Advice please! WiiM Amp Ultra / Vibelink / existing stereo amp

[spacecowboy2050]

Hi everyone, first time poster here! I currently have the WiiM ultra which I’ve enjoyed for the last 12 months - such a great product! I currently run it through a 90s Yamaha stereo amplifier as I’m pretty old school when it comes to eq etc. I love the variable loudness on the Yamaha and the simple bass and treble.
For TV and movies, I also have a Marantz AV receiver for 5.1 stuff. I don’t use this for music as it just doesn’t sound as good as the Yamaha.
My speakers are Q Acoustics 3050i floorstanders. I have a speaker switch box to switch between the 2.

The problem with the Yamaha amp is it’s so big! Obviously the WiiM stuff is the exact opposite, compact and tiny!

I’m thinking of replacing the Yamaha amp as it’s only used for music and is so big. So this is my dilemma.
Is the WiiM Ultra Pro amp going to sound as good or better than my trusty Yamaha (I think it’s an AX-596). If so, should I keep the Ultra and get a Vibelink, or sell the Ultra and get an Amp Ultra to keep it neat? I do have a turntable (Technics 1200) but have got an entry level Cambridge Audio Phono Stage if I went with the amp as it lacks one.
Is there any difference in sound quality between the Vibelink and Amp Ultra?

Decisions, decisions!

 

[Aquaman]

It the height or also the footprint of the Yamaha that‘s bothering you?
And what are you willing to spend?

If you want to stay all-WiiM I‘d sell the Ultra and get the AmpUltra. It just seems to be the more serious amp to me (two amp modules instead of one in the Vibelink).

Alternatively you could keep the Ultra and hook it up to a power amp of your choice. But that might be more costly depending on your preference.
Just as an example: A used Lyngdorf SDA-2400. It has analogue and digital inputs, auto-standby and auto- detection of incoming signals. So you wouldn‘t even need a trigger cable. And it is very sleek and slender, but with a classic footprint.

In any case I would go for class-D amplification. Class-AB may still be considered high-end but you might just as well have a vacuum cleaner running energy-wise.

 

[spacecowboy20250]

Thank you for your detailed reply Aquaman, much appreciated! I'm going to sell the Ultra and get the Amp Ultra!

 

[DazST]

Welcome to the forum mate.
I was in a similar situation to you not long ago, running an ultra into a Yamaha as501 amp and q acoustics 3030i speakers. I decided to sell the ultra and yamaha and replace them with an amp ultra. I ended up selling the ultra but not the Yamaha (which I'm now using in my office system).
Anyway, I'm really happy with the amp ultra but if I were to do this over I would probably say that I should have kept the ultra and paired it with a vibelink. Not because I think it would sound any different, but just because it's a more cost effective way of getting the same outcome - if you've already got an ultra. I would only go for the amp ultra if you are set on just having the one box or if your speakers need its better low impedence capability - which the 3050i doesn't.

 

[Mr Ee]

Is there any difference in sound quality between the Vibelink and Amp Ultra?

Welcome.

To my ears, no difference when using digital input to the vibelink.