WiiM Ultra launch price

[sral]

Let's say the ultra works as a pre-amp, with it's own volume adjustment not degrading it's sound quality.
And given it's current inputs, outputs and the screen.

If wiim also released a power amp, at say, 2x150w at 8 ohms.

You'd be looking at something that could compete with products like the Cambridge audio Evo, cabasse abyss, or Rotel s14.

These are $1.800 to $3.000 products.

Wiim has much better app and support than any of them, so it's value as a streamer should be higher.
It's got a better selection of inputs, etc.

So, even if the wiim ultra is selling for $500 and the power amp for the same, making a total of $1.000
You'd be looking at an incredible deal compared with already established brands.
(Don't get me started on naim)

While, yes, there are cheaper options than those mentioned above if you consider lesser known brands, wiim is starting to appear in normal hi-fi shops across the globe.

Who's wiims real competitors? Cifi brands or the ones regular people would buy?
(People on these forums aren't regular people, usually, they're much more interested in audio equipment, and much more informed about different products)

 

[Wiimer]

You can call it odd or you can take from it that the final retail price will most likely be somewhere between the highest and the lowest suggested.

I for one think that this is good news.

Considering that WiiM products have offered occasional 20% discounts, Ultra's price is likely to be 400 USD (320 USD on sale). And this coincides with my prior expectations.

If it's 350 USD, I'm lucky.

 

[Brantome]

And I'm also looking forward to the upcoming WiiM Power Amp and its pricing. No network connection, no streaming, no volume control, just a nice matching power amp.

If indeed that is what’s also upcoming…

 

[Brantome]

As a 1:1 direct comparison to the Wiim Amp (at $300 USD):

• No amplification (-$100)
• Coax out, optical out, Phono input, USB (media server AND external media connection), better (but unidentified) DAC, and a touchscreen (+$150-$200)

I'd hope it doesn't exceed $400 USD but I'll probably buy it at whatever price it ends up releasing at. Odd that they put up a thread to discuss pricing imo.

And headphone stage…

 

[Smartplug]

I'm not stingy, I'm just honest with money.

It’s ok wiimer that’s make us two.

 

[Smartplug]

What you think guys is it ess or akm chip?

 

[harkpabst]

Yes.

 

[bherren]

I voted tentatively for the middle ground but realistically it will depend on the actual specs & measurements, not just of the DAC, but if it's going to have a phono preamp, will it be good enough to replace my Schiit Mani for example etc... So we shall see...

 

[Smartplug]

If it’s flagship ess or akm, I feel it’s worth a premium price.

 

[ChrisHamilton]

To be honest the majority of people will just pick the lowest price regardless.

 

[Smartplug]

To be honest the majority of people will just pick the lowest price regardless.

I agree. Nobody want to see big price. If 100 is included on the selection, it would get the most vote.

 

[Wiimer]

I have premonition a surprise on May 9th.

 

[MKUltra]

I voted "US $449, EUR 449, GBP 449" because it's the only one where $ and € prices are equal

I know that we in Europe have different rules regarding warranty and taxes, but the price hikes are still annoying.

1€ ~= $1.1 and £1 ~= $1.25, so the $399 / 429€ / £399 price, for example, when all converted to $, actually means $399 / $471.9 / $498.75.

If you're in the EU without a local WiiM distributor and order from Amazon Germany as many of us do, add some more € to the price due to different VAT mostly everywhere. Not much, but still.

People in the US may then wonder if they'd vote for $417, $472 or $494... Or in case of the UK, $436, $499 or $561.

I reckon most would choose "other" in the poll and specify $400 as the max.

 

[SiR]

Hi Team,

The DAC in this upcoming model surpasses the one currently in the Pro Plus. Additionally, it supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth LE audio/BT 5.3. Unfortunately, I'm only permitted to disclose this amount of information at this time. My apologies for any inconvenience.

Hi @WiiM Support Welcome your info about the DAC and other features to be seen in the upcoming ULTRA

I voted for the US $399

I expect the IMPLEMENTATION part of the DAC to be better irrespective of the DAC that is been used

Mostly it is seen that if the implementation is not proper, even the good chipset may not sound to its potential

Also, linear regulated power supply would be good

 

[steadyshot]

Since the product is ready you have to give detailed specs, architecture and components used to estimate a value price.

Without knowing we select only the cheapest.

 

[whodiini]

For me, I just want a streamer with USB out, dont care that much about the DAC section, since I use my own DAC. If that is the only difference from the Wiim Pro Plus, its not worth a whole lot more over the Wiim Pro plus, and even the lowest price point $349 is too high. I am assuming they will not make the internal power supply linear due to space and cost constraints.

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

Hi Team,

The DAC in this upcoming model surpasses the one currently in the Pro Plus. Additionally, it supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth LE audio/BT 5.3. Unfortunately, I'm only permitted to disclose this amount of information at this time. My apologies for any inconvenience.

