Preamp volume control for streaming AND vinyl

[Magnepanned]

I have a bit of a brain puzzle — I’m using a vintage 4270 Marantz receiver as a phono preamp. My turntable goes into the phono input on the Marantz, plus ground, then the Wiim Pro+ is connected to the Marantz pre outs, then the Wiim channel outputs go to my more powerful amp (an Ashly studio unit). The problem with this is, I can’t control Wiim streaming volume with the Marantz volume knob. I could control it if I connected the Wiim to the AUX in on the Marantz and hooked my amp to the Marantz pre outs, but then I lose the Wiim’s amazing EQ abilities for my turntable and whatever other analog sources I run though the receiver.

Do I need a dedicated phono preamp into the Wiim to solve this lack of volume knob for streaming? I can use the app or the touch buttons, but it makes me nervous that the Wiim is going to blow my speakers without an analog limit.

The spaghetti of it all has me confused. What should I do?

Thanks, team.

 

[Mr Ee]

What should I do?

Welcome!

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But more seriously, as the wiim is 'downstream' from the Marantz then anything that starts at the wiim, such as streaming, is effectively invisible to the marantz.

Do I need a dedicated phono preamp into the Wiim to solve this lack of volume knob for streaming?

If, as you suggested, you ran the wiim analog outs to the marantz, then on to the Ashly, yes.
But what about those other analog sources into the marantz, as they'd no longer go via the wiim for eq etc.

...Wiim is going to blow my speakers without an analog limit

A number of people run their wiims into power amps.
Use the line out level and volume limiter to set a max volume out of the wiim.

Does the marantz have line out (fixed volume), or could you just turn the volume knob to 11?
You could consider using the wiim as the only volume control.
The pro+ comes with a remote, right?

 

[Magnepanned]

Thanks, yeah, the Marantz can do line level out (it has TAPE 1 and TAPE 2 for that). The Wiim does work right now to control overall volume while connected via the Marantz preouts. It just can get loud, unpredictably, and I’m more comfortable having volume limited in analog. Maybe the best way to protect my speakers is to just limit the gain on my Ashly amp. Volume levels on the stuff I stream over Amazon Music are wildly inconsistent, so it’s a challenge to get a max volume set through the Wiim alone.

 

[harkpabst]

Thanks, yeah, the Marantz can do line level out (it has TAPE 1 and TAPE 2 for that). The Wiim does work right now to control overall volume while connected via the Marantz preouts. It just can get loud, unpredictably, and I’m more comfortable having volume limited in analog. Maybe the best way to protect my speakers is to just limit the gain on my Ashly amp. Volume levels on the stuff I stream over Amazon Music are wildly inconsistent, so it’s a challenge to get a max volume set through the Wiim alone.

It's been a while since I had an amp with a tape monitor switch so please excuse me if I'm talking BS from a very cloudy memory, but can't you just connect the WiiM Pro Plus as e.g. Tape 1?

Tape 1 Out to WPP Line-in
Tape 1 In to WPP Line-out
Pre Out to Ashly power amp
Selector permanently set to phono
Source/Tape switch permanently set to Tape

Fixed volume enabled on the WiiM Pro Plus, output voltage probably set to the lowest value. Line-in might need some additional pre-gain, because Tape Out is probably a little low on level. Volume control performed by the Marantz. Changing to a different input than Line-in on the WiiM (e.g. network streaming) should result in the Marantz putting out that signal instead of Phono. All EQ settings of the WiiM Pro Plus could be used for all sources.

Sounds too easy, I probably missed some very obvious catch.

 

[Magnepanned]

It's been a while since I had an amp with a tape monitor switch so please excuse me if I'm talking BS from a very cloudy memory, but can't you just connect the WiiM Pro Plus as e.g. Tape 1?

Tape 1 Out to WPP Line-in
Tape 1 In to WPP Line-out
Pre Out to Ashly power amp
Selector permanently set to phono
Source/Tape switch permanently set to Tape

Fixed volume enabled on the WiiM Pro Plus, output voltage probably set to the lowest value. Line-in might need some additional pre-gain, because Tape Out is probably a little low on level. Volume control performed by the Marantz. Changing to a different input than Line-in on the WiiM (e.g. network streaming) should result in the Marantz putting out that signal instead of Phono. All EQ settings of the WiiM Pro Plus could be used for all sources.

Sounds too easy, I probably missed some very obvious catch.

No, you didn’t miss a thing! This works beautifully — thank you!!! So cool. The tape in, tape out option never occurred to me. Brilliant.

 

[harkpabst]

No, you didn’t miss a thing! This works beautifully — thank you!!! So cool. The tape in, tape out option never occurred to me. Brilliant.

Great to hear it's working.