This is a good read about the Wiim with some fair comparisons.
With tons of functionality and enjoyable performance, the WiiM Pro is the best way to stream Wi-Fi music to an existing system.
www.cnet.com
I will emphasize this, because it's come up before and will continue to be an issue: Streaming devices are all about the user interface, which means software, and software continuously changes, and costs R&D time, forever. Unlike, say, a CD player. The standard for CDs hasn't really changed since their debut in the early 80's. This means that a CD bought today, would play on a (still working) player from forty years ago. Needless to say, we didn't have Spotify or Pandora, or Tidal in 1983. We may not have those services in 2025. So, streaming devices require constant software updates. If the company goes out of business, the app on your phone may stop working and you can't use the product. If they change to a newer model, the old one may stop receiving software support and updates. It means that you can't view streaming devices and services in the same way you do a record player or a CD player. With those devices, you can invest more to get better hardware, and it will be good forever. It doesn't need an internet connection to stay relevant.
But, streaming is here. It's not the future. It's today. Most people these days are streaming their content. They don't wire from their phone to a set of speakers, they use Bluetooth (if they don't really care about quality) or Airplay or Chromecast if they want better quality. They stream from Spotify or Tidal or similar services. That user experience, to get Spotify into a streaming device that isn't a phone... it's not necessarily straightforward. It requires a lot of manpower to keep those services updated in the device. Then the communication between that device and your phone through an app must be updated and maintained. Forever.
I haven't heard the difference between CD players ever. I just don't have the ears I suppose to have ever noticed a difference. But, for convenience, I also haven't been playing with my CDs in many years since I ripped them all to my computer.
I use a Sonos Port in my home. It works well, and Sonos has a track record for keeping their software up to date with good support for many streaming services.
Wiim certainly looks interesting as a fairly priced option, but I'm not sure for how long they can keep up their software support at that price point. But, I do hope they deliver for many years to come. I've always struggled with Sonos and their pricing on the Port as they have fully integrated speakers, with an amplifier, and ALL their available services for about 1/3 the price of the Port. It would make way more sense for Sonos to have the Port closer to that price of the Wiim.
If I wanted great streaming sound above all else, I think I would look at Bluesound. But, I would also be at a point where I knew that's the primary way I listened to music in my home.
This question about what CD player to get, really has turned into a conversation about streaming. But, I think the reality is that CD players tend to all sound quite respectable without a tremendous difference from unit to unit to unit. You're playing a standard CD which hasn't changed in decades and the technology is quite mature. Nicer transports offer you connectivity that you may find to be quite useless. You don't need a network connection on a CD player. You never have. Having a better DAC inside a better CD player is great, but if you've been happy with your Technics for years, then you likely won't be unhappy with most of what is out there and you should get a unit that you like.
Finally, while you can connect a 3.5mm to RCA connection from your phone to the preamp, this will tie your phone to the preamp for as long as you're listening to music. This can be a real headache if a phone call comes in, or if you expect your phone to actually have a decent DAC in it as most do not. It's a pretty bad way to stream audio content.
Certainly, if I were buying right now, I think I would get a Wiim and try it out. For the price, it's a great way to get your foot in the door on streaming.
For CD playback, I would just use my Panasonic Blu-ray Disc player, but I'm far more likely to stream content off my hard drives through my Sonos.
