Finally have my optimal setup with the WiiM Ultra

[erictheperic]

After hours upon hours, days, weeks.... I have arrived at the best setup I can do.

Device: WiiM Ultra with WiiM Remote 2

Use cases:

WiFi/DLNA - Android tablet/phone with Symfonium (fed by Plex server on Synology NAS)
Optical input - Windows PC for Youtube/occasional game/browsing
WiFi - Paradise Radio (WiiM Home app integration)

Audio equipment:

Output 1: Coaxial output to Kali MM-6 speakers (essentially the LP-6 V2 with digital input)
Output 2: USB Output to Sennheiser BTD 700 dongle which connects to Sennheiser HDB 630 Headphones

WiiM Remote preset 1: Coax Out, any input, custom EQ, set volume to 20
WiiM Remote preset 2: USB Out, any input, flat EQ, set volume to 25
WiiM Remote preset 3: Paradise Radio - Main Mix

The audio is as "untouched" as I can get it.
PC is set to optical output, 24bit/96khz, no effects, no spatial sound, 100% volume.
Symfonium sends data via DLNA, no EQ or whatsoever.
WiiM Ultra itself outputs to Coax or USB.

Optical input has auto-sensing, so that wakes the WiiM up automatically when starting playback on PC.
Starting a DLNA-stream on Android does the same, as well as a Radio Paradise preset on the remote.
Only thing I have to keep in mind that I have to stop the DLNA stream before switching sources, otherwise Symfonium doesn't know what's going on with the WiiM and will act weird.

BTD 700 dongle has AptX Adaptive with selectable quality/low latency-mode with 3 button taps to switch between them.
So 3 taps if I want audio/video synced on PC, 3 taps again if I switch to listening music.

I have tried so many setups, each one had its limitations. Technical, practical, always something to be desired.
But I think I finally found the optimal setup for now.

I'm happy, and I'm tired...

 

[Wiimer]

After hours upon hours, days, weeks.... I have arrived at the best setup I can do.

Device: WiiM Ultra with WiiM Remote 2

Congratulations on completing the setup.
Was Remote 2 included with your Ultra?

 

[erictheperic]

Thanks! I bought the remote seperately, mostly for the bluetooth connection vs IR of the Remote 1 (EDIT: read next 2 posts), which was hit and miss a lot of the time (situational). It's also heavier, feels/looks/clicks better and has usb-c charging!

 

[QuarryHunslet]

Thanks! I bought the remote seperately, mostly for the bluetooth connection vs IR of the Remote 1, which was hit and miss a lot of the time (situational). It's also heavier, feels/looks/clicks better and has usb-c charging!

Both remote controls are Bluetooth, I’m not sure where you got the idea that the original Voice Remote was infrared?

 

[erictheperic]

Both remote controls are Bluetooth, I’m not sure where you got the idea that the original Voice Remote was infrared?

That's odd, I read a comparison online where the Remote 2 was differentiated by bluetooth connectivity. I stand corrected then. It seemed very logical to me though, since the Remote 1 was constantly missing button presses, especially when lying flat on my desk (yes I replaced the batteries). Responsiveness and reliability is 100% on the Remote 2.

 

[harkpabst]

That's odd, I read a comparison online where the Remote 2 was differentiated by bluetooth connectivity. I stand corrected then. It seemed very logical to me, since the Remote 1 was constantly missing button presses, especially when lying flat on my desk. Responsiveness and reliability is 100% on the Remote 2 though.

As long as the change improved the user experience it doesn't matter much in the end.

 

[QuarryHunslet]

That's odd, I read a comparison online where the Remote 2 was differentiated by bluetooth connectivity. I stand corrected then. It seemed very logical to me though, since the Remote 1 was constantly missing button presses, especially when lying flat on my desk (yes I replaced the batteries). Responsiveness and reliability is 100% on the Remote 2.

Hopefully the incorrect comparison online wasn’t on this forum, or any official WiiM website.

I have never had any issues with any of my many Voice Remote devices.

 

[erictheperic]

Hopefully the incorrect comparison online wasn’t on this forum, or any official WiiM website.

I have never had any issues with any of my many Voice Remote devices.

There's a good chance it was an automatic AI generated search result.

 

[QuarryHunslet]

There's a good chance it was an automatic AI generated search result.

Unfortunately, these are often known to be inaccurate, and shouldn’t be relied upon to be accurate.

 

[r5yk5]

Only thing I have to keep in mind that I have to stop the DLNA stream before switching sources, otherwise Symfonium doesn't know what's going on with the WiiM and will act weird.

This is so annoying and partly why I gave up on symfonium. (It's more than that for me in that I don't want the queue reliant on my phone).

I do wonder though if this can be solved on symfonium's end. I'm sure there is a setting to treat external stop (switching sources?) as stop rather than pause. Maybe symfonium could be configured to disconnect from the renderer on external stop.

I don't know. I have no idea how all this stuff works. Maybe @simbun would.

If so you could make a feature request at symfonium.

 

[simbun]

This is so annoying and partly why I gave up on symfonium. (It's more than that for me in that I don't want the queue reliant on my phone).

I have a feeling it would better if WiiM switched to a PAUSED_PLAYBACK state rather than a STOPPED (which has multiple meanings in UPnP) when switching inputs, but I may be able to look further into that tomorrow.

