Hidizs AP 80 Pro - Alternative to Laptop with long USB cable and Schiit DAC?


I am currently using my laptop (ripping my CD in FLAC or similar format), LONG (25ft) USB C cable to Schiit Modi 3 to feed my receiver. 

Came across a mention of the Hidizs AP 80 Pro here in a another discussion (budget DAC). 

Could the Hidizs be an alternative (storing and playing my files, converting to analog, feeding my receiver) to my current setup? Maybe even via Bluetooth (receiver Onkyo TX-RZ810, need to check if it can do Bluetooth) control from the couch? 

kraftwerkturbo

I believe USB specs state that the cable should not be longer than about 16'.  You increase the risk of data errors and noise pickup with runs longer than that. The Wiim simply allows you to have the streamer sitting next to the DAC, with a very short cable. And, unlike a laptop which is designed to do all things computerish, most of which have nothing to do with audio playback, the Wiim and its OS are designed to do only one thing - audio.

You can always buy a Wiim on Amazon and return it for a full refund if you find it doesn't improve your listening experience.

Going off the computer with a battery dac which is also a big files bank is unvaluable...

Computer noise is a hidden killer...

My only connection is the amplifier to the wall... It is why Hidizs is a good choice...

The WiiM Pro is a streamer. It looks like you found some listings on Reverb and eBay with good pricing. The only thing is if you buy used or off eBay and get a defective unit, it might be hard to return and get a replacement.

 

If you were to get a WiiM and you want to use the app on your phone to control playback, you’ll need to enable ’Media Streaming’ on the Windows PC that stores the music files. This will turn on the UPnP server. The WiiM app should then be able to locate your Music library on your PC. There are plenty of how-tos if you do a search on Google.

 

Otherwise, you can install Stream What You Hear (SWYH) on your laptop and stream all the audio on your laptop to the WiiM or the Onkyo (if you connect it to your network). SWYH is a UPnP streaming app for Windows. Have a look at the ’Getting Started’ guide - link.

 

If you want to experiment without having to buy anything, try connecting your Onkyo receiver to your network. Here are the instructions for setting up the wi-fi connection - link. If the receiver is close to your router, then try a wired Ethernet connection instead. Download and install SWYH and follow the steps in the Getting Started guide. See if you can successfully find the Onkyo as a UPnP renderer and stream to it. I’ve done this before with my PC and a Raspberry Pi as well as an Oppo UDP-203. It was pretty straightforward to get everything working.

Thank you for the tips. 

I will start with connecting the Onkyo to the network (hardwire or wireless, not sure yet). See how it 'feels' (ease of use) and sound. 

Wiim is the next option; I like hte (likely userfriendly) control via Android app.