Extensive review regarding comparisons between the Ultra and PRO - used as digital transports to external dac, results on page 3

[Musician]

This weekend Im gonna start testing both my Ultra and pro to see which sounds best as digital transports to a dac.

Earlier, I tested the pro / Rega dac R against a very expensive Linn klimax DS reneew with interesting results.

Linn Klimax DS/0 renew vs WiiM pro - listening tests

https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/linn-klimax-ds-renew-vs-wiim-pro-rega-dac-r-sound-quality-comparison.286526/ Long story short - the WiiM pro used as bridge using the digital volume control is very good even compared to the best gear in the world . Hovewer, the inbuilt dac in the WiiM...

forum.wiimhome.com

The WiiM PRO used as transport with an Apple charger as power supply did very well indeed. Now , can the ultra make the sound even better , or is it worse ?

Stay tuned….

 

[jed1]

This weekend Im gonna start testing both my Ultra and pro to see which sounds best as digital transports to a dac.

Earlier, I tested the pro / Rega dac R against a very expensive Linn klimax DS reneew with interesting results.

View attachment 10342

Linn Klimax DS/0 renew vs WiiM pro - listening tests

https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/linn-klimax-ds-renew-vs-wiim-pro-rega-dac-r-sound-quality-comparison.286526/ Long story short - the WiiM pro used as bridge using the digital volume control is very good even compared to the best gear in the world . Hovewer, the inbuilt dac in the WiiM...

forum.wiimhome.com

The WiiM PRO used as transport with an Apple charger as power supply did very well indeed. Now , can the ultra make the sound even better , or is it worse ?

Stay tuned….

View attachment 10340

Could you explain why you use an Apple charger for WiiM Pro?

 

[adias]

This weekend Im gonna start testing both my Ultra and pro to see which sounds best as digital transports to a dac.

Earlier, I tested the pro / Rega dac R against a very expensive Linn klimax DS reneew with interesting results.

View attachment 10342

Linn Klimax DS/0 renew vs WiiM pro - listening tests

https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/linn-klimax-ds-renew-vs-wiim-pro-rega-dac-r-sound-quality-comparison.286526/ Long story short - the WiiM pro used as bridge using the digital volume control is very good even compared to the best gear in the world . Hovewer, the inbuilt dac in the WiiM...

forum.wiimhome.com

The WiiM PRO used as transport with an Apple charger as power supply did very well indeed. Now , can the ultra make the sound even better , or is it worse ?

Stay tuned….

View attachment 10340

No contest between the Ultra USB out and the Pro coax out, both connected to a competent DAC; the Ultra wins. Your views between the Ultra/USB-out and the Linn should be interesting.

 

[merifon]

Could you explain why you use an Apple charger for WiiM Pro?

I'm using too a old iPhone charger for my mini.
I saw on some link, ripple, voltage graph and some other evaluations and that model was one of better performing. I have also to say that if I power the iPhone with electric guitar modeling interface, using this original apple charger, playing is totally noiseless, whilst with other brands (Huawei and Samsung) I have some noises.
Maybe with the mini, power supply isn't so important but since I had some of those charger, I gone with it.

 

[Musician]

Could you explain why you use an Apple charger for WiiM Pro?

Because It sounds slightly better than the stock supply, even in digital domain. However , this is the supply I use now, a LPS with LT 1084 regulator and schottky diodes. Its even better longtherm listening, but a very small difference compared to the Apple iPad charger.

 

[Musician]

No contest between the Ultra USB out and the Pro coax out, both connected to a competent DAC; the Ultra wins. Your views between the Ultra/USB-out and the Linn should be interesting.

I will try the usb output to. I have an asyncron xmos usb input in my Rega dac R .
Can you regulate the volume in digital domain through usb from the Ultra ?

 

[Mr Ee]

Can you regulate the volume in digital domain through usb from the Ultra ?

Yes.

 

[Musician]

Yes.

Good

 

[adias]

I will try the usb output to. I have an asyncron xmos usb input in my Rega dac R .
Can you regulate the volume in digital domain through usb from the Ultra ?

Sure, but digital volume control is not ideal. Much prefer an analog volume control post DAC.

 

[Mr Ee]

Sure, but digital volume control is not ideal. Much prefer an analog volume control post DAC.

Old school
Digital volume control is much maligned; and unfounded imo.
But most importantly we have the choice!

 

[Musician]

Sure, but digital volume control is not ideal. Much prefer an analog volume control post DAC.

