I mention waiting for the AirPlay 2 certification at one point in the video, just want to offer a correction on that as I filmed this before I heard it would not be available. From WiiM "The software can't add AirPlay since the device requires an MFi authentication chip. We can only sell devices with this chip after certification. Therefore, a separate SKU and hardware are necessary to support AirPlay for the WiiM Ultra." I am personally not a big Airplay user so it doesn't affect my use, or my thoughts on the review, just wanted to let you know!
I am not sure what their stance was on this when in development. Why is this their first product to not ship with the ability. Not sure what the rush was to get this out the door without the required chip. Seems silly to then offer v2 with Airplay 2. This might be their first mis-step.
Got my Wiim Ultra two days ago. It is close enough to perfect for me. It is now my streamer, dac, preamp and headphone amp in my office system. It replaced a Wiim Pro Plus and my Schiit stack (modius, lokius and midgard). I still have an Eversolo DMP-A6 on my main system, but may sell it and get another Wiim Ultra. It is just as good for less than half the price.
Upgrade to a A6-ME LPS instead. I've tested with so many friends by now. Love my wiim pro and getting the ultra 😉. But they are used in my nearfield and cabin system
Tip for budget-mindet DIYers: get this Wiim Ultra, and from asian online stores either a complete amp based on the Hypex NC122MP/NC252MP modules, or buy the Hypex module and a suitable case and connectors seperately. There are some amp cases with the same footprint and rounded edges (as the Wiim Ultra) to be had. A closer match to high-price items like the Mytec Brooklyn amp than cheap TPA3255 based devices.
First time I've seen one of your reviews. Refreshing change - no hype, jargon, or opinion based 'analysis' - nor is it condescending or man-splaining! Nice work. Just subscribed...
Well done Matt! Wiim is really taking over the market as far as high performance products at reasonable prices. I'll bet some competitors are feeling a bit nervous.
have a Wiim pro plus with the Denon 600 amp. splurged on Buchardt 300 speakers and am extremely happy with set up. With all things said it all has to come out of a speaker
What a great review! I thought I’d seen them all and then I came across yours, very well done. One thing that would be helpful if you’re comfortable doing in your reviews it’s list two or three products that we would have to look at if we wanted something the next level up in the sound quality/performance.
Nice review! I just ordered the Wiim Ultra this morning.I am thinking also to get the Schiit Mody Multibit. I should do it or the dac from the wiim is good enough?
Thanks a lot for the review and especially information about the room correction is also possible with Ipad! One question: Do you still use your S.M.S.L. SU 8 or is the internal Sabre DAC enough for you? You didn‘t tell that at the end..😊
Nice review. I'm about to get one. Wanna know how about the phono pre as I have an IFI Zen Phono in my actual set up. I guess the IFI delivers more quality but have you tested Ultra's for a while to give your own critical opinion? Thanks Matt!!!
Great comprehensive review. You express your thoughts well. The type of review that I find helpful, especially now that I’m retired and on fixed income. The Ultra is the type of product I would seriously consider if buying a streamer. Don’t really care about the screen, but the bass management & room correction features are appealing. Thanks. 🎶
thanks for this, i love it when ppl show the software user experience 👍🏼 i have a question though, when you have it hooked to your tv with hdmi or optical, is there a way to get the wiim to display the volume? and if so is the font size big enough to see from 8-10 feet away?
Great review. One question. Does the crossover act as a high pass filter and a low pass filter for the aux outs (sending frequency above to aux out and frequency below to the sub out)? Thanks.
Great review. Question though, does the bass management and hi-pass filtering still work when you are sending the digital signal out to an external DAC? Same question for the room correction feature. Thanks.
Excellent, Informative review on the WiiM Ultra Matt! - Thumbs up and Subscribed My new WiiM Ultra arrives tomorrow, where I will watch again during my set-up procedure.
Wow that was a glowing review. Nicely Done. Quick question if your watching a movie with 5.1 or higher from your tv sending it to the ultra and outputting it via the 2 rca aren't you losing the separation 5.1 capabilities ? Is this only for a 2 channel setup ? Thanks
I love it that you said “rummage sale.” I’ve mentioned to you I’m originally from South Dakota and so I am very familiar with the term but a lot of people aren’t down here in Nebraska! Ha ha. Here’s it’s pretty much garage sale only. Thanks for the video!
@@MattCoykendall1 I agree! In South Dakota it was both rummage and garage sale. In Nebraska when I sale rummage sale to people nobody knows what I’m talking about!
Matt, I'm a little curious what your thoughts are on the analog input of the WIIM streamers and how it would sound along with room correction? I have at least one turntable hooked up to my stereo at all times, along with a decent phono pre. Is the ADC good enough that I'm not going to be missing out on any "pure analog" magic so to speak?
I would say it depends what you’re coming from or comparing to. The EQ and room correction may be able to make up for some of that as well. It won’t be the gold standard in listening but the ADC is certainly competent.
Very thoughtful and thorough review. Do you were able to drive your 6XXs sufficiently compared to a stand alone amp? Looking to run this through V3 monos to hand me down Pioneer CS-G303s with 15inch woofers.
To the few comments here and that Matt refers to. I CAN give a review comparison of Sound Quality Iv been using a AudioLab 6000N for over a year now and yes like Matt suggests its a soddin nightmare to use day to day. PlayFi is bobbins. It does, however have a good SQ. I got mine for £500. Wiim Ultra is £320 Ultra wins hands down for ergonomics, ease of use, compatibility & just that feeling of using a good quality product. The App is fantastic Side note. I am NOT using the features such as room correction, EQ options or the sub bass management. Preferring the REL high level connection.(maybe all this is cos I am a pureist, bias, or just to me it has not made it sound better,although I have had the ultra only 2 days and not put enough time in to tinker) side note to the side note some confusion regarding the room correction. I don't have an apple phone but it still allows me to do the room correction with my android Sony phone, so whether this is why I have not been overly impressed with the outcomes, I don't know! Back to the comparison against the 6000N Yeah the 6000N does sound better slightly in the nuances, in spacial queues, slight more depth between instruments and the bass quality with the REl 'blending with my b&w's' seems more natural. But all this is just so ever so slightly Its not by much though and the presentation I am getting I am still bopping to! So giving all the options with the wiim and I can actually upgrade to a dac still (the 6000N has no optical out, no option to transport to a dac, although why would you opt to have a PlayFi as your source streamer! Given all the above hands down it beats the competition easily in my opinion until you would go big and venture into NAD or HiFi Rose streaming territory. Only a day 2 analysis but there you go.
