WiiM Ultra Streamer Preamp Review

[Audionaut]

So are you talking about the attempted boost around ~180Hz that is likely a room null/wave cancellation and it is attempting to (and failing) to compensate for?

Possibly, although I attribute my subjective listening impression to the slightly higher bass boost, but above all to the lowering of the treble with Harman and B&K autocorrection.
In Germany we say to something like this: “Hört sich an, wie eingeschlafene Füße”
I don't think you can look at any particular aspect here, but at the overall impression.

 

[StevenSGT98]

For the most part, I am the same. I wish it were capable of outputting DSD natively, but I totally understand that it is too much of a hassle to deal with because it would completely bypass all DSP processing including digital volume control, so it is WAY easier for them to just convert it to PCM and call it a day. I also wish the room correction were more advanced (more advanced filtering that compensates for time/phase issues, a toggle to disable attempts to boost nulls).

But for the price, I'm not expecting those things.

-Ed

Agreed. I don’t think room correction is fully baked either. The DSD PCM can be a debate. The SINAD is high enough that the pcm feed really sounds just fine to me. Perhaps a future product. They can add xlr to that one.

Once it’s set up, it’s dead simple to use. That may be a problem for some “audiophiles”

I think competition has trouble on its hands. I see WIIM as a potential disruptor in the market.

Steven

 

[EddNog]

Possibly, although I attribute my subjective listening impression to the slightly higher bass boost, but above all to the lowering of the treble with Harman and B&K autocorrection.
In Germany we say to something like this: “Hört sich an, wie eingeschlafene Füße”
I don't think you can look at any particular aspect here, but at the overall impression.

I was specifically trying to understand what you meant by a, "belly."

-Ed

 

[EddNog]

...I see WIIM as a potential disruptor in the market.

Steven

Not potentially. It absolutely is, and I'm here for it!

-Ed

 

[ah-ra]

I ordered the Dayton iMM-6C not only, but also because of the Wiim Ultra Auto room calibration.

View attachment 424565
According to the calibration file, it only has an error of + or - 0.5db in the range from 40 to 16000 Hz, i.e. a total of 1db max.
I specified the correction range from 150 to 15 khz.

The autocorrection is clearly better than with the built-in micro of the Google Pixel 8 Pro, but still not as optimal as with other programs. But it is very useful as a basis for further adjustment, whereby I find Flat the most useful, because B&K and Harman Curve get a small belly from the autocorrection, which is omi

Can you use an external mic and an android phone with the calibration function of the Ultra....? Sorry for my dumb question...

I already have a USB Mic, I could use..

 

[Audionaut]

Can you use an external mic and an android phone with the calibration function of the Ultra....?

Yes, you can

 

[Romario]

As for room correction, it's limited by 10 bands. For me, I take 3 measurements, 1 for the low end, 1 fore the mids and 1 for the highs. From that I create one ultimate PEQ setting, ignoring the ones with the highest Q's ( smallest peaks or dips). Please note that in between measurements the PEQ is returned to " flat" each time.

 

[testp]

i just places an order from germany, price was just too good compared to other sites right now, will be using fosi v3 monos with it for listening some..goodsoundingsound..

 

[ah-ra]

Yes, you can

Does the calibration function also help with sub implementation (delay)....?

 

[Romario]

Does the calibration function also help with sub implementation (delay)....?

Sub delay inetegration is seperate from the room correction and you don't need an external mic for that.

 

[ah-ra]

Sub delay inetegration is seperate from the room correction and you don't need an external mic for that.

Yes, I know. That's what I was asking. I understand I can use an USB mic for room correction and asked if this function also supports Bass management by detecting the necessary delay....

 

[Paffi]

Yes, I know. That's what I was asking. I understand I can use an USB mic for room correction and asked if this function also supports Bass management by detecting the necessary delay....