I have lowered the gain inside my Hypex ncore amp from 26 to 12 dB. I only have to regulate -20 dB in digital domain on most material. This way the digital volume control inside the WiiM is better sounding than all analog preamps I have tested.

As Onlyoneme has showed with measurements - the digital volume control in the WiiM pro measures better than almost all analog preamps. At -21 dB attenuation the SINAD is better than 130 dB in digital domain.

Onlyoneme wrote:
And more complex signal attenuated by 21 dB:

Digital volume control question - which is better?

24bit 96Khz source in most cases. Is it possible to determine if using digital volume in the wiim pro or an external DAC (SMSL M500 in my case) is better? Scenario one - use digital volume in wiim pro feeding optical into M500 DAC set at fixed volume Scenario two - use fixed volume in wiim pro...

forum.wiimhome.com

 

[adias]

I have lowered the gain inside my Hypex ncore amp from 26 to 12 dB. I only have to regulate -20 dB in digital domain on most material. This way the digital volume control inside the WiiM is better sounding than all analog preamps I have tested.

As Vintageflanker has showed with measurements - the digital volume control in the WiiM pro measures better than all analog preamps. At -20 dB attenuation the SINAD is better than 110 dB in digital domain.

Good for you! I do me, you do you.

 

[Musician]

Good for you! I do me, you do you.

Yes!
And the digital resolution was better than -130 dB at -21 dB digital attenuation ( I remembered wrong ).

 

[Musician]

Im gonna be very subjective now.
First a little writing about the sound from the internal dac.

I have started the burn in process of the WiiM ultra using its internal dac . I had a Quick listening the first hour using TIDAL connect and the sound wasnt particulary good, a little hard and sterile without any real soundstage to talk about. Very inferior to the Rega dac R . I was a little dissapointed. I put the ultra on a playlist and turned off my poweramp.

8 hours later , after I went outside and came back , the sound has transformed to a much better soundstage , more bass and less hard in the treble . Lets see how this developes…

People who listens to this unit directly from the box can definitely draw the wrong conclusions.

Edit: the rca I use is a Focal elite cable, 1 meter. This triple screened cable is the best sounding I have found below 200 bucks. The price is only 15 dollars.

 

[Musician]

The setup was very easy and the unit is very well made , feels like highend. The volume knob feels good even If its plastic. The lid is made of aluminum.

Darko on youtube dont like displays on streamers, but I really appreciates the display and I can clearly see the volume numbers 4 meters from the unit. This is better than the WiiM PRO.

The HDMI arc is functioning perfect with no delays in the sound. Nice !

 

[onlyoneme]

As Onlyoneme has showed with measurements - the digital volume control in the WiiM pro measures better than almost all analog preamps.

Where?

 

[Musician]

Where?

Here;

Digital volume control question - which is better?

24bit 96Khz source in most cases. Is it possible to determine if using digital volume in the wiim pro or an external DAC (SMSL M500 in my case) is better? Scenario one - use digital volume in wiim pro feeding optical into M500 DAC set at fixed volume Scenario two - use fixed volume in wiim pro...

forum.wiimhome.com

It was my conclusion after reading your measurements that not many active analog preamps with volume regulation delivers a noisefloor as low as -130 dB.

 

[adias]

Here;

Digital volume control question - which is better?

24bit 96Khz source in most cases. Is it possible to determine if using digital volume in the wiim pro or an external DAC (SMSL M500 in my case) is better? Scenario one - use digital volume in wiim pro feeding optical into M500 DAC set at fixed volume Scenario two - use fixed volume in wiim pro...

forum.wiimhome.com

It was my conclusion after reading your measurements that not many active analog preamps with volume regulation delivers a noisefloor as low as -130 dB.

And even if that was true, there’s more to volume control (a lot more) than the well sought ’noise floor’.

 

[Musician]

And even if that was true, there’s more to volume control (a lot more) than the well sought ’noise floor’.

Yes I know.
My Rega dac R is technically very inferior compared to the Ultra:s dac , but as you say theres more to it than fantastic numbers. I want to be seduced by the music when I listen.

 

[onlyoneme]

8 hours later , after I went outside and came back , the sound has transformed to a much better soundstage , more bass and less hard in the treble . Lets see how this developes…

People who listens to this unit directly from the box can definitely draw the wrong conclusions.

Just like after reading this... I know it's a subjective opinion but there is no way to remember sounding details after 8 hours.