WiiM Mini AirPlay 2 Wireless Audio Streamer, Multiroom Stereo, Preamplifier, Works with Alexa and Siri Voice Assistants, Stream Hi-Res Audio from Spotify, Amazon Music and More

If you use SPDIF instead of internal Dac, this little device would let you forget about the expensive BlueSound Node, the troublesome and unstable raspberry pi runs on any OS. This is simply the easiest and best solution by far. The downside would be that it uses it's own app to log into all the music services. You won't be able to browse through the native APP UI from spotify, tidal, qobuz or even amazon music.I haven't tried gapless so I can't put down "it just works" stamp yet! However, hi-res does work as expected. There are some glitches and bugs from Amazon Music though. When comparing to Qobuz, it simply just works as bit perfect. On the Amazon Music HD/UHD I believed it's probably Amazon's fault here. There will be constrain on bitrate and sampling rate if you output from TV because it's running mostly Android OS (ye! I am looking at you Amazon FireTV 4k Stick). You will only get 48k. However, on the Wiim mini is another story. It's better to show 24bit, but sometimes it's not bit perfect. it doesn't always shows properly up to 192k.Due to the inconsistency of Amazon music. Depends on your Dac, your streamer box (a computer, an iphone, tv, or wiim mini) they all behave differently. I can't grasp which one is the "best" solution or claim to be bit perfect here. But Amazon music seems to output hi-res music for sure. Amazon still need to work on their device compatibility issues though.For qobuz, it works like a breeze. Always accurate, and always works! I've had raspberry pi ran through LMS, volumio, audirvana, and roon before. If you want me to choose what's the best solution for sound quality and simplicity, I would choose wiim mini.Although you don't have a roon or audirvana as centralized server. You can't "stream" music to every devices from a home server. You will lose "screen display" feature on your computer or tv. However, you will not bump into audirvana can't switch playback devices or roon constantly having server down issues you need to restart the server. Best of all, you don't need to deal with LMS or volumio just another update that something "doesn't work" again.For the sound quality, I compare to Qobuz, it is indeed a close match. To be easy to use and bit perfect, Qobuz is obviously the best choice. Amazon music comes in second with this wiim mini.Best of all was the Alexa integration. It's now possible to tell Alexa to play music, and on wiim mini side, it starts to play bit perfect hi-res music. That's simply the missing piece from the echo eco system that Amazon did not have on their own products unless you've gone for Echo Studio. Amazon really need to do some catch up.It will sound better than you use Amazon FireTV 4k Sticks plug into the AVR before TV. Due to "compatibility" issues, versions of FireTV OS, and FireTV hardware. Not all FireTV works right out of box. In addition, not all AVR works with FireTV stick either. So I am grateful that Wiim Mini simply skips that whole route all together.The weak link would be spotify connect (not very sure if spotify connect is ever going to support bit perfect when spotify finally release hi res audio). Tidal works okay but obviously your DAC needs to decode MQA because wiim mini can't do that from internal DAC. Best experiences comes from Qobuz and Amazon Music HD/UHD. Bluetooth was alright. When you can stream through WIFI, why bother with Bluetooth?However, the streaming service is very limited. It won't support even something like Pandora just yet! You really need to use Airplay2 to playback those type of music services.

I recently bought a Denon CEOL all in one receiver with HEOS built in. So I needed to decide which streaming service (WIIM vs HEOS) I was going to use. Denon had had problematic software control, which was significantly upgraded in January 2024. It seems to work fairly well, now. WIIM seems to receive almost (not quite, but close) universal praise for its control software.Why I went with WIIM:* Greater chance of fewer problems with software.* More flexible in that I could use inexpensive speakers, and my existing legacy gear with it.* As one who uses hearing aids, I am unlikely to get to the point where HEOS's promised higher fidelity (and higher subsequent costs) will make a significant difference to me.* WIIM supports one of my favorite 2nd tier streaming services, Calm Radio), and HEOS does not.WHAT I LIKE ABOUT the WIIM mini:* VERY tiny! it sits on top of my elderly Technics SA GX190 with the vent holes on top in the area with no vent holes with room to spare in the spot with NO vent holes.* It came with all the cables I needed to connect my device to my Technics, and even included stuff I couldn't use.* It connected to the aux in RCA ports of my Technics reliever quite well. And the legacy Technics can control bass, treble, & volume quite readily.* Setup was EASY an straight forward. I believe literally ANYONE can do it.* Sound is VERY good, With or without my Hearing aids. My wife who doesn't uses HAs also thinks the streaming sound is very good. Maybe not as good as the new Denon HEOS streaming, but that could be the quality of speakers on the Denon as opposed to the Technics.* The WIIM software is easy to use after set up. I like using my Android device as a remote control for the mini.WHAT I DON'T Like about the WIIM Mini:* Only one thing really. The cord that connected the miniplug out of the mini to the RCA connectors, was all black (both RCA pins), so I couldn't tell which cord was 'left' and which was "Right'. I must have guessed correctly because it worked OK. I upgraded to a third party cable.IN CONCLUSION:I am pleased with my purchase. It seems well made, and the performance is better than I expected. The sound is quite good, particularly for a casual listener, even those who aren't hearing impaired. Could you do better? Yes, but I doubt you could do better for less than $100 US. Connectivity is good, Set up is easy, and the software is easy to use. I will likely expand my whole house audio system with WIIM products, even one for my Denon CEOL receiver.