Amazing review - thanks! Cant wait to get mine. I might have an issue though. Using my nad3050 both for dac and phonostage. I have a sub and want to use room correction which means i would have to connect my sub to the wiim but then i also have to use the phonostage on the wiim which potentially is better on my nad. Or? I will just have to see if the phonostage is as good on the wiim.
There have been people asking about room correction through android phones. I have a Samsung phone, and I feel like it worked. Online search gives mixed results. One says you need an external microphone, and one says it works fine now? Any input on that or what you have heard? This is specifically related to the WiiM ultra.
Very informative review. Im considering getting one of these and I'm hoping someone could answer a couple of questions: 1) I'm currently using a Marantz receiver, 5.1 system, and considering adding another SUB. I have everything, including an Orbit vinyl player with built-in phono going through the Marantz. If I get one of these should I run the TV and vinyl player through the WIIM and just use the Marantz for the other equipment or do I connect the WIIM to the Marantz? 2) If I want the same music playing in different parts of the house, can I accomplish that by getting 2 of these or perhaps an Ultra and a Pro?
My Wiim Ultra arrived this morning and I've only spent a few hours playing with it - but thus far it seems like the PERFECT solution if you want to breathe life into an old hifi system (or "dumb" powered speakers) that lack streaming and/or HDMI Arc. And it's a great way to avoid buying a soundbar by allowing you to utilize the gear you already own. The subwoofer integration is also very slick. Love it so far! The only bug I have encountered so far is that the room correction frequency sweep seems to crash the app on my Pixel 6a. Hopefully they'll address this.
Got my WiiM Ultra last night from Amazon and played with it til the very early hours of the morning and I love everything about it including sounding better overall than my Cambridge Audio Streamer, Geshelli Labs J2S DAC w/Burson OAs and Topping Pre90 preamp! Only problem is I do not have a home icon in the right upper corner of the screen that brings up all the various colored icons in settings. What’s the trick to bring that up? It’s already updated when I first powered it up. Thanks!
Question. Is the streaming part of this WIIM Ultra, any sort of upgrade over the WIIM Pro Plus? The reason is that I intend to use the optical out from the WIIM to feed a pair of powered Devialet Phantom I, 108db speakers, and only need the streaming function. Is there any data to show if the streaming portion of this is in any way better? Thanks.
I had the Amp and returned it for the Marantz M1. I got the Ultra on release. I love it. I don't need to use it much because my whole house is Marantz (LR - M1, BR - 70s, HT - 30), and Heos is much better these days. But now that the Amp Pro is coming out (and yes, still no Airplay), the reg Amp was on sale for $256, so I bought it again. I noticed the Amp does not pair well with all speakers, but when it does, man, does it do the job. I have it paired with the PSB Alpha 5s with a Jamo 10 sub, and it sounds fantastic!
It is what I've been saying for a long time now ... _"Cheap audio is getting better and better audio is getting cheaper."_ The biggest difference in pricing on these units vs the so called "audiophile" systems is not some magical boost in quality or even sound quality, It is the distinct absence of the usual "audiophile markup" that prices stuff out of range for the average user.
You're looking at this wrong.. It's a great time to be an audiophile no matter what your budget is. What you will be content with is up to you, but make no mistake. There are very clear differences between the cheaper stuff vs the better. Your sound preferences will always depend on what gear you have to get. Anyways just be happy about the good 👍
@@wegardfjeld3789 You might want to rethink that a little bit... On my test bench, I've seen $100 amplifiers that outperform $2,000 amplifiers more than once. (A07 vs Nait 50 for example) It is beyond clear the game is changing. I did not say it's a not a good time to be an audiophile. Just the opposite; you now have the opportunity to put together excellent systems at very reasonable prices and even on the "budget" end of the hobby you can enjoy far better sound quality than you could even 10 years ago. It is, however, not a good time to be impressed by cement block sized equipment that costs wheelbarrows full of money. The audiophile fascination with high cost, snake oil, products that just empty your bank account is clearly being challenged... and you'd have to be a complete fool not to cash in on it.
@Douglas_Blake_579 I own a wiim Pro Plus and an eversolo A6 master edition. The A6 curb stomps the wiim. Like i said, it's not even close. The A6 is just a mid tier streamer. I'm not even talking about Lumin or hifi rose. There is LEVELS to this shit. I wish I could parrot "audiophile markup" while achieving high level audio quality with budget gear. Unfortunately, that's not the world we live in.
Great review. One thing I've been wondering is that since the phono is getting digitized, couldn't they make it like the Parks Audio Earwing and just do a ton of eq on the phono and make it complete with much higher end phono pre's with sofware? It seems like they kept it pretty vanilla but the possibility is there. In any case it seems like there is finally something that will usurp my Raspberry Pi running Volumio and Aune Magic DAC with a Sparkos op amp. Very exciting.
I actually sold my node a while back, I think it’s a good product with good software but had a preference to WiiM at that time. Bluesound has made some improvements since then I am curious about.
I just received my Ultra. I only had around an hour to play with it before heading to work… The sound quality is much better than my Pro+ using my external DAC. The big test will be against the Volumio Rivo network bridge streamer and Room Nucleus One. I think this is going to be a very close call! A $1000 streamer against the little WiiM Ultra. 😮
I was originally set on the WiiM Ultra, for most people not an issue but for me it was too much of a compromise. Most of my music is stored in DSD format and the Ultra isn't compatible, perhaps a future firmware fix will put this right. And, price of Matrix Mini 1-4 orginally £650, can be had for £500 approx and the sound quality matches the Eversolo DMP-A6, so it was the best option for me. The Ultra is the better value of the two but the Matrix is a solid performer, beautifully constructed, excellent software, responsive touchscreen and a good alternative if you must have DSD.
Thanks for the review. I would like to know did you need to connect a second rca cable to the output port going to the amp to hear the turntable? I have an optical cable going from the steamer to my smsl su9 pro DAC then rca to my Willsenton 300b. I thought I could just connect from the turntable to the ultra streamer and it would send the signal to my DAC then amp but it didn’t work. Thanks.
