• Welcome to ASR. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

WiiM Ultra

Are you saying WiiMs (pre Ultra)use both Airplay 1 & 2?
My understanding is that the prior Wiim devices are Airplay 2. Both Airplay 1 devices and Airplay 2 devices work with apps that are using either Airplay 1 or Airplay 2 (Apple currently allows the app designer to use whichever Airplay they want). The difference is how it handles that signal. If you send audio from an app using Airplay 2 to an Airplay 2 device, it is lossy 256k. If you send from an app that is Airplay 1, it is lossless (up to 24/48). I posted a chart on an earlier page from the Darko video on the subject.
 
My understanding is that the prior Wiim devices are Airplay 2. Both Airplay 1 devices and Airplay 2 devices work with apps that are using either Airplay 1 or Airplay 2 (Apple currently allows the app designer to use whichever Airplay they want). The difference is how it handles that signal. If you send audio from an app using Airplay 2 to an Airplay 2 device, it is lossy 256k. If you send from an app that is Airplay 1, it is lossless (up to 24/48). I posted a chart on an earlier page from the Darko video on the subject.
I believe that Apple added Airplay 2 just to avoid signal loss that irritated many users. Airplay 2 simply doesn't warn that the quality is decreasing... this solves Apple's incompetence and in Dark's video I think he fails to do so. That's why I don't use Airplay, I want to stay away from it, this is for mass users...
 
I believe that Apple added Airplay 2 just to avoid signal loss that irritated many users. Airplay 2 simply doesn't warn that the quality is decreasing... this solves Apple's incompetence and in Dark's video I think he fails to do so. That's why I don't use Airplay, I want to stay away from it, this is for mass users...
Yes, they are dealing with systems all over the world with different routers. I think Apple needs to rethink their approach and use a "connect" style of playing music on different devices which sends the audio from the router to the playing device rather than the jump to the iOS device and back to the streamer. I doubt it is high on their list of things to do, if it is on the list at all. As it is, it's a convenience thing, at least with Apple Music. For apps that are using Airplay 1 (like Amazon), it can still be used for lossless transmission assuming the user has a more recent router. Personally, I use it for podcasts or YouTube (especially with the HomePod) since it works with every app.
 
The USB loading part is fast, but it needs more advanced features. This isn't complicated to do and implement.
It's at least a little more complicated than installing and configuring the Synology Media Server on your NAS, don't you think? ;)

The WiiM forum is primarily a user community, not a WiiM support channel. I was under the impression that you got all the information you need to get going with your NAS. As usual, there are many ways to skin the cat. From my point of view just enabling Synology's media server is really the easiest thing to do, even if it's not perfect.
 
Last edited:
I was toying with the idea of getting minidsp flex, but would need a streamer for that anyway and I do want a screen. This seems to have all of the features I would need including room EQ. It will replace a large early 90s Mac preamp so it'll also save me a lot of rack space, haha.

No measurements on it yet, so I'm hoping the ADC performance is good, because I listen to a lot of vinyl. Hopefully Amir tests it soon!

I have a purifi amp with XLR inputs. Can someone direct me to a good cable that will handle the RCA to XLR without creating any issues?
 
I was toying with the idea of getting minidsp flex, but would need a streamer for that anyway and I do want a screen. This seems to have all of the features I would need including room EQ. It will replace a large early 90s Mac preamp so it'll also save me a lot of rack space, haha.

No measurements on it yet, so I'm hoping the ADC performance is good, because I listen to a lot of vinyl. Hopefully Amir tests it soon!

I have a purifi amp with XLR inputs. Can someone direct me to a good cable that will handle the RCA to XLR without creating any issues?

I have been using the 'World's Best' brand of RCA to XLR cable to connect an AVR to a Buckeye Amp for six months - without any issues

 
Last edited:
Has anyone been able to reproduce this? If this is still an issue? Or is it just a "feature"?

