Yes, these are the only two ways to get bit-perfect playback for Amazon HD, AFAIK. My Denon AVR is older and does not have HEOS, so everything is upsampled to 24/192.
Amazon Firestick 4k into HDMI input of a Yamaha RX-V477 AVR. I guess the mid-level Burr Brown DAC in the Yammie gets along with the Firestick ok.
Not sure if anyone is still following this thread, but the WiiM Mini Streamer now supports bit perfect ouput over toslink for Amazon HD. The firmware is bit of a work in progress, but the Audio Science Review forums have a large thread about it.
I am. Thanks so much for posting this! I had given up on bit perfect playback and resigned myself to HD playback through an older MacBook Pro, which has now slowed down to intolerable levels, even after a memory upgrade. I am going to give this a try. Not too excited about having to use their app, but if I get bit perfect playback to my external dac in my integrated, I'll be a happy camper.
Yeah, using their app it definitely works - my SMSL DAC shows the correct sample rate for the track being played. You can also cast to it directly from the Amazon app, but when I do that the DAC always shows 44.1, so somewhere it is being downsampled. I actually don't mind the WiiM app, I think the UI is pretty good. According to their roadmap, they plan to support HD casting from the Amazon app this month. They are also working on gapless playback (right now there is a noticeable gap between tracks).
So the WiiM Mini Streamer has been in the house for a week now, and I am impressed. Using the optical into my Yamaha A-S801 sounds just as good as the Macbook Pro, maybe a bit better. I am trusting that I am getting bitperfect, but there is no way to know for sure since I don't have a readout. The app is decent, but I am noticing some quirks: the search function doesn't always yield results for music that I know Amazon has and it will repeat albums even though the repeat button is off. Hopefully these will get resolved soon.
With the latest firmware update, you can cast to it from the Amazon app and it will play in HD. Not sure if it's bit perfect, but the sample rate changes to match the track.
Using Wiim Mini is a cinch. From there via toslink to Emotiva ERC4 using it's DAC. Then to Muxishare X7 and to Klipsch Forte 4. From my phone can pick any genre and you up/down vote. It will learn my preferences. Even displays resolution.
This Wiim mini looks very interesting, with a low price. I've been using my custom computer to stream Amazon HD (in exclusive mode, but apparently. not bit perfect) via USB to my DAC. It does sound very good to my ears. I wonder if using the Wiim in bit perfect mode will sound even better? Can the Wiim output via USB too?
In a previous post above, you say you have a SMSL DAC that shows the correct sample rate for the track being played: if you cast from the Amazon app, what does your display say? Does it match resolution that Amazon says it's giving you?
My DAC only shows the sample rate, not the bit depth, so I can't confirm the bit depth, but after the latest firmware update it shows hi-res sample rates when casting. When casting, touching the "Ultra HD" logo in the Amazon app doesn't show resolution info like it does when playing locally, so I can't say for sure the sample rate matches the track, but since I'm getting hi-res sample rates at the DAC, I think it does. Basically, casting now seems to work the same as using the Wiim app.
I’m having success with the WiiM and, via optical to coax, full 24/192 bit perfect into my Chord Qutest (all displayed resolutions match device led colour). I was looking to simplify my system using the USB out on the new 3rd gen Fire TV cube, but unfortunately it upscales every track.
Following this thread. Has anyone tried the WiiM Pro? Interested in this model since I am not a fan of optical, and the pro has a coax output that would work perfectly with my gustard x16. Does Amazon Hd sound that much better when you get bit perfect playback? Right now I am using the amazon desktop app. Tks
I’m using the Wiim Pro with coax out to a SMSL DO100 dac, then into Acoustic Energy AE100 Active speakers. Enjoying the sound which is supposed to be bit perfect, according to my settings.
I'm using the Wiim Pro with RCA output straight into the tuner connection of my integrated controller. I've streamed Amazon HD with the Wiim app and I've played Apple Music via airplay from iPad. It all sounds great to my ears. One nice thing is that I've been able to use Wiim App to control volume. That's pretty handy since I don't have a remote with my Kenwood system. I have been using an old Alienware PC via Focusrite, and the Wiim Pro really looks like it will help me reduce some of that bulkiness to my overall setup.
Whether there is any noticeable difference in audio quality between bit-perfect and up-scaled audio is a matter of debate. However, I just like knowing that the audio has been altered as little as possible before reaching my DAC.
