WiiM Ultra Streamer Preamp Review

[Ruediger]

I think it's one step further than a y-split. It allows to have one output with analog conversion from the DAC and the other one staying digital for processing at the next stage.

What it doesn't do, of course, is apply different PEQ/GEQ or RoomFit to these two outputs.

Got line-out and toslink connected to my amp. Now I can just have two quickselects for these two outputs. Analog goes pure direct to poweramp. Toslink gets Audyssey room correction and subwoofer. Very good for my music needs varying from many decades.

An option I would love to see is toggling RoomFit on/off on the Ultra per output. But I don't think it can be done with the dual output. It's not that software can magically make two paths in the unit.

 

[john61ct]

I don't get what you say there, switching between outputs (Audyssey vs Poweramp) has always been there.

Y-ing is concurrent, internally definitely more convenient don't get me wrong

but the further improvements would be a much bigger step, eliminate the need for a whole other crossover stage downstream just to get stereo subs. Upmixing 5.1 maybe as well!

 

[roddo]

Hey all.

I'm a little confused by the terminology re the USB input.

Using USB in, will the Ultra stream a CD transport, or does it only play files from a ssd or similar?

 

[thcdru2k]

Hey all.

I'm a little confused by the terminology re the USB input.

Using USB in, will the Ultra stream a CD transport, or does it only play files from a ssd or similar?

USB is only output audio to external DAC or storage input (local music files). Supposedly you can connect to a USB hub if you want simulataneous audio output and reading files. I use toslink for CD transport

 

[SoySalsaPicante]

Hey all.

I'm a little confused by the terminology re the USB input.

Using USB in, will the Ultra stream a CD transport, or does it only play files from a ssd or similar?

The USB port can read storage devices that you attach such as USB flash drives; that is what they mean by USB input (data input only, not audio input). As far as digital audio streams, it can only function as an output.

 

[roddo]

Thanks guys.
I'm surprised there is no USB in (per how i undescribed) or coax.

 

[thcdru2k]

Thanks guys.
I'm surprised there is no USB in (per how i undescribed) or coax.

Yeah have to go different route for that. Limitation at price point

 

[Ruediger]

I don't get what you say there, switching between outputs (Audyssey vs Poweramp) has always been there.

Yes. I just like it that I don't have to do that on the WiiM anymore. A simple convenience.

Of course one connection could do. Just switch through the direct modes on the AVR. But I don't want ADC and I want analog with "only" the volume IC in the path.

Possibly using that feature to have a signal for a second zone is the real benefit IMO

 

[john61ct]

Thanks guys.
I'm surprised there is no USB in (per how i undescribed) or coax.

Schiit Eitr 2 adds a good USB audio input to any digital device without one

 

[john61ct]

Possibly using that feature to have a signal for a second zone is the real benefit IMO

Usually that means with a different signal, not here, it's the same as Y-ing.

> But I don't want ADC

Wut? Nothing can bypass that if you go into the Wiim via analog.

> I want analog with "only" the volume IC in the path.

My understanding is that is not a thing. There is no audible advantage to "bit perfect" but if you do want that you need to take all the steps required, and do your volume control elsewhere.

 

[Birdcircles]

On the latency issue (flagged much earlier in this thread): the most recent WiiM Ultra firmware update also "reduces audio input latency to approximately 35–40 ms", down from around 50ms.

Anecdotally I can report that the latency does indeed seem reduced by a noticeable amount when watching TV and playing games on my LG OLED (C9), when connected to the WiiM via TOSLINK. It's not perfect, but it's definitely better, and now within the realm of what I could get used to.

 

[gasolin75]

I remember it as the digital out sounds best, is advised to use over the analog out

My new hybrid amp has a Cirrus Logic CS4344 and while waiting for it to arrive, i use my nad dvd receiver and it sounds surprisingly good (and loud) using the analog out of the streamer and into the amp

If i where to use an external dac for for improved sound (analog into the amp) over the built in dac in the streamer into the Cirrus Logic CS4344 dac in the amp, for under 100 euros with shipping, what could that be ?

 

[thcdru2k]

I remember it as the digital out sounds best, is advised to use over the analog out

My new hybrid amp has a Cirrus Logic CS4344 and while waiting for it to arrive, i use my nad dvd receiver and it sounds surprisingly good (and loud) using the analog out of the streamer and into the amp

If i where to use an external dac for for improved sound (analog into the amp) over the built in dac in the streamer into the Cirrus Logic CS4344 dac in the amp, for under 100 euros with shipping, what could that be ?

I use WiiM USB out to external DACs, currently a Topping D70 Pro Octo in one system and a Topping E50 II in another.

