WiiM Ultra

Updated on 4/19/2024

Hi Team,

We're excited to give you a sneak peek at the WiiM Ultra, your future go-to digital hub for all things music! We're putting the final touches on this innovative product and are on track for a Q2 release. Stay tuned for more updates as we gear up for launch!




Original message by Brantome:
As mentioned in a user reply from the WiiM/Linkplay CEO on the WiiM Fan Page on Facebook, WiiM are developing a new device called the WiiM Ultra which will have a screen, aluminium case and USB audio output. It should be available Q2 2024, so a good five to six months away.

Guess @Smartplug is due a prize (e.g. I'll lay off gently ribbing them about their constant 'when' questions) as I think they first suggested that name a while ago

That's the entirety of the information I have, but WiiM do say they'll release more details in due course.

 

[The WiiMer]

Instead of or apart from a screen a hdmi video output to a tv would be nice or a casting solution. So you can show album art and stuff on a big screen. AES and This iaran. Firand ,XLR is a step too far I think. Too audiophile to appeal to the general public. It will drive up the cost or be poorly implement and then it would be of use to no one.

This is arrant nonsense. XLR outputs are absolutely necessary. AES/EBU outputs are absolutely necessary. Many prospective customers may not use them but for we whom will this will actually be pro audio grade gear. Never mind a screen; album art and eye candy is all a complete waste of resources from research and development to final product. The Ultra needs Ultra grade quality not pretty visuals. If the Ultra fails to fulfil its namesake then shame on Linkplay Technologies and the entire WiiM brand. Yes the price will increase but the price will increase regardless and I believe it nothing less than a travesty if the price increases for visual fluff like displays and other visual niceties.

 

[Achim1811]

This is arrant nonsense. XLR outputs are absolutely necessary. AES/EBU outputs are absolutely necessary. Many prospective customers may not use them but for we whom will this will actually be pro audio grade gear. Never mind a screen; album art and eye candy is all a complete waste of resources from research and development to final product. The Ultra needs Ultra grade quality not pretty visuals. If the Ultra fails to fulfil its namesake then shame on Linkplay Technologies and the entire WiiM brand. Yes the price will increase but the price will increase regardless and I belive it nothing less than a travesty if the price increases for visual fluff like screens and other visual niceties.

If things are as you wrote, you are able to afford this "necessary" features why waiting for a promised land? And why blaming WiiM in advance for a product still in the status " Wet Dreams".
Take your money and buy one of the many already existing products on the market. If they are too expensive for you you should not babble about "pro gear".

Sorry @Brantome

 

[rccarguy]

This is arrant nonsense. XLR outputs are absolutely necessary. AES/EBU outputs are absolutely necessary. Many prospective customers may not use them but for we whom will this will actually be pro audio grade gear. Never mind a screen; album art and eye candy is all a complete waste of resources from research and development to final product. The Ultra needs Ultra grade quality not pretty visuals. If the Ultra fails to fulfil its namesake then shame on Linkplay Technologies and the entire WiiM brand. Yes the price will increase but the price will increase regardless and I believe it nothing less than a travesty if the price increases for visual fluff like displays and other visual niceties.

Who has got proper fully balanced gear? My power amplifiers are but my AV pre isn't. Neither is my source.

So fully balanced XLR is a bit pointless. Most items with xlr are just fake XLR, like my AV pre, xlr connectors but not true fully balanced.

A screen is nice, just for occasional setup and navigation, to quick glance at album art or what's playing.

The flip side as you said extra coding required. Plus for sound quality a LCD screen and graphic card could cause extra noise in the casing

 

[Brantome]

This is arrant nonsense.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. As per the group rules, let’s keep comments courteous and respectful. Thanks.

 

[steadyshot]

Transparent is a word that is highly dependent on equipment interaction if it is about audibility. To me is a word to describe that a device has passed some basic tests to indicate a proper design which are not necessarily correlated 100% with audibility as a final outcome. So in that sense in my system with my dac, the mini is not audibly transparent since it does not sound the same as a transport as wiim pro plus. It could be just the coaxial connection, it could be other elements in its design but under no possible circumstance does wiim mini optical sounds the same as wiim pro plus coax.

 

[Yoku-San]

Transparent is a word that is highly dependent on equipment interaction if it is about audibility. To me is a word to describe that a device has passed some basic tests to indicate a proper design which are not necessarily correlated 100% with audibility as a final outcome. So in that sense in my system with my dac, the mini is not audibly transparent since it does not sound the same as a transport as wiim pro plus. It could be just the coaxial connection, it could be other elements in its design but under no possible circumstance does wiim mini optical sounds the same as wiim pro plus coax.

You really must have golden ears to hear differences between different digital transports playing exactly the same files.

I never thought we would discuss audible properties of digital outputs.

 

[onlyoneme]

You really must have golden ears to hear differences between different digital transports playing exactly the same files.

I never thought we would discuss audible properties of digital outputs.

Two digital transports may produce signals of different quality at their outputs, even though both avoid unnecessary processing of the source stream. The open question is how bad it needs to be implemented on the streamer side and how bad the DAC needs to be for these differences to be audible.

 

[rccarguy]

I wouldn't be able to use PEQ in the Wiim, as it will effect speakers and sub, however if I only had wiim going to my speakers would help with my 45hz peak.

I have a outlaw icbm-1 so what I do is use that at 60hz or so, that reduces the 45hz peak. Replacing my pre amp with a new room correction pre isn't going to happen

 

[Labjr]

USB out is a must for me. Ability to handle native DSD and decode ISO files too. Or at least native bitstreaming from JRMC. I like the idea of making some things modular and upgradable. Like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi cards since the technology is always improving. It would seem they're going after the high end market with a display but not really needed IMO. Internal DAC not really need either but add balance output if they're going to keep it.

