Multi-Room WiiM Ultra ready to take over from Sonos and Bluesound.

[Zphvrq]

I wanted to focus for a moment for the group of Sonos users who want multi-room playback, as well as a great quality streamer for critical listening.

Most of the EXPENSIVE streamers do not even try to do multi-room sync. Before purchasing the WiiM Ultra (8 rooms) I reached out to other streamers, all said not to select them for multi -room.

Yes, I wanted the best of all worlds, so I could send my Sonos system to Goodwill or Recycling. I had been using Sonos for full home audio playback. And needed a system that could handle that, was going to be Roon Ready, and was leaps ahead.

Bluesound was an option, but the higher price point and the lack of aggressive app improvements left me feeling to wait for something better.

I have now been running 8 WiiM Ultras through my home and they have been working flawlessly, for a new released product I could not have asked for a better roll out.

Even the first firmware update made improvements I was wanting. So Kudos to WiiM for being so proactive with development.

My setup is very affordable compared to those PACKAGED units. But as other people have mentioned. I didn't want my Amp and Speakers all in one box. It removes the flexibility and repairability of keeping the components separate. So I have keep them separated.

I have used the following configurations of your interested.

Small Rooms
WiiM Ultra, trigger out
Emotiva A2 Flex, trigger in
Philharmonicaudio Mini or Ceramics

Large Rooms
Wiim Ultra
Avahifi Preamp
Avahifi NP1 Amp
Philharmonicaudio BMR Bookshelf

As I play music the entire home syncs so beautifully, it seems like a single player and single source.

It's literally music to my ears. And my family is pleased and happy also.

The app is way better already than Sonos and will only get better.

Hope that helps any multi-room listeners.

Jeff

 

[vdp]

Now I'm curious.

Which Sonos Combo did you have in those smaller rooms? What did they cost compared to current setup?
Which Sonos Combo did you have in those larger rooms? What did they cost compared to current setup?

Are you replacing Sonos Connect or Sonos Amp or are you replacing One pairs, Five(s) etc.

Do you feel sound quality improved?

Very nice example of Sonos customer moving to a more HiFi/separates direction.

 

[Smartplug]

I wanted to focus for a moment for the group of Sonos users who want multi-room playback, as well as a great quality streamer for critical listening.

Most of the EXPENSIVE streamers do not even try to do multi-room sync. Before purchasing the WiiM Ultra (8 rooms) I reached out to other streamers, all said not to select them for multi -room.

Yes, I wanted the best of all worlds, so I could send my Sonos system to Goodwill or Recycling. I had been using Sonos for full home audio playback. And needed a system that could handle that, was going to be Roon Ready, and was leaps ahead.

Bluesound was an option, but the higher price point and the lack of aggressive app improvements left me feeling to wait for something better.

I have now been running 8 WiiM Ultras through my home and they have been working flawlessly, for a new released product I could not have asked for a better roll out.

Even the first firmware update made improvements I was wanting. So Kudos to WiiM for being so proactive with development.

My setup is very affordable compared to those PACKAGED units. But as other people have mentioned. I didn't want my Amp and Speakers all in one box. It removes the flexibility and repairability of keeping the components separate. So I have keep them separated.

I have used the following configurations of your interested.

Small Rooms
WiiM Ultra, trigger out
Emotiva A2 Flex, trigger in
Philharmonicaudio Mini or Ceramics

Large Rooms
Wiim Ultra
Avahifi Preamp
Avahifi NP1 Amp
Philharmonicaudio BMR Bookshelf

As I play music the entire home syncs so beautifully, it seems like a single player and single source.

It's literally music to my ears. And my family is pleased and happy also.

The app is way better already than Sonos and will only get better.

Hope that helps any multi-room listeners.

Jeff

You still use separate preamp? Ultra is all in one streamer/dac/preamp.

 

[Zphvrq]

Thanks for asking.. here is a long answer to a short question...but hope to be helping others make a clear and simple decision to move forward.
Jeff

I had some of everything.
2 AMPS
2 CONNECTS
3 FIVES
1 ONE

The main replacement package is this.
$329 WiiM Ultra, this is STREAMER AND PREAMP
$270 Emotiva Basx A2 Flex
$380 PhilharmonicAudio True Mini
==============
$979

While this cost is maybe a little high compared say a "PLAY 5", however, the sound quality is MASSIVELY BETTER. I did do some quick A/B testing, and I didn't miss the SONOS one minute after the change.

