WiiM Amp Ultra Streaming Amplifier Review

[harkpabst]

Looks like this is the only flaw @amirm spotted - can anyone owning this device comment on it?
I'm owning two WiiM streamers and founds the app to be working fine.

The setup process goes just as flawless with the WiiM Amp Ultra as with any other WiiM device. What Amir has observed sounds a bit like client isolation has been enabled in this part of his network. This will result in the device being recognised, but you can only configure the network connection. The WiiM Home App will not be able to see the device from then on.

That indeed doesn't really drive confidence

This was the status when the paper manual went into print. WiiM provide the most up to date information on security software updates here:

WiiM - Product Security Compliance

wiimhome.com

The current date (which might be updated in the future again) is 2029-12-31 for all WiiM products. That's better, no?


And regarding support for AirPlay2 this is the reason exactly:

I believe it is a rights or certification dispute with Apple. It has been dropped from all recent Wiim releases.

WiiM recently posted on Reddit that they are still talking with Apple but so far they didn't come to an agreement that suits both parties.

Is the toslink input processed by software (EQ, DSP, etc) same as streaming app inside?

Yes, it definitely is. All inputs are either digital to start with or digitised first. From then on the signal processing chain is identical.

And the room correction only corrects overall tonality and even that isn't always good. I highly recommend people to get a supported measurement microphone and use REW to develop the EQ. First correct all the room modes, overwrite a Wiim Room Correction with those values and then correct the overall tonality and set that as an EQ. This allows you to set different target responses as EQ's and the room modes will be corrected no matter what.

That's a very much valid and powerful approach. I just don't agree that RoomFit only corrects tonality.

It all depends on the RoomFit settings you pick (frequency range, min and max gain and max Q, smoothing, and so on). Also, the cloud-based algorithm is updated from time to time. Just recently there was a massive update regarding the use of the MMM. RoomFit is a lot better now than it used to be. For those who know how to operate REW it is still the more powerful tool, of course.

 

[DSJR]

It's got to be *just* me, but the peaking over 20kHz into >4 ohm loads is still what I regard as a flaw in design right now. Many tweeters out there take off at >25kHz by 10 - 15dB or even more and although we're not capable of hearing the direct results of this (and yes I know, there's little but noise and so on up there anyway), but this crabby old sod still feels that two wrongs (in amp and speakers) do not make a 'right' at all!

At least this brand is available through dealers, my local one surprised how good the products are, but not boosting them up as it would interfere with their expensive boutique streaming brands such as Melco for example and a posh digital via optical 'solution' I believe).

 

[harkpabst]

The WiiM CI MOD A80 offers a USB input for €50 less than the Wiim amp Ultra...
But on the other hand, we lose power...

The WiiM Amp Ultra has the same USB A input as the WiiM Amp, the WiiM Amp Pro, the WiiM CI MOD A80 and the WiiM Ultra. The documentation you quoted is definitely not correct.

I also think (but I'm not entirely sure) that the CI MOD A80 features Linkplay's most recent streaming module, but the power amp section is based on the WiiM Amp (no PFFB). Also, the CI MOD A80 is not exactly cheap by comparison.

USB audio input with a usb-A? What cable do you use for that? Or is it for memory sticks?

None of these devices take computer audio as an input, just mass storage devices like memory sticks or SSDs. HDD might work, but maximum current is limited to ~1.5 A.

The USB port can work as in input and output simultaneously when used with a USB hub. But @daniboun had already confirmed this.

OR : the Wiim Vibelink uses one TPA3255 (BTL) chipset with a more powerful and optimized PSU (48/50V @ 10A ?)

The original marketing material for the WiiM Vibelink Amp mentioned dual TPA3255. I asked them about it and they explicitly confirmed that it uses a single TPA3255 chip. I take their word for it. Definitely a very capable implementation.

 

[daniboun]

Regarding the Multiple Measurements (Beta) option that is enabled, I made 8 individual corrections prior to testing it. The former essentially matched the latter, so it obviously didn't degrade the performance of the sweeps.

