Meet WiiM Ultra - The Digital Hub for Your Music

[harkpabst]

I would have thought an external mic is an external mic however it is connected.

Not necessarily, a digitally connected mic can easily be calibrated to an absolute level. The same can not be said about any analogue connection.

Doesn't it seem strange that all the testing for room correction is only taking place on iPhones?

Not at all. Apple provides a far more restricted and thus relatively well-defined ecosystem (not only) when it comes to built-in microphones and associated calibrations. Quite a number of HiFi manufacturers did rely on iPhone measurements only for that very reason. However, the quality of iPhone microphones is not necessarily better and not even necessarily good. The general trend in the industry is toward higher quality external microphones with matching calibration files.

Will there ever be any testing on Android?

There's not really any difference between iOS and Android. The difference is just how many deviations there are between implementations.

Once we can use a certain (external) mic (preferably through USB) with an associated calibration file, the OS really doesn't matter at all.

 

[slartibartfast]

Not necessarily, a digitally connected mic can easily be calibrated to an absolute level. The same can not be said about any analogue connection.


Not at all. Apple provides a far more restricted and thus relatively well-defined ecosystem (not only) when it comes to built-in microphones and associated calibrations. Quite a number of HiFi manufacturers did rely on iPhone measurements only for that very reason. However, the quality of iPhone microphones is not necessarily better and not even necessarily good. The general trend in the industry is toward higher quality external microphones with matching calibration files.


There's not really any difference between iOS and Android. The difference is just how many deviations there are between implementations.

Once we can use a certain (external) mic (preferably through USB) with an associated calibration file, the OS really doesn't matter at all.

Absolute level probably isn't that important. If it is then compare levels with a separate sound level meter. If I didn't already have the iMM-6 I wouldn't care but it works OK with REW.

 

[harkpabst]

Absolute level probably isn't that important. If it is then compare levels with a separate sound level meter. If I didn't already have the iMM-6 I wouldn't care but it works OK with REW.

I got that.

Personally I would appreciate the option to connect a USB mic to the WiiM device directly, since I already own a miniDSP UMIK-1. I just don't think this is ever going to happen.

The importance (or lack) of absolute SPL is different topic. As long as WiiM RC relies on a single sweep signal recorded in one sweet spot there's probably little to worry about. But the question has been brought up in other threads and from my point it's a very valid one: What is the "bests" level for performing RC measurements? A swept sine signal (or chirp) is certainly well appropriate to do a small signal analysis. But when it comes to room effects I do prefer measurements that do really excite the room's modes reliably.

 

[Musician]

I got that.

Personally I would appreciate the option to connect a USB mic to the WiiM device directly, since I already own a miniDSP UMIK-1. I just don't think this is ever going to happen.

The importance (or lack) of absolute SPL is different topic. As long as WiiM RC relies on a single sweep signal recorded in one sweet spot there's probably little to worry about. But the question has been brought up in other threads and from my point it's a very valid one: What is the "bests" level for performing RC measurements? A swept sine signal (or chirp) is certainly well appropriate to do a small signal analysis. But when it comes to room effects I do prefer measurements that do really excite the room's modes reliably.

As a start, one can always use audiotools with an iphone and use the peak hold function . Place the iphone at listening position and leave it there for 2 minutes with silence in the room. What you gonna see is the frequencies of the fundamental resonanses in your room , and all kinds of sound from the outside will elevate those frequencies. There will be two or three peaks in a rectangular room ( Wall-Wall , roof-floor, Wall- wall. ) . Draw the cursor from the left to see the exact frequency of your rooms fundamental resonances.

Those three peaks will attenuate each tone in music that hits that frequency. If I try to correct two of them ( the two highest ) with PEQ -3 dB , Q=7 the music will often sound better.

Ofcourse, one can use pink noise to see how it looks like from listening position and the result will be the same below 80 Hz .

Here we can see my listening room with fundamental room resonance peaks at 33, 49 and 71 Hz . Its measured with silence in the room.
If I measure the size of the room, its 100% accurate where I will find the rooms fundamental resonanses . Those can be corrected without severe drawbacks .




What about measuring higher frequencies ?

Between 200 -20000 Hz , I always use a Line audio om1 measurement microphone using gating and measure from 1 meter distance of one single speaker at on axis , 15 degrees off axis and 30 degrees .

 

[boomyaris]

Audio T uk are showing the following on their pre order screen -

£339.00
Due in June 24'
Want to try before you buy? Arrange a demonstration with one of our 11 stores

Next month is a tat ambitious no? ...or has there been an update on release?

 

[Brantome]

Audio T uk are showing the following on their pre order screen -

£339.00
Due in June 24'
Want to try before you buy? Arrange a demonstration with one of our 11 stores

Next month is a tat ambitious no? ...or has there been an update on release?

I’ve seen that quoted (along with Futureshop) on ASR , and yes in my mind it’s more than a tad ambitious. As I said there, WiiM won’t even give an estimated UK availability date in this forum and my gut tells me that the UK won’t get it till July or August at the earliest. It would be nice if we did get it in June shortly after the USA, but I’d rather expectations were set on a later date and we got it earlier, rather than setting too early a date and being disappointed.