I've asked this elsewhere, and I think it's maybe pertinent to the price.

With the Ultra, will you be able to take the digital signal, apply room correction, PEQ, etc., then bass management to apply a high pass filter to the main (L&R) speakers, then send the LF signal to the sub out, and the HF signal to a DAC instead of the main L&R outs? So you've got 3 channels (sub, L and R), and you're sending the sub out over RCA and the L&R over digital to an external DAC (instead of L&R RCA).

This would mean that people with a DAC with balanced outs could effectively add that functionality to the Ultra. Increases flexibility, and value.

Some may choose not to buy this as there are no balanced outs. But if they already have a DAC with balanced outs, that becomes a non-issue, if you can do the above.

Could you check with your technical team?

Many thanks.

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

Let's say the ultra works as a pre-amp, with it's own volume adjustment not degrading it's sound quality.
And given it's current inputs, outputs and the screen.

If wiim also released a power amp, at say, 2x150w at 8 ohms.

You'd be looking at something that could compete with products like the Cambridge audio Evo, cabasse abyss, or Rotel s14.

These are $1.800 to $3.000 products.

Wiim has much better app and support than any of them, so it's value as a streamer should be higher.
It's got a better selection of inputs, etc.

So, even if the wiim ultra is selling for $500 and the power amp for the same, making a total of $1.000
You'd be looking at an incredible deal compared with already established brands.
(Don't get me started on naim)

While, yes, there are cheaper options than those mentioned above if you consider lesser known brands, wiim is starting to appear in normal hi-fi shops across the globe.

Who's wiims real competitors? Cifi brands or the ones regular people would buy?
(People on these forums aren't regular people, usually, they're much more interested in audio equipment, and much more informed about different products)

I'll take the middle price as a starting point - that's £400, so take or add £50.

You than have a choice of adding (a few examples from different price ranges):

- Fosi Audio V3 (£100 to £130 depending on power supply) TOTAL = £500/£530
- Fosi Audio ZA3 (£150) TOTAL = £550
- Topping PA5 II (£250 or £330 depending on power supply) TOTAL = £650/£730 **
- Fosi V3 mono blocks c.£300 TOTAL = £700
- Topping PA7 II (Plus) (£500 or £600 depending on power supply) TOTAL = £900-£1,000
- Topping LA90 £800 TOTAL £1,200

That's quite a range of prices/budgets, but the Ultra, presuming our general handle on the quality is correct, doesn't look out of place driving any of them.

** Compare that with the Bluesound Powernode for a moment (this combo has the closest price), and I'll use the Pro Plus as a benchmark for the Ultra being 'at least that good' (caveats obviously apply). The Node's streamer output is worse, the amp is worse, the streamer doesn't cover as many bases, functionality on the Ultra is better (PEQ, room correction, sub out, bass management). Frankly, apart from load dependence the Fosi V3 stereo/Ultra combo is as good as or better than the Node, but with far greater functionality.

 

[Fender]

I'll take the middle price as a starting point - that's £400, so take or add £50.

You than have a choice of adding (a few examples from different price ranges):

- Fosi Audio V3 (£100 to £130 depending on power supply) TOTAL = £500/£530
- Fosi Audio ZA3 (£150) TOTAL = £550
- Aopping PA% II (£250 or £330 depending on power supply) TOTAL = £650/£730
- Fosi V3 mono blocks c.£300 TOTAL = £700
- Topping PA7 II (Plus) (£500 or £600 depending on power supply) TOTAL = £900-£1,000
- Topping LA90 £800 TOTAL £1,200

That's quite a range of prices/budgets, but the Ultra, presuming our general handle on the quality is correct, doesn't look out of place driving any of them.

What I very often miss is the mentioning of one or another more "traditional" amp. Like a pure analog NAD 316bee. 450 € at the moment. All the digital things done by a WiiM Ultra. With an extra bonus for for people looking at a phono stage, offering the choice between the internal of the NAD or that of the Ultra. And a quite decent internal headphone section which drives everything up to 600 Ohms.
Just to widen the view ;-)

 

[onlyoneme]

I've asked this elsewhere, and I think it's maybe pertinent to the price.

With the Ultra, will you be able to take the digital signal, apply room correction, PEQ, etc., then bass management to apply a high pass filter to the main (L&R) speakers, then send the LF signal to the sub out, and the HF signal to a DAC instead of the main L&R outs? So you've got 3 channels (sub, L and R), and you're sending the sub out over RCA and the L&R over digital to an external DAC (instead of L&R RCA).

This would mean that people with a DAC with balanced outs could effectively add that functionality to the Ultra. Increases flexibility, and value.

Some may choose not to buy this as there are no balanced outs. But if they already have a DAC with balanced outs, that becomes a non-issue, if you can do the above.

Could you check with your technical team?

Many thanks.

Shortly speaking - both digital and analog outputs active the same time, for usage flexibility.