WiiM Ultra

[Petevid]

Makes no sense to me, either.

I don’t want guitar lessons

 

[Joffy1780]

I don’t want guitar lessons

Nobody really needs a music streamer, anyway.
What does my kettle do that a gas hob and pan can't?

 

[BobPM]

I would think it really comes down to the software. The WiiM seems less likely to ever be orphaned than does the Eversolo. I haven't tried the Eversolo, but find teh WiiM easy to use.

 

[KellysFella]

I’m in *almost* the same boat as you, only my current setup utilises an Apple AirPort Express rather than the chromecast. My amplifier is analog only but I’m getting to the point where I’d like to integrate my Plex library, or to plug a hard drive with my library on into a raspberry pi running Kodi, so would like a DAC or streaming unit to facilitate that. I’m down to a choice between the Wiim or the Eversolo A6, and I’m pretty much 95% settled on the Wiim - at this point I’m just waiting for one of the ASR gurus to test the Ultra, and to hear a bit of feedback on Plex integration, before I pull the trigger.

As I’m working in the budget basement category I can’t see the Eversolo units, as great as they test, being so much audibly better than the Ultra (if at all) to justify the increase in what I would be paying. Plus there’s a lot to be said for room correction and what appears to be extremely dynamic after sales software support from Wiim. The Ultra would also let me integrate a sub into my existing 2 channel setup at a later point.

I think all you need to ponder is whether or not you really need a USB DAC built in to the unit really (this was my most important consideration, and I decided I didn’t really need one), but you wouldn’t need that if you’re keeping your Schiit.

 

[harkpabst]

Why all their other products have airplay except this one has never been clarified (Apple is to blame is a common unfounded rumour).

It's a bit more than a rumour. Technically, the Ultra can do AirPlay. I happen to know for sure. Support has been removed prior to the first production firmware. Who can come up with a funny tale of why that would have been WiiM's idea?

The net result is still the same: Customers don't get AirPlay with the Ultra.

I'm certainly not the one to tell you that you don't need it.You know that better than me. It's just that I don't need it and for people like me the Ultra is still an absolute bargain. Running it with V3 Monos now, but will probably replace them with the 3e Audio A5, once it becomes available.

 

[rgruber]

How is this combination sounding to you?

Haven't purchased either but have been eagerly following both of these products and am curious to hear your impressions of them together.

IRunning it with V3 Monos now, but will probably replace them with the 3e Audio A5, once it becomes available.

 

[joostdh]

Technically, the Ultra can do AirPlay. I happen to know for sure. Support has been removed prior to the first production firmware.

Ah, now this is news for me.

Who can come up with a funny tale of why that would have been WiiM's idea?

I hope you are not implying that I think it’s Wiims idea. I just said the reasoning has not been clarified. And I said that blaming Apple was unfounded, in the most literal meaning that there is no evidence to support this.

I don’t know what is going on. It all smells funny, even more so if the Ultra can do Airplay technically. WiiM shutting down all discussions is also weird. I’d love to know what really happened.

It's just that I don't need it and for people like me the Ultra is still an absolute bargain.

I agree with this. Besides the AirPlay (and relatedly Apple Music) deficiency, the Ultra is amazing for the price. Not perfect but honestly much better than you could hope for at this rrp.

 

[Smitty2k1]

Out of the box, the WiiM Ultra would not improve sound quality over your current setup.

However, if you make use of some of the Ultra's features like room correction or subwoofer integration, then you can certainly achieve higher quality sound.

I was under the impression the analog output of the Chromecast audio was not so great?

 

[rcstevensonaz]

WiiM shutting down all discussions is also weird. I’d love to know what really happened.

I know nothing about the WiiM and Apple situation or their discussions... responding purely to this one sentence.

In many cases, the outcome of a corporate "discussion" can be an agreement to abide by a Cease & Desist Order that includes non-disparagement and non-defamation clauses, and penalties for failure to abide by those terms. If such was the outcome between WiiM and Apple, it would not be weird at all for the losing party (e.g., WiiM) to discontinue the part(s) of their product(s) that is subject to the Cease & Desist Order, to issue a generic press statement that they were not able to come to agreement on the functionality, to not speak ill of the other company or situation, and then to just shut up.

