WiiM Ultra Streamer Preamp Review

[EJ3]

No doubt about the need. I have just 3 analogue sources left and don't see the need for ADC going away just yet.

A longer while back with more reels and tapedecks, two turntables.. I employed a pre-amp and a good mixer. If that setup was there today, I'd probably ADC it's output with one specific device (I think is proper) and only move on optical from there.

Eventually I want to get it all on a NAS, but I still want to be able to do it the old way, too.
In the last 2 years I managed to get all my families home movies (from my mother's parents 1932 snow skiing wedding in the Austrian Alps through my mother & fathers escapades with me in 1965 (I was 9) when the light on the film camera broke.

 

[Petike1376]

Hi everyone! I’m looking to buy a WiiM Ultra to add to my existing audio setup, which consists of KEF Coda W speakers and a KEF Kube 10 MIE subwoofer. I plan to connect the Kube 10 to the WiiM because the latter allows for precise crossover frequency settings—sending frequencies below the cutoff to the Kube and those above it to the Coda W. I assume that in this scenario, the WiiM acts as a preamplifier, meaning I would control the volume on the WiiM itself. Do you think this setup would work well with these KEF speakers? Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[somebodyelse]

Hi everyone! I’m looking to buy a WiiM Ultra to add to my existing audio setup, which consists of KEF Coda W speakers and a KEF Kube 10 MIE subwoofer. I plan to connect the Kube 10 to the WiiM because the latter allows for precise crossover frequency settings—sending frequencies below the cutoff to the Kube and those above it to the Coda W. I assume that in this scenario, the WiiM acts as a preamplifier, meaning I would control the volume on the WiiM itself. Do you think this setup would work well with these KEF speakers? Thanks in advance for your help!

I would have thought the sub output on the Coda W would integrate properly with the Kube 10 already. Is there a specific issue you're trying to address?

Having said that, the Wiim should work fine, with a couple of conditions:

1. Once you've set up the crossover you never change the volume on the Coda W, or at least can return to the original set volume.
2. The Coda W will stay on the optical input (assuming that's the one you're using from the Wiim)

These may or may not be viable depending on the Coda's control software and your living arrangements.

 

[Petike1376]

I would have thought the sub output on the Coda W would integrate properly with the Kube 10 already. Is there a specific issue you're trying to address?

Having said that, the Wiim should work fine, with a couple of conditions:

1. Once you've set up the crossover you never change the volume on the Coda W, or at least can return to the original set volume.
2. The Coda W will stay on the optical input (assuming that's the one you're using from the Wiim)

These may or may not be viable depending on the Coda's control software and your living arrangements.

The only issue is that, unlike with the LSX models, you can't control the LPF and HPF settings for the Coda W within the KEF Connect app; you can only adjust the crossover on the Kube 10 itself. This means the full frequency range is sent to the Coda W. That’s where the WiiM comes in handy, as it allows for proper control of these settings. I wanted a streamer anyway—plus, it has a good DAC, and the crossover adjustment is a real bonus for me. By the way, I plan to connect it to the Coda via RCA.

 

[harkpabst]

I assume that in this scenario, the WiiM acts as a preamplifier, meaning I would control the volume on the WiiM itself. Do you think this setup would work well with these KEF speakers?

Correct, this setup should work and it should work well, too.

A couple of things to consider:
1. You must set the KEF Coda W to a fixed volume before setting up the Kube 10 and this volume setting must not change later on (or must be restored to the same value). If the volume was lowered after the setup, the sub connected to the WiiM Ultra would be playing too loud (and vice versa). The KEF LS60 Wireless has a specified "unity gain" volume setting at 77 (if I remember correctly). I didn't find anything similar in the Quick Start Guide for the Coda W. I can only assume that a volume setting in the range between 75 and 100 % would be best for the Coda W, too. At least make sure to choose a setting that allows you the highest playback level you'd ever want with the WiiM Ultra at volume 100.

2. All inputs on the Coda W run through their embedded DAC. All digital inputs are resampled to 96 kHz 24 bit. Both analog inputs are digitised and later converted to analog again for amplification. Consequently, there is no point in using the analog RCA output of the WiiM Ultra for the connection to the Coda W. The signal would go through both, the Ultra's DAC and through the Coda's DAC then, which cannot better the sound. At best, it's transparent. There's no coaxial input on the Coda W, so your options are the optical Toslink or the USB output on the WiiM. I would prefer the optical connection.

Since everything is resampled inside the Codas anyway, it makes sense to set the Ultra's digital output to a fixed 96 kHz 24 bit. This minimises the danger of popping or clicking noise between tracks with different digital resolutions.

