WiiM Ultra Streamer Preamp Review

[Soniclife]

Strange, if i activate the fixed volume in the Wiim app I don't get any pop up confirmation about this...I have the latest app-version.

Mine is in Android, Version 3.1.3.250215, it's probably just rolling out over a few days.

 

[Saponetto]

And this is the real game changer for anybody tinkers with room correction.

 

[StevenSGT98]

Still tickled how the phono stage sounds. The fact it sounds great playing on the other WiiM streamers in the other rooms makes me giddy.

 

[antcollinet]

Still tickled how the phono stage sounds. The fact it sounds great playing on the other WiiM streamers in the other rooms makes me giddy.

I know what you mean. Multi room vinyl feels like anachronistic steam punk.

 

[morillon]

I know what you mean. Multi room vinyl feels like anachronistic steam punk.

 

[Mschn]

68 pages of posts so maybe this has been covered alread: Does this device take music streamed over USB as input? I have leafed through its user manual and it seems the answer is no. USB is output only.

/Martin

 

[Audionaut]

Does this device take music streamed over USB as input?

Building and Managing Your Advanced USB Media Library on WiiM Amp/WiiM Amp Pro/WiiM Ultra

TABLE OF CONTENTS Overview How to Build USB Media Library Before You Begin Steps to Build USB Media Library How to Manage USB Media Library Access USB Media Library Rescan Your Music Server Unplug the USB Disk How to Explore Music R...

faq.wiimhome.com

 

[pieterv1]

68 pages of posts so maybe this has been covered alread: Does this device take music streamed over USB as input? I have leafed through its user manual and it seems the answer is no. USB is output only.

/Martin

You mean audio streamed over USB - as a USB DAC? Unfortunately not.

The USB port can be used to connect external storage for file access or external DAC's for audio output.

 

[Mschn]

You mean audio streamed over USB - as a USB DAC? Unfortunately not.

The USB port can be used to connect external storage for file access or external DAC's for audio output.

That was my conclusion too after having read the manual linked to by Audionaut. I couldn't help noticing that it avoids specifying what audio file format are supported. An on-line FAQ is equally uninformative despite this question being listed.

/Martin

 

[Doublej]

According to Perplexity.ai WiiM supports:

1. MP3
2. AAC
3. ALAC (Apple Lossless)
4. APE
5. FLAC
6. WAV
7. WMA (Windows Media Audio) lossy but not WMA lossless.
8. OGG
9. AIFF2

The answer to the other question that one should ask:

1. FAT32
2. NTFS
3. EXT4

 

[pieterv1]

According to Perplexity.ai WiiM supports:

1. MP3
2. AAC
3. ALAC (Apple Lossless)
4. APE
5. FLAC
6. WAV
7. WMA (Windows Media Audio) lossy but not WMA lossless.
8. OGG
9. AIFF2

The answer to the other question that one should ask:

1. FAT32
2. NTFS
3. EXT4

It should be able to play back DSD files as well. Although they're encoded to PCM to be able to apply EQ, RC, volume control etc...

 

[EddNog]

It should be able to play back DSD files as well. Although they're encoded to PCM to be able to apply EQ, RC, volume control etc...

It does not. Even with an external DAC, it converts DSD to PCM before sending it out.

-Ed

 

[pieterv1]

It does not. Even with an external DAC, it converts DSD to PCM before sending it out.

-Ed

Yes, like I said? never stated an external DAC would make a difference.

 

[GXAlan]

WiiM Ultra Firmware Release Notes

This firmware update is being rolled out in stages, with devices updating sequentially over the next few days. It's important to note that the device's firmware version is distinct from the WiiM Home App version. To check your device's firmware ...

faq.wiimhome.com

8/2024 update added DSD

 

[EddNog]

WiiM Ultra Firmware Release Notes

This firmware update is being rolled out in stages, with devices updating sequentially over the next few days. It's important to note that the device's firmware version is distinct from the WiiM Home App version. To check your device's firmware ...

faq.wiimhome.com

8/2024 update added DSD

All that did was allow it to read and convert DSD to PCM for playback. Before that, it couldn’t even read/recognize DSD at all. It still can’t send bitperfect DSD out.

-Ed

 

[fuzzy_logic]

Still tickled how the phono stage sounds. The fact it sounds great playing on the other WiiM streamers in the other rooms makes me giddy.

Very surprised how good it sounds. Impossible to A-B test, but couldn't call it between the Wiim and my Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 Ultra

 

[GXAlan]

All that did was allow it to read and convert DSD to PCM for playback. Before that, it couldn’t even read/recognize DSD at all. It still can’t send bitperfect DSD out.

-Ed

Ah, I see your point. It does not native DSD, but it plays back “DSD files” which typically means DSF files.

That’s true, although DSD to PCM conversion works well in the modern day. At the time of DSD’s development, you couldn’t get PCM DACs with the same level of performance as DSD. Now, you can.

There is still the variability of HOW it translates the DSD into PCM. Noise shaping, dither and hf roll off are all potential variables.

 

[rgruber]

Being able to adjust the gain of the phono stage and apply room correction to it makes it superior to any of the admittedly lackluster phono stages I've experienced (built in Rotel, built in Denon and external Emotiva)

Think you'd need to spend a lot more than the Ultra on a phono stage to surpass it.

Very surprised how good it sounds. Impossible to A-B test, but couldn't call it between the Wiim and my Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 Ultra

 

[StevenSGT98]

Being able to adjust the gain of the phono stage and apply room correction to it makes it superior to any of the admittedly lackluster phono stages I've experienced (built in Rotel, built in Denon and external Emotiva)

Think you'd need to spend a lot more than the Ultra on a phono stage to surpass it.

Also at 65db SINAD at 41db gain it’s very close to what the best vinyl has to offer for headroom. From what I recall, that’s somewhere in the 70db dynamic range on the very best pressings. How many really achieve that?

Every which way this little box gets kicked and punted it keeps coming up solid. And they aren’t done with it yet. Development is very active and they keep pushing the edge.

I like it.

 

[Audionaut]

The latest version of the WiiM Home app (3.1.3) now also supports import of calibration files of measurement microphones!

I have now read in the calibration file and run the automatic room correction with several passes on a flat curve.
To my ears, this is much more pleasing than the same curve without the calibration file.