 

[SeeTeeShock]

AV.com inviting pre-order @£339 stating "Estimated delivery: 18th - 20th June."

 

[C0mbat]

Hi all, I've seen the mention of using your iPhone microphone to do auto room correction in combination with the parametric eq. I also note that it won't work on Android. Will it work using a PC and the mini dsp umik-1 mic? This is what most enthusiasts use in combination with REW but, if there was an easier way of doing it via the WiiM, instead of having to use REW, that would be cool.

 

[C0mbat]

AV.com inviting pre-order @£339 stating "Estimated delivery: 18th - 20th June."

That pricing is frustrating given the US pricing. And surely the delivery date is way too ambitious. Would love confirmation from WiiM

 

[Brantome]

That pricing is frustrating given the US pricing. And surely the delivery date is way too ambitious. Would love confirmation from WiiM

Frustrating why? As I’ve posted here and elsewhere: “You need to take in the difference in exchange rates and perhaps import duty but more importantly VAT. In the USA I believe prices are quoted exclusive of local sales tax as that can vary state from state, whereas in the UK/EU prices generally (and by law in the U.K.) are displayed inclusive of VAT. The EU seem to have roughly an 8% uplift on the equivalent U.K. price after that which I can only guess is some additional tariff imposed by the EU. The pricing really shouldn’t come as a surprise if you compare previous models and say, Amazon devices which are similarly priced.
It’s still cheaper than comparable competition…”

 

[Brantome]

And surely the delivery date is way too ambitious. Would love confirmation from WiiM

Yes, too ambitious and wrong in my opinion. Again, as stated previously, Wiim have only stated Q3 for the USA, so July at the earliest (although mid June was mooted at one point). They have declined to put an estimate on UK delivery in their Ultra Q&A but from experience with previous models, there’s typically been a month or two lag behind the US, so I’d suggest August at the earliest. Again, I might be wrong…

 

[eByGum]

In the USA I believe prices are quoted exclusive of local sales tax as that can vary state from state

In WA state, $329 is actually $362 for me.

I also posted in another thread that Crutchfield are showing a date of 7/5 and I trust that a little more that June in EU.

 

[Brantome]

In WA state, $329 is actually $362 for me.

I also posted in another thread that Crutchfield are showing a date of 7/5 and I trust that a little more that June in EU.

Yeah, I think the UK /EU distributor has misinterpreted or repeated some early info that perhaps has later been updated and has told all the retailers the incorrect June date. My money’s on August but am prepared to be pleasantly surprised…

 

[pieterv1]

Sorry if this has been answered before, but how is the phono input implemented? Will it always run through ADC?

I'm considering getting the Ultra as a (digital) preamp to connect to my poweramp directly. A Rotel RB-06 which has a 12V trigger input.

Just learned about the room correction being limited to using iPhone only? That's a shame really.. I already own a measurement microphone and have a decent interface available.

 

[Brantome]

Sorry if this has been answered before, but how is the phono input implemented? Will it always run through ADC?

I believe so.

I'm considering getting the Ultra as a (digital) preamp to connect to my poweramp directly. A Rotel RB-06 which has a 12V trigger input.

Just learned about the room correction being limited to using iPhone only? That's a shame really.. I already own a measurement microphone and have a decent interface available.

You can always measure elsewhere and enter the values into the WiiM’s 10 band PEQ

 

[Brantome]

Yes, too ambitious and wrong in my opinion. Again, as stated previously, Wiim have only stated Q3 for the USA, so July at the earliest (although mid June was mooted at one point). They have declined to put an estimate on UK delivery in their Ultra Q&A but from experience with previous models, there’s typically been a month or two lag behind the US, so I’d suggest August at the earliest. Again, I might be wrong…

As The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy author Douglas Adams once quipped: “I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.”

 

[harkpabst]

Will it always run through ADC?

Otherwise stuff like room correction, EQ and the digital high pass/low pass for sub integration could not be applied to the phono input, which plain wouldn't make sense.

Just learned about the room correction being limited to using iPhone only? That's a shame really.. I already own a measurement microphone and have a decent interface available.

What @Brantome said. Personally I wouldn't be surprised to see support for 3rd party microphones and their respective calibration files independent of the mobile platform coming at some point. But maybe not straight from the start.

 

[Clark10]

@WiiM Team

I would definitly love to have my WiiM amp with a screen like the WiiM Ultra and then you will be able to compete , in term of feature, with NAD C700 or Cambridge Audio Evo 75 !

 

[alpha_zulu]

As The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy author Douglas Adams once quipped: “I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.”

And the answer is 42.

 

[slartibartfast]

I got that.

Personally I would appreciate the option to connect a USB mic to the WiiM device directly, since I already own a miniDSP UMIK-1. I just don't think this is ever going to happen.

The importance (or lack) of absolute SPL is different topic. As long as WiiM RC relies on a single sweep signal recorded in one sweet spot there's probably little to worry about. But the question has been brought up in other threads and from my point it's a very valid one: What is the "bests" level for performing RC measurements? A swept sine signal (or chirp) is certainly well appropriate to do a small signal analysis. But when it comes to room effects I do prefer measurements that do really excite the room's modes reliably.

I did some measurements using a single sweep signal at different levels with the iMM-6 in REW and they all look very similar. So does level affect results significantly?