Most practical way to send signal wirelessly to vintage integrated stereo?

I happily encourage the average Joe to use Bluetooth if they just want convenient wireless audio connectivity to an endpoint ... such as bobbyonions' Bose thingy.
But when someone who is seeking genuine high fidelity in a streaming setup assumes they should use Bluetooth, an injustice has occurred!

WillVT said:
Wiim is wireless. You connect it to your wireless network and then go to Spotify on your phone or computer. Then you "cast" to the Wiim, and it connects directly to Spotify on the Internet. Your phone then becomes basically a remote, controlling tracks, volume etc. but the signal (music) doesn't actually pass through the phone or laptop like it does with Bluetooth.
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This. Bravo. A good quality streamer is the answer, and the WiiM is a good starting point.

Regarding an external DAC - the same rules apply to the WiiM as for any other digital source - SQ improvements are marginal, usually with diminishing returns in relation to the cost of the DAC.
The DAC in a Focusrite Scarlett is good, but not particularly special. I suspect it might give you a tiny improvement over the internal DAC of the WiiM Mini (and WiiM Pro) - but choose your WiiM model carefully - the WiiM Mini (US$100) only offers digital output in the form of optical S/PDIF, while the WiiM Pro (US$150) offers both optical and coaxial S/PDIF outputs.
The Scarlett 2i4 will not accept S/PDIF input. The Scarlett 2i6 accepts coaxial S/PDIF input, so you could use that in combination with a WiiM Pro ... but since you are now spending a little more on the WiiM than the basic "Mini" model, you might as well go one step higher and get the WiiM Pro Plus (US$220) - which has a high quality inbuilt DAC. Obviously the Scarlett is then no longer required.
 
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Wow you jumped on that quickly. It's a bit late now, but I will mention another option -
when my own streamer/DAC needs replacing in the next year or so I will likely go with WiiM, but not the Pro Plus. Instead I will get the Mini or Pro, and use this in combination with a good quality entry level DAC such as the Topping E30II. I'm not saying this combination is better than the Pro Plus, but it provides some flexibility if there's a future need to change the streamer or DAC (but not both). It also provides additional inputs to the DAC, so I can connect multiple digital devices, and simply switch between them with the DAC's remote control.
 
bobbyonions said:
Yeah, that sounds like another good way to go, but it's a done deal. The pro plus arrived last night an I'm going to set it up for her over our Thanksgiving break.
It would be cool to get another similar set up for our main stereo. Nothing compares to spinning vinyl though!!
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I have a similar set up for the den, the master bedroom and the garage system. My wife uses the den and master set up regularly using Spotify on her phone, but I prefer using CDs, Blu-Ray and LPs the majority of the time.
 
Sorry bobbyonions, I didn't mean to diminish the value of your purchase. Your WiiM Pro Plus is a solid investment which should serve you well into the future.
For Spotify the WiiM supports Spotify-Connect, as WillVT mentioned in post #18.
For Tidal the WiiM supports Tidal-Connect.
Most other commercial streaming services are best streamed to the WiiM via AirPlay.
And if you ever want to stream a local music library to the WiiM, I recommend you install the Lyrion server application somewhere on your local network.
 
bobbyonions said:
Ok, I ordered one of those. I supposed spending a bit more on a streamer as apposed to blue tooth reciever makes sense.
Thanks all for the advice.
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Fine choice. The Bluetooth thing works great for my Bedroom system, which I seldom use anyway.

The Wiim Pro plus is IMO a fine entry level streamer. I'm guessing at least on par with what might be included on many Network Streaming AVR's like my Yamaha Rx-V485 or todays stereo amps. And Spotify Premium sounds excellent through my AVR with the right recordings. Overall though I'm pleased with their service.

I also enjoy playing LP's and CD's. But the convince of Streaming often wins out.
 
charles 1973 said:
The Wiim Pro plus is IMO a fine entry level streamer. I'm guessing at least on par with what might be included on many Network Streaming AVR's
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I would say the WiiMs have superior software to most AV Receivers, which mostly run HEOS or MusicCast.
Google "WiiM vs HEOS" and "WiiM vs MusicCast" and you will see many others agree with me.
WiiM got Tidal-Connect long before either HEOS or MusicCast did, and I don't think MusicCast's Tidal-Connect yet supports hi-res.
 