 

[simbun]

This is so annoying and partly why I gave up on symfonium. (It's more than that for me in that I don't want the queue reliant on my phone).

I've raised a ticket with WiiM to PAUSE rather than STOP playback and will update back here with any progress.

Whilst it looks like Symfonium is going to provide a workaround, changing state should ensure it works with all control points e.g. BubbleUPnP.

 

[r5yk5]

I've raised a ticket with WiiM to PAUSE rather than STOP playback and will update back here with any progress.

Whilst it looks like Symfonium is going to provide a workaround, changing state should ensure it works with all control points e.g. BubbleUPnP.

This is great. I'd have to reassess my streaming habits if this gets fixed. Symfonium solves nearly every problem I have with Emby but introduces this one which, I'm afraid, is a deal breaker for me. I'm just incapable of remembering to press stop every time on the symfonium app.

Now, if only I could get Emby to work as a upnp/dlna server with Wiim...... but I'll make a new thread about that.

 

[erictheperic]

This is great. I'd have to reassess my streaming habits if this gets fixed. Symfonium solves nearly every problem I have with Emby but introduces this one which, I'm afraid, is a deal breaker for me. I'm just incapable of remembering to press stop every time on the symfonium app.

Now, if only I could get Emby to work as a upnp/dlna server with Wiim...... but I'll make a new thread about that.

You probably know already, but you can customize almost everything in Symfonium, including adding a Stop button instead of/next to the Pause button in the now playing screen.

 

[r5yk5]

You probably know already, but you can customize almost everything in Symfonium, including adding a Stop button instead of/next to the Pause button in the now playing screen.

Yes, symfoniums customisation is great.

It's not that the stop button is not there, it's that the music is playing, I turn the tv on, my ultra switches to the tv, then if I turn the channel over symfonium starts playing again, and the tv is till playing, then I can't find my phone and it won't stop and everything gets hectic and in the end it's easier to just not use symfonium.

 

[r5yk5]

I've raised a ticket with WiiM to PAUSE rather than STOP playback and will update back here with any progress.

Whilst it looks like Symfonium is going to provide a workaround, changing state should ensure it works with all control points e.g. BubbleUPnP.

I think I'm going to raise a ticket too, because I couldn't even do a room fit while symphonium was connected. It does my head in. It just keeps trying to play the next track.
Unless there's a way to 'me too' your ticket.
So I've got this right. When changing input on wiim (even to room fit), wiim needs to send PAUSE to the control instead of STOP, because STOP will try to play the next track?

And this is the same for any control app, symfonium, bubbleupnp, hi-fi cast etc?

 

[simbun]

I think I'm going to raise a ticket too, because I couldn't even do a room fit while symphonium was connected. It does my head in. It just keeps trying to play the next track.

You can just stop playback from Symfonium (though it will clear the queue) or pause it from the WHA, but it must be annoying if you're switching regularly.

Unless there's a way to 'me too' your ticket.
So I've got this right. When changing input on wiim (even to room fit), wiim needs to send PAUSE to the control instead of STOP, because STOP will try to play the next track?

I don't think there's a way to upvote a ticket, but you can certainly reference it: #546763

When using WiiM's UPnP interface with a third-party control point, the TransportState is monitored in order to capture a remote previous/next request e.g. via the WiiM remote. Apparently this is inferred from a STOPPED state.

When switching inputs (Ethernet/WiFi to Optical) WiiM changes the UPnP state to STOPPED, which triggers third-party control points to advance to the next track causing instability and contention between the devices.

My request is, if the current UPnP state is PLAYING and the user switches input (or anything else that takes focus away from UPnP playback) could WiiM issue a PAUSE rather than a STOP?

And this is the same for any control app, symfonium, bubbleupnp, hi-fi cast etc?

DLNA/UPnP doesn't support multiple controlling devices (apps/remote controls e.t.c.); it's my understanding that any app that attempts to handle such requests will be impacted. I've tested Symfonium and BubbleUPnP but not Hi-Fi Cast.

Other than the autoreply I haven't had a response to my ticket.

 

[r5yk5]

You can just stop playback from Symfonium (though it will clear the queue) or pause it from the WHA, but it must be annoying if you're switching regularly.

Thanks. It's bad with HDMI input which I've stopped using because of this.
It should be easier for the rest of the family as Wiim switches to the TV when it's switched on. But that just sends the sound haywire. At least if I use optical you have to switch manually if music is playing which can remind you to stop it. Either way, it's not a great user experience. Ticket raised.

#547762 Wiim plays 2 inputs at the same time​

If I'm playing music from a dlna control app, then I switch inputs, the music in the dlna app keeps playing at the same time as the new sound from the new input. In this case optical in.If I then go into the WHA and press pause. The optical stops and the dlna keeps playing.I believe this issue has been raised before in ticket #546763. As I understand it, Wiim needs to tell the control app to PAUSE instead of STOP.Because STOP tells the DLNA controller to advance to the next track.See logs from 10.50 am GMT
Many thanks

 

[r5yk5]

@simbun @erictheperic

The latest update to symfonium has the work round. It's in the individual renderer settings. And on my brief test this morning before I had to go out..... it works

 

[simbun]

The latest update to symfonium has the work round. It's in the individual renderer settings. And on my brief test this morning before I had to go out..... it works

It does stop, but then switches to the local renderer; not sure if that's the desired behaviour.