For me the main reason is not that I think USB to an external DAC is automatically audibly better than the WiiM Ultra’s analog output. It is mostly system integration and gain structure. My power amp has XLR inputs and my active monitors also have balanced inputs, so using an external DAC with balanced outputs makes more sense than running RCA directly from the Ultra.

Level matched, I doubt I could reliably hear a sound quality difference between the WiiM analog out and a competent external DAC in normal use. The external DAC mainly gives me the connection format, output level, and system layout I want.

There may still be measurable differences, of course. REW sweeps or level-matched comparisons would be the better way to check whether anything meaningful changes in my actual system.

 

[gasolin75]

New amp with a Cirrus Logic CS4344 dac chip or analog out of the wiim ultra streamer

Trying it is easy but the same chip is in a Pro-ject Dac Box E and a TOPPING E30 II LITE AK4493S DAC chip (103 euros) SMSL PS100 DAC ES9023 is 38 euros

Never thought of using the usb out on the wiim ultra streamer

 

[harkpabst]

If i where to use an external dac for for improved sound (analog into the amp) over the built in dac in the streamer into the Cirrus Logic CS4344 dac in the amp, for under 100 euros with shipping, what could that be ?

You'll be having two DACs available for choice, the ES9038Q2M in the WiiM Amp Ultra and the CS4344 in the new amp, and you're still asking for a third DAC to improve the sound? And it must be less then 100 € all inclusive?

What kind of improvement do you expect? There won't be any.

 

[Nc26]

Même s'il y a mieux que le DAC interne du Wiim Ultra, est-ce que la dépense apporte réellement un gain significatif? J'en doute. À mon avis, toute dépense finie par être limitée par les haut-parleurs ou par la pièce d'écoute. Après chacun a sa perception selon ses oreilles

 

[gasolin75]

Not that i need to have one but the review say optical in is much better than analog

so optical in from my pc into the wiim ultra streamer


If it's the same out on a ultra streamer, out not being as good as digital out and the cs4344 in my new amp degrade it a little compared to the wiim vibelink i use to have

Then i would like to go digital out to a dac and analog into my amp (something that does analog out better) if that makes any sense

The digital in on the wiim is just prefered over analog in according to asr,amirm mabye it's the same with signal out of the streamer

Going digital out of the streamer shouldnt degrade sound but going into a cs4344 isn't as good as the wiim ultra chips or the 9039 in the vibelink, a cs4344 would be inferior to the 2 other dac chips

If i happen to need a dac i know what to buy instead of having to ask first and wait for an answer

The usb out can be used for a dac, if the internal dac is more than okay, why this option ? Would you use a 1000 dollars,pounds,euros external dac with a very good 400 euro streamer

 

[gasolin75]

Même s'il y a mieux que le DAC interne du Wiim Ultra, est-ce que la dépense apporte réellement un gain significatif? J'en doute. À mon avis, toute dépense finie par être limitée par les haut-parleurs ou par la pièce d'écoute. Après chacun a sa perception selon ses oreilles

English please

 

[Ruediger]

Not that i need to have one but the review say optical in is much better than analog

so optical in from my pc into the wiim ultra streamer


If it's the same out on a ultra streamer, out not being as good as digital out and the cs4344 in my new amp degrade it a little compared to the wiim vibelink i use to have

Then i would like to go digital out to a dac and analog into my amp (something that does analog out better) if that makes any sense

The digital in on the wiim is just prefered over analog in according to asr,amirm mabye it's the same with signal out of the streamer

Going digital out of the streamer shouldnt degrade sound but going into a cs4344 isn't as good as the wiim ultra chips or the 9039 in the vibelink, a cs4344 would be inferior to the 2 other dac chips

If i happen to need a dac i know what to buy instead of having to ask first and wait for an answer

The usb out can be used for a dac, if the internal dac is more than okay, why this option ? Would you use a 1000 dollars,pounds,euros external dac with a very good 400 euro streamer

Digital in is better because all analog in get an ADC process no matter if just going analog out. All processing happens in the digital domain.

Another DAC via USB makes sense to me in order to get balanced and desired voltages.

When using the Vibelink with the Ultra there is an interesting comparison to be had. It offers a pure analog path, the DAC is then the ES9038 in the Ultra. It also offers digital in, skipping the RCA connection, and the DAC is then the ES9039 in the Vibelink. While it would probably require golden ears to distinguish the DACs, the digital in gives the Vibelink the advantage to do it all in one place. Measurement shows it.

 

[john61ct]

My power amp has XLR inputs and my active monitors also have balanced inputs, so using an external DAC with balanced outputs

Another DAC via USB makes sense to me in order to get balanced and desired voltages.

as opposed to something like Aphex 124b ?