3. Effectively, you cannot use any other inputs of the Coda W, because the subwoofer would not get any signal then.

PS:
I've been too slow typing this. @somebodyelse bet me with a much shorter, on point response.

 

[Petike1376]

Rendben, ennek a beállításnak működnie kell, és jól is kell működnie.

Néhány szempont, amit érdemes figyelembe venni:
1. A KEF Coda W-t fix hangerőre kell állítani a Lube 10 beállítása előtt, és ezt a hangerőt később sem szabad megváltoztatni (vagy vissza kell állítani ugyanarra az értékre). Ha a beállítás után csökkentené a hangerőt, a WiiM Ultrához csatlakoztatott mélynyomó túl hangosan játszana (és fordítva). A KEF LS60 Wireless esetében egy meghatározott "egységerősítési" hangerő beállítás van 77-re állítva (ha jól emlékszem). Nem találtam hasonlót a Coda W gyors üzembe helyezési útmutatójában. Csak feltételezni tudom, hogy a Coda W-hez is a 75 és 100% közötti hangerő lenne a legjobb. Legalább olyan beállítást válassz, amely lehetővé teszi a lehető legmagasabb lejátszási szintet a WiiM Ultrával 100-as hangerőn.

2. A Coda W összes bemenete a beágyazott DAC-on keresztül fut. Minden digitális bemenetet 96 kHz 24 bitre újramintavételeznek. Mindkét analóg bemenetet digitalizálják, majd később ismét analóggá alakítják erősítés céljából. Következésképpen nincs értelme a WiiM Ultra analóg RCA kimenetét használni a Coda W-hez való csatlakozáshoz. A jel az Ultra DAC-on, majd a Coda DAC-on keresztül menne, ami nem javíthatja a hangzást. Legjobb esetben is átlátszó. A Coda W-n nincs koaxiális bemenet, így a lehetőségek az optikai Toslink vagy a WiiM USB kimenete. Én az optikai csatlakozást részesíteném előnyben.

Mivel a Coda erősítőben minden újramintavételezésre kerül, logikus az Ultra digitális kimenetét fix 96 kHz 24 bitre állítani. Ez minimalizálja a pattogó zaj veszélyét a különböző mintavételi frekvenciájú sávok között.

3. Gyakorlatilag a Coda W más bemeneteit nem használhatod, mert a mélynyomó akkor nem kapna jelet.

Ui.:
Túl lassan gépeltem ezt. @somebodyelse fogadok egy sokkal rövidebb, lényegre törő válasszal.

Thank you very much!

 

[Ruediger]

I think this should work great. Optical to the speakers. Sub Out from the WiiM. All control over frequencies, phase etc. by the WiiM.

The only things to keep in mind is the volume adjustment as mentioned. Do an inital setting of the speakers and sub, like 50%, see if that is loud enough, not enough or too much. And when you found that level stick with it. Then calibrate the delays of the main speakers and the sub within the WiiM app. Then employ RoomFit to do it's thing.

 

[Petike1376]

Szerintem ennek remekül kellene működnie. Optikai a hangszórókhoz. Mélynyomó kimenet a WiiM-ből. A frekvenciák, fázis stb. minden vezérlése a WiiM-ről történik.

Az egyetlen dolog, amire figyelni kell, a hangerő beállítása, ahogy említettük. Állítsd be a hangszórókat és a mélynyomót kezdeti értékre, mondjuk 50%-ra, és nézd meg, hogy az elég hangos-e, nem elég, vagy túl hangos-e. És ha megtaláltad a megfelelő szintet, tartsd is magad hozzá. Ezután kalibráld a fő hangszórók és a mélynyomó késleltetését a WiiM alkalmazáson belül. Ezután használd a RoomFit-et a beállításhoz.

Thank you!

 

[EJ3]

But you don't listen to the pre-amp, you listen to an analogue source.

Vinyl, tapes, reels, old hifi boxes and such. What I'd imagine people plug into the WiiM.

Many of the tapes are me (on the radio (when I was a Radio DJ, news person 1975-86) and family events (My mother was in a Austrian/German folk song group)

I guess that I failed to mention that there are two CD players in the system, one is a CDR(ecorder that can [if one wanted to] record in 20 bit).
The last time I checked that was digital.
I also send a signal to it from my desktop computer (in another room) via a Bluetooth transceiver (so that I can send the audio of whatever is playing on the computer through the APT or sending whatever is playing on the APT to the Bluetooth on my Klipsch Heritage speakers that I use for my desktop [While I guess that you could put them on a desk, I wouldn't exactly call them desktop speakers]) computer. Which would be an analog signal converted to (I am not sure).