 

[Brian Hall]

It is to Wiim's advantage to support as many providers as possible. Apple is predatory and wants you to be locked in to using their stuff as much as possible.

I'd say the logical conclusion is that Apple is the problem here and made unreasonable demands/changes to authorize the Wiim Ultra.

 

[Jkdjedi]

I'm finding more this Ultra can DO. The little things, like the trigger. The Ultra and the Emotiva are now one.

 

[Jkdjedi]

Liking the ability to adjust the Vrm out, for a bedroom setup dropping it down (-1) hit the spot. With the new amp everything seemed odd, maybe overkill for what I'm using it for but the adjustment nailed it.

 

[uofmtiger]

It is to Wiim's advantage to support as many providers as possible. Apple is predatory and wants you to be locked in to using their stuff as much as possible.

I'd say the logical conclusion is that Apple is the problem here and made unreasonable demands/changes to authorize the Wiim Ultra.

Apple has AirPlay in nearly every single streamer on the market including those in most receivers and every other Wiim product.

This product is the odd man out. That sounds more like a Wiim issue to me. As I have mentioned, it was still worth it for me because I have workarounds to get AirPlay onto the device. However, I am not just going to blame Apple when I have AirPlay built into more than a half dozen non-Apple devices around the house ( new and old) and Wiim has the only streamer I own that doesn’t include AirPlay.

 

[linuxfan]

I was under the impression the analog output of the Chromecast audio was not so great?

Sadly the Chromecast Audio has gained an undeserved reputation in many circles for mediocre audio quality, due to -
i) the use of a Chrome web browser as player application - which does some sample rate mangling
ii) the "Full Dynamic range" setting of the CCA being disabled by default, for analogue output (this setting does not affect the S/PDIF output).
Avoid both of these configuration mistakes and the CCA is a great device, and even with its internal (AK4430-based) DAC it offers stupidly good audio quality.

 

[JSmith]

I was under the impression the analog output of the Chromecast audio was not so great?

Review and Measurements of Chromecast Audio Analog Performance

This is a follow up to my review and measurements of Google Chromecast Audio's digital performance. As mentioned there, the Chromecast audio is a streaming device with integrated DAC. In the other review, I measured its Toslink digital output for usage with an external DAC. Here, I will be...

www.audiosciencereview.com

JSmith

 

[Petrushka]

I know nothing, but I read about people using a Wiim Mini for Airplay, with an optical in to the Ultra.

 

[somebodyelse]

I was under the impression the analog output of the Chromecast audio was not so great?

Irrelevant given the OP is using its digital output into a Modi 3+ DAC.

 

[harkpabst]

Very good.

How is this combination sounding to you?

It's powering a mini TQWT with a single full range driver (Dayton Audio RS100-4) augmented by an active subwoofer as a living room system here. Hardly any stress on the V3 Mono, but they run pretty hot even in idle, so I started using the auto on feature. Sound has some really special quality to it, but I can not and will not try to separate the result from the manual room correction I have performed using REW. Luckily, the WiiM Ultra offers a lot of flexibility here.

I didn't find the time to re-do the RC with the new feature of per-channel PEQ.

Haven't purchased either but have been eagerly following both of these products and am curious to hear your impressions of them together.

 

[somebodyelse]

It is to Wiim's advantage to support as many providers as possible. Apple is predatory and wants you to be locked in to using their stuff as much as possible.

I'd say the logical conclusion is that Apple is the problem here and made unreasonable demands/changes to authorize the Wiim Ultra.

For one current example of Apple's goalpost-moving, rent-seeking behaviour:
https://www.theregister.com/2024/08/12/patreon_apple_ios/
They're apparently insisting Patreon change to using Apple's payment processing, from which Apple take a 30% cut.

 

[Xibal]

@VintageFlanker Where are you?Hands' re itching...