WiiM Ultra Streamer Preamp Review

[Craigyp]

I’ve got my Wiim Ultra working as a streaming transport only using Roon. I use the USB output to SMSL M500 MKIII which delivers balanced to a Topping Pre90 and then out to my pair of HypeX Nilai500DIY mono blocks. All of which I’ve bought thanks to Amir’s reviews of each. It sounds superb. The small screen is a helpful display of album art and the eArc HDMI is a great input for the TV which also gives me volume control with the remote. For the price, and with these features, it’s great value. I’ve not used the native DAC and using the MM phono input via my existing chain just sounds very weird. Thanks for the review.

 

[Ralph_Cramden]

That touch display is yeah, nice to see, but is also quite limited in its useability, and it's a bummer.
A dedicated rear display port able to connect the Ultra to a touch panel could have been way more useful, imho.

The WiiM app, on your phone or tablet, provides exactly this, without wires.

 

[uofmtiger]

Since WiiM keep adding new features to the Pro Plus (and improving them as they go) we must consider it not "completely developed" as well, right?

That’s the upside to Wiim devices. They are constantly evolving the firmware.

As for HDMI out vs the onboard screen, I think it depends on where you plan to use it. In my office, I have an iPad that feeds a display, so I can put the Wiim app up on the display whenever I want it. The onscreen LCD display is nice when I don’t want to go to the trouble, though. It’s is also nice and easy for switching inputs and outputs. I prefer an app for searching for music and that kind of thing. That would be tedious on a small screen device that you can’t hold in your hand.

In my living room, I would love to have an ultra with HDMI video out and an LCD built in ( when I want to listen with TV off, but want to see the artwork). I currently use a small PC in the living room that runs Wiim app when I want album art on the TV to go with my Wiim Pro. I wouldn’t mind replacing it with an Ultra, but holding out hope that they might add the video out feature eventually to an Ultra type of device.

 

[Saponetto]

The WiiM app, on your phone or tablet, provides exactly this, without wires.

This corroborates my take on it, a barely useful display.

 

[uofmtiger]

This corroborates my take on it, a barely useful display.

Personally, if it only displayed album art and the VU Meter option, I would find it useful. The fact that I can also use it to change from headphone to speakers or from Wifi to one of the inputs provides what I want the display for. Most of my use cases in my office are using it with another device (radio/computer/iPad) via RCA inputs or via Amazon Music (which can be controlled by voice with its remote).

While it wouldn't hurt my feelings to see the ability to pick music from my USB (iPod classic) I have plugged into it, I still would prefer going through a bunch of menus on my phone or iPad. The screen basically does what I need from it. In other words, its useful for my purposes with its basic features.

Darko has a video discussing LCD screens on these devices. I think you would fall on his side of that argument. Personally, it sits a few inches from my chair in my office and I find it useful.

 

[Saponetto]

Heh... I think I cannot fall on John's side about nothing, but his furnitures.
I love his lofts.

Just kidding, of course.
The Ultra is strongly aimed at people who wants to interact with it without any remote interface, the only downside I did find is that it doesn't completely reach its own target.
Of course these are just my 5 cents... Being able to tinker with it for some time just cleared many doubts I had about it.

 

[Romario]

That depends where you're coming from. I didn't have the pro +, could not see any benefit in it over the pro. But now that I have the Ultra it's quite handy to have a remote and a decent DAC inside. The screen I don"t interact with but I use it with the VU meter to know when to go below half of the output later at night. I could have done without it, for sure. Sub management and USB sealed the deal.

 

[harkpabst]

The Ultra is strongly aimed at people who wants to interact with it without any remote interface, the only downside I did find is that it doesn't completely reach its own target.

Not sure this has been the target. For most users it appears to be mostly about some fancy graphics and a clock. Playback control and the limited access to EQ settings is a bit of a bonus, but not the key feature.

WiiM does not (and from my point of view don't try to) attract those looking for an offline music player with remoteless operation. The Ultra is not a radio.

 

[mlsstl]

I find the screen on the Ultra a nice addition for displaying album art. Other that a few experimental swipes just to see what's there, I don't use the screen for control. I also had screens on my Raspberry Pi players prior to the Ultra, and a Squeezebox Touch prior to that. Besides the album art I also like the clock display when not playing music, though I wish WiiM would update the Ultra to allow a clock display more similar to the piCorePlayer display. Hopefully that's on their to-do list.

 

[JustCoolin‘]

The WiiM app, on your phone or tablet, provides exactly this, without wires.

Not entirely. Ever since I unplugged my Squeezebox Touch many years ago, I‘ve been missing/looking for a solution that makes me independent again from my phone, which I ideally leave near the front door and use it as little as possibles at home.

A device with a big, great touchscreen would be a dream come true.

 

[EJ3]

Was that in the last 10 years?

Because 2014 is when they officially became a company?

 

[Multicore]

Because 2014 is when they officially became a company?

Yes. I'm guessing it's when they started using that name.

 

[FLS3]

Not entirely. Ever since I unplugged my Squeezebox Touch many years ago, I‘ve been missing/looking for a solution that makes me independent again from my phone, which I ideally leave near the front door and use it as little as possibles at home.

