices, such as our WiiM streamers, to a fixed volume output (bit-perfect output) and control the speaker volume through the amplifier. Without a volume control on the amp, this could lead to sudden loud volumes that risk damaging your speakers.
If the maximum power rating of your speakers is lower than the amplifier’s output, connecting them without a volume knob could also result in damage. With our current design, the volume knob allows you to set a limit physically, so that the output doesn’t exceed the maximum power rating of your speakers. This added control enhances speaker compatibility and prevents potential issues, making the Vibelink Amp a safer, more versatile choice. When setting the Vibelink Amp to maximum volume, it's the same as a pure amplifier.
Ryan: Is the volume knob changing the quality of the audio? How does it impact the power output of the Vibelink Amp?
PM: The volume knob on the Vibelink Amp doesn’t impact audio quality but controls the signal strength to your speakers, adjusting loudness without adding distortion. It also governs the power output, ensuring it matches your speakers’ capabilities and protects them from being overloaded or damaged.
Ryan: There have been several questions and discussions about the power ratings of the Vibelink Amp at a max of 100W per channel for 8 ohm, particularly regarding 1% THD+N as a benchmark and how this compares to the WiiM Amp Pro. Could you clarify some of these points for our community?
PM: Absolutely! The power figures for the Vibelink Amp are based on 1% Total Harmonic Distortion plus Noise (THD+N), an industry-standard benchmark for amplifier performance. At 1% THD+N, the Vibelink Amp delivers 100W per channel at 8 ohms compared to 60W per channel for the Amp Pro. Additionally, the Vibelink Amp achieves THD+N of 0.0005% at 5W, equivalent to -105 dB (A-weighted), ensuring exceptional audio clarity at lower power levels. Ryan, make sure you attach the AP555x report to this when you share it for anyone interested in exploring these results further.
It is also worth noting that analog inputs may show slightly higher distortion than digital inputs, resulting in lower power output at 1% THD+N. These differences are natural due to the input source and amplifier design, but the Vibelink Amp has been carefully engineered to perform optimally in a lot of different use cases.
Ryan: We’ve also had questions about why the rated power output for the Optical and Coaxial inputs is higher than those for the Analog RCA inputs. Can you explain what’s happening here?
The Vibelink Amp is designed with both exceptional audio quality and reliability in mind. For optical and coaxial inputs, the DAC processes digital signals directly, ensuring high precision and low distortion. This optimized processing allows the amplifier to achieve maximum output power while maintaining clean and accurate sound.
When using RCA inputs, the amplifier handles pre-processed analog signals that bypass the DAC. This ensures consistent audio clarity and avoids distortion, though it may result in slightly lower maximum output power compared to digital inputs. The amplifier also manages thermal performance carefully, ensuring safe and efficient operation regardless of connection type. Processing and receiving the analog input has a tendency to increase the temperature at high levels. We're committed to delivering rich sound and reliable performance for all devices, at an affordable price.
Ryan: Speaking of the future of devices, will there be any firmware updates or future enhancements planned for the Vibelink Amp?
PM: We’re committed to rolling out updates to further enhance the Vibelink Amp’s performance. While the Amp remains a non-streaming device future updates will focus on refining some of its capabilities, optimizing audio quality, and ensuring compatibility with evolving setups. These enhancements aim to keep the Amp performing at its best, without adding streaming capabilities that might detract from its simplicity and pure audio focus.
Ryan: How does the Vibelink Amp handle heat management during extended use?
PM: Heat management is a cornerstone of the Vibelink Amp’s design. It features copper heat pipes, a large aluminum heatsink, and a heat-spreading aluminum casing to ensure that heat is evenly distributed and hotspots are minimized. The PID-based thermal management software is also used to actively regulate temperature during extended listening sessions. Long story short, it stays cool under pressure. Whether you’re playing a soothing vinyl record or cranking up the bass on a high energy track, the Vibelink Amp is engineered to keep its cool, so you can keep vibing.
Ryan: Will there eventually be a way to run Room Correction through Vibelink only, without the use of a streamer?
PM: The Vibelink Amp is designed as a non-streaming amplifier, focusing entirely on delivering pure audio performance. As a result, its hardware does not support native Room Correction capabilities.
Room Correction relies on specialized signal processing hardware and software that the Vibelink Amp doesn’t include, in order to stay true to its straightforward and high-performance design philosophy. For now, Room Correction remains a feature tied to our streaming devices, which complement the Amp beautifully for setups requiring precise room calibration. While the Amp itself won’t receive Room Correction, pairing it with a WiiM streamer ensures you can enjoy finely tuned sound in your space.
Thanks for your time and for answering these questions for our community! And one last reminder for everyone reading, jump on into the comments to add questions for the future, we’ll try to answer them!
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