How did you take the measurements? Did you use a calibrated external microphone? Did you measure from the listening position by moving your microphone around the head or by moving your microphone horizontally from right to left? Tell us more please

 

[Rja4000]

The current date (which might be updated in the future again) is 2029-12-31 for all WiiM products. That's better, no?

It is.

 

[Bacchusoo7]

So they copy Apple's aesthetic and "i" lingo, but don't use Airplay? Looks like a great product but no Airplay support means hard pass for my use-case. It's a shame, my NAD C328 is on it's last legs and was hoping this might have been a suitable replacement/upgrade, but I guess not.

 

[MCH]

None of these devices take computer audio as an input, just mass storage devices like memory sticks or SSDs. HDD might work, but maximum current is limited to ~1.5 A.

The USB port can work as in input and output simultaneously when used with a USB hub. But @daniboun had already confirmed this.

A bit of a stretch calling that "USB audio" in my opinion. Can be a bit misleading

 

[levimax]

​

It's got to be *just* me, but the peaking over 20kHz into >4 ohm loads is still what I regard as a flaw in design right now. Many tweeters out there take off at >25kHz by 10 - 15dB or even more and although we're not capable of hearing the direct results of this (and yes I know, there's little but noise and so on up there anyway), but this crabby old sod still feels that two wrongs (in amp and speakers) do not make a 'right' at all!

It appears that the costs of implementing a true high performance PFFB system on these Class D chips amps is high when trying to sell these feature loaded products at rock bottom prices. For most use cases this implementation is fine but it would not surprise me if it acted up in some use cases. Apparently the MA12070 chip with the common PFFB implementation works fine for most use cases but it refuses to play with some speakers which is a surprise. https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...e-curious-case-of-the-infineon-ma12070.68493/

​

 

[ScottySmallsMom]

This compact amp would be an absolute dream if the way they implemented DSP wasn't so slow. Apparently there is over 100ms of latency when using the optical or HDMI ARC connections, ~50ms through ADC via RCA input. There is no way to bypass this processing, such as a "Pure Direct" mode.

I wonder why it's so high when even cheap audio interfaces are capable of ~15ms roundtrip latency. This is really problematic for a TV setup. Lip sync for video can be offset through software, but I think even casual gaming would be a bad experience.

I hope the processing pipeline can be optimized with firmware updates.

 

[kidprofessor]

First of all YES! But I have a Wiim Ultra streamer. And the room correction only corrects overall tonality and even that isn't always good. I highly recommend people to get a supported measurement microphone and use REW to develop the EQ. First correct all the room modes, overwrite a Wiim Room Correction with those values and then correct the overall tonality and set that as an EQ. This allows you to set different target responses as EQ's and the room modes will be corrected no matter what.
I should someday make a full write-up of how I did my room correction because I'm really happy with it and I think everyone deserves the result that I'm getting.

I have been doing the same, although the built in correction has gotten much better.

Important note: If you replace the Wiim Room Correction with REW generated filters, make sure that the Wiim correction is done without the bass management option. With that option, some things are going on behind the scenes that can't be changed.

 

[kidprofessor]

In case someone's wondering: the analog RCA input is always going through ADC - to be able to apply EQ, room correction etc... Some people with specific use cases (like connecting an external audio interface in a studio setup) have been complaining it introduces a bit of a delay.

Apart from that, it seems like it is still doing a respectable job though

Same with the Ultra streamer, which I found out when I tried to play guitar through a computer app to the Ultra. The latency makes it unusable for musical performance or DJing.

 

[morillon]

Latency has always been a difficult subject, and these Wiim products were never designed for this purpose...