A device with a big, great touchscreen would be a dream come true.

I don't understand why installing the Wiim app on a tablet isn't exactly what you're looking for?

 

[JustCoolin‘]

I don't understand why installing the Wiim app on a tablet isn't exactly what you're looking for?

Because I then have a multi-functional tablet in my living room instead of my phone, which is essentially the same thing.

It’s not a major problem and I‘ve been using phones/tablets as remotes for years, but I‘d prefer a dedicated solution, ideally an integrated touchscreen. It really doesn‘t need to be mobile. I don‘t switch tracks every few minutes.

Mind, I also don’t have a TV in my living room. I like to keep things simple and distraction-free.

I am basicllay looking for a modern Squeezebox Touch. Thought the upcoming Bluenode Icon might be it, but the screen is not a Touchscreen.

Either way, knowing Linkplay, there’ll be a few more Ultras in the next few years, one of them might just be what I am looking for. I am not I a hurry.

 

[uofmtiger]

Because I then have a multi-functional tablet in my living room instead of my phone, which is essentially the same thing.

It’s not a major problem and I‘ve been using phones/tablets as remotes for years, but I‘d prefer a dedicated solution, ideally an integrated touchscreen. It really doesn‘t need to be mobile. I don‘t switch tracks every few minutes.

Mind, I also don’t have a TV in my living room. I like to keep things simple and distraction-free.

I am basicllay looking for a modern Squeezebox Touch. Thought the upcoming Bluenode Icon might be it, but the screen is not a Touchscreen.

Either way, knowing Linkplay, there’ll be a few more Ultras in the next few years, one of them might just be what I am looking for. I am not I a hurry.

I think Fiio makes some streamers built around Android ( just a strapped down phone for the most part) that might fit your needs. Most people are used to interacting with their phones or tablets, so we may never see such a device from Wiim.

 

[EJ3]

Yes. I'm guessing it's when they started using that name.

I actually heard the name a little bit before then (and maybe that's why I was told to beware of them), some of them may have used the name (knowing that they were in the process of incorporating, would be my guess) "unofficially" a little bit before that (as in a loosely knit group [sort of like a car club] {I guess that they were in the process of incorporating at the time}.
As I said, I personally never had contact with anyone from that company nor ever saw any of their gear.
My comment was just to show that I was aware of them in the past and had heard that their business practices might be suspect.
Since I never had any contact with them personally, I do not personally know that to be the case.
But when someone personally tells you about having had a bad experience with a company, it does seem to make it more important to be very clear about agreements, contracts, etc., should you enter into such with said company.
And, when that is the ONLY thing that you have even ever heard about the company (having never actually encountered them or knowingly seen anything that they have been involved in), it may make a difference in your success in dealing with them, should you need to do that.
I never had the opportunity to deal with them, nor even knew what, specifically they did/do (and still don't [perhaps because it's also been many, many years since I was involved in an industry that they are involved in]).
So, I was just confirming that I had heard more or less the same thing that they were talking about.
Of coarse, it is all hear/say.

 

[Multicore]

I actually heard the name a little bit before then (and maybe that's why I was told to beware of them), some of them may have used the name (knowing that they were in the process of incorporating, would be my guess) "unofficially" a little bit before that (as in a loosely knit group [sort of like a car club] {I guess that they were in the process of incorporating at the time}.
As I said, I personally never had contact with anyone from that company nor ever saw any of their gear.
My comment was just to show that I was aware of them in the past and had heard that their business practices might be suspect.
Since I never had any contact with them personally, I do not personally know that to be the case.
But when someone personally tells you about having had a bad experience with a company, it does seem to make it more important to be very clear about agreements, contracts, etc., should you enter into such with said company.
And, when that is the ONLY thing that you have even ever heard about the company (having never actually encountered them or knowingly seen anything that they have been involved in), it may make a difference in your success in dealing with them, should you need to do that.
I never had the opportunity to deal with them, nor even knew what, specifically they did/do (and still don't [perhaps because it's also been many, many years since I was involved in an industry that they are involved in]).
So, I was just confirming that I had heard more or less the same thing that they were talking about.
Of coarse, it is all hear/say.

Thanks, @EJ3

 

[harkpabst]

Of coarse, it is all hear/say.

Thanks.

 

[Abdo]

I'm right or wrong?
When using the Wiim Ultra as a streamer, using the PEQ either with RCA out or even better USB out to a nice DAC, this is a good as it gets...
All other functions are of none importance for me, I search a streamer supporting Deezer and local library and if possible Peq OR Dirac.
Regards,
Patrick

What do you have against the Wiim DAC? What DAC do you think would be better than the Wiim?

 

[Audiolab800]

What do you have against the Wiim DAC? What DAC do you think would be better than the Wiim?

A topping D90III or something like that. Could start with the DAC in the WiiM but have the ability to improve later. For the moment I have 3 possible options. 1 WiiM Ultra 2. Eversolo A8 3. Auralic Vega S1
Different price ranges, I need Deezer support, NAS support and DSP. i prefer Dirac but could live with PEQ or better Convolution filters. MoOde on RPI with Camilla DSP is also working fine by the way but no support for Deezer