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WiiM Vibelink Amp

There are photos showing up elsewhere (Wiim forums among others) that largely put to rest most speculation about feature set.

Front panel has a large knob (presumably volume + maybe power on/off) and a button (presumably input selector).
Back panel shows the 3 input options + trigger + red button (presumably power and/or power-on mode selection), power supply (grounded, unlike all other Wiim units) and speaker connectors.

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Inertiaman said:
Vibelink has a trigger input. So pair it with an Ultra, connect the trigger and your choice of analog RCA or digital coax or optical, and you then control everything from the Ultra. If using TV, turning on the TV will turn on the Ultra via ARC and the Ultra will turn on the Vibelink via 12V trigger.

You don't really need to manipulate the Vibelink unless you're using more than one of the Vibelink inputs. My perception is that Wiim included several input options and very basic selector & volume to provide versatility to support more use cases and user preferences (ie, a very minimally featured integrated amp) but the primary target is a high-power amp to complement their streamers.
Click to expand...
You miss my point.

Question: When use want to use another Vibelink input, will it even come out of standby with a 12v trigger connected from an Ultra in standby mode?

Remote Control Example: TV volume is controlled by the TV's remote to WiiM Ultra through CEC, which is connected to the Vibelink optical input. You want the optical input to be set to a fixed volume. You then use another input on the Vibelink with a device that doesn't have volume control. If volume is set to the max because you were controlling the optical input volume from the Ultra, watch out! At any rate, volume is most likely turned down to use that other input.

Later you turn on the TV with its remote. No sound because the Vibelink is set to a different input. You then find the Vibelink remote and change the input. Now the volume is too low because it was previously used for a device without its own volume control. You're now juggling remote controls for basic functions. Other household members need to understand a complex signal path topology just to watch TV.

Your answer about the Ultra having ARC, CEC and a trigger out doesn't solve these issues. Without Vibelink having signal sensing for coming out of standby and switching inputs, plus the ability set inputs to either variable or fixed volume, you're better off just having a power amp connected to the Ultra. In which case you'd lose the extra inputs.
 
Kind of strange for a company great at making streamers, to remove the streaming portion and leave DAC+amp behind. But ok.
 
Too bad the volume knob doesn't have an LED indicator. You won't be able to see the volume level from the amp. However, if you use the Ultra to set volume instead of fixed output, you can see the volume level on the screen.
 
Feels like it's trying to do too much.

They already have two integrated amps, the WiiM amp and WiiM amp Pro. This one sorta wants to be a power amp for the Ultra and sorta wants to be an integrated amp. Seems a little muddled.

There are plenty of other options but it would be nice to have a matched power amp for the Ultra that was a little more heavy on the power and less on the integrated amp functionality.
 
it seems to me that they just globally made development savings by stripping away the streaming aspect etc of a " amp pro" and increasing the voltage to get more watts out of the 3255...
which explains the "minimal integrated with analog ( digitalized probably like all wiim product) and digital input" aspect...)
we will see the object really marketed if I "digress" ;-)
 
Last edited:
rgruber said:
Feels like it's trying to do too much.

They already have two integrated amps, the WiiM amp and WiiM amp Pro. This one sorta wants to be a power amp for the Ultra and sorta wants to be an integrated amp. Seems a little muddled.

There are plenty of other options but it would be nice to have a matched power amp for the Ultra that was a little more heavy on the power and less on the integrated amp functionality.
Click to expand...
Yep it's a bit of a pity to pay extra for the built-in DAC when the WiiM Pro Plus and Ultra have a decent DAC built-in.
 
IOM makes a matching amp for the Ultra, called the IOM Ultra. It uses the Hypex nCore NC252MP module.
Is anyone using this amp with their Ultra?
What other amps are people using?
Looking for feedback, as I will be buying an amp in the next few months.

Thanks, JMac
 
lutefish said:
I was hoping for a sub out. Alas.
Click to expand...
Isn't this meant to be paired with a Wiim Ultra? Which already has a sub out. They probably are deliberately excluding PEQ and bass management since they include that functionality in the streamers.

If you don't already have a Wiim and want a Wiim Amp, they already have that.
 
kyuu said:
Isn't this meant to be paired with a Wiim Ultra? Which already has a sub out. They probably are deliberately excluding PEQ and bass management since they include that functionality in the streamers.

If you don't already have a Wiim and want a Wiim Amp, they already have that.
Click to expand...
Absolutely, the Vibelink slots into its own space. I just fall in between a few stools on this - I have a Wiim Pro Plus, feeding an SMSL A3000 (that does have a sub out). AirPlay is important, and of the 3 Wiim products with sub out (Ultra, Amp, Amp Pro), only Amp has AirPlay. but it also largely duplicates what I have in the Pro Plus. The age old frustration: the product's use-case isn't _my_ use-case....
 
The IOM Ultra is probably a lot closer to my use case but I seem to remember reading somewhere about loud, audible clicks when it kicks in and some other noise related things that suggested a little less quality control or engineering than I'd expect for $500+. But I'll have to dig around for the thread.
 
rgruber said:
The IOM Ultra is probably a lot closer to my use case but I seem to remember reading somewhere about loud, audible clicks when it kicks in and some other noise related things that suggested a little less quality control or engineering than I'd expect for $500+. But I'll have to dig around for the thread.
Click to expand...
No, it is normal for the first-gen Hypex nCore modules like NC252MP to have that power-on/-off pop. It's not super loud, and it's nothing that will damage your amp or speakers. I'm the one that reported this. I am personally annoyed by it because I frequently turn my system on/off. I gave it to my dad, he couldn't be happier with it--he never turns his stuff off.

As I said, it's not super loud, it won't damage anything. I'm just nitpicky.

-Ed
 
I am too and that sort of thing might bother me. Entertaining either a pair of ZA3s in mono or maybe stepping up to one of the Topping offerings like the B100 or B200 to replace my XTZ A2-300 ice amp. But there are also the new 3e A7's that people are raving about and of course the Hypex offerings. Wealth of choices.

EddNog said:
No, it is normal for the first-gen Hypex nCore modules like NC252MP to have that power-on/-off pop. It's not super loud, and it's nothing that will damage your amp or speakers. I'm the one that reported this. I am personally annoyed by it because I frequently turn my system on/off. I gave it to my dad, he couldn't be happier with it--he never turns his stuff off.

As I said, it's not super loud, it won't damage anything. I'm just nitpicky.

-Ed
Click to expand...
 
EddNog said:
No, it is normal for the first-gen Hypex nCore modules like NC252MP to have that power-on/-off pop. It's not super loud, and it's nothing that will damage your amp or speakers. I'm the one that reported this. I am personally annoyed by it because I frequently turn my system on/off. I gave it to my dad, he couldn't be happier with it--he never turns his stuff off.

As I said, it's not super loud, it won't damage anything. I'm just nitpicky.

-Ed
Click to expand...
I have a NC252MP and have been leaving it on Auto. Definitely hear the slight pop, but it always felt reassuring like a relay clicking on. I'd prefer a trigger signal, but probably could just leave it on 24/7 - already do that with my sub as I don't listen loud enough to consistently trigger the sub's auto-on.
 
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