For my 3 rooms that have larger speakers, I do run a PRE-AMP into other larger AMPS, but the setup works basically the same.
The great news is the ULTRA is so flexible, it is working perfectly in all combinations.

I really can't find anything that hasn't make the full replacement of my SONOS boxes worth it.
Sure I lost money on the SONOS, but I always felt that they has stopped caring about 10 years ago, and it seemd it was getting worse and worse.

That being said, I started with SONOS when it was a young company, and back then they were great.. I am enjoying the same culture of caring with the WiiM support team. I hope they never change.. and keep listening to their customers.

I hope this helps.
Jeff

 

[Vandi]

Thank you so much for this thread. I'm in the same boat, already sold my Sonos AMPs, seling the arc and 2x5s, a Play 1 and 4 roams... So sick of sonos, super stoked to full WiiM.

 

[Skull]

I currently have my ultra plugged into my line in on my Sonos 5 running as a pair plus sub and it sounds amazing
But I will be replacing the 5s with a class a/b amp and floor standing speakers around Xmas time
Then 1 5 will go in the kitchen and have a WiiM mini connected to it

 

[Vandi]

I currently have my ultra plugged into my line in on my Sonos 5 running as a pair plus sub and it sounds amazing
But I will be replacing the 5s with a class a/b amp and floor standing speakers around Xmas time
Then 1 5 will go in the kitchen and have a WiiM mini connected to it

That's genius. I may do that with the 5 or the 1 to add some garage tunes. Is that with a Sonos Amp (I have one as well)?

 

[Skull]

Never had a Sonos amp but in theory it should work I guess

 

[Vandi]

Never had a Sonos amp but in theory it should work I guess

My bad - I meant Sonos Sub...

 

[Skull]

My bad - I meant Sonos Sub...

Well my sub is paired to my 2x5s and is working with the ultra

 

[Vandi]

Well my sub is paired to my 2x5s and is working with the ultra

Perfect. That's what I was thinking but with the disaster that the Sonos app has been of late I wasn't sure if the Sub would respect the Line In with pairing. Call me paranoid....

 

[Skull]

Perfect. That's what I was thinking but with the disaster that the Sonos app has been of late I wasn't sure if the Sub would respect the Line In with pairing. Call me paranoid....

The bass management on the ultra doesn’t affect it though but the eq and peq does, small point I never updated I am still on 16.1

 

[Vandi]

The bass management on the ultra doesn’t affect it though but the eq and peq does, small point I never updated I am still on 16.1

Lucky duck. Once I get it configured I'll come back and let you know if it works . Zero faith that Sonos hasn't broken it.

 

[Skull]

Lucky duck. Once I get it configured I'll come back and let you know if it works . Zero faith that Sonos hasn't broken it.

Even though mine still works I am done with Sonos they have a bad attitude to their customers
Btw WiiM mini works well on the 5 it’s how my experiment started

 

[Zphvrq]

Now I'm curious.

Which Sonos Combo did you have in those smaller rooms? What did they cost compared to current setup?
Which Sonos Combo did you have in those larger rooms? What did they cost compared to current setup?

Are you replacing Sonos Connect or Sonos Amp or are you replacing One pairs, Five(s) etc.

Do you feel sound quality improved?

Very nice example of Sonos customer moving to a more HiFi/separates direction.

I had basically every Sonos device from when they started 15 years ago.

Zp100 The zone amp I had three Sonos five and one Sonos one.

For most of my rooms that have the smaller speakers and the small amp my total cost was about $850 for the room.

That being said the sound was probably 100 times better than what the Sonos was producing.

It was a case for sure of being happy with what we had not knowing any better.

Honestly if someone else hadn't been so impossible to work with and also so committed to not improving their technology beyond 20 years ago we would have stayed with Sonos and we never would have had the opportunity to improve our listening experience. So thanks Sonos.

Now as we walk to the house the music is just delicious and engaging far beyond what we expected from any of these pieces of hardware.

I am extremely happy with all of our speakers from Philharmonic audio we've had very good luck with the emotiva little amp that we used and of course we love the audio by Van alstyne amplifiers for our bigger rooms that have some bigger speakers in them.

It's been about 30 days since we started this adventure with WiiM, and initially it was a little bumpy but their support is so spectacular everything has been fixed and the system for us is running perfectly smoothly every single day.

With Sonos we were having constant cutouts music would skip or stop or jump and it was just super annoying we have had none of that with this new system.

Hope that helps.
Jeff