do we listen to music on our audio systems, or do we step back and question the data?
I guess it depends on what we’re hoping to get out of the experience.
cheers.
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Dacs are a solved problem. Any differences in measurements are inaudible. Dac filters and analog outputs have miniscule, measurable, maybe audible differences, and preference is subjective.
Network transports, switches, etc. are a solved problem, proven by measurements, and any perceived differences are confirmation bias.
Amps and preamps should be transparent. Many are, some add “coloration”, and preference is entirely subjective.
Speakers and rooms are where the rubber meets the road. Measurements and preferences are all over the map, and there is no correct answer except what you like.
But, at the end of the day, quality of recording and mastering trumps all.
That is my unified theory of audio. Carry on.
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The Wiim Pro Plus arrived today and it solves the #1 challenge I’ve had which is Volume Control Bypass.
I did a side by side with the CA MXN10 and couldn’t tell any obvious/repeatable sound differences.
The MXN10 has been completely stable and I have not had it crash or lose a signal unexpectedly in the 3 weeks of use so far, it’s gotten more use than average due to spending more time home over the holidays. I would recommend the MXN10 to anyone looking for a simple, plug-n-play Roon Ready streamer that either want to use it’s internal DAC with RCA line out or will use digital out with volume managed via a preamplifier/receiver.
Software-wise the Wiim Pro Plus is Roon-ready (updated the firmware before using it), AirPlay, and Spotify connect have all worked without issue, this is after a limited 3-4 hours and will need more use to say it’s “stable”. I slightly prefer the sound when using the volume management via my preamplifier versus the Wiim volume management, but it is likely my imagination. Switching the volume management in the app is fewer steps than switching output cables on the CA MXN10, so the Wiim Pro Plus gives me more options for volume control.
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Continue to be impressed with the Wiim Pro Plus. I’ve rotated through all of the outputs and don’t find any issue with Optical, COAX, or Line Out.
Compared with a Raspberry Pi device the WiiM integrates better. With Ropieee OS the device only sees my DAC as a 96/24. With Volumio OS it did support 192/24 & DSD 64 via DOP. So I only gained DSD64 relative to the Wiim Pro Plus.
The Raspberry Pi cannot be seen by Roon unless the Peachtree PreDAC is set to USB output. This is an annoying limitation, for example I cannot customize the queue in Roon unless my PreDAC is both on and set to USB. I cannot do a switching comparison of say Raspberry Pi to my turntable or Wiim Pro Plus because each time I switch the Raspberry Pi disappears from Roon devices and only appears again when I switch back after a multi second delay, and then I still have to switch devices in Roon and click play. Airplay and Spotify Connect have proven less stable with occasional hiccups, relative to the Wiim Pro Plus that has been in constant use now for ~3 weeks.
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weird. I have a RPi4/Ropieee running into a Schiit Jotenhein via USB. Roon sees the endpoint just fine, even when the Jot is powered off.
Seems to depend on the DAC. There’s a lot of two-way sensing going on with USB connections, and it’s not clear what the “right” thing for the streamer to do when a DAC goes into “standby” mode, or what the DAC should do if the streamer stops sending power to the DAC (even if the DAC is not using that power, it can still sense it and respond by altering its behavior; this was my issue with the Topping D70, for instance).
Agree with you that the WiiM Pro is solidly reliable and easy to use, but I haven’t found ways to substantially boost it’s performance beyond very good to sonically great like many of us have accomplished with a Raspberry Pi. By this I mean the streamer’s ability to deliver the recording within a large, three-dimensional sound field where the speakers and nearby walls seem to disappear. We hear just the instruments, including voices, which occupy their own spaces as they do in live performance.
Unlike the WiiM, an RPi can be made to use a variety of different operating systems, network protocols and power configurations to minimize any impact on the signal sent to a DAC. Yes, those options add to expense but elevate the quality of MUSIC reproduction.