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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 10.3%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 161 38.6%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 208 49.9%

  • Total voters
    417
I have a Wiim Ultra paired with my Onkyo TX-8150 receiver with RCA and Monitor Audio Silver 1 speakers.
Is there any point in buying an external dac for the Wiim ultra for better sound quality?
People here on ASR will let you know the WiiM Ultra’s onboard DAC and analog output implementation measure transparently well enough that you will not hear a difference with an exterior DAC that also measures transparently well and is level-matched.

-Ed
 
People here on ASR will let you know the WiiM Ultra’s onboard DAC and analog output implementation measure transparently well enough that you will not hear a difference with an exterior DAC that also measures transparently well and is level-matched.

-Ed
Thanks, well that will save me some money then.
 
People here on ASR will let you know the WiiM Ultra’s onboard DAC and analog output implementation measure transparently well enough that you will not hear a difference with an exterior DAC that also measures transparently well and is level-matched.

-Ed
Thanks, well that will save me some money then
The Onkyo is the bottleneck anyway right?
I would think so too.
 
I have a Wiim Ultra paired with my Onkyo TX-8150 receiver with RCA and Monitor Audio Silver 1 speakers.
Is there any point in buying an external dac for the Wiim ultra for better sound quality?
Only if you need balanced connections. But that means that the sound quality was bad because interferences / ground loops
 
Hi guys, I don't know if it has been covered here in this thread, but I read in the discussion on the Pro Plus, that you have to make headroom, if you are using positive EQ.....

As far as I remember it was 1% for each 0,6db of positive EQ. So if using the max 12db gain on a filter you would have to make sure to limit max. volume to 80%.

Does this also apply for the Ultra?
 
Hi guys, I don't know if it has been covered here in this thread, but I read in the discussion on the Pro Plus, that you have to make headroom, if you are using positive EQ.....

As far as I remember it was 1% for each 0,6db of positive EQ. So if using the max 12db gain on a filter you would have to make sure to limit max. volume to 80%.

Does this also apply for the Ultra?
If that correction is down low I hope you have an arc welder instead of an amp.
 
Hi guys, I don't know if it has been covered here in this thread, but I read in the discussion on the Pro Plus, that you have to make headroom, if you are using positive EQ.....

As far as I remember it was 1% for each 0,6db of positive EQ. So if using the max 12db gain on a filter you would have to make sure to limit max. volume to 80%.

Does this also apply for the Ultra?
yes.. (and dont use more than q 0.7 if hs ls...)
 
Hi guys, I don't know if it has been covered here in this thread, but I read in the discussion on the Pro Plus, that you have to make headroom, if you are using positive EQ.....

As far as I remember it was 1% for each 0,6db of positive EQ. So if using the max 12db gain on a filter you would have to make sure to limit max. volume to 80%.

Does this also apply for the Ultra?
If you use all the 12 db for room correction you might want to take the speaker out of the bathroom into the bedroom.
 
Hi guys, I don't know if it has been covered here in this thread, but I read in the discussion on the Pro Plus, that you have to make headroom, if you are using positive EQ.....

As far as I remember it was 1% for each 0,6db of positive EQ. So if using the max 12db gain on a filter you would have to make sure to limit max. volume to 80%.

Does this also apply for the Ultra?
Yes correct , Btw dont boost bass nulls +12dB, they are very likely some form of acoustical cancellation so you would not gain much you will just dump energy into the "hole" and blow up speakers . Dito for trying to boost sub bass out of speakers not capable, especially if the speaker or sub is bass reflex !

However subjectively it can be so that when you cut the bass peaks in the room the general sound might subjectively bee to lean so some general low shelf with low Q to "fatten up" the whole bass area by 2-3 dB as some mild loudness can be nice :)
 
Yes correct , Btw dont boost bass nulls +12dB, they are very likely some form of acoustical cancellation so you would not gain much you will just dump energy into the "hole" and blow up speakers . Dito for trying to boost sub bass out of speakers not capable, especially if the speaker or sub is bass reflex !

However subjectively it can be so that when you cut the bass peaks in the room the general sound might subjectively bee to lean so some general low shelf with low Q to "fatten up" the whole bass area by 2-3 dB as some mild loudness can be nice :)
Nice suggestion, I have an 8 dB peak at 70 Hz and minor one of 4 dB at 40 Hz (when using sub, now is absent), easy to compensate but overall impression is a little bit “cold” after cleaning the low region. Also quite reflective surfaces cause 6 dB on 150Hz, should use +2 dB LS at 200 Hz Q 0.3 for example?

Or better avoid the reflective zone and start on 100 Hz?
 
The new display didn't do much for me and if anything, was a bit of a negative even though in general I am a fan of such things.
In my opinion, the touchscreen in particular is a real added value, as it allows a large number of complex functions to be controlled directly on the device.

If, for whatever reason, the remote control or smartphone are not nearby, you can still listen to music, just like with a hi-fi system from the 1980s.

I have experienced this differently with other streamers.

Therefore thumbs up for the touchscreen

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If anyone has a vernier gauge could you please measure the diameter of the Wiim ultra phono ground lead plug as my mates son appears to have lost/misplaced the plug and I want to try and find a suitable replacement, ta very much
 
If anyone has a vernier gauge could you please measure the diameter of the Wiim ultra phono ground lead plug as my mates son appears to have lost/misplaced the plug and I want to try and find a suitable replacement, ta very much

Only a little help, but it looks like a 3.5mm to me.
 

Only a little help, but it looks like a 3.5mm to me.

That may explain why the 4mm banana plug doesn’t fit ;) , despite folk saying on the Wiim forum that it is a 4mm.
 
That may explain why the 4mm banana plug doesn’t fit ;) , despite folk saying on the Wiim forum that it is a 4mm.
I was wrong.

I just checked my Wiim Ultra and a normal 4mm banana plug fits the Phono ground socket. So you can just buy a simple banana plug with a screw terminal to connect your ground wire from the turntable.
From the same Wiim forum link.
 
From the same Wiim forum link.

Yeah I've read most of the Wiim forum but I'd prefer if the dia of an actual Wiim ground plug could be confirmed by someone on here with a vernier gauge or micrometer.

Apparently Wiim do not sell nor have spare plugs available.
 
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