I've started my streaming journey with a WiiM Mini. I later gifted it to my parents so they can use it in their cabin. Its internal DAC wasn't that great, but connecting it digitally to an external amplifier improved that a lot. Software wise I didn't have complains. Will I be getting an Ultra? Likely not as I am very happy with my current streamers. A Cambridge CXN V2 in the living room and a Bluesound Node X in the office. Both are Roon certified and run flawlessly. But if I didn't have them I would certainly go down the WiiM path again.
Im in the market right mow for a streamer, i dont really need ir would use a screen so would the pro+ be good enought, does the ultra really sound much better than the pro+ Cheers
I consider the WiiM's room correction to be the feature that sets it apart from all other streamers. The WiiM Ultra + the Q Acoustics M20 active bookshelf speakers + the Vanguard Caldera - 10" Active Subwoofer would be a killer budget combo. Total MSRP $1,027.00 Alternatively, the WiiM Ultra + the Denon PMA-600NE Stereo Integrated Amplifier + a pair of Vera-Fi Audio's Vanguard Scout Bookshelves along with the Vanguard Caldera - 10" Active Subwoofer would be another killer budget combo. Total MSRP $1,326.00. Of course, essential accessories will raise the cost a bit. Audio reviewer Steve Huff strongly recommends the Micca 14 Gauge Pure Copper Speaker Wire Cables in 6ft or 12 ft lengths @ $25-$40 a pair. Blue Jeans Cable offers outstanding budget RCA & subwoofer cables. IMO, none of the above will match really high quality equipment but in this price range, a level of fidelity is being offered that is unmatched.
@aldub1263 Doesn't the £349 price include your 20% U.K. V.A.T.? Keep in mind that in America each state has its own State Sales Tax Rate + Local Tax Rate, which can be as low as 0% in just five of our states, but up to a combined 12.6% which is charged on top of the listed $329 MSRP or MAP product price. So, not ALL of us in the States are paying just $329 for the WiiM Ultra (or ANYTHING else we purchase) after our State & Local Taxes are added to the final price. This makes the actual differential a bit less, but still to our advantage. And our tax laws changed for Online purchases so that now even if we order a product Online from a sales tax-free state, we still have to pay the state & local sales taxes that are in effect where we reside.
I have the WiiM mini and just bypass the DAC and go straight to the DAC with my preamp with an optical cable. It sounds amazing (100x’s better than my CD player) but using my iPhone as an interface with Amazon HD has been good but still buggy. Works great if I choose from my library and hit play. But when I switch songs or other play sets on my library (in Amazon music HD), it often times becomes unresponsive and I have to turn everything off and then back on again to reset. PITA!!! Wonder if the WiiM Ultra would do the same?
Received mine today. Connected it to wired Ethernet which was a mistake. The phone app will not pair unless it’s on the wireless network. No biggie as mine is 6e. I have a home theater set up around a Yamaha RX-A3080, a few years old, but it supports current standards. The goal was decent two channel hi-fi from a unit designed for movies. My plan was to use the Ultra with the lossless hi-res Amazon music tier, use a two channel line out/in to bypass the receiver’s digital processing. Since the current setup uses an Emotiva amp for the front channels, I wouldn’t be using the Yamaha’s amps. The results were great. I had thought the Elac UBR62 speakers were just okay but now realize they really are good now that I can play Amazon music without going through a device (TV, Bluetooth, Echo, MusicCast, etc) that isn’t faithful to the original source. I do realize the Ultra would power the Emotiva amp directly, but I’d have to switch wiring around. This is easier when going from music to movies.
Funny fact ... Nice screen/display in HiFi Audio most of the times means : potential source of INTERFERENCE over any audio processing step, most of all on very sensitive steps like streaming and DAC processes ... that's why most of the HiFi gear avoid the integration of "nice/big" Displays/Screens, you just get connect to it with your own device like Smartphones/iPad/Laptop from far away from the audio signal gears, to control and see any info/ui
I’m just blown away at how good at just so little money that is possible already. As a Hifi addict, I’m hoping all this competition will come down to companies employing implementation of modern components to get modular stuff down in size, yet with newer options. Like a pre that can bounce between a SS and a tube buffer (while maintaining low noise respectably) with advanced room correction as an option, that competes in sound quality with any/all stuff retailing x5-6. Or are we already there?!?
just wanted to share that wiim ultra has an initial batch that has a chipset that CANNOT do airplay, EVER. however the batches produced from now on will have a different chip that IS ABLE to do airplay, or with a software update.
I'm not a big music streamer, though I do listen to RUclips and Amazon on my computer. Is the Ultra worth the cost for the preamp/bass management capabilities only? Not a lot of options for a digital 2.1 preamp these days....
Thanks for a very informative review! Wondering if I can use the Ultra with an integrated amp instead of a power amp. (Realize the sub out may be an issue, but I’m not using a sub.)
I have the same question. Just got mine this week and want to hook it up to my AM/FM Pioneer Integrated unit and don't know if should run an RCA line to an Analog input or an Optical connection to the receiver? Hope someone lets us know. Thanks for your question.
Hi, i'm a bit new to all this so bear with me. I'm about to rip my CD collection to FLAC files & store on a HDD, can I use the USB to connect & will it read the files. Thanks.
A costco Yamaha or Onkyo has a LARGE gain for not much more money. I like the Wiim approach, but then you have separates. I have them...but it's a lot of management. I use Wharfedale 4.3, which are great, but they need a little power. But, a lot of boomers just have money to burn while giving up land, property, rights, and homes. God bless their little hearts.
I plugged the Ultra into my Roon Nucleus One via Chromecast, and it is incredibly impressive. I cannot wait until the Ultra is Roon certified, which should not be to much longer. Pair the Ultra with Roon, and you will have a killer streamer that will compete with streamers in the $1000 range. I would highly recommend the Roon Nucleus One, which you can use with just about any streamer, the sound quality improvement is worth the price of entry.
@@tima.478 I have Tidal, Qobuz and Amazon, they stream right from the WiiM app on both my iPhone and iPad. Spotify is a different animal, I don't really use it, and do not quite understand how it works, as it uses its own external link to WiiM via the Spotify app.