Routing TV audio through the Ultra’s HDMI input sounds great in theory, but the implementation needs some work. When you first hit play on a movie or TV show, it takes a few seconds for the Ultra to recognize that there’s signal coming in. Once it switches itself to the HDMI input, there’s another 10 to 15 seconds where the audio drops in and out. After that, things run perfectly, but this sequence repeats itself every time you pause your program long enough for the Ultra to think it should put itself back into standby mode.
https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/wiim-ultra-review/
 
Has anyone been able to reproduce this? If this is still an issue? Or is it just a "feature"?

Routing TV audio through the Ultra’s HDMI input sounds great in theory, but the implementation needs some work. When you first hit play on a movie or TV show, it takes a few seconds for the Ultra to recognize that there’s signal coming in. Once it switches itself to the HDMI input, there’s another 10 to 15 seconds where the audio drops in and out. After that, things run perfectly, but this sequence repeats itself every time you pause your program long enough for the Ultra to think it should put itself back into standby mode.
https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/wiim-ultra-review/
I cannot confirm this behavior, neither with the current firmware, nor with the two previous firmware versions.

Input sensing does take roughly 2 seconds, so much is true. The 10 to 15 seconds audio garble must have been specific to the combination of Ultra and TV and/or an even older firmware I don't remember testing with HDMI ARC.
 
I receive today from Wiim Support !!!!

Imagem 2.jpg
 
Hi guys,

I have a folder in windows that I am sharing across my network with a bunch of music in it - will the wiim ultra be able to detect that and play music from across the network?
 
Hi guys,

I have a folder in windows that I am sharing across my network with a bunch of music in it - will the wiim ultra be able to detect that and play music from across the network?
I think you have server software. I’ll be watching to see what gets recommended.
 
Hi guys,

I have a folder in windows that I am sharing across my network with a bunch of music in it - will the wiim ultra be able to detect that and play music from across the network?
Windows PCs do run a media server by default. WiiM devices will recognise it and you can access it through the WiiM Home App, menu item Home Music Share.

It doesn't matter for this technique if the folder is shared on Windows or not. It will appear just as a music server running on a NAS or Raspberry Pi or whatever device.
 
Windows PCs do run a media server by default. WiiM devices will recognise it and you can access it through the WiiM Home App, menu item Home Music Share.

It doesn't matter for this technique if the folder is shared on Windows or not. It will appear just as a music server running on a NAS or Raspberry Pi or whatever device.
Media server may run by default, but you have to configure it.
 
Media server may run by default, but you have to configure it.
I didn't configure anything on my Windows 10 PC except what Microsoft forced me to (regarding the media server that is).
 
Last edited:
I suppose it defaults to the folder named music.
It rather follows the concept of "libraries", but by default the Windows 10 "music library" only consists of the user's music folder. :) You can add more folders through Windows Media Player.

Obviously, media streaming must be manually enabled. I probably forgot when and why I did it. If the music files are not in the music folder (for which I see no reason) then that other folder would have to be added to the music library, first. Enabling media streaming is pretty much a one-click-action. It's well described e.g. here:


They also list more capable alternatives, if you need more flexibility. I don't actively use that stuff. It just happens to be around, so I thought I'd answer the question if the Ultra can deal with it. It can, if media streaming is enabled.
 
It rather follows the concept of "libraries", but by default the Windows 10 "music library" only consists of the user's music folder. :) You can add more folders through Windows Media Player.

Obviously, media streaming must be manually enabled. I probably forgot when and why I did it. If the music files are not in the music folder (for which I see no reason) then that other folder would have to be added to the music library, first. Enabling media streaming is pretty much a one-click-action. It's well described e.g. here:


They also list more capable alternatives, if you need more flexibility. I don't actively use that stuff. It just happens to be around, so I thought I'd answer the question if the Ultra can deal with it. It can, if media streaming is enabled.
I think “enabling” counts as configuring. It requires locating the setting and taking positive action.
 
I think “enabling” counts as configuring. It requires locating the setting and taking positive action.
That's why I took back my original statement.

Clicking a button is the kind of configuration most users can deal with.
 
Back
Top Bottom