For years, large tech has been attempting to persuade us that good audio system are the best way ahead for listening to music within the residence, however what many people have actually wished is an inexpensive approach of streaming the likes of Spotify, Amazon Music or Apple Music to an present high-quality hi-fi setup.
For some time, Google provided the superb Chromecast Audio, which enabled you to do exactly that. Nonetheless, in its knowledge – and presumably in a bid to promote extra good audio system – the corporate discontinued this in 2019, leaving a niche available in the market.
Fairly a couple of corporations have tried to step into the breach, however if you happen to don’t wish to spend an excessive amount of cash, we are able to’t consider something higher proper now than the choices being provided by WiiM. And, reward be, its vary of fantastic inexpensive streamers is on sale over Cyber Weekend at a 20% low cost.
Our decide of the merchandise could be the Wiim Professional Plus, a really tidy little field that helps each Apple AirPlay 2 and Chromecast Audio, together with Spotify Join, Tidal Join and Amazon Music Solid. Merely take an analogue or digital audio out to your present amp (or hook as much as a set of powered audio system), join the field to the web and also you’re good to go.
There are additionally S/PDIF and line inputs with the intention to plug in one other machine – a turntable, for instance – and, in addition to with the ability to hear this by way of the related audio system, you can even transmit its sound to some other AirPlay-enabled units you have got in your setup.
The WiiM Professional Plus can stream at as much as 24-bit/192kHz on each its analogue and digital outputs, and there’s gapless playback. You too can management it together with your voice, because of the Alexa-equipped distant that comes equipped. The machine is appropriate with Google and Siri voice assistants, too, and provides multiroom streaming through some other good audio system you might need.
If you’d like one thing even cheaper, there’s additionally the WiiM Mini, a small puck-shaped machine that has much less connectivity and performance however is considerably extra inexpensive. This helps AirPlay 2, Spotify Join, Tidal Join and Amazon Music Solid, and provides 24-bit/192kHz high quality through mini-jack aux and optical outputs. There’s additionally an aux in to your turntable or one thing else, and voice management out of your Alexa or Siri machine. Once more, multiroom streaming is supported.
