connecting wiim ultra to pre amp , sub management.

[catchmeifyoucan]

Hello

i have a Rotel pre amp : RC972



i think i can connect my wiim ultra to one of the inputs on the left. From what ive read i need to put the ultra to 100% fixed volume.
My question is, will the bass management still work on the ultra? If not are there people who did make this work ?

i am using the rotel pre amp because its a match with my power amp. im aware i could use the ultra as a pre amp, but as the hobby goes i just want to have a different setup for now.

thanks in advance for the help!

 

[slartibartfast]

Hello

i have a Rotel pre amp : RC972

View attachment 32520

i think i can connect my wiim ultra to one of the inputs on the left. From what ive read i need to put the ultra to 100% fixed volume.
My question is, will the bass management still work on the ultra? If not are there people who did make this work ?

i am using the rotel pre amp because its a match with my power amp. im aware i could use the ultra as a pre amp, but as the hobby goes i just want to have a different setup for now.

thanks in advance for the help!

Where did you read that the Ultra should be set to 100% volume? If you want to connect your subwoofer to the Ultra sub out you definitely cannot set the Ultra to 100% fixed and you must control the volume from the Ultra.

 

[catchmeifyoucan]

okay that makes sense. So the right way would be to put the pre amp to full volume and control the volume on the wiim ultra ?

 

[DHS]

I have a similar setup. I adjust my preamp to maximum soundlevel in my livingroom, when my Ultra is set to 100%. This way, I can adjust lower soundlevel via Ultra.

 

[catchmeifyoucan]

I have a similar setup. I adjust my preamp to maximum soundlevel in my livingroom, when my Ultra is set to 100%. This way, I can adjust lower soundlevel via Ultra.

Okay i understand, and the subwoofer works well this way ?

 

[DHS]

My subwoofer input is also connected to the preamp output, and it is itself well adjusted to proper soundpressurelevel (spl) via its integrated volume pot. Therefore, I do not use the wiim ultra subwoofer output. Crossover is set to 60 Hz (fix) at my subwoofer.
I don‘t know your subwoofer, but assuming it also has its own volume potmeter, I would adjust its spl once, so it follows your convenient „overall“ spl, regardless of wether you are going to adjust volume via your preamp or your wiim ultra. (I assume that the volume of ultras subwoofer output follows the other outputs…)

 

[slartibartfast]

My subwoofer input is also connected to the preamp output, and it is itself well adjusted to proper soundpressurelevel (spl) via its integrated volume pot. Therefore, I do not use the wiim ultra subwoofer output. Crossover is set to 60 Hz (fix) at my subwoofer.
I don‘t know your subwoofer, but assuming it also has its own volume potmeter, I would adjust its spl once, so it follows your convenient „overall“ spl, regardless of wether you are going to adjust volume via your preamp or your wiim ultra. (I assume that the volume of ultras subwoofer output follows the other outputs…)

So you are not using the bass management of the Ultra. What benefit do you find from that method of connection? How do you integrate the sub with the main speakers?

 

[Skull]

I am also not using the ultra for bass management, my ultra is connected to my Fosi fp3 preamp and my sub is also connected to the fp3
The preamp has a built in high pass filter and the preamp is connected to 2x Za3 power amps in mono mode
My setup works well no syncing issues sounds good

 

[slartibartfast]

I am also not using the ultra for bass management, my ultra is connected to my Fosi fp3 preamp and my sub is also connected to the fp3
The preamp has a built in high pass filter and the preamp is connected to 2x Za3 power amps in mono mode
My setup works well no syncing issues sounds good

You do have a high pass filter though .

 

[Skull]

You do have a high pass filter though .

Yup but have it set to 20hz as in full range
The 80hz setting is to much in my opinion
The setting I have it on is probably the same as any preamps pre out settings (I think )

 

[DHS]

So you are not using the bass management of the Ultra. What benefit do you find from that method of connection? How do you integrate the sub with the main speakers?

Correct, no bass management by the Ultra. My only benefit is KISS principle. My ATC stuff sounds just extraordinary great, subwoofer SPL and crossover well tuned with a 1/3 octave RTA, no use of equalizers or room correction, no treble or bass lift, all just linear, therefore without phase or transient distortion. Drum and/or Marimba transients sound extremlely natural (Charlie Antolini -> Knock Out, Dave Brubeck, resp. Joe Morellos Drum Solo, John Mayer Trio Drummer Steve Jordan and Pino Palladinos Bass, simply AMAZING).
BTW, my older vinyl sound great via the Ultra phono input, despite AD -> DA conversion (compared to ATC direct phono input). Personally, I prefer the “analog way”, using the ATC phono input only. I additionally tested with Bruel Kjaer measuring vinyl model QR2010 and QR2011. Well done WiiM! Love it, I am just awaiting improvements of meters (stereo, wider scale) and analyzer (scaling, peak hold, … etc.) RME is perfect in that!

 

[catchmeifyoucan]

I am also not using the ultra for bass management, my ultra is connected to my Fosi fp3 preamp and my sub is also connected to the fp3
The preamp has a built in high pass filter and the preamp is connected to 2x Za3 power amps in mono mode
My setup works well no syncing issues sounds good

i tried using my marantz pm8006 with the ultra connected to the rca out (for example 'tuner'). But somehow the subwoofer doesnt work properly. the volume seems too high. im doing something wrong. i dont like using the pre out on the marantz for my sub, because then the speakers go full range and i can only set a low pass filter on the svs 2000 pro.

 

[Skull]

i tried using my marantz pm8006 with the ultra connected to the rca out (for example 'tuner'). But somehow the subwoofer doesnt work properly. the volume seems too high. im doing something wrong. i dont like using the pre out on the marantz for my sub, because then the speakers go full range and i can only set a low pass filter on the svs 2000 pro.

Probably my setup was designed for this purpose and yours is not

 

[harkpabst]

From what ive read i need to put the ultra to 100% fixed volume.
My question is, will the bass management still work on the ultra? If not are there people who did make this work ?

You've been asking the right question and the short answer is no and no.

If the subwoofer output of the WiiM Ultra had a fixed output voltage, then the input voltage of the subwoofer was fixed and - consequentially - it would be playing at the same level all the time, regardless how the volume is adjusted on your pre-amp. That cannot work, obviously, the sub volume has to change in synch with the main speakers volume.

i tried using my marantz pm8006 with the ultra connected to the rca out (for example 'tuner'). But somehow the subwoofer doesnt work properly. the volume seems too high. im doing something wrong. i dont like using the pre out on the marantz for my sub, because then the speakers go full range and i can only set a low pass filter on the svs 2000 pro.

Lots of options for everybody. If you want to keep the pre-amp in your chain just because you have it that's OK. But forget about the Ultra's bass management in this case.

Technically, the way WiiM handles subwoofer integration is vastly superior to at least 85% of everything else on the market, if you understand how to use it and are prepared to go through the little extra hassle of setting it up. However, if you want to go this sophisticated way, then the WiiM Ultra must be in exclusive control of the volume. That's the only way, sub and mains can stay in balance at every volume level.

If you want to keep the pre-amp, it's volume control must be either in the max position or at least in a very well defined position (which you never change), rendering it pretty useless as a pre-amp. High pass filtering the mains has huge advantages, especially with two way speakers, where the woofer has to play bass and mids at the same time.

You'll find plenty of advice in this forum how to properly set up a subwoofer with the WiiM Ultra, but it really makes most sense if you let it replace your RC972.