Subbed! First time seeing your channel, I like your presentation style , you get to the point. Instead of telling us what you’re going to say you actually just say it- appreciated.😊 the one thing nobody has mentioned is the lack of a “tape loop” feature. What am I to do with my reel to reel if I ditch my aging preamp for the Ultra? 😮
@bluesfish55m51 While I also still have my Fostex E-2 R2R mastering tape machine as well as an Akai GX-95 3-head cassette deck, TBF we are the 1% or less of the market. So, it just doesn't make marketing or financial sense for 99% of audio product manufacturers to include the "tape loop" functionality in these modern types of products over things like the HDMI ARC/eARC, which I also appreciate. That being said, I AM thankful that WiiM included a MM/MC Phono preamp input on the WiiM Ultra, because although I already use a separate Michael Fidler MC Pro phono preamp in my main rig, I would use the WiiM Ultra in a secondary "compact" system and not bother with a standalone phono preamp for the TT.
I should add the crossover point too. I think for a 2.1 system it works fine. Unlike the other small Chinese amps it does roll off the main stereo speakers as well
I should add the crossover point too. I think for a 2.1 system it works fine. Unlike the other small Chinese amps it does roll off the main stereo speakers as well
I would like a review between the plus and the ultra. Although I do like the hdmi arc which would be the trigger for me to buy it, however it could also be connected tv to streamer via optical. 😄. The phone is not a must for me. So it’s all up to the dac in the ultra vs the dac in the plus. I also don’t need the headphone amp so, for me it would be the HDMI arc and I wonder if it’s worth the 150 extra euros
@@Michael-xz1nk somone on a forum asked wiim support themselves and they said what i said here..that the chip isnt designed that way. Dont shoot the messenger
Never intended to shoot the messenger. I apologize. Moreover, why Wiim would launch without Airplay capability forever is a big marketing mistake in my book. Makes no sense but oh well. My guess is that they will correct this situation with the next gen. For me, the Ultra screen is just too small. I prefer using the mini with an docked iPad…much bigger screen.
How could I add XLR (balanced) outputs? I have some powered studio monitors I’d like to pair up with the WiiM Ultra, but I’m not sure the best way to do this? Can anyone give advice? Perhaps a separate DAC with XLR outputs? I don’t just want to convert RCA to XLR via wire…
I mention waiting for the AirPlay 2 certification at one point in the video, just want to offer a correction on that as I filmed this before I heard it would not be available. From WiiM "The software can't add AirPlay since the device requires an MFi authentication chip. We can only sell devices with this chip after certification. Therefore, a separate SKU and hardware are necessary to support AirPlay for the WiiM Ultra." I am personally not a big Airplay user so it doesn't affect my use, or my thoughts on the review, just wanted to let you know!
Seriously, no Airplay? Ever!?
That fix my big delemma I had since the announcement of the Ultra. Next!
I am not sure what their stance was on this when in development. Why is this their first product to not ship with the ability. Not sure what the rush was to get this out the door without the required chip. Seems silly to then offer v2 with Airplay 2. This might be their first mis-step.
@@MattCoykendall1 The funny thing is that airplay 2 is only 24/48 at 256kbps 😆 so Bluetooth is OK for me.
No AirPlay huge mistake price needs to be reduced
No airplay is a dealbreaker. I’ll stick with my Mini for now and upgrade if/when Ultra gets certified.
Got my Wiim Ultra two days ago. It is close enough to perfect for me. It is now my streamer, dac, preamp and headphone amp in my office system. It replaced a Wiim Pro Plus and my Schiit stack (modius, lokius and midgard). I still have an Eversolo DMP-A6 on my main system, but may sell it and get another Wiim Ultra. It is just as good for less than half the price.
Glad you’re happy with it too, the headphone amp is a nice touch for an office space.
Upgrade to a A6-ME LPS instead. I've tested with so many friends by now. Love my wiim pro and getting the ultra 😉. But they are used in my nearfield and cabin system
Wow how did you get it,it’s not even on the WiiM homepage available.
Perfect ? Without USB IN ?😮😮😮😮
Tip for budget-mindet DIYers: get this Wiim Ultra, and from asian online stores either a complete amp based on the Hypex NC122MP/NC252MP modules, or buy the Hypex module and a suitable case and connectors seperately. There are some amp cases with the same footprint and rounded edges (as the Wiim Ultra) to be had.
A closer match to high-price items like the Mytec Brooklyn amp than cheap TPA3255 based devices.
First time I've seen one of your reviews. Refreshing change - no hype, jargon, or opinion based 'analysis' - nor is it condescending or man-splaining! Nice work. Just subscribed...
@@michaelknibbs appreciate it!
Well done Matt! Wiim is really taking over the market as far as high performance products at reasonable prices. I'll bet some competitors are feeling a bit nervous.
I hope so, a more competitive market helps the consumer.
have a Wiim pro plus with the Denon 600 amp. splurged on Buchardt 300 speakers and am extremely happy with set up. With all things said it all has to come out of a speaker
Nailed it!
What a great review! I thought I’d seen them all and then I came across yours, very well done. One thing that would be helpful if you’re comfortable doing in your reviews it’s list two or three products that we would have to look at if we wanted something the next level up in the sound quality/performance.
Great suggestion!
Nice review! I just ordered the Wiim Ultra this morning.I am thinking also to get the Schiit Mody Multibit. I should do it or the dac from the wiim is good enough?
Thanks a lot for the review and especially information about the room correction is also possible with Ipad! One question: Do you still use your S.M.S.L. SU 8 or is the internal Sabre DAC enough for you? You didn‘t tell that at the end..😊
Nice review. I'm about to get one. Wanna know how about the phono pre as I have an IFI Zen Phono in my actual set up. I guess the IFI delivers more quality but have you tested Ultra's for a while to give your own critical opinion? Thanks Matt!!!
By far your best review yet, you just scored a sale for WiiM from a WiiM product owner. Keep up the good work young man.
Thanks, appreciate that.
Great comprehensive review. You express your thoughts well. The type of review that I find helpful, especially now that I’m retired and on fixed income. The Ultra is the type of product I would seriously consider if buying a streamer. Don’t really care about the screen, but the bass management & room correction features are appealing. Thanks. 🎶
thanks for this, i love it when ppl show the software user experience 👍🏼
i have a question though, when you have it hooked to your tv with hdmi or optical, is there a way to get the wiim to display the volume? and if so is the font size big enough to see from 8-10 feet away?
