My experience with Wiim Ultra

[Skull]

I initially bought a WiiM mini to see if I could get more use from my Sonos system
I plugged it into my 5s and was amazed how it worked, since then I bought an ultra plugged into my pair of 5s and sub and it just works
I have since ditched the paid for streaming services and have plugged a 2tb hard drive in and been adding all my cds to it and now my ultra is a music server, phono stage and radio tuner
Really happy with it as a product and the fact my Sonos gets more usage

 

[MonoMariop]

Those that choose to believe everything can be measured will find out eventually there will be more development in real science to prove what we know now is not everything. This is exciting to me, we get to learn more, for now, just enjoy the differences we all get to appreciate for what they are, to each of us.

Rick

You got this the other way around..We dont CHOOSE to believe, which is in fact a funny wait to put it when the people choosing to believe is the one on the "other camp".
We see actual evidence, measurements that corroborate our listening experience. It proves that we can measure what humans can and cannot hear.

This is actually extremely simple...if we were claiming measurements can tell if humans are able or not able to detect differences, yet on a blind test, people is actually able to detect the differences, then for sure, I would agree with you that our measurements are failing and are useless.

But that is NOT the case...the few that dare to take a blind test (instead of the gazillion amount of lame excuses to avoid them), fail over and over with success rate no better than any random guessing.
THAT is where we are today. So no, WE are not the ones choosing to believe, we have facts and proof unlike the other side. Its time to control that hyperactive imagination and come back to reality

 

[adias]

… WE are not the ones choosing to believe, we have facts and proof unlike the other side. …

I have to assume that you have no solid engineering background. Because if you had the technical knowledge you would know that the ‘facts and proof’ that you seem to religiously believe in are, in technical terms, a very sparsely populated (or in lay terms incomplete) system matrix. The holes in that matrix make all the difference, missed in the current ‘facts and proof’ of which the highly touted SINAD is the least reliable metric.

 

[Vignus]

I have and know what I prefer without even listening to it, just knowing the circuit and parts used tells a great deal about how it will sound.

That's a clever approach to music as it saves a lot of money: you don't even need to buy cd's or vinyls!

 

[RAAM]

Some cannot hear differences others can, that is the simple fact of the matter which has been proven over and over again. . Those that believe only their belief system can be the right one, I am OK with that, If they would keep their comments to themselves. Those that ridicule all others are usually the dangerous people we should all watch out for as they can be prone to stabbing others in the back to feel empowered. I have seen it personally happen many times and history is full of such instances, zealots of any persuasion appear all the same, not seaming capable of independent thought.

We could all get along just fine if they would just stop bashing everything and everyone about what they apparently do not have the capacity to understand.

If anyone that reads this is offended then it might be a good time to take a look in the mirror and ask yourself if their might just be things you do not perceive the same as others.

If you wish, put in a word to get my post removed, get me banned, etc....I do not come here often anyway, I like a place where things are a bit more open minded. Many here are of course, usually just the few that like to post up crap about others.

Rick

 

[MonoMariop]

Some cannot hear differences others can, that is the simple fact of the matter which has been proven over and over again. . Those that believe only their belief system can be the right one, I am OK with that, If they would keep their comments to themselves. Those that ridicule all others are usually the dangerous people we should all watch out for as they can be prone to stabbing others in the back to feel empowered. I have seen it personally happen many times and history is full of such instances, zealots of any persuasion appear all the same, not seaming capable of independent thought.

We could all get along just fine if they would just stop bashing everything and everyone about what they apparently do not have the capacity to understand.

If anyone that reads this is offended then it might be a good time to take a look in the mirror and ask yourself if their might just be things you do not perceive the same as others.

If you wish, put in a word to get my post removed, get me banned, etc....I do not come here often anyway, I like a place where things are a bit more open minded. Many here are of course, usually just the few that like to post up crap about others.

