Power Matters More -- WiiM vs Eversolo & Capital Audiofest

Stereophile and The Absolute Sound continue to earn their status as our preeminent sources of reviews and commentary. The TAS profile of Jim White of Aesthetix in its December 2025 issue was a needed treat. Others, like Darko, issue shorter posts. Put a few of his together:

• Pay attention to Eversolo's and FiiO's responses to Apple’s inappropriate, almost monopolistic approach to downgrading files.

• WiiM is going bottom-up, while Eversolo is going top-down in an integrated streamer/amp war. Not just price, but their consumer software chops may outpace everyone. Impressive.

• FiiO offers a stocking stuffer that allows standardized, high-quality audio output from almost all phones. People prefer wireless listening. The FiiO Air Link allows better headphones to take advantage of better audio apps like Qobuz, which helps grow our hobby.

In other words, Chi-Fi isn’t just about dominating the streamer market; it's about improving it—not just for newcomers, but for all consumers. And I’d imagine that the Eversolo T8 terrifies upscale audiophile streamer manufacturers.

It’s been sixty years since the Japanese invasion by Sansui, Onkyo, Yamaha, Sanyo, Technics, … The mass-market+ torch has definitely been passed to and earned by Eversolo, WiiM, Fiio, and Shanling… Streaming through Bluetooth and the various “Connects” serve as the main gateway to creating new audiophiles. BlueSound also competes.

I’m happy with my earlier choices of Roon, sonicOrbiter and Sonore ultraRendu. Thank you, Small Green Computer, for getting current audiophiles started with streaming. Newbies who listen in my home are looking for a lower-cost entry point with growth potential. Otherwise, Sonos serves as a non-audiophile endpoint for its simple, easy use.

In the early 1980s, I was one of the first purchasers of the PS Audio IV, the first commercial preamp (I believe) with an external power supply. In my current system, the turntable, streamer, phono preamp and line amp all have external power supplies.

Still, I shied away from power conditioning—a mistake—until Dan Rosca/Audience loaned me an AR6 to use on my equipment. I had dismissed them even though I take power seriously, but evidently, my pride even more. It’s fun to dismiss “unnecessary” or “unclear how” tech smuggly. Outside of electronic components, my bias kept me from even considering the influence of passive properties, which matter to cables and power management.

In my manufacturing, robotics and optics employment, minimizing vibration was highly valuable. I had no smugness on vibration control. Its science was obvious. It was easy for me to see the genius in Les Davis’s constrained-layer products from Australia.

However, as his US distributor, Les Davis’s multi-year focus on the electrical properties of his 3D2 material was trying. The science wasn’t obvious. Fortunately for business, Les released the superb Soul Mat during this period.