 

[Labjr]

Who has got proper fully balanced gear? My power amplifiers are but my AV pre isn't. Neither is my source.

So fully balanced XLR is a bit pointless. Most items with xlr are just fake XLR, like my AV pre, xlr connectors but not true fully balanced.

Not sure what you mean by "proper/true fully balanced?"

 

[rccarguy]

Not sure what you mean by "proper/true fully balanced?"

Most stuff with xlr is just unbalanced over xlr cable.

Even trinnov isn't fully balanced.

 

[Labjr]

Most stuff with xlr is just unbalanced over xlr cable.

Even trinnov isn't fully balanced.

I think you're generalizing. I'd have to see each circuit. Balanced does not always use differential signaling. Balanced output would be of great benefit in certain situations. Sometimes it's the only way to eliminate ground loop hum.

 

[rccarguy]

I think you're generalizing. I'd have to see each circuit. Balanced does not always use differential signaling. Balanced output would be of great benefit in certain situations. Sometimes it's the only way to eliminate ground loop hum.

I have a Tonewinner. It has XLR pre outs.

It's not fully balanced. My power amplifiers are though (ATI 2000 series)

 

[The WiiMer]

If things are as you wrote, you are able to afford this "necessary" features why waiting for a promised land? And why blaming WiiM in advance for a product still in the status " Wet Dreams".
Take your money and buy one of the many already existing products on the market. If they are too expensive for you you should not babble about "pro gear".

Sorry @Brantome

Firstly I am not babbling about anything. Secondly I have got some seriously high-end studio monitors connected to a high-end digital audio interface all via Mogami cables of the highest calibre. Usually I keep all things wired but decided to foray into the realm of convenience – in this case with WiiM Pro Plus and possibly Ultra. I can afford other products on the market but that means not a more accurate clock, balanced analogue outputs, upgraded DAC and ADC chips, et cetera – things that will make a more affordable device audiophile-grade – are not warranted.

 

[Achim1811]

I always get triggered by the word "audiophile" already. And even more by self-declared "audiophiles". The market has you all what you want. But hoping to have it for cheap in a first class way is what I call wet dream.

 

[The WiiMer]

Who has got proper fully balanced gear? My power amplifiers are but my AV pre isn't. Neither is my source.

So fully balanced XLR is a bit pointless. Most items with xlr are just fake XLR, like my AV pre, xlr connectors but not true fully balanced.

A screen is nice, just for occasional setup and navigation, to quick glance at album art or what's playing.

The flip side as you said extra coding required. Plus for sound quality a LCD screen and graphic card could cause extra noise in the casing

If my Mogami cables are not truly fully balanced then I will lose all faith in analogue audio cables. Mogami are the only cables I trust that I have used to be as they claim. Of course they have got different product lines but I use Mogami Gold and whatever is the top-tier in its class [not all cables are Mogami Gold]. I was told Jumperz are comparable.

With regards to a screen I am totally blind thus a display is useless to me. Additional noise can be shielded properly but that is just more everything.

 

[rccarguy]

If my Mogami cables are not truly fully balanced then I will lose all faith in analogue audio cables. Mogami are the only cables I trust that I have used to be as they claim. Of course they have got different product lines but I use Mogami Gold and whatever is the top-tier in its class [not all cables are Mogami Gold]. I was told Jumperz are comparable.

With regards to a screen I am totally blind thus a display is useless to me. Additional noise can be shielded properly but that is just more everything.

There are at least two variations of XLR cable wiring.

But the issue isn't the cable, it's the components. Like I said I have a Tonewinner AT-300, it has XLR pre outs, but it is not fully balanced. All it is is 2x of RCA for voltage, and the signal is just pseudo-balanced. It's a superior locking connector, more robust as well. I'm using star quad cable, about £15 each.

I'm not sure what sources and av pre amps are true fully balanced, but if the Trinnov 32 at £25,000 isn't you sure can bet my AT-300 £1000 isn't!

 

[The WiiMer]

I always get triggered by the word "audiophile" already. And even more by self-declared "audiophiles". The market has you all what you want. But hoping to have it for cheap in a first class way is what I call wet dream.

Pro audio and audiophile gear are two different markets of course. There is no pro audio gear to be released by Linkplay Technologies obviously. However, I accept to have casing material sacrificed for improved internal components that are to standards of pro audio gear. For me it is function over form. I believe the prosumer market needs more pro audio-grade gear.

 

[The WiiMer]

There are at least two variations of XLR cable wiring.

But the issue isn't the cable, it's the components. Like I said I have a Tonewinner AT-300, it has XLR pre outs, but it is not fully balanced. All it is is 2x of RCA for voltage, and the signal is just pseudo-balanced. It's a superior locking connector, more robust as well. I'm using star quad cable, about £15 each.

I'm not sure what sources and av pre amps are true fully balanced, but if the Trinnov 32 at £25,000 isn't you sure can bet my AT-300 £1000 isn't!

Any gear for £25,000 better be balanced else that is what I call criminal behaviour. Now you have got me wondering if my ADAM Audio inputs and outputs and Focusrite inputs are truly balanced. Noise is quite minimal for sure.

 

[onlyoneme]

but it is not fully balanced. All it is is 2x of RCA for voltage, and the signal is just pseudo-balanced.

What do you mean by being fully balanced? Balanced with differential signaling? What you've mentioned already is rather related to the differential signaling.