Listening impressions with the WiiM Ultra compared to the WiiM pro+ and compared to other streamers

[onlyoneme]

Can’t imagine why one bit perfect signal would be audibly different from another in that setup…

If you add a lot of jitter and an electric noise both not attenuated by the receiver then why not...

 

[Brantome]

Personally I can’t hear a difference between my Pro and Ultra over coax into my £3.5k Linn nor would I expect to …

 

[Brantome]

If you add a lot of jitter and an electric noise both not attenuated by the receiver then why not...

Guess my receiver must do that then

 

[Smartplug]

I don’t know why would anyone would hear different if both are being fed on same dac. If someone say yes they could hear it then further measurements needed to verify claim.

 

[Musician]

Personally I can’t hear a difference between my Pro and Ultra over coax into my £3.5k Linn nor would I expect to …

Nows the onemillion dollar question : do you hear any difference between your 3.5 k Linn or the WiiM:s , when using digital transfer ?

 

[Smartplug]

It depends if his ear in good shape or his experience on what to look for. If he has golden ear pretty sure he could.

 

[Brantome]

As I’ve said before, it’s hard for me to do that as the Linn digitizes its analog inputs then uses its DAC to convert back to analog so I can’t take its DAC out of the equation

 

[Brantome]

It depends if his ear in good shape or his experience on what to look for. If he has golden ear pretty sure he could.

Again, as I’ve said before, they’re not - they’re 70yr old and supported with hearing aids So, there might be a difference, but I don’t hear it…

 

[Musician]

As I’ve said before, it’s hard for me to do that as the Linn digitizes its analog inputs then uses its DAC to convert back to analog so I can’t take its DAC out of the equation

But if you compare the digital outputs from the WiiM into your Linn dac and compare with the inbuilt Linn digital streamer ?

 

[Brantome]

But if you compare the digital outputs from the WiiM into your Linn dac and compare with the inbuilt Linn digital streamer ?

Ok, haven’t really done that lately as I front end almost everything with LMS and my Pro (or lately Ultra) rather than using the Linn app. I will say though that so far I like how the Ultra’s USB out sounds but can’t quite as yet pinpoint or describe that further…

If I do find the time (which is getting harder of late), I’ll try and set up some critical listening tests…

 

[Imsjry]

Interesting .
This is evidence that a PRO is good enough as a transport , sounding better with a good external dac than using Ultras internal dac .

My question is :

Can you please check if there is any differences soundwise between pro and ultra used as transports to your Pontus II dac ?

Imsrjy : you got pm

I just tested USB out from the Ultra compared to Coax out from the Pro feeding the same DAC (Pontus II). The USB output on the Ultra sounds more open and instruments have more definition. Some recordings it was a toss up but play something like Bill Evans-Sunday at the Village Vanguard or Do it Again by Steely Dan and it’s pretty obvious. I may be keeping the Ultra for the USB out alone. I haven’t tested coax out between the two as I’d never use the Ultra that way.

 

[Smartplug]

Again, as I’ve said before, they’re not - they’re 70yr old and supported with hearing aids So, there might be a difference, but I don’t hear it…

You’re good man and enjoying golden year. You and I will be in this forum till Santa go home or when the star goes blue.

 

[Smartplug]

I just tested USB out from the Ultra compared to Coax out from the Pro feeding the same DAC (Pontus II). The USB output on the Ultra sounds more open and instruments have more definition. Some recordings it was a toss up but play something like Bill Evans-Sunday at the Village Vanguard or Do it Again by Steely Dan and it’s pretty obvious. I may be keeping the Ultra for the USB out alone. I haven’t tested coax out between the two as I’d never use the Ultra that way.

How about coax out vs usb out from same ultra?

 

[d6jg]

I have no means of measuring or comparing in anything other than a subjective way but I am a big fan of USB out - it just sounds cleaner somehow.

 

[Smartplug]

I have no means of measuring or comparing in anything other than a subjective way but I am a big fan of USB out - it just sounds cleaner somehow.

I agree with your sentiments. I have no proof to prove but my ear tells me. The sparkle on the higher register like cymbals are cleaner.

 

[adias]

My question is :

Can you please check if there is any differences soundwise between pro and ultra used as transports to your Pontus II dac ?

Imsrjy : you got pm

That question should also say Ultra via USB. The answer is what many reported - the Ultra/USB drops a veil, better instrument separation, greater micro dynamics. I can hear that on a $129 dac or a $3000 dac where both dacs have custom filtered/managed usb ports.

 

[Imsjry]

How about coax out vs usb out from same ultra?

Will try that tonight but I don’t see any reason to use coax if your DAC can handle USB.

 

[adias]

How about coax out vs usb out from same ultra?

USB better than coax on Ultra. Also coax is more prone to a CastLite bug currently under analysis that causes interruptions. USB mitigates that CastLite bug. The CastLite bug will be fixed in any case.

 

[Smartplug]

Will try that tonight but I don’t see any reason to use coax if your DAC can handle USB.

I know, just for the heck out of it. Feeding both coax and usb on same dac should be zero difference. But when someone compare ultra usb to same dac that’s feeding pro using coax saying there was difference.

 

[adias]

I know, just for the heck out of it. Feeding both coax and usb on same dac should be zero difference. But when someone compare ultra usb to same dac that’s feeding pro using coax saying there was difference.

There’s a reason for that… USB is asynchronous so that offers the DAC's USB input port designer the ability to buffer the stream and re=clock it with a higher precision clock.