Meet WiiM Ultra - The Digital Hub for Your Music

[Steve Woodhouse]

Indeed... It reminds me a bit of a cheap car stereo from AliExpress luckily the multifunctional homescreen will stays out of sight most of the time.

I think they were going to offer different themes though.

Also: it wouldn't hurt add some sort of transition effect for the cover art, like a slide or a short fade.

I’m on the other side. I wasn’t particularly bothered by the screen, but now I’ve seen it, I like it a lot.

 

[pieterv1]

I’m on the other side. I wasn’t particularly bothered by the screen, but now I’ve seen it, I like it a lot.

It's still one of the main points of attraction for me as well and a theme can always be improved through software of course

 

[steadyshot]

Can you integrate two subs with ultra ?

 

[Karlaka]

¿Puedes integrar dos subs con ultra?

Good day!
I imagine that in stereo, the only way would be to place a DAC connected to the SUB output of the Ultra and then via RCA to each of the subwoofers.
In mono, it may be easier to connect both subwoofers in series. Almost most of these have a PRE OUT output.

 

[harkpabst]

Can you integrate two subs with ultra ?

There's one sub out socket, just like found on the Amp.

So, two subs in parallel are probably possible (unless their input impedance is on the very low side), but not stereo subs.

 

[Karlaka]

Good day!
I imagine that in stereo, the only way would be to place a DAC connected to the SUB output of the Ultra and then via RCA to each of the subwoofers.
In mono, it may be easier to connect both subwoofers in series. Almost most of these have a PRE OUT output.

Or to the optical output. If I read correctly, the HI pass filter also cuts the low frequency signals on this output and only leaves the high frequencies through the RCA outputs.

 

[harkpabst]

I imagine that in stereo, the only way would be to place a DAC connected to the SUB output of the Ultra and then via RCA to each of the subwoofers

Is that what you intended to write? Connect a DAC to the monophonic analog Sub Out of the Ultra? Probably not.

In mono, it may be easier to connect both subwoofers in series. Almost most of these have a PRE OUT output.

If the sub has a pass-through of the input signal, this is doable, indeed. However, depending on where you want to place the subwoofers (one in each front corner would be a good place) you need at least one very long cable.

Or to the optical output. If I read correctly, the HI pass filter also cuts the low frequency signals on this output and only leaves the high frequencies through the RCA outputs.

Yes, that's how WiiM announced it will work. But how does that help regarding two subwoofers? You can connect a DAC to the optical output, but as soon as you enable WiiM's subwoofer management the optical out will be high pass filtered indeed, leaving you with nothing but the single sub out of the WiiM.

You could connect the optical or coaxial output to a DAC + DSP doing its own bass management, but that would defeat the purpose.

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

For me the first suprise in the video is “available from August” (in the EU). I had an earlier date in my head though that might just have been wishful thinking

Just watching it with subtitles translated to English, and at about 6:45 he says “…August, maybe it will also be in July.”

 

[MaRsS72]

Indeed... It reminds me a bit of a cheap car stereo from AliExpress luckily the multifunctional homescreen will stays out of sight most of the time.

I think they were going to offer different themes though.

Also: it wouldn't hurt add some sort of transition effect for the cover art, like a slide or a short fade.

I agree.

 

[MaRsS72]

It's still one of the main points of attraction for me as well and a theme can always be improved through software of course

Let's hope they will give us that option, right from the start or in the future. I also would like to see a different color for the volume level indicator which is light blue now, perhaps also a different font/widget for it.

 

[Karlaka]

Is that what you intended to write? Connect a DAC to the monophonic analog Sub Out of the Ultra? Probably not.


If the sub has a pass-through of the input signal, this is doable, indeed. However, depending on where you want to place the subwoofers (one in each front corner would be a good place) you need at least one very long cable.


Yes, that's how WiiM announced it will work. But how does that help regarding two subwoofers? You can connect a DAC to the optical output, but as soon as you enable WiiM's subwoofer management the optical out will be high pass filtered indeed, leaving you with nothing but the single sub out of the WiiM.

You could connect the optical or coaxial output to a DAC + DSP doing its own bass management, but that would defeat the purpose.

Harkpabst, you are right. I thought the Ultra's SUB output was maybe a digital LFE signal. If it were analog, my proposal would not make sense.
As for connecting them in series (if the subwoofers allow it) it would be the only possible solution.
Finally, the proposal to use the optical output, the only explanation I can find is that someone put some strange substance in my coffee this morning.
Thanks.

 

[pieterv1]

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

I didn’t even know Disney Music was a thing. But there you go.

Great to see him stressing how WiiM are all about listening to consumers and giving them what they want. That’s always been a great business model, but is all the more achievable in an era of mass social media, and where the very app used to control their products is a constant and direct link between customer and company.

 

[Deleted member 1420]

The most interesting part for me was that the Ultra has a headphone in....wonder what to do with it

 

[Brantome]

I didn’t even know Disney Music was a thing. But there you go.

Disney Music? Disnae exist as far as I can see

Edit: seemingly was mentioned as coming in 2023 and is likely to upset a lot of other subscribers as this article suggests Disney will be removing all its content from other streaming services, even youtube, to host it exclusively on their service. Again, disnae sound like a great idea…

Disney Launching Disney Music+, a New Music Streaming Service

Disney is launching a new music streaming platform, Disney Music+, which will be the only place you can stream Disney music in 2023

mousetrapnews.com

 

[Brantome]

Guess a lot of people have been clamouring for YouTube Music, lossy or not, although surprised to hear that mentioned given it’s still in the “we’re thinking about it” category on the roadmaps…

 

[MaRsS72]

Yes the screen will show you the volume level in numbers when you turn the knob up or down and fade back to the original screen. We will display more images of the UI later.

Will the interface/menu be adjustable? For example, in an exclusive unboxing video i've seen the widget/icon/animation for volume(level). It's color is light blue, can we change this color into another color (among other things)?

 

[Brantome]

Will the interface/menu be adjustable? For example, in an exclusive unboxing video i've seen the widget/icon/animation for volume(level). It's color is light blue, can we change this color into another color (among other things)?

I honestly wouldn't expect that degree of configurability in its initial release.

 

[MaRsS72]

I honestly wouldn't expect that degree of configurability in its initial release.

No i'm not expecting all those things in its initial release but it can't hurt to ask . Hopefully in future updates.

 

[staticV3]

@WiiM Support @WiiM Team
Out of curiosity, have you considered using Khadas' Balanced RCA connectors for the Ultra's analog outputs?

https://www.khadas.com/balanced-rca

That would've been a really elegant and low profile way of implementing Single-ended and Differential analog out.

Just three of these RCA jacks at the rear would give you Single-ended Sub out, Differential Sub out (for studio subs), Single-ended Line out,
Differential Line out, and any combination of the two (SE Sub + Bal Line, Bal Sub + SE Line).

It's backwards compatible with regular RCA cables, and for those wanting Bal out, you could include a couple adapters to XLR in the box, or perhaps sell some Bal RCA->XLR cables as accessories.