WiiM Ultra Streamer Preamp Review

[SoySalsaPicante]

That sort of depends on what you are referring to as dogma

Up for interpretation, buddy.

 

[harkpabst]

Excuse me, but this is not exactly what @Rit mentioned: he specified the returning of the external DAC output to the WiiM input...

Perhaps a mistake in the redaction?

@JeremyFife just pointed out how to do it correctly.

The WiiM Ultra will still be used as a pre-amp, there's no need to route anything back into it's RCA input (apart from the fact that this doesn't work and it wouldn't even work if the WiiM Ultra could run two outputs simultaneously). That's all.

 

[Rit]

Ok, perhaps I misspoke. I have a couple of DACs I would like to try out. I would like to continue to use the WiiM ultra as the preamp, just bypass its internal dac, is this possible?

 

[antcollinet]

Excuse me, but this is not exactly what @Rit mentioned: he specified the returning of the external DAC output to the WiiM input...

And has already been told that doesn't work. @JeremyFife is pointing out the best/closest way to do what @Rit wants to achieve.

I would like to continue to use the WiiM ultra as the preamp, just bypass its internal dac, is this possible?

yes - as pointed out above by @JeremyFife - digital out from Wiim into external DAC. Analogue from there direct to amp. But there is no improvement to be had. Nor even any difference to be heard under controlled conditions - unless the external DAC badly distorts.

 

[SoySalsaPicante]

Ok, perhaps I misspoke. I have a couple of DACs I would like to try out. I would like to continue to use the WiiM ultra as the preamp, just bypass its internal dac, is this possible?

The only possible way to do it is with a separate/external amp attached to the external DAC.

 

[Rit]

The only possible way to do it is with a separate/external amp attached to the external DAC.

Thanks

 

[harkpabst]

Thanks

Since the WiiM Ultra is a streaming preamp you need a separate power amp anyway.

The Ultra's digital volume control can be used with an external DAC, too. But you cannot feed an unaltered, full level digital output signal to an external DAC and then expect the Ultra to somehow control the analog output of this external DAC after the A/D conversion.

This is not a limitation of the Ultra, it's dictated by logic.

 

[Miguelón]

Ok, perhaps I misspoke. I have a couple of DACs I would like to try out. I would like to continue to use the WiiM ultra as the preamp, just bypass its internal dac, is this possible?

Now is clear.

I used 2 different DACs with my WiiM, because a bad electric installation in my ancient house, I preferred XLR balanced connections.

The WiiM will work as a streamer and DSP, and also It can spilit the signal and work with the internal DAC/DSP with the sub ouptut, and as a DSP with the external DAC to the main speakers

 

[fwwwk]

Anyone got popping/ crackling noises and few seconds silent gaps while using digital signal from pc? I am using optical input (toslink stock cable from WIIM) from PC motherboard on Realtek ALC892 codec. Tried every setting and sample rate/ bid depth.
No such problems through DLNA rendering or Bluetooth. Also the second thing is that even after setting 24 bits in windows mixer, WIIM displays 16bit doesn't matter the content.
What is the possibility of mobo clock causing this? I will try digital interface with own precision clock such as Douk Audio U2 or SMSL PO100, any other ideas?

 

[morillon]

Over Wi-Fi with a "plus", lots of "hiccups", I was experiencing stuttering in January with simple AAC radio streams ( just 192) .. this never happened before.

Since the latest firmware update a few days ago, it's become even more frequent...
very frequent, in fact.

It's probably made me decide to put it away if it's not fixed... :-(
Any buffer size issues?

Are other people experiencing the same problem?

 

[harkpabst]

No such problem with lossless FLAC Internet radio on my Ultra and my WiiM Amp Pro. WiiM Amp Ultra is currently stored away.

 

[morillon]

I was just responding to the message above... but I'm not in the right thread, because in my case it's a "plus," not an ultra...

 

[harkpabst]

I was just responding to the message above mine, too (and I am in the right thread). ;-)

How likely is it that any potential problem with the optical input and Internet radio issues on a different device have the same cause?

 

[morillon]

Buffer sizing ?

 

[harkpabst]

It wouldn't be just three users complaining then and my Ultra and Amp Pro (both on the latest firmware) would suffer from the same problem (but they don't).

 

[morillon]

It wouldn't just three users complaining then and my Ultra and Amp Pro (both on the latest firmware) would suffer from the same problem (but they don't).

What do you suggest regarding my problem then? ;-)

 

[harkpabst]

What do you suggest regarding my problem then? ;-)

I would start with comparing the very same station when played through vTuner integration, TuneIn integration, TuneIn app, Open Network Stream and Googlecasting from your phone. Are there any differences? If you are observing the hick-ups through any service that requires (or allows) a login, I would log out, reboot and log in again. And finally I would send "Feedback" through the WiiM Home App, so WiIM Support can analyse the logs for any anomalies.

But I would not post it in this WiiM Ultra review thread.

 

[Mnyb]

Hello , this turned out be yet another great WiiM product.

My third ? My WiiM pro + was killed by lightning, we bought a wiiim pro for one off the kids ( when he moved out ) .

Now I have this WiiM ultra and finding it mosiad expected more features than before and display and are happy with the product.
I can now have both a CD player and a turntable connected to my otherwise digital speakers , great !

But I e found one annoying “feature” source switching with the remote takes to much time , you miss by about three steps once your done clicking as there is no response, you wait for the display to change and lost patience and click again unsure if it seen the button press ?
I would expect this to faster than human perception ?

 

[Soniclife]

But I e found one annoying “feature” source switching with the remote takes to much time , you miss by about three steps once your done clicking as there is no response, you wait for the display to change and lost patience and click again unsure if it seen the button press ?
I would expect this to faster than human perception ?

Do the smart presets not work instantly and with a single button?

 

[somebodyelse]

Do the smart presets not work instantly and with a single button?

Presets get you where you want to go quickly, but there are only 4 of them on the remote so you have to be picky about what you use them for if you regularly use multiple inputs and outputs - particularly outputs as there isn't a remote button for that. I think one of the recent firmware updates was meant to improve input switching, but I can't say I've noticed much change. It seems like it's attempting to complete everything for each input switch before moving on to the next, including any slow sync that might be needed, rather than wait to see if there are multiple button presses then switch directly to the correct input, or interrupt the switching process before it's complete.