Rick

No this is how misinformation begins...it has NEVER been proven by people who claim they can hear differences under any type of proper test. They always FAIL or come up with excuses to NOT take the test.
Is not about bashing, is about stopping this misinformation nonsense.

You want to spend more money on a more expensive DAC or Streamer because it has other features, other brand names, or looks prettier, fine..
Heck I spend a bit more on power cables because I like their looks. Its audio jewlery.
Same with people buying Rolexes...they dont claim their 3PM is better than my 3PM on my cheaper watch...they are paying for luxury and there is nothing wrong with that.

But dont come here claiming a much more expensive DAC sounds better than say the one in the Ultra, when this one is already transparent beyond human hearing, because that is NONSENSE and clear bias confirmation that you or anyone claiming so can never prove. It is simple as that.
Yes the capacity to understand would be great....on one side you have FACTS and Science as undeniable PROOF ..on the other you have anecdotal claims and failed blind tests...It does not take a genius to figure out which one is right.

 

[RAAM]

Who determines there is a proper test? Not me, not you, not the "experts" in science that are constantly proven wrong. So much easier to bury ones head in the sand than imagine one might not know all their is to know.

Just because one does not drink the koolaid does not mean they do not know what they experience.

I regress, some refuse to learn and refuse to act in an open minded and polite way of being, it is a waste of time on both sides to continue this dialog.

I will do my best to abstain and spend my time helping others that might have a willingness to learn and in which I am always helpful and polite. I have guided tens of thousands of fellow enthusiasts on their quests, a very rewarding and much better way to spend my time.

And there are thousands upon thousands that would at least mostly agree with me and hundreds that have helped others more than I ever will.

Rick

 

[RAAM]

I am quite aware of the amount of snake oil in the audio industry, and most others. I DIY all my very reasonable cost cables and when I owned a multi million dollar company and could buy most anything I wanted in audio I spent around $5k on a partly DIY, partly used but very fine system that satisfied all my desires. My system in our full time RV will be incredibly good and cost less than that, especially when I build the speakers and amp(s). My belief is that once past a certain point things might sound different and might pair with other gear that has it's own sound signature better than others but none of it is worth the crazy prices people spend on it. I also believe much of that spending is more to talk about it than actually listen to it.

Belief, what most confuse knowledge. I am willing to learn about everything and thus willing to change what I believe when something comes along and makes more sense in any of the thought processes or way we hear and or feel things.

Try it, you might like it

Rick

 

[hgo58]

Some cannot hear differences others can, that is the simple fact of the matter which has been proven over and over again.

And it looks like women is generally better at this than men.

Women are better at hearing than men everywhere in world: Study

Age isn’t the primary factor in determining ear sensitivity in humans, sex and environment play a much bigger role.

interestingengineering.com

 

[MonoMariop]

Who determines there is a proper test? Not me, not you, not the "experts" in science that are constantly proven wrong. So much easier to bury ones head in the sand than imagine one might not know all their is to know.

Just because one does not drink the koolaid does not mean they do not know what they experience.

I regress, some refuse to learn and refuse to act in an open minded and polite way of being, it is a waste of time on both sides to continue this dialog.

I will do my best to abstain and spend my time helping others that might have a willingness to learn and in which I am always helpful and polite. I have guided tens of thousands of fellow enthusiasts on their quests, a very rewarding and much better way to spend my time.

And there are thousands upon thousands that would at least mostly agree with me and hundreds that have helped others more than I ever will.

Rick

Like I said...any mention of a TEST is followed by non sense excuses to avoid them. I mean, you guys claim to hear such nuances so easily, why so much fear about a test if you have such amazing capabilities????
How do you help others...? By spreading nonsense believes? That is not helping that is HURTING people gullible enough to fall for that.

There are actual REAL ways to improve the sound experience so why focus on spreading non sense that has ZERO evidence except delusional claims? Spread the truth about stuff that REALLY matters not the opposite. THAT is how you can help people.

