WiiM Vibelink Amp

[harkpabst]

And personally, I had hoped for a "pure" power amp with no volume control in the first place. A But let's see how it will all work out.

The addition of digital inputs looks rather sensible to me, if the DAC is at least on par with the WiiM Ultra. Certainly of value e.g. for owners of the WiiM Mini, WiiM Pro or third party streamers. A bit like a miniature Lyngdorf SDA-2400.

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

And personally, I had hoped for a "pure" power amp with no volume control in the first place. A But let's see how it will all work out.

The addition of digital inputs looks rather sensible to me, if the DAC is at least on par with the WiiM Ultra. Certainly of value e.g. for owners of the WiiM Mini, WiiM Pro or third party streamers. A bit like a miniature Lyngdorf SDA-2400.

On the first part, if anyone wants this to be 'just a power amp', just turn it up to 100%.

When you say "The addition of digital inputs looks rather sensible to me...", I feel duty-bound to ask how that going to with the above and a DAC with no volume control.

 

[Burnside]

And personally, I had hoped for a "pure" power amp with no volume control in the first place. A But let's see how it will all work out.

The addition of digital inputs looks rather sensible to me, if the DAC is at least on par with the WiiM Ultra. Certainly of value e.g. for owners of the WiiM Mini, WiiM Pro or third party streamers. A bit like a miniature Lyngdorf SDA-2400.

It’ll be interesting to see if there’s any convergence between the inference and logic in discussions here with what the final specs and function of the vibelink will be …

 

[harkpabst]

I feel duty-bound to ask how that going to with the above and a DAC with no volume control.

Easy. Volume control being done further up the chain. Just like with e.g. said Lyngdorf SDA-2400.

 

[hgo58]

Easy. Volume control being done further up the chain. Just like with e.g. said Lyngdorf SDA-2400.

If they do the volume control on the analog side it would be great, as it will allow for the bit perfect transport configuration that WiiM has just been describing.

 

[harkpabst]

If they do the volume control on the analog side it would be great, as it will allow for the bit perfect transport configuration that WiiM has just been describing.

It might be bit perfect to the DAC, but it's not like analogue volume control didn't have its own issues.

 

[wiimamp user]

https://www.ecoustics.com/products/wiim-vibelink-amp/

 

[sdheires]

I have a Wiim Ultra on my main system, and just purchased a WiiM Pro Plus for a "minimalist" system for the bedroom. I was excited to hear about the Vibelink as extra power is nice for the dynamics. Maybe I am old school but 60W (WiiM Amp/Pro) just seems a bit lean for certain musical tracks and/or styles. I was excited to hear about the Vibelink, then subsequently disappointed to see that they ditched the sub out. This minimalist system will be driving some bookshelf speaker and a sub. I suppose I can swap the WiiM Ultra out of my main system for the Pro Plus (no sub). However I am happy with how my main system sounds now, and don't really want to mess with it.

If you are listening WiiM team, I would buy the Vibelink in a heartbeat if you added a sub output!

 

[EddNog]

I have a Wiim Ultra on my main system, and just purchased a WiiM Pro Plus for a "minimalist" system for the bedroom. I was excited to hear about the Vibelink as extra power is nice for the dynamics. Maybe I am old school but 60W (WiiM Amp/Pro) just seems a bit lean for certain musical tracks and/or styles. I was excited to hear about the Vibelink, then subsequently disappointed to see that they ditched the sub out. This minimalist system will be driving some bookshelf speaker and a sub. I suppose I can swap the WiiM Ultra out of my main system for the Pro Plus (no sub). However I am happy with how my main system sounds now, and don't really want to mess with it.

If you are listening WiiM team, I would buy the Vibelink in a heartbeat if you added a sub output!

Why couldn't you simply use the sub output of the WiiM Ultra (which handles bass management anyway) and then let the VibeLink drive the main loudspeakers via one of the WiiM Ultra's digital outputs? This is pretty much how anybody using the WiiM Ultra's sub out plus an external DAC for the speakers utilizes it.

