WIIM amp + passive speaker or Active speaker

[nuvo]

I want to declutter the music experience. As I age, I am getting lazy and have limited time to enjoy music. I had a Marantz amp + Wharfedale diamond + Topping DAC + Ubuntu.

I now want to go into completely streaming mode through Apple Music. No matter how much I tried, through numerous powered USBs, I could never get the iPad to connect with the topping DAC.

The Marantz amp feels too big now, and I don't have enough space to keep the entire system.

Option 1: Get a Wiim Amp + existing speakers. It will cost around 42k. (The existing amp and DAC would be redundant). I feel that the size of the amp is quite small, and I can place it on the top of the speaker itself. The system would then lose approximately 50% of its volume.
Option 2: Get Elac Debut Connex/Edifier S2000. It will cost similar or a bit more. But I think I might have to add a streamer also. So overall, there would be a cost difference of 12k (existing amp+dac+speakers would be redundant).

I feel the existing DAC may not last long. My previous Schiit Modi failed in 4 years and this DAC is in 5th year. Amp is also beginning to show some ag,e mainly because of limited use. Its balance does not always work and needs to be used continuously for 3-4 days to get it back in shape.

For the existing speaker, I have no idea about their health. Except for the mesh, everything seems fine.

So, does it make sense to invest in a WIIM amp, or is it better to get the powered speaker set up after saving up the extra money? Wiim does support many streaming platforms, which do not matter to me as I am invested in Apple Music only.

 

[rwnano]

iPad -- connect to Linux server -- connect with USB dac topping connect to amplifier.
Run shairport sync or shairport ...
Ask mbhanghui sir for help after trying yourself

 

[hydra]

I want to declutter the music experience. As I age, I am getting lazy and have limited time to enjoy music. I had a Marantz amp + Wharfedale diamond + Topping DAC + Ubuntu.

I now want to go into completely streaming mode through Apple Music. No matter how much I tried, through numerous powered USBs, I could never get the iPad to connect with the topping DAC.

The Marantz amp feels too big now, and I don't have enough space to keep the entire system.

Option 1: Get a Wiim Amp + existing speakers. It will cost around 42k. (The existing amp and DAC would be redundant). I feel that the size of the amp is quite small, and I can place it on the top of the speaker itself. The system would then lose approximately 50% of its volume.
Option 2: Get Elac Debut Connex/Edifier S2000. It will cost similar or a bit more. But I think I might have to add a streamer also. So overall, there would be a cost difference of 12k (existing amp+dac+speakers would be redundant).

I feel the existing DAC may not last long. My previous Schiit Modi failed in 4 years and this DAC is in 5th year. Amp is also beginning to show some ag,e mainly because of limited use. Its balance does not always work and needs to be used continuously for 3-4 days to get it back in shape.

For the existing speaker, I have no idea about their health. Except for the mesh, everything seems fine.

So, does it make sense to invest in a WIIM amp, or is it better to get the powered speaker set up after saving up the extra money? Wiim does support many streaming platforms, which do not matter to me as I am invested in Apple Music only.

Why don't you just keep the existing setup, and get a Wiim Pro Plus instead? IMHO, that would give you the most bang for the buck (overall). The Wiim would replace the Topping DAC, or for as long as the Topping lives you could use the Wiim as a streamer and continue the Topping as the DAC.

This would not help with decluttering, though. The cutting down would come at a definite cost to overall quality of sound, unless you're buying used.