Author: Slick Choad

Description

• AIRPLAY 2 RECEIVER - WiiM Mini turns your stereo into an AirPlay 2-enabled speaker to stream the music that you love from iOS and Mac devices or stream TV audio from Apple TV. It’s an easy and affordable way to connect your Apple devices to your favorite audio equipment and upgrade to an...

  User reviews

  ★★★★★ I used the WiiM Mini AirPlay2 Wireless Audio Streamer to make my analog stereo system available on Airplay and Airplay2. After my ancient Airport hub died, I needed something compatible with Mac OS that would deliver high-quality sound. Because the operating system of the WiiM Mini is Linux-based, it was instantly compatible. Once out of the box, I had it set up in about a minute. Seriously. It took about a minute to get it paired and hooked up, using only my iPhone. I didn't need to use their app for anything (which is a real plus, in my opinion). Integration into Mac OS and iOS reminded me of the good old days of Apple, when peripherals "just worked." Apple could learn something from this device, as it was even easier to hook up than the original Airport hubs were, and so far it has not had any bugs (unlike the Airports did).So let's talk about that terrific sound: This streamer sounds beautiful! With dual-band wireless connections in 2.5G and 5G, the signal is strong, without any delay. Streaming music from PC or iPhone to separate locations across the house yielded simultaneous play across both systems. Even better than that, however, the Mini offers bit-perfect output, up to 192 kHz, 24-bit. Streamed music sounds every bit as good as a CD, which is a big improvement over my prior 2.5G Airport.Final note: This thing is tiny. It's about the size of a business card, and it's light as a feather. The lack of heft might make it seem cheap, but it tells me that the company added only the necessary electronics inside the tiny shell. Despite its size, the signal is huge and strong—at least that's what my security system told me. I have no reason to doubt it. The other thing the system reported is that the WiiM Mini's signal is not only robust, but extremely stable, so I don't expect to be having any weird hiccups later on.While the price tag gave me a moment's pause, I am happy with my purchase and the performance I'm getting out of this thing. I hope it will last as long as my old Airport did, which was long past its foreseeable useful and supported life. If that happens, then I will add this to my list of products that have been unbeatable as far as value is concerned.If you enjoy and appreciate Hi-Fi music, and are a user of modern Mac OS and iOS, I would not hesitate for a second to purchase one of these. It's almost as if the WiiM Mini AirPlay2 Wireless Audio Streamer was purpose built to go with a Mac. Now, if only, they made one in white....

  ★★★★★ Short version:If you want to try streaming music from a music service like Amazon Music Unlimited, Tidal, Qobuz, and some others, get a WiiM Mini. It's only $99, even less for Prime customers, and it works great.Long version:I own three WiiM Mini streamers. I use them to stream Amazon Music Unlimited HD/UHD losslessly and gaplessly, up to 24/192. Each is connected to an external DAC, then to a stereo system. The WiiM Mini is ideal for streaming music through an external DAC. Note that John Atkinson of Stereophile magazine give it an "A" rating for this purpose. Impressive for a product that costs $99, and even less for Prime members.If you are looking for a streamer or a product that has a built-in streamer, you need to know that streaming is 10% hardware, 90% software. The little WiiM Mini is really a tiny computer that connects to the Internet via Wi-Fi, with all the hardware necessary for streaming over a Toslink (optical SPDIF) cable. What makes it work is the software on the WiiM ("firmware") and the software on the Android or Apple cell phone to control the WiiM ("app").This remark about software is important. The firmware and app need to be kept up-to-date. I can tell you that the WiiM team is doing a great job of this. When I bought my first WiiM in April, 2022, they were just starting to support Amazon Music. The WiiM only played "standard" (low-resolution) quality. After a few months, the WiiM supported HD/UHD, but only via the WiiM app. Then the same worked with the Amazon app and Alexa. Next, gapless support was added, again via the WiiM app first, then the Amazon app and Alexa. Now you can get bit-perfect, lossless, gapless playback of HD and Ultra HD (up to 24/192) of Amazon Music Unlimited with the WiiM, and you can control it with either the WiiM app or the Amazon Music app or even Alexa. Tremendous! [Note: I don't use Tidal or Qobuz, but I understand that these too are fully supported.]One more observation about streamer software. There are a lot of products available now that have built-in streamers. That is meant to make them easy to use. But what happens if the software doesn't get updated regularly or the manufacturer stops supporting the software altogether? You're left with a broken product! With this in mind, I think the $99 WiiM Mini is a good gamble. And please note, my experience so far is that the WiiM team excels at keeping their software up-to-date.The WiiM Mini has lots of additional features, but I don't use them. For example, the WiiM has a built-in DAC, so you don't need to have an external DAC to stream music to your stereo system. If you're just getting started, use the built-in DAC and the 3.5mm aux out connector. Later, you can add an external DAC for even better sound quality.The WiiM has volume control, an equalizer, Bluetooth, aux input, etc. Again, I don't use these, but you might want to.The WiiM comes with a Toslink (optical SPDIF) cable, and two cables for using the aux in and aux out jacks.Almost forgot: The WiiM Mini also supports Internet radio. I use vTuner, and it works great. Frankly, I am amazed that a low-resolution service like Internet radio can sound so good.I am an audiophile. I consider the WiiM Mini streamer to be "Product of the Year 2022."Whew!

  ★★★★★ Absolutely brilliant! Having gone from a separates hifi system to Sonos about 10 years ago, with this gizmo it’s like going back to separates quality again. It’s so much more rewarding listening to 2 x proper speakers in stereo.Set-up was very easy, I was a bit worried about the wifi signal not being the best in the room it’s in, but it works perfectly.I have this plugged into a low-end Cambridge Audio DAC (about £100) and a pair of Yamaha studio monitors, which is probably an unusual set-up, but mostly sounds fantastic, and so much better than the Sonos - I’m hearing detail on albums I know very well that just weren’t there before.Playing via Tidal app the DAC shows the signal’s CD quality 44.1 kHz and the WiiM Mini can be hooked up to any DAC/amp/speaker/active speaker set-up you like.I could not be happier with my WiiM Mini and can’t stop listening to it, it’s brilliant, you should get one.

  
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