 

[capslock]

​

It appears that the costs of implementing a true high performance PFFB system on these Class D chips amps is high when trying to sell these feature loaded products at rock bottom prices. For most use cases this implementation is fine but it would not surprise me if it acted up in some use cases. Apparently the MA12070 chip with the common PFFB implementation works fine for most use cases but it refuses to play with some speakers which is a surprise. https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...e-curious-case-of-the-infineon-ma12070.68493/

​

Why would that be? Just a few passives in the feedback network and you need to shift a bit of gain into the preamp or DAC. In some cases, this might mean an extra op amp.

Which is what makes it hard to understand why they didn't simply do again whatever they did on the Vibelink that made it one of the very top performers with a TPA3255.

 

[Descartes]

Repeat after me, I don't want a new amp, I don't want a new amp
Or a streamer if that works for you.

Amazon will quite often have WiiM at 20% discount so if you need (but not urgently) one be patient

During Black Friday it was 20% off!

 

[capslock]

I also think (but I'm not entirely sure) that the CI MOD A80 features Linkplay most recent streaming module, but the power amp section is based on the WiiM Amp (no PFFB). Also, the CI MOD A80 is not exactly cheap by comparison.

Can those modules be purchased by end customers and can they integrate into the Wiim app?

 

[dav0043]

I believe it is a rights or certification dispute with Apple. It has been dropped from all recent Wiim releases.

I'm not surprised about the Apple conflict given that the design of the WiiM structure, UI and remote is a direct lift of Apple's designs.

 

[Descartes]

So they copy Apple's aesthetic and "i" lingo, but don't use Airplay? Looks like a great product but no Airplay support means hard pass for my use-case. It's a shame, my NAD C328 is on it's last legs and was hoping this might have been a suitable replacement/upgrade, but I guess not.

They are still discussing with Apple, so there is hope! The question is should they reach an agreement will they be able to just update their software to get AirPlay 2?

 

[dav0043]

I've been using this amplifier for a few weeks and I completely agree – technically it's flawless, the UI is very functional and frequently updated, and RoomFit corrects bass modes well enough, at least, etc. If only it weren't for that sound... it's just another of many, countless amplifiers based on the TP3255 chips - cheap, easy to implement, and excellent in measurements, always praised by Amir. But to me, they sounded uninteresting. Dry, clinical, unmusical. I have transparent Fyne Audio F501SP speakers with quite high sensitivity. But this Wiim seemed a bit too weak for them; the sound was quite flat, and the 'holography' was moderate. Vocals, acoustic instruments lacked saturation, subtlety.

With relief, I returned to SMSL amplifiers based on Infineon chips (like SMSL RAW-HA1), and then to the Sabaj A30a, which, despite its slightly lower power output, drove the Fynes much better, and the sound was much more musical (although this is my subjective opinion, my friends who listened to both systems also agreed with it). I connected a Wiim Pro to Sabaj, which gives me the same functionality, and the sound is much more satisfying.

I hope a more musical competitor to the TP3255 will eventually emerge, breaking the chain of similarly mass-produced amplifiers based on this chip. It's a shame so few use Infineon or (I know, quite expensive) Purify modules.

I'd be curious to know what measurement(s) would explain your experience with the different amps. Headroom? Dynamic Range? Something else? Interesting.

 

[harkpabst]

A bit of a stretch calling that "USB audio" in my opinion. Can be a bit misleading

I cannot change their advertising. Technically it certainly is USB audio.

I'm not surprised about the Apple conflict given that the design of the WiiM structure, UI and remote is a direct lift of Apple's designs.

I think the thing that upset Apple was not the design, but the fact that WiiM had implemented AirPlay as an output for their devices. This feature has been removed at the same time the WiiM Ultra came out.

The question is should they reach an agreement will they be able to just update their software to get AirPlay 2?

Officially, nobody knows. Unofficially some people do know from hands-on experience that (not so surprisingly) the hardware can support AirPlay (just like the previous generation Linkplay module did).

 

[harkpabst]

Can those modules be purchased by end customers and can they integrate into the Wiim app?

I think that they are available to system integrators only. I do like the look, I must say.