No, for delay adjustmend the mic built in the wiim is used

 

[SeaBeef]

New media/music room has been completed featuring 2x Fosi V3 Mono’s and a Wiim Ultra. Question about gain structure…

Okay so I have a V3 mono per speaker, I’ve got a Wiim Ultra as preamp. You can adjust the line out voltage on the Wiim, default is 2V, but you can lower to 1V, 500mV, 200mV etc. If I leave it at 2V, normal listening preamp volume is about 20%.

I’m wondering if it would be better to lower the line out to like 1V or 500mV, that way I can have the preamp volume up higher to like 70%. The preamp volume attenuates the digital signal, so my thought and understanding is less attenuation on the digital signal could result in better dynamics?

 

[StevenSGT98]

New media/music room has been completed featuring 2x Fosi V3 Mono’s and a Wiim Ultra. Question about gain structure…

Okay so I have a V3 mono per speaker, I’ve got a Wiim Ultra as preamp. You can adjust the line out voltage on the Wiim, default is 2V, but you can lower to 1V, 500mV, 200mV etc. If I leave it at 2V, normal listening preamp volume is about 20%.

I’m wondering if it would be better to lower the line out to like 1V or 500mV, that way I can have the preamp volume up higher to like 70%. The preamp volume attenuates the digital signal, so my thought and understanding is less attenuation on the digital signal could result in better dynamics?

I wouldn’t think it matters. Voltage is voltage and attenuation is attenuation. Volume is 30 bit from my understanding. (?) The noise floor remains the same where mains noise starts to interfere.

My understanding is the ability to limit output is valuable when driving amplifier inputs that cannot handle 2 volts.

The main limiting factor is your room is not anechoic. Noise floor of the room will dominate way before the noise floor of the Wiim.

Thoughts?

Steve

 

[antcollinet]

I wouldn’t think it matters. Voltage is voltage and attenuation is attenuation. Volume is 30 bit from my understanding. (?) The noise floor remains the same where mains noise starts to interfere.

My understanding is the ability to limit output is valuable when driving amplifier inputs that cannot handle 2 volts.

The main limiting factor is your room is not anechoic. Noise floor of the room will dominate way before the noise floor of the Wiim.

Thoughts?

Steve

Tend to agree.

Bottom line - if you can't hear DAC noise (typically hiss) during the quiet parts of the music, then there is no issue with how you are controlling volume.

 

[mlsstl]

An argument in favor of lowering the Ultra output voltage is that traditional potentiometer volume controls on power and integrated amps tend to track more accurately at their mid and higher level settings. However, that applies to stereo pots where one control is adjusting the level of both the left and right channels. Since you have two mono amps, that wouldn't apply in your case, though you might make the argument that it could be easier to level match the left and right amps if you're using the upper range of each pot.

I look at this as a situation where experimenting costs you nothing but a bit of time. If it improves the situation, great! If it doesn't, just switch back to the old settings and carry on.

 

[antcollinet]

Since you have two mono amps, that wouldn't apply in your case, though you might make the argument that it could be easier to level match the left and right amps if you're using the upper range of each pot.

The V3 mono doesn't have a volume pot - he is using the volume control on the ultra.

 

[kyuu]

New media/music room has been completed featuring 2x Fosi V3 Mono’s and a Wiim Ultra.

What media cabinet is that you have, if you have don't mind me asking?

 

[mlsstl]

The V3 mono doesn't have a volume pot - he is using the volume control on the ultra.

Thanks for the correction. I haven't seen a V3 in person so mistakenly assumed it had a volume knob like my Aiyima A70.

 

[EddNog]

Thanks for the correction. I haven't seen a V3 in person so mistakenly assumed it had a volume knob like my Aiyima A70.

ZA3 has a volume pot. But ZA3 forces everything through its non-defeatable volume potentiometer, so incoming balanced signals are converted down via an operational amplifier to single-ended. On V3 Monos, balanced/differential incoming signals go straight to the amplification circuit, whereas single-ended input signals pass through an op-amp to be converted to differential.

-Ed