You will be limited to seeing the volume level on the ultra, it does display it decently large though.
@@MattCoykendall1 yes yes yes💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
where can i see a picture of it? thanks ❤️
Great review. One question. Does the crossover act as a high pass filter and a low pass filter for the aux outs (sending frequency above to aux out and frequency below to the sub out)? Thanks.
Great review. Question though, does the bass management and hi-pass filtering still work when you are sending the digital signal out to an external DAC? Same question for the room correction feature. Thanks.
Nice review, does this with sub out make for even comparison with Bluesound Node? Future video? I have been using the Node for the Sub out feature.
Excellent, Informative review on the WiiM Ultra Matt! - Thumbs up and Subscribed My new WiiM Ultra arrives tomorrow, where I will watch again during my set-up procedure.
Wow that was a glowing review. Nicely Done.
Quick question if your watching a movie with 5.1 or higher from your tv sending it to the ultra and
outputting it via the 2 rca aren't you losing the separation 5.1 capabilities ?
Is this only for a 2 channel setup ?
Thanks
Great review! You have nearly 12K subscribers! I'm glad to see your channel growing. You deserve it!
Thank you! Needed this information. Have one on order. Great presentation. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
I love it that you said “rummage sale.” I’ve mentioned to you I’m originally from South Dakota and so I am very familiar with the term but a lot of people aren’t down here in Nebraska! Ha ha. Here’s it’s pretty much garage sale only. Thanks for the video!
Haha I didn’t even catch myself saying that, rummage sale, garage sale it’s all the same up here. Thanks for watching!
@@MattCoykendall1 I agree! In South Dakota it was both rummage and garage sale. In Nebraska when I sale rummage sale to people nobody knows what I’m talking about!
@@sean_heisler you might even call it jumble sale if you wish;)
Question: if you have a good DAC, you can just use your phone or laptop to stream music (paired with the DAC). You don’t need the Wiim, right?
Hi Matt,
Great review. Could you help check if it's possible to do USB external dac while source is HDMI. Can't do that with the A8, I2S only. Thanks
Matt, I'm a little curious what your thoughts are on the analog input of the WIIM streamers and how it would sound along with room correction? I have at least one turntable hooked up to my stereo at all times, along with a decent phono pre. Is the ADC good enough that I'm not going to be missing out on any "pure analog" magic so to speak?
I would say it depends what you’re coming from or comparing to. The EQ and room correction may be able to make up for some of that as well. It won’t be the gold standard in listening but the ADC is certainly competent.
I have an Audiolab 6000a as my main amp - so would you recommend using the DAC of the WiiM and not the one of the Audiolab?
Very thoughtful and thorough review. Do you were able to drive your 6XXs sufficiently compared to a stand alone amp? Looking to run this through V3 monos to hand me down Pioneer CS-G303s with 15inch woofers.
I thought it did really well with the 6xx's honestly
How does it compare sound wise to the Wiim Pro+?
To the few comments here and that Matt refers to. I CAN give a review comparison of Sound Quality
Iv been using a AudioLab 6000N for over a year now and yes like Matt suggests its a soddin nightmare to use day to day. PlayFi is bobbins. It does, however have a good SQ. I got mine for £500. Wiim Ultra is £320
Ultra wins hands down for ergonomics, ease of use, compatibility & just that feeling of using a good quality product. The App is fantastic
Side note. I am NOT using the features such as room correction, EQ options or the sub bass management. Preferring the REL high level connection.(maybe all this is cos I am a pureist, bias, or just to me it has not made it sound better,although I have had the ultra only 2 days and not put enough time in to tinker) side note to the side note some confusion regarding the room correction. I don't have an apple phone but it still allows me to do the room correction with my android Sony phone, so whether this is why I have not been overly impressed with the outcomes, I don't know!
Back to the comparison against the 6000N
Yeah the 6000N does sound better slightly in the nuances, in spacial queues, slight more depth between instruments and the bass quality with the REl 'blending with my b&w's' seems more natural. But all this is just so ever so slightly
Its not by much though and the presentation I am getting I am still bopping to!
So giving all the options with the wiim and I can actually upgrade to a dac still (the 6000N has no optical out, no option to transport to a dac, although why would you opt to have a PlayFi as your source streamer!
Given all the above hands down it beats the competition easily in my opinion until you would go big and venture into NAD or HiFi Rose streaming territory.
Only a day 2 analysis but there you go.
Amazing review - thanks! Cant wait to get mine. I might have an issue though. Using my nad3050 both for dac and phonostage. I have a sub and want to use room correction which means i would have to connect my sub to the wiim but then i also have to use the phonostage on the wiim which potentially is better on my nad. Or? I will just have to see if the phonostage is as good on the wiim.
Got my Ultra hooked up yesterday. I am pretty happy with it and the room correction is a great feature.
Agreed!
There have been people asking about room correction through android phones. I have a Samsung phone, and I feel like it worked. Online search gives mixed results. One says you need an external microphone, and one says it works fine now? Any input on that or what you have heard? This is specifically related to the WiiM ultra.
Very informative review. Im considering getting one of these and I'm hoping someone could answer a couple of questions:
1) I'm currently using a Marantz receiver, 5.1 system, and considering adding another SUB. I have everything, including an Orbit vinyl player with built-in phono going through the Marantz. If I get one of these should I run the TV and vinyl player through the WIIM and just use the Marantz for the other equipment or do I connect the WIIM to the Marantz?
2) If I want the same music playing in different parts of the house, can I accomplish that by getting 2 of these or perhaps an Ultra and a Pro?
Wonderful review, thank you.
Is it only a preamp, couldn’t it also be used as an integrated amp?
No.
For headphones, not speakers.
My Wiim Ultra arrived this morning and I've only spent a few hours playing with it - but thus far it seems like the PERFECT solution if you want to breathe life into an old hifi system (or "dumb" powered speakers) that lack streaming and/or HDMI Arc. And it's a great way to avoid buying a soundbar by allowing you to utilize the gear you already own. The subwoofer integration is also very slick. Love it so far!