Its time to stop the nonsense and come back from Imagination Land to reality.
Try it, you might like it !

 

[RAAM]

That is the problem, there are tests that are valid for a very limited range of what we can hear in a frequency range but they do not measure things outside like the finite details that some can perceive and it seems others cannot. There are spatial and other clues either in the medium of the air or in the perception and discernment of each individual brain, some are more effective, some more trained, some just born that way. Science is working diligently at understanding how it all works but has not done so completely yet and in some ways might not ever.

Thus, we get to the point, measurement gear has not been developed yet that can measure it which does not mean it does not exist. With the vast number of people claiming they can hear it then it most likely does exist, science had to catch up to that level before one can for certain it cannot be so.

A truly scientific approach would be to accept this view point, we simply do not have all the tools needed to measure everything, yet, I hope we do in the not too far distant future.

The exact opposite of the scientific approach is to claim if we cannot measure it then it cannot be when we have not developed the tools to disprove what so many claim to hear.

That said, I truly believe once past a fairly low threshold of what it costs to build a highly resolving system that some of us are blessed, or is it cursed, can perceive that others cannot.

Many are stuck on listening to the gear more than the music. I like both but also love developing systems that are outstanding for as low a cost as I can and I have done so many times. I have had high end systems and what most do when at that level is just spend more and more for tiny if even real gains, mainly each section needs to balance out the rest of the systems sonic signature and create what that individual perceives as their level of satisfaction. Many others with the ability to hear the differences might not like the end result at all, I know I surely have heard very few high level setups I could tolerate and it almost always is caused first by very poor room acoustics that need some serious room treatment applied.

----------------


I agree, there are far more better things to do than hashing around this tired old topic. Room treatment is the number one aspect for better sound, then placement in the room, then the gear and tuning is dead last and should need very little, hopefully none, if all else is done correctly.

Rick

 

[Skull]

Personally speaking I prefer to enjoy the music rather than the equipment

Just saying….

 

[hgo58]

Personally speaking I prefer to enjoy the music rather than the equipment

Just saying….

I use my equipment to listen to music. Audiophiles use music to listen to their equipment.

 

[adias]

...

A truly scientific approach would be to accept this view point, we simply do not have all the tools needed to measure everything, yet, I hope we do in the not too far distant future.

The exact opposite of the scientific approach is to claim if we cannot measure it then it cannot be when we have not developed the tools to disprove what so many claim to hear.

...

This!

 

[RAAM]

Thanks, much appreciated.

I do apologize for getting a bit worked up here, again. I feel very strongly about such things, we simply do do not understand all that is around us or even ourselves, much more to learn, very exciting times we are in indeed

Some of us are into both the gear and the music, I can enjoy great music on pretty basic systems, even a boom box from the past as some are quite good now but usually DIY to get that level. I also enjoy the gear and building my own and especially making great stuff at low cost, huge satisfaction in that.

Have a great day!
Rick

 

[AlanB]

And it looks like women is generally better at this than men.

Women are better at hearing than men everywhere in world: Study

Age isn’t the primary factor in determining ear sensitivity in humans, sex and environment play a much bigger role.

interestingengineering.com

Certainly true in my case. The wife and I (67 and 71 years of age respectively) had our ears professionally tested.

I can hear up to 13.5khZ (apparently very good for a man of my age) whilst my wife can hear up to 17khZ (exceptional according to the audiologist and similar to the hearing of a young child).

Personally I put it down to the fact that she never listens to anyone, so hasn't worn out her ears out....

 

[castalla]

Certainly true in my case. The wife and I (67 and 71 years of age respectively) had our ears professionally tested.

I can hear up to 13.5khZ (apparently very good for a man of my age) whilst my wife can hear up to 17khZ (exceptional according to the audiologist and similar to the hearing of a young child).

Personally I put it down to the fact that she never listens to anyone, so hasn't worn out her ears out....

Please, not another 'take my wife' joke,