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I spent some time earlier this week getting my Wiim Pro & Mini integrated with Alexa. I'm trying to get my system as easy-to-use as possible for my wife. It took a little back & forth and a reboot or two on each Wiim to get the Alexa app on my phone to show the Wiim players as "speakers" for Alexa. Then, I changed the names of the players that Alexa will use -- "living room" for the Pro and "office" for the Mini.
Once that was done, things started working on a basic level. The command "Alexa, play Mozart in the living room" did indeed play material by Mozart over my main stereo instead of the Echo. Even adding "Mozart piano concertos" or "Mozart piano concerto no 24" gave the desired results.
However, some things were complicated. I found it nearly impossible to give a precise enough command to get a particular classical performance by a specific artist, group, conductor or symphony. There was a similar issue with non-classical material -- saying "Alexa, play Jackson Browne's Pretender" would play just the song, not the album. Asking for the album in several different ways didn't change the results. Had the same issue with some other albums.
I intend to keep experimenting with this to see if I can get better at this, but there are times where using your phone/tablet/computer to select songs is just a lot easier than using voice commands.
I currently have Qobuz for music along with the music throw-in Amazon gives with your Prime subscription, but for this experiment I signed up for the Amazon Unlimited 30 day free trial. The difference is that Prime provides a 320kB MP3 stream and Unlimited gives CD quality or better. And, when you ask Prime to play a particular artist, it will mix in other, similar artists, while Unlimited will stick with the requested material.
I also have a Qobuz subscription and their classical catalog seems much deeper. For example, I wanted to play Martin Stadtfeld's "Handel's Variations" and Amazon didn't have it. Bumped into the same issue with a few of my other favorites.
And, even though Amazon does have a few other Stadtfeld albums, when you ask Alexa to play anything by this pianist, Alexa claims they don't have anything. Once again, as convenient as voice commands may be on one level, there are some real limitations.
Just thought I'd share the early results of this experiment.
Follow Ups:
I am also doing some experimentation along the same lines and read your post with interest. I am reporting a few of my observations. One of my goals was to have synchronized music throughout the house using Wiim mini along with several Echo Dots. It works well and I can casually listen in the Garage and Bedroom along with my main system producing high quality music. I use Amazon Unlimited and dropped my trial of Qobuz since it did not seem to integrate as well in this application. Having to use the Amazon Music app or the Alexa app works OK, but does not seem to produce gapless playback at the main system. There is a very slight tick between tracks, whereas using the Wiim app sourcing from Amazon produces no tick between tracks. It is a minor irritation but bears mentioning. I have not yet figured a way to use the Wiim app and play to the Echo Dots. Voice command requires speaking into one of the Dots as far as I know. I think the Mini doesn't have the proper microphone for that purpose.
Keep experimenting and keep posting!
John
I don't know why WiiM chose NOT to add microphones to the Mini when they tout the fact that it seamlessly integrates into the Alexa environment. So yes, you need to control it from another Alexa device (Echo Dot, Echo...) or the Alexa app.
On the topic of using Linkplay (WiiM app) with Alexa, it is up to the folks at WiiM to develop an Alexa skill and enable Alexa commands for this skill. Given that the app seems to integrate music streaming services and protocols, I am not sure of the value in doing this.
One can enable the native skill for Alexa for music services and protocols including TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Spotify to get Alexa control of them. I believe there is a way to enable DLNA in Alexa. This should give you access to music stored on a device on your network.
There is an skill called Linkplay Smart Thirdparty-Connect but I don't know what it give you. I don't have a WiiM.
Alexa speakers should automatically show up as Spotify Connect speakers in the Spotify app once you install the Alexa skill. In the Spotify app, you can pick the speaker you want to send Spotify to.
I hope this is useful information for you.
This is interesting. Thanks for posting. I do not know exactly what to do with it but maybe as I learn more... I don't think this would do anything for the Wiim app since this installs on Alexa, and Alexa already has as least some of this functionality, like ability to control selection of specific Echo speakers and Wiim. I may get brave and install it anyway. I'm new to Alexa.
I agree, I don't think this skill will do anything for the WiiM app. The WiiM app appears to be an aggregator of services.
If you want Alexa control for you a particular service, such as Spotify, Tidal, etc., install the Alexa skill for it.
since Wiim is the only streamer currently that has direct casting of Amazon Music app over limited 3rd party API implementations, e.g. Bluesound. Vast majority out there does not even "support" Amazon music.
Edits: 05/25/23
Can't say I've thought about this in terms of "lucky." Besides a bit of curiosity, the main reason I bought a Wiim was to try to make use of the stereo easier for my wife, nothing more, as I am perfectly happy with my LMS/RPi players and my Qobuz subscription.
The next decision is whether or not we keep the Amazon Unlimited subscription (on top of Qobuz) or just go back to Prime Music, but we have a month to think about that.
I don't understand Amazon's reluctance to share their API with other streamer manufacturers and music player software developers. I can't help but think that a lot of people who are currently on Tidal or Qobuz subscriptions would move over to Amazon's Music Unlimited if the service worked with more players and programs. I'm sure they have their reasons, but it sure seems short-sighted to me. Welcome to the world of big business....
Yes, Amazon keeps sending me 'reminders' that I am not using my Prime membership to the fullest as I don't use Amazon Music....
If they really want me to stream it, then they should make it available to the various Software Streamers available.
No Alexa here but I was curious if Siri could pull it off and I got everything but. However, I see the word "THE" is part of the title so it worked when I requested "Play The Pretender album by Jackson Browne". I think getting the word "album" in the request helped. That said, when I requested "Play The Pretender song by Jackson Browne", I would only get the Foo Fighters song of the same title. It took "Play Jackson Browne The Pretender song" to get Jackson's tune. So much for consistency.
Since nobody else has a song or album by the same name, I tried to play Slayer's Seasons In the Abyss song and no variation of my request would work. Only the album will play. Now, this is with Tidal which will open by default. When I requested "Play the song Seasons In the Abyss on Spotify", I get the song! And when I requested it play the album, it did. Go figure.
voolston - audiophile by day, music lover by night!
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