-Ed

 

[elshaddai]

Why couldn't you simply use the sub output of the WiiM Ultra (which handles bass management anyway) and then let the VibeLink drive the main loudspeakers via one of the WiiM Ultra's digital outputs? This is pretty much how anybody using the WiiM Ultra's sub out plus an external DAC for the speakers utilizes it.

-Ed

I don't think they were talking about using the Vibelink with the Ultra in the main setup, but with the Pro Plus bedroom system. It's the age-old problem of "dumb" stereo amps that don't have bass management. New product for WiiM, but nothing new in the industry.

 

[Lutefish]

I think they're speaking for those of us in the Pro Plus corner, which doesn't do bass management or a sub out. I'm wondering about FMOD inline crossovers after the ProPlus, before the VibeLink.

 

[EddNog]

I don't think they were talking about using the Vibelink with the Ultra in the main setup, but with the Pro Plus bedroom system. It's the age-old problem of "dumb" stereo amps that don't have bass management. New product for WiiM, but nothing new in the industry.

I think they're speaking for those of us in the Pro Plus corner, which doesn't do bass management or a sub out. I'm wondering about FMOD inline crossovers after the ProPlus, before the VibeLink.

Ah, okay. That makes more sense, then.

Well, my only suggestion, and it's not cheap, would be either a DSPeaker Anti-Mode X2 (or really X2D to take advantage of the digital inputs of the VibeLink) or a MiniDSP Flex, which would be able to provide the bass management function plus superior room correction to the rudimentary solution provided by WiiM.

-Ed

 

[sdheires]

Ah, okay. That makes more sense, then.

Well, my only suggestion, and it's not cheap, would be either a DSPeaker Anti-Mode X2 (or really X2D to take advantage of the digital inputs of the VibeLink) or a MiniDSP Flex, which would be able to provide the bass management function plus superior room correction to the rudimentary solution provided by WiiM.

-Ed

I am working hard to achieve minimalism. Its has taken us years to get this far. While I do have a large 'brand name" linear integrated amp that I could use for the bedroom, I really appreciate the clean, simple, and uncluttered look and feel of the WiiM line. I am a recovering gear addict, and trying not to fall back into my old ways. I honestly cannot even remember all the different audio equipment that I have owned over the years. It's a lot (Yamaha, Denon, Marantz, Onkyo, etc.)

Fortunately there seems to be a lot of compact desktop class D audio amps available now, with reasonably good fidelity and higher power outputs (that do include a sub output.) However I am really (really) impressed by the WiiM Ultra and their amazing app. They make it so easy to enjoy quality sound (at a very reasonable price).

So yes, I have a slew of fairly good options now, it would be "nice" to pair my WiiM Pro Plus with a WiiM amp. And while my bookshelf speakers are decent, they work best with my (Polk) sub. The Vibelink could have hit the bullseye for me, but appears now more like a near miss.

 

[harkpabst]

I am working hard to achieve minimalism. Its has taken us years to get this far. While I do have a large 'brand name" linear integrated amp that I could use for the bedroom, I really appreciate the clean, simple, and uncluttered look and feel of the WiiM line. I am a recovering gear addict, and trying not to fall back into my old ways. I honestly cannot even remember all the different audio equipment that I have owned over the years. It's a lot (Yamaha, Denon, Marantz, Onkyo, etc.)

Fortunately there seems to be a lot of compact desktop class D audio amps available now, with reasonably good fidelity and higher power outputs (that do include a sub output.) However I am really (really) impressed by the WiiM Ultra and their amazing app. They make it so easy to enjoy quality sound (at a very reasonable price).

So yes, I have a slew of fairly good options now, it would be "nice" to pair my WiiM Pro Plus with a WiiM amp. And while my bookshelf speakers are decent, they work best with my (Polk) sub. The Vibelink could have hit the bullseye for me, but appears now more like a near miss.

Adding a subwoofer output would duplicate even more of the features of the WiiM Ultra. Some are complaining about the digital inputs and the volume control on the Vibelink Amp, already.

There's no one size fits all. The Vibelink already tries to be a compromise, instead of bringing a pure power amp and a non-streaming integrated amp to the market. Many ways to skin the cat, but it must die, one way or the other.