Clarifications on some specifications

[Paolosnz]

I just received the ultra taken mainly as a source connected to a marshall stanmore 3 rca when I'm on vacation. From the streamers that I own and have owned I thought that tidal was installed directly on the ultra as well as web radios instead must a smartphone (or other) always be used to stream these services? Also at home connected via ethernet to roon I see that it stops at a resolution of 24/192... I know that the dsd will be implemented later, but will this be the maximum resolution of the internal dac? Thanks

 

[Mr Ee]

Welcome.

"must a smartphone (or other) always be used to stream these services?"
Essentially, yes.
Although presets mean you can start some things without a phone at that time, once they have been set up.

Although the dac itself is capable of more than 192, I believe 192 is the top wiim imposes.
Dsd conversion to pcm is already available. Not tried it myself, but I believe 192 max. Someone can correct me if needed....!

 

[harkpabst]

From the streamers that I own and have owned I thought that tidal was installed directly on the ultra as well as web radios instead must a smartphone (or other) always be used to stream these services?

It's not the Tidal app being installed on the Ultra (like on a Smart TV), but the WiiM Home App (on your phone) talking to Tidal through their API. The Ultra is not intended to be fully functional without the accompanying WiiM Home App. You could e.g. save Tidal playlists to presets and play them using the touchscreen, but in general you still need the WiiM Home App or the Tidal app, if you prefer Tidal Connect.

Also at home connected via ethernet to roon I see that it stops at a resolution of 24/192... I know that the dsd will be implemented later, but will this be the maximum resolution of the internal dac?

The maximum resolution of the platform is not the same as the maximum resolution of the DAC chip. You still need some headroom for stuff like e.g. volume control.

Nobody can hear the difference between 24/96 and 24/192 anyway, let alone even higher resolutions. They are needed just for signal processing.

 

[Paolosnz]

The Ultra is not intended to be fully functional without the accompanying WiiM Home App.

This is a real shame, at this point I find the screen a bit useless

Nobody can hear the difference between 24/96 and 24/192 anyway,

This is not the case with the wiim attached to a portable speaker, and I don't want to start the usual diatribes but try some PGGB albums on quality systems and we'll talk about it...

Anyway thanks for the clarification, probably the ultra is not "my" ideal device

 

[harkpabst]

... and I don't want to start the usual diatribes but try some PGGB albums on quality systems and we'll talk about it...

What is that? Artificially upsampled music files and they sound magically better than before?

Trouble is, the school of bit perfect believers has just as many disciples as the school of upsampling believers. They are united in their firm conviction that the opposite side is totally wrong. Right in the middle sits innocent Harkpabst, looking to the left and looking to the right in amazement ...

Everybody is king of his own castle. But 24 bit 192 kHz is not a restriction in any way, no way.

For holiday use I'm not sure why I would bring a streamer along instead of just my phone.