The only bug I have encountered so far is that the room correction frequency sweep seems to crash the app on my Pixel 6a. Hopefully they'll address this.
Got my WiiM Ultra last night from Amazon and played with it til the very early hours of the morning and I love everything about it including sounding better overall than my Cambridge Audio Streamer, Geshelli Labs J2S DAC w/Burson OAs and Topping Pre90 preamp! Only problem is I do not have a home icon in the right upper corner of the screen that brings up all the various colored icons in settings. What’s the trick to bring that up? It’s already updated when I first powered it up. Thanks!
Just figured out I had to swipe the screen from side to side…duh!
Question. Is the streaming part of this WIIM Ultra, any sort of upgrade over the WIIM Pro Plus? The reason is that I intend to use the optical out from the WIIM to feed a pair of powered Devialet Phantom I, 108db speakers, and only need the streaming function. Is there any data to show if the streaming portion of this is in any way better?
Thanks.
I had the Amp and returned it for the Marantz M1. I got the Ultra on release. I love it. I don't need to use it much because my whole house is Marantz (LR - M1, BR - 70s, HT - 30), and Heos is much better these days. But now that the Amp Pro is coming out (and yes, still no Airplay), the reg Amp was on sale for $256, so I bought it again. I noticed the Amp does not pair well with all speakers, but when it does, man, does it do the job. I have it paired with the PSB Alpha 5s with a Jamo 10 sub, and it sounds fantastic!
Great review, thank you. Best and most comprehensive to hit RUclips so far.
It is what I've been saying for a long time now ...
_"Cheap audio is getting better and better audio is getting cheaper."_
The biggest difference in pricing on these units vs the so called "audiophile" systems is not some magical boost in quality or even sound quality, It is the distinct absence of the usual "audiophile markup" that prices stuff out of range for the average user.
You're looking at this wrong.. It's a great time to be an audiophile no matter what your budget is. What you will be content with is up to you, but make no mistake. There are very clear differences between the cheaper stuff vs the better. Your sound preferences will always depend on what gear you have to get. Anyways just be happy about the good 👍
@@wegardfjeld3789
You might want to rethink that a little bit... On my test bench, I've seen $100 amplifiers that outperform $2,000 amplifiers more than once. (A07 vs Nait 50 for example) It is beyond clear the game is changing.
I did not say it's a not a good time to be an audiophile. Just the opposite; you now have the opportunity to put together excellent systems at very reasonable prices and even on the "budget" end of the hobby you can enjoy far better sound quality than you could even 10 years ago.
It is, however, not a good time to be impressed by cement block sized equipment that costs wheelbarrows full of money. The audiophile fascination with high cost, snake oil, products that just empty your bank account is clearly being challenged... and you'd have to be a complete fool not to cash in on it.
the wiim is ok if you're on a budget but it's not in the same league as higher end streamers. not even close.
@@corrrect
Do you have comparative analysis to show that... or are you just parroting the "more expensive stuff is better" bullsmut?
@Douglas_Blake_579 I own a wiim Pro Plus and an eversolo A6 master edition. The A6 curb stomps the wiim. Like i said, it's not even close. The A6 is just a mid tier streamer. I'm not even talking about Lumin or hifi rose. There is LEVELS to this shit. I wish I could parrot "audiophile markup" while achieving high level audio quality with budget gear. Unfortunately, that's not the world we live in.
Great review. One thing I've been wondering is that since the phono is getting digitized, couldn't they make it like the Parks Audio Earwing and just do a ton of eq on the phono and make it complete with much higher end phono pre's with sofware? It seems like they kept it pretty vanilla but the possibility is there. In any case it seems like there is finally something that will usurp my Raspberry Pi running Volumio and Aune Magic DAC with a Sparkos op amp. Very exciting.
Thanks Matt ! Can you plug it into a spare input on an integrated and by pass the ultra pre amp or must it go to a power amp input?
Hi, great job as usual, would you say it's better than the bluesound node?
I actually sold my node a while back, I think it’s a good product with good software but had a preference to WiiM at that time. Bluesound has made some improvements since then I am curious about.
My first visit...really fine review, lots of useful info.
I better subscribe, please carry on! 😎
Thanks for stopping by!
Great review 👍 can the wiim ultra be connected to an integrated amplifier?
Yes
I just received my Ultra. I only had around an hour to play with it before heading to work… The sound quality is much better than my Pro+ using my external DAC. The big test will be against the Volumio Rivo network bridge streamer and Room Nucleus One. I think this is going to be a very close call! A $1000 streamer against the little WiiM Ultra. 😮
I was originally set on the WiiM Ultra, for most people not an issue but for me it was too much of a compromise. Most of my music is stored in DSD format and the Ultra isn't compatible, perhaps a future firmware fix will put this right.
And, price of Matrix Mini 1-4 orginally £650, can be had for £500 approx and the sound quality matches the Eversolo DMP-A6, so it was the best option for me. The Ultra is the better value of the two but the Matrix is a solid performer, beautifully constructed, excellent software, responsive touchscreen and a good alternative if you must have DSD.
Great information! Cannot wait to get mine. Thank you!
Hope the wait isn’t too long
Thanks for the review. I would like to know did you need to connect a second rca cable to the output port going to the amp to hear the turntable? I have an optical cable going from the steamer to my smsl su9 pro DAC then rca to my Willsenton 300b. I thought I could just connect from the turntable to the ultra streamer and it would send the signal to my DAC then amp but it didn’t work. Thanks.
Is the Wiim ultra better than the DMP-A6 (Especially ME), if budget is avoided for the moment? Use case will have external DAC and headphone amp.
I've started my streaming journey with a WiiM Mini. I later gifted it to my parents so they can use it in their cabin. Its internal DAC wasn't that great, but connecting it digitally to an external amplifier improved that a lot. Software wise I didn't have complains.
Will I be getting an Ultra? Likely not as I am very happy with my current streamers. A Cambridge CXN V2 in the living room and a Bluesound Node X in the office. Both are Roon certified and run flawlessly. But if I didn't have them I would certainly go down the WiiM path again.
Can you have analogue out and digital out active at the same time, or does the device force use of only one output at a time?
Im in the market right mow for a streamer, i dont really need ir would use a screen so would the pro+ be good enought, does the ultra really sound much better than the pro+
Cheers
I consider the WiiM's room correction to be the feature that sets it apart from all other streamers.
