The new FIIO Warmer R2R Tube Buffer DAC

[RetroDave79]

Is there a corresponding imbalance in sound? If not, then don't forget the VU meters are only there to look at.

I've verified that the imbalance is not in the sound, so I decided to keep it, but Im gonna try to fix it, cos when Im doing recordings my stupid brain forgets that the sound is OK and tells me to verify the L/R levels again and again XD

 

[Quadaptor!]

I've verified that the imbalance is not in the sound, so I decided to keep it, but Im gonna try to fix it, cos when Im doing recordings my stupid brain forgets that the sound is OK and tells me to verify the L/R levels again and again XD

Well, I'll also throw in the caveat that the factory should have sent you what you paid for. And that's a properly functioning unit. Best of luck!

 

[Sliphorn]

Well, I'll also throw in the caveat that the factory should have sent you what you paid for. And that's a properly functioning unit. Best of luck!

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I believe they did. It worked perfectly and after a period of time it didn’t. Is that right @RetroDave79? They also offered a replacement. Great service. Yeah, stuff goes wonky sometimes. Such is life.
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[Jimswms]

I have little DAC experience. My Vinyl system sounds stellar. I wanted to improve sound to stream from my phone, so bought a Wiim pro a year or so ago. That sounded ok. Not great.

"OK, I need a better DAC". I joined the 3 Mon waiting list on Apos for a warmer. It was delivered I can't remember when. April maybe? I've had it for awhile. It doesn't improve sound that much from the Wiim Pro, which also doesn't sound great. Remember, I'm happy with vinyl on my system. Setup is Warmer RCA out to amp. Wiim pro (for streaming from phone) optical out->optical in to warmer. My understanding is this is the correct setup. It doesn't sound great.

Soooo, is it how I have it setup? Did I get a dud? Vinyl on my system sounds great through my Rogue Cronus tube amp. None of us are ever satisfied, but i'm not looking for much more from my vinyl setup. I mention mostly because I really think its a DAC issue. Either the dac or how I have it setup. I want to stream Spotify from my phone, so if there's a better way...

Thanks for any insight

 

[pete_mac]

I have little DAC experience. My Vinyl system sounds stellar. I wanted to improve sound to stream from my phone, so bought a Wiim pro a year or so ago. That sounded ok. Not great.

"OK, I need a better DAC". I joined the 3 Mon waiting list on Apos for a warmer. It was delivered I can't remember when. April maybe? I've had it for awhile. It doesn't improve sound that much from the Wiim Pro, which also doesn't sound great. Remember, I'm happy with vinyl on my system. Setup is Warmer RCA out to amp. Wiim pro (for streaming from phone) optical out->optical in to warmer. My understanding is this is the correct setup. It doesn't sound great.

Soooo, is it how I have it setup? Did I get a dud? Vinyl on my system sounds great through my Rogue Cronus tube amp. None of us are ever satisfied, but i'm not looking for much more from my vinyl setup. I mention mostly because I really think its a DAC issue. Either the dac or how I have it setup. I want to stream Spotify from my phone, so if there's a better way...

Thanks for any insight

It would be useful to understand what you mean by not sounding great. In what way do you perceive the sound to be deficient to your vinyl setup?

I presume you're running Spotify natively on the Wiim Pro and using your phone as a remote (Spotify Connect), rather than streaming from your phone directly via bluetooth?

 

[Jimswms]

It would be useful to understand what you mean by not sounding great. In what way do you perceive the sound to be deficient to your vinyl setup?

I presume you're running Spotify natively on the Wiim Pro and using your phone as a remote (Spotify Connect), rather than streaming from your phone directly via bluetooth?

Vinyl sounds rich, detailed, room filling soundstage. In comparison, music through the dac (wiim or warmer) sounds flat and lifeless. Not quite the difference between am and fm radio, but that might be a valid comparison in my system. Actually, for a better comparison, I sometimes listen to KEXP radio out of Seattle. If I hear a song on thst through the wiim, then switch to Spotify lossless for the same song, it doesn't sound all that different. Flat. Lifeless. No depth. I hear so many good things about the warmer, so it makes me think something isn't right, with setup or the dac itself

I think I'm running it natively. If I'm understanding what you're asking, yes. I very rarely use the wiim app now that it's setup. I just turn on the warmer, search for something on the Spotify app on my phone and play from there after connecting to the wiim. It's called basement

Thanks for the help

 

[Vlad Soare]

Maybe it's not necessarily a technical problem with your setup. A lot of music on streaming services sounds flat and lifeless, because it's mastered more for people who listen in headsets in noisy environments than for audiophiles.
I once compared a song from the Queen Greatest Hits II original CD with the same song from Apple Music. The latter was a disaster - brickwalled like hell.

Edit: here it is.
No DAC can fix that.

 

[Jimswms]

Maybe it's not necessarily a technical problem with your setup. A lot of music on streaming services sounds flat and lifeless, because it's mastered more for people who listen in headsets in noisy environments than for audiophiles.
I once compared a song from the Queen Greatest Hits II original CD with the same song from Apple Music. The latter was a disaster - brickwalled like hell.

Edit: here it is.
No DAC can fix that.

It's entirely possible it's that simple. I just finished listening to side 1 Dire Straits brothers in arms on vinyl, then through the warmer. It actually sounded OK. If I didn't own the Vinyl, maybe I would've been happy with it. Maybe, streaming just sucks. LOL

 

[TomD62]

I stream Qobuz via a BlueSound Node into a quality DAC and can testify that streaming does not suck. Some songs may not be as good as others due to the mastering, but the majority sound absolutely stunning. Your mileage appears to vary.

 

[Sliphorn]

I stream Qobuz via a BlueSound Node into a quality DAC and can testify that streaming does not suck. Some songs may not be as good as others due to the mastering, but the majority sound absolutely stunning. Your mileage appears to vary.

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Right, streaming definitely does not suck. My DAC is the Warmer R2R and it too does not suck.
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[Jimswms]

OK, let me clarify, I know streaming does not suck

 

[Gigantic]

I stream Qobuz via a BlueSound Node into a quality DAC and can testify that streaming does not suck. Some songs may not be as good as others due to the mastering, but the majority sound absolutely stunning. Your mileage appears to vary.

I suspect cognitive biases are also at play: Homie expects it to suck and finds, in his experience, that it does. Then again, it's an entry-level priced DAC, small wonder that it's not significantly better than the DAC in an entry level streamer.

 

[Jimswms]

Guys. It was a joke. Sorry if I offended anyone. All I can go by is glowing reviews. Maybe, I was expecting too much. Maybe, I could set it up better. I'll go back into my lurking hole. I do appreciate the feedback. Cheers

 

[TomD62]

No offense taken. That is the problem with forums, tone and sarcasm don't translate well.

 

[Sliphorn]

I suspect cognitive biases are also at play: Homie expects it to suck and finds, in his experience, that it does. Then again, it's an entry-level priced DAC, small wonder that it's not significantly better than the DAC in an entry level streamer.

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Entry level priced, yes, but not entry level performance. The DAC in the WiiM Pro is most definitely entry level. I have both a Warmer and a Pro and in my system the Pro DAC is awful. There are hundreds of examples on various forums of the Warmer giving much more expensive R2R DAC’s a run for their money. Denafrips comes to mind, by owners of both. Not to mention that FiiO made it clear the Warmer is a special project engineered to hit at a much higher performance level than the price would suggest. In my system there is no doubt about it. It is superb.

I can’t help but think something else is going on with @Jimswms set-up. Or……All DAC’s sound the same. No.
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