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WiiM Ultra Streamer Preamp Review

Rate this streamer/DAC/Preamp:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 5 1.2%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 43 10.2%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 162 38.4%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 212 50.2%

  • Total voters
    422
After the first email yes benefit of the doubt hence the follow ups, you can see it was concisely asked!
I sometimes wonder if clarity and consise questions lower the chances of them recognising they don't know the answer. As a customer I've despaired at such clueless responses, and as the technical expert not allowed to communicate directly with the customer it's no better when you are trying to work out what was really asked.
 
The reason is literally for simplicity—the Anti-Mode X2D is a press one button and presto-magico everything is done solution. I don’t want to faff with a million settings and a laptop and this and that and here and there. I want to press one button and let it run its calibration and be done.

As for a BlueOS device of any kind—I do not like the software interface. Personal preference—I find WiiM Home app much more intuitive and easy to use and navigate.

-Ed
Fair enough, yeah I am also tired of manual EQ etc - I am looking to offload that to a capable and automated system also!
It's interesting to see what systems people have and why they chose them, in case I am overlooking something.

I quite like BluOS myself so would be happy to go back to it. I went LMS -> BluOS -> LMS...!
But BluOS seems to divide opinions somewhat, I'm not sure why mind as I always felt for local FLAC playback it was nothing but excellent. The Amazon integration was (still is?) poor granted (but most are with Amazon), and Apple of course relies on Airplay which isn't great. But Tidal Connect is fully driven from the Tidal app, and I think Qobuz is getting/got a connect also. Deezer (which I use now), is ok in BluOS, better than the Deezer Local plugin to LMS - but my intention is to go to Tidal and use Connect if I do end up plumping for the m10.

I sometimes wonder if clarity and consise questions lower the chances of them recognising they don't know the answer. As a customer I've despaired at such clueless responses, and as the technical expert not allowed to communicate directly with the customer it's no better when you are trying to work out what was really asked.
In the world of IT or a similar solution design environment that has complexity associated with it, yes I get that issue can exist (I used to work in an IT environment supporting partners and not interfacing with the end customers directly, so know it well in fact!!). But in this instance, we're just talking a simple hifi question about sample rate processing.... def not the same gravy!

The latest question must surely warrant a direct reply to yield the answer I'm looking for! I fail to see that it can be yet avoided....but we'll see!
 
My IOM Ultra (Hypex NC252MP stereo power amplifier) came in this evening and as expected, the performance is high enough to be transparently comparable to my last amplifiers (a pair of Topping B100s) while providing significantly more power and being a lovely aesthetic match for my WiiM Ultra streamer. The paint is a shade lighter than it needs to be in order to achieve a perfect match, but I’ll take it!

View attachment 419814

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There is a white LED situated between the IEC power socket and the 12V trigger that provides power status.

-Ed

Hi Ed, got a few questions about the IOM Ultra:
1. How much extra did it cost for the xlr inputs? They aren't mentioned on their website. Did you just ask for them to be added when you placed the order?
2. How long did it take for you to receive the amp? I'm also in the U.S.
3. Is it ok to stack the two components? Do they recommend that it is ok for sound and/or ventilation?
4. I also have the LS50 Metas, so I'm curious about how they sound with the IOM Ultra.

Thanks, Jimmy
 
Certainly one way, and I considered keeping my Squeezebox Touch and adding an X2 or a miniDSP Flex after it, but ultimately decided unnecessary and convoluted. I don't see why use a streamer like a WiiM Ultra and an X2D, when say Bluesound Node ICON would be simpler, cheaper, and I would argue better given Dirac.
Or to do your own PEQ etc still, then an SHD/Studio (which have Dirac anyway) would also combine streaming and DSP.


After the first email yes benefit of the doubt hence the follow ups, you can see it was concisely asked!







We shall see if and what the final response is - there's nothing ambiguous in the questions and I was deliberate to try to phrase everything quite clearly given potential language translation.
I asked the question on the Wiim forum just now and got answers within minutes.
It’s good news - the DSP runs at 32bit and incoming sample rate. Volume control uses 8-bit therefore retaining resolution of up to 24bit audio streams.
 
I have a query regarding Room Correction. My phone has been in too many dusty pockets to trust its microphone for calibration purposes. I have been considering buying an umik-1 Microphone. I am wondering if anyone has done the same and can comment on the results? Is it worth it?
 
I asked the question on the Wiim forum just now and got answers within minutes.
It’s good news - the DSP runs at 32bit and incoming sample rate. Volume control uses 8-bit therefore retaining resolution of up to 24bit audio streams.
Interesting, besides the fact they clearly employ chimps to answer their emails..., they choose to retain the sample frequency (which avoids non-integer scaling issues), and up the bit depth, meaning a massive amount of values to apply EQ with much higher accuracy, which is what you chiefly want.

I think I generally agree with that approach, as I'm not sure there's a need to increase the resolution by up sampling the frequency... Given most PEQ is going to be used for fixing bass issues, and then maybe applying a low shelf from say 10khz, it's probably a sensible way.

