Buying Advice for 2.0/2.1 system for a Newbie

[nolaw]

Hello everyone. I was hoping the community here could give me some advice on what to purchase...hoping to make use of some of the current sales to better outfit my listening space.

Location: USA

My Setup: Two KEF R7 Meta + TBD SUB (Might be an old Dayton Audio SUB-1500, open to suggestions for something new as well. Maybe Wiim SUB?). A Walnut Rega Planar 3 50th anniversary turntable w/ Rega Exact MM cartridege and Neo PSU Mk2 (no phono preamp and no ground wire). Google cast speakers throughout the home for whole home audio.

Music sources are usually Spotify, Vinyl, personal Plex server with typically FLAC files

Ideally I would like the system to function at a high level without breaking the bank too much. It will be used exclusively for music. I will be the primary user but some less tech savvy people may use it from time to time so simplicity can be helpful. It will be in a prominent area in the house so good looks / clean looks are a plus. Below I have listed some possible options based on my research and could use help comparing them.

P.S. If anyone has a recommendation for a quality piece of furniture to house the equipment and some vinyl records that would be awesome!

Option 1: Wiim Ultra (built in phono preAmp) @ $263 + Wiim VibeLink Amp (200 wpc @ 4 ohm) @ $239 = $503

***Is the Wiim Ultra built in phono preamp generally good enough with my MM cartridge Rega TT?***

Option 2: Wiim Ultra (built in phono preAmp) @ $263 + a different Amp

Possible other amps?:
Two Fosi V3 Mono @ $226.10
3e Audio A5 or A7 Stereo class D amplifier
Topping PA5 II Stereo Amplifier
BasX A2 Stereo Amplifier
IOM Ultra
AUDIOPHONICS AP300-S250NC Power Amplifier Ncore NC252MP

Option 3: Wiim Pro Plus @ $175 + An Amp (VibeLink, Fosi V3, etc) + Phono PreAmp? (Ex. Fosi X5 @ 93.50 / Cambridge Alva Solo @ $249 / Schiit Mani 2 @ $149) = Variable

Option 4: Wiim Amp Ultra (does not have a phono preamp) @ $529 + Phono PreAmp? (Ex. Fosi X5 @ 93.50 / Cambridge Alva Solo @ $249 / Schiit Mani 2 @ $149)

Option 5: Some other All in one streamer/amp/DAC w/ phono PreAmp that includes Google Cast (the rest of the whole house audio I have been using google cast). I haven't been able to find a device which fits this. Marantz Stereo 70s or Marantz M1 are close but no google cast.

Option 6: Something else (Fosi ZP3 + ???, fancier Amp + Wiim pro plus, etc)

 

[Listener007]

I have a Wiim Ultra in combination with 2x V3 mono connected via the supplied RCA cables and from time to time the amps turn on spontaneously. Of course only if they are switched to Auto On. I don't understand why Fosi don't have a standard 12V trigger as well. And I have to say that the V3 mono's really get very hot when on. Whether the switching is the fault of the Fosi or the Ultra I haven't found out. Maybe the error is only occurring with my device. But I'd rather point out that it may be happening. Otherwise it plays beautifully and the V3s have power to spare.

 

[Ronnie D]

the amps turn on spontaneously

That may be the ultra looking for software updates. It happend with my poweramp during the night. I cured it with a smartplug.

 

[DazST]

Id probably go with option 4 if you want simplicity and a better quality vinyl experience.

 

[Mr Ee]

Welcome.

Too many options, none of which are necessarily wrong / better than the others.
e.g. if you think you might want to play around with external dacs then an all in one, such as amp ultra, may not be for you.
Similarly, (for me, others don't seem to agree with me / report the same experience here, which is fine!) I wouldn't choose a vibelink for its analog input because I didn't like it anywhere near as much as with a digital input.

As suggested above, option 4, amp ultra + phono preamp, seems a reasonable choice - unless you like to play your music very loud / often play quietly recorded music.
For example, I found that the amp ultra "struggled" (for want of a better word) with some quietly recorded 80s tracks.
Don't get me wrong, I really like the amp ultra (and digitally fed vibelink) into my Paradigms, but even at 100 while it was loud it wasn't "I'm home alone, turn it up" loud.
As others have told me before, this could be related to the amp's gain rather than its power output, and applying digital gain within the wiim can help to compensate here.

I very much doubt you'll be able to play the vinyl throughout the house to your other chromecast speakers.
While talking about turntables - it may or may not matter to you, but all wiims, apart from the vibelink, digitise their analog input.
Some see this as a good thing, as EQ etc. can be applied, others not so much!

Good luck!

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

I would certainly consider buying a good ADC and connecting your turntable through that into the Ultra. You can get phono pre amps with digital outs.

 

[Ivan]

Ultra + Vibelink is the best option.
Everything that you need at a really ridiculous price.