Controls options for newbies

[Promso]

Hi All!
I’m just starting with HIFI home after I bought Volvo with Bower and Wilkins set up, decided that I want something more similar quality at home as well

Idea is to buy Wiim Ultra and connect it to smart TV (Sony android), buy some nice looking Vintage amp or receiver and some bookshelf speakers, maybe later add subwoofer if necessary.

Can anyone please explain if it is possible to make very simple control of the system with some vintage amp or receiver (for example yamaha ca1010 or Marantz 1060 or similar). I mean that it would be easy to start and connect even for my wife which can only connect to JBL Charge via BT and stream from spotify or internet radio?
I’m thinking to buy some smart wall socket which could let power from the app for whole audio system, that it would not be needed to turn on anything manually and just set system as it should be at once. Will she be able to just turn on system, connect to Wiim via BT and play Spotify? Will sound control work via phone buttons(iphone 15 pro) or will need to go to dedicated Wiim app and only control from there?

Also side question regarding samrt tv connected via earc. If I turn on TV and system is on, will it automatically switch to tv audio stream? Will it be possible to control sound with tv remote? What if sound system is turned off, will TV integrated speakers still work?

Maybe can also advice which vintage amps to look for? Exact models or at least functions which will be needed for such set up. Or maybe I better should look some new amp and sacrifice lovely vintage looks?

Sorry in advance if some questions looks stupid, as I said just starting

 

[opiszon]

I would go for a d-class power amp with 12v trigger input.
Do you really need an old integrated Amp with duplicated preamp stage?

 

[Promso]

I would go for a d-class power amp with 12v trigger input.
Do you really need an old integrated Amp with duplicated preamp stage?

Can you recommend any such amp? That 12v triger would let me avoid smart wall socket and everything else would work as I described?

Old I want only because they look nice interior decoration, probably no need for preamp stage, as I told Im very new in this area. Not even planning at least for now to use any vinyl player. Also I heard that for the money I want to invest in the amp, those old one probably will be best sound quality option, not sure if this is true as well

 

[hgo58]

Hi All!
I’m just starting with HIFI home after I bought Volvo with Bower and Wilkins set up, decided that I want something more similar quality at home as well

Idea is to buy Wiim Ultra and connect it to smart TV (Sony android), buy some nice looking Vintage amp or receiver and some bookshelf speakers, maybe later add subwoofer if necessary.

Can anyone please explain if it is possible to make very simple control of the system with some vintage amp or receiver (for example yamaha ca1010 or Marantz 1060 or similar). I mean that it would be easy to start and connect even for my wife which can only connect to JBL Charge via BT and stream from spotify or internet radio?
I’m thinking to buy some smart wall socket which could let power from the app for whole audio system, that it would not be needed to turn on anything manually and just set system as it should be at once. Will she be able to just turn on system, connect to Wiim via BT and play Spotify? Will sound control work via phone buttons(iphone 15 pro) or will need to go to dedicated Wiim app and only control from there?

Also side question regarding samrt tv connected via earc. If I turn on TV and system is on, will it automatically switch to tv audio stream? Will it be possible to control sound with tv remote? What if sound system is turned off, will TV integrated speakers still work?

Maybe can also advice which vintage amps to look for? Exact models or at least functions which will be needed for such set up. Or maybe I better should look some new amp and sacrifice lovely vintage looks?

Sorry in advance if some questions looks stupid, as I said just starting

I would go for a set of active speakers connected to the WiiM. They will turn on with the WiiM Ultra.

The TV HDMI input must be ARC, eARC is not supported. You can then control volume via TV. The WiiM Ultra never turns off but goes into standby. You can get the TV to make it go active again (CEC on) but with current implementation you will have to manually change the TV back to it's internal speakers (change requests outstanding).

Streaming from Spotify should use Connect not BT but BT is possible, just not as good as using proper streaming protocols. WiiM Ultra goes active when you connect from dedicated streaming apps or when using the WiiM Home App.

The WiiM Home App can be used on multiple devices in parallel, so the wife can use it too

 

[opiszon]

@Promso what poweramp - it depends based on some variables
- what speakers do you want to connect
- How big is the room
- what country you live in (like there are different independent manufacturers in Europe vs US).

I went with IOM Ultra, as it has the look made specifically to match WiiM Ultra, also meets my needs (can drive my speakers in my room well) and is sent and made in EU.

The IOM Ultra is special designed for the Wiim® Ultra

The IOM Ultra is a high-end stereo power amplifier. It's housed in a compact full aluminium chassis with trigger on/off control.

internetofmusic.nl

 

[Promso]

Thanks Guys for comments.

@hgo58 i just checked my tv, it has arc, not earc, so I assume everything should work, each time i turn on tv, the Wiim will also wake up or if it is already streaming something automatically switch to tv streaming?

Active speaker might be an option actually, aren't they much harder to sell if I don’t like them? And probably no option to expand then, for example to add woofer? Which could you recommend? These from Elac probably one of the better options?

@opiszon im in Lithuania (Europe). My room 42m2 it is connection of living/dinning/kitchen. Attached my house ground floor plan. Marked in red where i plan to have speakers (bellow the tv), and where are sitting areas in blue. I know it is not good configuration, but no other options i have.
It should be some bookshelf speaker actually standing on the shelf under the tv. Would be nice to fit into 1000 euro not including wiim and potential subwoofer later.