I use the WiiM Pro Plus in my office because of the added quality DAC and am very happy with it. Plus you can use the WiiM to adjust for room dynamics. I went WiiM Pro for my main system because I have a much better DAC there. Basically the difference in the two Pro models.
 
Air Port express isn't that bad if you use it with an external DAC. Using its internal DAC the sound isn't near as good as 5.3 blu tooth.
 
At the end of the day I didn't need bluetooth or a streamer. My wife ended up arranging things in a way that her laptop that she streams from is right next to the integrated amp (went with an old silver faced technics unit). I then realized all we needed was a mini stereo out of her macbook straight to rca ins on the technics. She's happy with it and I ended up sending the WiiM back. Never even opened the box.
 
bobbyonions said:
Hey folks. I don't post much here anymore, but have something I need advice about. I converted our garage into an Art studio for my wife during covid. She listens to music and podcasts, mostly spotify, from her laptop to a bluetooth speaker (one of those bose cylindrical looking jobbies).

Lately she has been asking me to hook up a real stereo system in there, cause she is tired of the crappy sound quality of the little portable bose thingy. When we play spotify through our home stereo hard wired from my desktop to focusrite interface to long rca to Pilot tube 260 amp and 210 preamp. to Dyanaco A-25, she notices how much more dynamic and nuanced the music is. She gravitates to music that has lot's of subtlties and the little blue tooth speaker ain't cuttin' it.

So I have lots of speakers and recievers to choose from to set her up with. My question is, what is the best way to get good signal to a vintage integrated amp from her ipad or iphone? I see those bluetooth recievers you can hook up to a vintage stereo but I don't know anything about them and the sound quality. I have another focusrite interface and a couple small diy dacs that I built years ago. Could those somehow be usefull in a wireless setup? The overall goal is that she can go in there hit the power button on the integrated amp, open her laptop anywhere in the room and play music. I was going to use a vintage Rotel integrated and some B&W prism bookshelves mounted in corners of the room.

I'm pretty stupid with modern tech, so any help/advise will be appreciated.
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I use rocket fish Bluetooth receivers plugged into my vintage gear they work well and have decent range and come with all the adaptors needed for plug and play ! Also use the switched outlet on the back of the receiver with a very short ext cord so I can plug the turn table in as well they are very low current !
 
ernieb1536 said:
I use rocket fish Bluetooth receivers plugged into my vintage gear they work well and have decent range and come with all the adaptors needed for plug and play ! Also use the switched outlet on the back of the receiver with a very short ext cord so I can plug the turn table in as well they are very low current !
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$59.95 !
 
bobbyonions said:
Volume and sound quality good in your opinion?
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BluDento's
I have a couple of them and have compared them to quite a few other DACs ..

Neutral, detailed, and fairly extended .. you can definitely do a lot worse ..
The Blu Dento has a very good DAC in it .. comparable to or better than a lot of other $200 DAC's .. (like 8 of them that I tried)
That's listening on a pretty high res system with cables that cost more than the BluDento ..

It's an excellent, maybe unbeatable DAC for the money .. <$100 ..+
I haven't listened to the Wiim tho and a lot of folks like it ..
Try both ..
 
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bobbyonions said:
Yeah, that sounds like another good way to go, but it's a done deal. The pro plus arrived last night an I'm going to set it up for her over our Thanksgiving break.

It would be cool to get another similar set up for our main stereo. Nothing compares to spinning vinyl though!!
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You will like the WiiM Pro +. It has built in EQ as well.

Every car/truck/suv my wife get's she always has me set up the tone and front to rear bias. I know exactly how she likes her music to sound.
 
While both work, it's worth pointing out that music streamed over WiFi has the possibility of transmitting greater resolution sound files with less compression compared to music streamed over BT and would be preferred for home use (if possible). However, the aptX HD standard for BT is pretty good nowadays. It sounds much, much better than it used to and is still the preferred method where portability is an issue or if you're moving around alot.
 
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