WiiM Ultra Streamer Preamp Review

[Romario]

I understand the logic. It falls short as a digital hub and therefore I personally look at it as an audio streamer / DAC with some pre amp functionalities. But at this price it packs more than the competition.

 

[rcstevensonaz]

I understand the logic. It falls short as a digital hub and therefore I personally look at it as an audio streamer / DAC with some pre amp functionalities. But at this price it packs more than the competition.

That is a very fair statement! It is a digital hub that is lacking a few key inputs (which can be easily compensated), but it also a bang-out product for what it does deliver at that price point.

 

[Brian Hall]

I see. As I have no sources that *have* to use those inputs that possibility hadn’t occurred to me, although I would have preferred to use my Tascam CD player with its digital coax output rather than via optical. Wiim are very good to include those cables! (I have the Wiim Pro Plus but I don’t think the Ultra is different for inputs)

I would definitely prefer an analogue input to stay that way in any preamp, but I realise one cannot have digital EQ without another ADC > DAC loop.

Same inputs as the Pro Plus, but the Ultra adds a phono input and ground.

 

[Emlin]

Same inputs as the Pro Plus, but the Ultra adds a phono input and ground.

Yep, it's a different product. So please, everyone, stop making perfect the enemy of the good!

 

[Brian Hall]

Yep, it's a different product. So please, everyone, stop making perfect the enemy of the good!

But perfect is so close. How much would it have added to the cost to include USB C and coax inputs to the Wiim Ultra?

The Eversolo DMP-A6 would have been perfect if it included subwoofer outputs.

 

[Emlin]

But perfect is so close. How much would it have added to the cost to include USB C and coax inputs to the Wiim Ultra?

The Eversolo DMP-A6 would have been perfect if it included subwoofer outputs.

Personally, I'm not ever going to buy any product again that doesn't fly me to Mars and beyond as well as doing the coffee. And stand in as an interstellar streamer, of course.

 

[antcollinet]

The Wiim Ultra does not provide a USB C or Coax input. I hooked up a Schiit Modi+ that I had laying around for USB C and Coax inputs and plugged the RCA outs into the Wiim's analog inputs. It works great.

I'm sure it does - but you are doing DAC-ADC-DSP-DAC.

Personally I'd go USB-DDC to Toslink-Wiim, and just have one analogue conversion.

 

[Emlin]

I'm sure it does - but you are doing DAC-ADC-DSP-DAC.

Personally I'd go USB-DDC to Toslink-Wiim, and just have one analogue conversion.

I'd just stream.

 

[Brian Hall]

I'm sure it does - but you are doing DAC-ADC-DSP-DAC.

Personally I'd go USB-DDC to Toslink-Wiim, and just have one analogue conversion.

The optical port is already used. So the extra DAC provides USB C and coax inputs to make up for Wiim's failure to provide them.

 

[Romario]

I tested the Bluetooth transmission. It is useful when you play an album, preset internet radio or cd that you cannot stream from your phone, pc or laptop to your NC headphones while folding your socks on the second floor or whatever. The good news, it works, signal strenght is good. The bad news, No LDAC, no EQ on output (EQ on source input only) and the sound is therfore mediocre at best. Oh, well.

 

[uofmtiger]

The optical port is already used. So the extra DAC provides USB C and coax inputs to make up for Wiim's failure to provide them.

I also use DACs in front of the Wiim and use a preamp to feed its RCA input. Would have loved a USB input, but happy with it the way it is… for the money spent. I mainly wanted the touch screen in my office, with voice control for Amazon Music, but it also works for many of my audio sources, as well. I just had to come up with some work arounds. As was mentioned, it means some digital to analog and back to digital conversion, but it still sounds good.

Wiim is giving themselves some room to grow for that next product, which is fine. If they add the same product with USB input and AirPlay, I would add it and move the ultra to another area of the house.

 

[Emlin]

I also use DACs in front of the Wiim and use a preamp to feed its RCA input. Would have loved a USB input, but happy with it the way it is… for the money spent. I mainly wanted the touch screen in my office, with voice control for Amazon Music, but it also works for many of my audio sources, as well. I just had to come up with some work arounds. As was mentioned, it means some digital to analog and back to digital conversion, but it still sounds good.

Wiim is giving themselves some room to grow for that next product, which is fine. If they add the same product with USB input and AirPlay, I would add it and move the ultra to another area of the house.

Look, it does what it does. If that's not for you, fair enough. But I don't go looking at Ferraris when I want to buy a dumpster.

 

[rcstevensonaz]

Look, it does what it does. If that's not for you, fair enough. But I don't go looking at Ferraris when I want to buy a dumpster.

Huh? The poster mentioned that they were quite happy with the current configuration for the price they paid. And noted that there are some nice-to-have features in the future, and that WiiM has also left opportunity to expand their product in the future. Seems like that was a happy camper with a positive outlook, not someone griping about the situation.

 

[Emlin]

Huh? The poster mentioned that they were quite happy with the current configuration for the price they paid. And noted that there are some nice-to-have features in the future, and that WiiM has also left opportunity to expand their product in the future. Seems like that was a happy camper with a positive outlook, not someone griping about the situation.

The poster edited after I posted.

 

[uofmtiger]

The poster edited after I posted.

That is incorrect. I did not edit my post.

 

[AdamG]

That is incorrect. I did not edit my post.

@Emlin, And we can confirm that he did not. Thinking you might owe an apology here.

 

[Emlin]

@Emlin, And we can confirm that he did not. Thinking you might owe an apology here.

I think I do too, sorry, really. I think I must have been trying to respond to a different post.

Whatever my fuck up, I do apologise.

 

[uofmtiger]

I think I do too, sorry, really. I think I must have been trying to respond to a different post.

Whatever my fuck up, I do apologise.

I appreciate it.

 

[Mort]

The optical port is already used. So the extra DAC provides USB C and coax inputs to make up for Wiim's failure to provide them.

Sonos makes a $25 toslink to hdmi that might work for some running short on inputs.

 

[Romario]

Or