 

[opiszon]

@Promso greetings from Poland.
I have similar sized living room and inside i have connected floorstanding speakers for my use.
For this kind of a big room i would go for the hypex nc252 based power Amps, but maybe you can try fosi za3 or V3 (stereo or 2x mono) to fit with your budget.
It would be tight if you plan to fit also a subwoofer under 1kEur.

My setup is wiim ultra, iom ultra, canton gle 496.2 and svs sb2000 sub and it was like 2kEur. (I had the speakers for some time now, just replaced old stereo integrated denon pma700ae with wiim ultra + poweramp combo)

 

[Promso]

@Promso greetings from Poland.
I have similar sized living room and inside i have connected floorstanding speakers for my use.
For this kind of a big room i would go for the hypex nc252 based power Amps, but maybe you can try fosi za3 or V3 (stereo or 2x mono) to fit with your budget.
It would be tight if you plan to fit also a subwoofer under 1kEur.

My setup is wiim ultra, iom ultra, canton gle 496.2 and svs sb2000 sub and it was like 2kEur. (I had the speakers for some time now, just replaced old stereo integrated denon pma700ae with wiim ultra + poweramp combo)

Oh, dzen dobre! I’m quite often in Bielsko-Biala.

1k euro not including sub and wiim, its only for amp and speakers. And might also be ok to risk and buy something used to have better quality. Such high towers speakers like your would not work for me, need something smaller height.

 

[opiszon]

Oh, only for Amp and speakers you should fit very well with some bookshelves especially with used ones.

In the end - which Amp/poweramp to choose should be connected with the speakers you'll choose. To met the specs and power consumption.

 

[Promso]

Oh, only for Amp and speakers you should fit very well with some bookshelves especially with used ones.

In the end - which Amp/poweramp to choose should be connected with the speakers you'll choose. To met the specs and power consumption.

Dzenki!

But actually the more i think, the more I like the idea from @hgo58 - to get active speakers. I could for now just get something better quality at once which has ability to add subwoofer later, like Klipsch the sevens or Kef LS50 Wireless II, they already have possibility to just simply connect via BT or directly connect tv via arc, so temporary could live even without wiim and subwoofer at all. And for wife same simple BT connection like to JBL..

What do you think? Which model would be better?

 

[hgo58]

I would suggest the older Wharfedale Diamond A1 Active Bookshelf Speakers, if you can find it somewhere.

Wharfedale Diamond A1 Active Speakers

Wharfedale Diamond A1 are active wireless speakers that use a separate control hub to handle power and sources. These aren't the first pair of wireless powered speakers but the majority of others require a cable to connect an active speaker to its passive sibling. Wireless H1 Hub Wharfedale's...

www.audioaffair.co.uk

 

[Promso]

I would suggest the older Wharfedale Diamond A1 Active Bookshelf Speakers, if you can find it somewhere.

Wharfedale Diamond A1 Active Speakers

Wharfedale Diamond A1 are active wireless speakers that use a separate control hub to handle power and sources. These aren't the first pair of wireless powered speakers but the majority of others require a cable to connect an active speaker to its passive sibling. Wireless H1 Hub Wharfedale's...

www.audioaffair.co.uk

That is a very interesting recommendation, thanks a lot. Only power cable needed to the speakers, which gives amazing flexibility.

And price looks very good. Just I see in my country it cost almost twice more than in UK, will try to search for an options.

And I actually need wiim at once to stream in better quality and connect to tv via arc at once i think? If you heard them, do you think they will need a subwoofer? If they will, it will also need to be active one and connect directly to wiim ultra?

 

[hgo58]

That is a very interesting recommendation, thanks a lot. Only power cable needed to the speakers, which gives amazing flexibility.

And price looks very good. Just I see in my country it cost almost twice more than in UK, will try to search for an options.

And I actually need wiim at once to stream in better quality and connect to tv via arc at once i think? If you heard them, do you think they will need a subwoofer? If they will, it will also need to be active one and connect directly to wiim ultra?

I have the bigger ones, A2, and they sound very good with the Hub connected to WiiM Ultra via optical. No need for s Sub.
I don't know if the A1 could need a Sub?
If they do, it shall be active also with RCA input connected to Ultra Sub output.

 

[Promso]

I have the bigger ones, A2, and they sound very good with the Hub connected to WiiM Ultra via optical. No need for s Sub.
I don't know if the A1 could need a Sub?
If they do, it shall be active also with RCA input connected to Ultra Sub output.

Oh, but if it is connected just via optical, then it doesn’t trigger turning on when you turn on wiim or tv, right?

 

[hgo58]

Oh, but if it is connected just via optical, then it doesn’t trigger turning on when you turn on wiim or tv, right?

No, there is no trigger. I just let the Hub be turned on all time. It will turn on the speakers when needed.
Standby power is very low both for speakers and hub.

 

[Promso]

No, there is no trigger. I just let the Hub be turned on all time. It will turn on the speakers when needed.

And volume control only via warfedale remote?

 

[hgo58]

And volume control only via warfedale remote?

No. I have the hub volume fixed to the default and use the Ultra volume control.
In that way I play the WiiM Ultra between 10 and 80 % at normal listening volume. Only when needing to play very loud I use the hub remote to turn it up.
With a Sub this may be a problem I can see. So you may have to find a proper fixed volume on the hub and reset it when the hub has been turned off.