I guess the best approach might be to up sample and retain integer consistency, but, I don't know any system that does that! - This is now sounding like it is more than enough and better than the Eversolo DSP for sure that operates at 24/48.

Thanks, good to resolve this one!
 
Hi Ed, got a few questions about the IOM Ultra:
1. How much extra did it cost for the xlr inputs? They aren't mentioned on their website. Did you just ask for them to be added when you placed the order?
2. How long did it take for you to receive the amp? I'm also in the U.S.
3. Is it ok to stack the two components? Do they recommend that it is ok for sound and/or ventilation?
4. I also have the LS50 Metas, so I'm curious about how they sound with the IOM Ultra.

Thanks, Jimmy
1. Sipko charges 10EUR extra for dual inputs. I emailed him about this before ordering to confirm.
2. Shipping was supposed to be under a week, but DHL held the package up for 2 days in their Cincinnati sort, maybe due to weather issues. As for delays prior to shipping, it took Sipko a a couple of weeks to source the dual input buffer components and then another couple of weeks to get the amp painted space grey (what he normally has on hand are silver). This all occurred during the holiday season, so Christmas and New Years both played into adding to the delays. Your best bet is to email IOM and ask how long would it take since for all I know he now has some of the dual input boards on hand from building mine.
3. No issues at all stacking them--that's how I believe almost everyone who bought this amp so far is running theirs. The Hypex NC252MP is somewhere around 90% efficient. I've had my system playing for hours today behind me as I worked and I just touched it and it's just luke warm to the touch.
4. They sound amazing with this amp. I don't know if you use a subwoofer or not, but I have my LS50 Metas high-pass filtered/crossed over at 100Hz with an SVS SB-3000 and I was able to play some classical concerto music earlier today at what felt like reference levels with no effort at all. According to DecibelX, I was averaging about 76dB and hit a peak 94dB from my listening position about 10 feet away in my moderate sized room. Just breathtaking performance!

-Ed
 
I have a query regarding Room Correction. My phone has been in too many dusty pockets to trust its microphone for calibration purposes. I have been considering buying an umik-1 Microphone. I am wondering if anyone has done the same and can comment on the results? Is it worth it?
I have been using a UMIK-1 to perform WiiM room correction for weeks now. It works very well, probably as well as it can possibly be with WiiM's room correction algorithm. I consider it more accurate than using the mic built into either my iPhone or my iPad.

-Ed
 
I have been using a UMIK-1 to perform WiiM room correction for weeks now. It works very well, probably as well as it can possibly be with WiiM's room correction algorithm. I consider it more accurate than using the mic built into either my iPhone or my iPad.

-Ed
Thanks Ed, Mic will very possibly my next purchase.
 
I guess the best approach might be to up sample and retain integer consistency, but, I don't know any system that does that! -
Roon has the option to do this, I tried it last night, guess how much better it sounded.
 
Thanks Ed, Mic will very possibly my next purchase.
Yes and even better yet, WiiM developers are already working on an enhancement so that the WiiM can apply calibration files from the microphone manufacturer for even greater accuracy!

-Ed
 
Roon has the option to do this, I tried it last night, guess how much better it sounded.
I would guess that you heard it 60% of the time, every time :cool:
 
I have a query regarding Room Correction. My phone has been in too many dusty pockets to trust its microphone for calibration purposes. I have been considering buying an umik-1 Microphone. I am wondering if anyone has done the same and can comment on the results? Is it worth it?
For a detailed overview of my experiences with the Umik-1 and WiiM RC, you can find my latest measurements and analysis here: https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/kef-ls60-room-correction-showdown-rew-mmm-vs-wiim-ultra—a-data-driven-analysis.59795/post-2194722
Once WiiM implements support for calibration files, I believe it will become a remarkably capable and cost-effective room correction solution—almost too good to be true at the WiiM Ultra’s price point. Even without a calibration file, WiiM RC is already performing quite well below 300 Hz, but using the iPhone 13 microphone for correction remains underwhelming, often doing more harm than good at both lower and higher frequencies.
 
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For a detailed overview of my experiences with the Umik-1 and WiiM RC, you can find my latest measurements and analysis here: https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/kef-ls60-room-correction-showdown-rew-mmm-vs-wiim-ultra—a-data-driven-analysis.59795/post-2194722
Once WiiM implements support for calibration files, I believe it will become a remarkably capable and cost-effective room correction solution—almost too good to be true at the WiiM Ultra’s price point. Even without a calibration file, WiiM RC is already performing quite well below 300 Hz, but using the iPhone 13 microphone for correction remains underwhelming, often doing more harm than good at both lower and higher frequencies.
Wow, this is excellent! Great work! Thank you.
 
Silly question - does Wiim Ultra stream online radio via LAN? And can it play music from an USB flash drive? Thank you
 
Silly question - does Wiim Ultra stream online radio via LAN? And can it play music from an USB flash drive? Thank you
You have vTuner on the menu, can access to local and by location radios (I always find any radio station I want no matter the continent). Also can access to flash drive audio files via USB.
 
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