The WiiM Ultra + the Q Acoustics M20 active bookshelf speakers + the Vanguard Caldera - 10" Active Subwoofer would be a killer budget combo. Total MSRP $1,027.00
Alternatively, the WiiM Ultra + the Denon PMA-600NE Stereo Integrated Amplifier + a pair of Vera-Fi Audio's Vanguard Scout Bookshelves along with the Vanguard Caldera - 10" Active Subwoofer would be another killer budget combo. Total MSRP $1,326.00. Of course, essential accessories will raise the cost a bit. Audio reviewer Steve Huff strongly recommends the Micca 14 Gauge Pure Copper Speaker Wire Cables in 6ft or 12 ft lengths @ $25-$40 a pair. Blue Jeans Cable offers outstanding budget RCA & subwoofer cables. IMO, none of the above will match really high quality equipment but in this price range, a level of fidelity is being offered that is unmatched.
How does it compare as a transport only sound quality wise to your audiolab 6000n
The usb out makes this unit unbeatable..
For some reason on my system the coax sounds a little more dynamic than the usb
Cheeky pricing by Wiim, it's being sold for £349 in the UK. We're being ripped off compared to the USA.
$329 is only £256
@aldub1263
Doesn't the £349 price include your 20% U.K. V.A.T.?
Keep in mind that in America each state has its own State Sales Tax Rate + Local Tax Rate, which can be as low as 0% in just five of our states, but up to a combined 12.6% which is charged on top of the listed $329 MSRP or MAP product price.
So, not ALL of us in the States are paying just $329 for the WiiM Ultra (or ANYTHING else we purchase) after our State & Local Taxes are added to the final price. This makes the actual differential a bit less, but still to our advantage.
And our tax laws changed for Online purchases so that now even if we order a product Online from a sales tax-free state, we still have to pay the state & local sales taxes that are in effect where we reside.
Ripped of? In Holland we pay 399 euro, that is 437 dollar!!!
I have the WiiM mini and just bypass the DAC and go straight to the DAC with my preamp with an optical cable. It sounds amazing (100x’s better than my CD player) but using my iPhone as an interface with Amazon HD has been good but still buggy. Works great if I choose from my library and hit play. But when I switch songs or other play sets on my library (in Amazon music HD), it often times becomes unresponsive and I have to turn everything off and then back on again to reset. PITA!!! Wonder if the WiiM Ultra would do the same?
Does it support streaming music off a network drive?
Received mine today. Connected it to wired Ethernet which was a mistake. The phone app will not pair unless it’s on the wireless network. No biggie as mine is 6e. I have a home theater set up around a Yamaha RX-A3080, a few years old, but it supports current standards. The goal was decent two channel hi-fi from a unit designed for movies. My plan was to use the Ultra with the lossless hi-res Amazon music tier, use a two channel line out/in to bypass the receiver’s digital processing. Since the current setup uses an Emotiva amp for the front channels, I wouldn’t be using the Yamaha’s amps.
The results were great. I had thought the Elac UBR62 speakers were just okay but now realize they really are good now that I can play Amazon music without going through a device (TV, Bluetooth, Echo, MusicCast, etc) that isn’t faithful to the original source. I do realize the Ultra would power the Emotiva amp directly, but I’d have to switch wiring around. This is easier when going from music to movies.
Plush by STP.. Great choice! What a song.
Sure is
I agree. STP is so, so, grungie. I like grungie! 😁
Funny fact ... Nice screen/display in HiFi Audio most of the times means : potential source of INTERFERENCE over any audio processing step, most of all on very sensitive steps like streaming and DAC processes ... that's why most of the HiFi gear avoid the integration of "nice/big" Displays/Screens, you just get connect to it with your own device like Smartphones/iPad/Laptop from far away from the audio signal gears, to control and see any info/ui
I’m just blown away at how good at just so little money that is possible already. As a Hifi addict, I’m hoping all this competition will come down to companies employing implementation of modern components to get modular stuff down in size, yet with newer options. Like a pre that can bounce between a SS and a tube buffer (while maintaining low noise respectably) with advanced room correction as an option, that competes in sound quality with any/all stuff retailing x5-6. Or are we already there?!?
We are certainly getting closer!
Matt, the subwoofer output, and crossover, will they both work when using an external DAC?
Yes, I believe I had that going at some point during my tests.
@@MattCoykendall1 Cool, I will find out on Sunday, Amazon actually had four Ultra units for sale, so I pulled the trigger.
just wanted to share that wiim ultra has an initial batch that has a chipset that CANNOT do airplay, EVER. however the batches produced from now on will have a different chip that IS ABLE to do airplay, or with a software update.
I'm not a big music streamer, though I do listen to RUclips and Amazon on my computer. Is the Ultra worth the cost for the preamp/bass management capabilities only? Not a lot of options for a digital 2.1 preamp these days....
I think it can be worth it when you include the room correction as well.
@@MattCoykendall1 thanks! Unfortunately I have an android, so it's not supported out of the box, but maybe I can borrow my son's iphone. Lol
@@elshaddaiedwards Yes, it sounds like android support is coming also.
@@MattCoykendall1 Oh, that would be even better. Sounds like a good alternative to the MiniDSP Flex.
Thanks for a very informative review! Wondering if I can use the Ultra with an integrated amp instead of a power amp. (Realize the sub out may be an issue, but I’m not using a sub.)
I have the same question. Just got mine this week and want to hook it up to my AM/FM Pioneer Integrated unit and don't know if should run an RCA line to an Analog input or an Optical connection to the receiver? Hope someone lets us know. Thanks for your question.
Sure ... just hook the RCA outs from the Wiim to the AUX in RCAs on the receiver. IF the receiver has optical in, that might work better.
Yes you can, in the app you set the fixed volume (2 volts) and then you just control the volume trough integrated amp / external preamp.
@@Karto86 Thanks!
Hi, i'm a bit new to all this so bear with me. I'm about to rip my CD collection to FLAC files & store on a HDD, can I use the USB to connect & will it read the files. Thanks.
How well is the room correction vs arc vs Dirac live / minidsp
Most thorough review out there! Thanks 🙌
A costco Yamaha or Onkyo has a LARGE gain for not much more money. I like the Wiim approach, but then you have separates. I have them...but it's a lot of management. I use Wharfedale 4.3, which are great, but they need a little power. But, a lot of boomers just have money to burn while giving up land, property, rights, and homes. God bless their little hearts.
Thanks for another great and informative video.
Couldn't see the usb option when it was shown on the display at the line out options?
It’s currently in beta, not yet available for the general public.
I plugged the Ultra into my Roon Nucleus One via Chromecast, and it is incredibly impressive. I cannot wait until the Ultra is Roon certified, which should not be to much longer. Pair the Ultra with Roon, and you will have a killer streamer that will compete with streamers in the $1000 range. I would highly recommend the Roon Nucleus One, which you can use with just about any streamer, the sound quality improvement is worth the price of entry.
Is Chromecast used to stream music from Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify etc. or are these apps that you can select from within the Ultra? Thanks
@@tima.478 I have Tidal, Qobuz and Amazon, they stream right from the WiiM app on both my iPhone and iPad. Spotify is a different animal, I don't really use it, and do not quite understand how it works, as it uses its own external link to WiiM via the Spotify app.
Well presented and prepared. Excellent!
Just ordered mine. Can't wait
Will the standby mode turn off the display and turn off the unit??? I really don’t want the unit on for days if I’m not using it. Thx. My best.
There is an option for the display to turn off after being idle.
Thank you for reviewing the Wiim.. great content
Will the EQ still work if I add a seperate DAC?
The Wiim has both preamp and DAC in itself, doesn’t it?
Nice review. Wiim is killing it. Personally I'm looking forward to their Plex Amp native app and to me 2x RCA would be far more useful than XLR.
2x RCA would likely help more end users than XLR, I would be good with either addition.
If I spend ten times as much and get double the performance, it's TOTALLY worth it !!
The hardware for airplay2 is not included, so it will not show up by updates…
You do a hell of a review. Just excellent!
Remarkably helpful, balanced and comprehensive review.
That’s the aim around here, more of a focus on usability.
I have bp50 arylic.wimm ultra is it worth the up grade?
In my opinion, yes
They're going to move a ton of these units. Great for hifi!
I completely agree...
Mine being delivered tomorrow 🎼🎙️🔊
Niiice
Subbed! First time seeing your channel, I like your presentation style , you get to the point. Instead of telling us what you’re going to say you actually just say it- appreciated.😊 the one thing nobody has mentioned is the lack of a “tape loop” feature. What am I to do with my reel to reel if I ditch my aging preamp for the Ultra? 😮
Thanks for the sub! You may have to keep that pre amp around for the reel to reel. I have one as well!
@bluesfish55m51
While I also still have my Fostex E-2 R2R mastering tape machine as well as an Akai GX-95 3-head cassette deck, TBF we are the 1% or less of the market.
So, it just doesn't make marketing or financial sense for 99% of audio product manufacturers to include the "tape loop" functionality in these modern types of products over things like the HDMI ARC/eARC, which I also appreciate.
That being said, I AM thankful that WiiM included a MM/MC Phono preamp input on the WiiM Ultra, because although I already use a separate Michael Fidler MC Pro phono preamp in my main rig, I would use the WiiM Ultra in a secondary "compact" system and not bother with a standalone phono preamp for the TT.
Does the bass management correct for volume and phase?
That’s a good question. I would need to ask my contact as it’s not clear while completing the “correction”.
If it's like the win amp, you can adjust the volume and invert the phase
@@grangermacy that’s super basic compared to proper bass management in AV receivers.
I should add the crossover point too. I think for a 2.1 system it works fine. Unlike the other small Chinese amps it does roll off the main stereo speakers as well
I should add the crossover point too. I think for a 2.1 system it works fine. Unlike the other small Chinese amps it does roll off the main stereo speakers as well
What about the USB output? There is an option to connect it to an external DAC?
Yes, this is capable of that.
My new Yamaha RN-1000A also has amazon music streaming onboard :)
Does the Wiim Ultra ship with a remote control?
Yes it does.
@@MattCoykendall1 thank you! Sorry, I just re-watched your video and saw I missed where you covered this at 6:25 👍
I would like a review between the plus and the ultra. Although I do like the hdmi arc which would be the trigger for me to buy it, however it could also be connected tv to streamer via optical. 😄. The phone is not a must for me. So it’s all up to the dac in the ultra vs the dac in the plus. I also don’t need the headphone amp so, for me it would be the HDMI arc and I wonder if it’s worth the 150 extra euros
what about elac DS A101-G FOR 398.00.
Great value!!! Just waiting for Airplay 2 and RUclips Music connect sooner or later. Great job!!
Airplay will never come to ultra. The chip inside doesnt allow for this upgrade.
I hope you are wrong for the sake of many Airplay fans….time will tell…
@@Michael-xz1nk somone on a forum asked wiim support themselves and they said what i said here..that the chip isnt designed that way. Dont shoot the messenger
Never intended to shoot the messenger. I apologize. Moreover, why Wiim would launch without Airplay capability forever is a big marketing mistake in my book. Makes no sense but oh well. My guess is that they will correct this situation with the next gen. For me, the Ultra screen is just too small. I prefer using the mini with an docked iPad…much bigger screen.
@@Michael-xz1nk yeah big mistake. Only reason i use it is for the subwoofer connection. Plug and play
They’re pricing them low with high spec is to break into the market.
i will wait for full roon approval
How they can produce files streamer without USB IN ?😮😮😮😮😮
How could I add XLR (balanced) outputs? I have some powered studio monitors I’d like to pair up with the WiiM Ultra, but I’m not sure the best way to do this? Can anyone give advice? Perhaps a separate DAC with XLR outputs? I don’t just want to convert RCA to XLR via wire…
Rca to xlr adapter?
@@roybrolsbeakthanks but exactly what I didn’t want to do as I wanted a balanced xlr output.
@@jez-s thats not possible with the ultra
On their webpage, they are very clear that customers should get their money back if they expected Airplay. Yea. This was a dealbreaker.
In the portion of your video showing the output options it does NOT list usb as an available output option…
I must not have had the external DAC plugged at that time, it does work though.
@@MattCoykendall1thanks. I’ll probably end up getting one but if it didn’t output usb it’s a deal breaker
why does the menu have no selection for usb out ?