Using my ultra pro with integrated tube amp and have a remote issue

[St David]

I have a Wiim ultra pro. I am looking at purchasing one of two integrated tube amps. one with remote the other with no remtot capability 1. Can I hookup the amp with NO remote to the Wiim, use the remote of the wiim and yet not use it as a preamp? I want to use the tube amp/preamp not the one in the wiim. 2. Same question but using the tube inegrated WITH the remote. I would only use the Wiim as a streamer and DAC. Can I do that or does the Wiim's preamp overr ride the inegrateds pre amp? I suspect I will need a different model Wiim with no preamp. What is your advice

 

[Mr Ee]

I think you are overthinking it!
The amps need an incoming analog signal of, say, 2vrms.
Whatever source you use, such as a cd player or a wiim, needs to provide that.
I'm assuming the amp's remote allows volume control.

The wiim's "preamp-ness" comes from the ability to select from multiple sources (streaming, line in, digital in etc.), optional digital control of the volume then spiting out an analog signal of varying levels if choosing analog out.
This doesn't mean its overriding the amp's preamp, it's just doing what's necessary to provide the required input voltage.

You could use the wiim and its remote to control the volume going into the remoteless amp. i.e. set the amp's volume high, use the wiim as the primary volume control.
Or use a combination of the wiim and its remote and the amp with its remote to control the overall volume.

Then we enter the realm of arguing discussing whether volume control should be digital or analog.
To allow you the easiest way to experiment with both, the amp with remote might make this simpler so you don't need to get up every time you want to change the analog volume.

Now for the sage part...
imo, music is best enjoyed when its easy / convenient / you have the most options.
Get the one with the remote.

 

[St David]

I think you are overthinking it!
The amps need an incoming analog signal of, say, 2vrms.
Whatever source you use, such as a cd player or a wiim, needs to provide that.
I'm assuming the amp's remote allows volume control.

The wiim's "preamp-ness" comes from the ability to select from multiple sources (streaming, line in, digital in etc.), optional digital control of the volume then spiting out an analog signal of varying levels if choosing analog out.
This doesn't mean its overriding the amp's preamp, it's just doing what's necessary to provide the required input voltage.

You could use the wiim and its remote to control the volume going into the remoteless amp. i.e. set the amp's volume high, use the wiim as the primary volume control.
Or use a combination of the wiim and its remote and the amp with its remote to control the overall volume.

Then we enter the realm of arguing discussing whether volume control should be digital or analog.
To allow you the easiest way to experiment with both, the amp with remote might make this simpler so you don't need to get up every ti e you want to change the analog volume.

Now for the sage part...
imo, music is best enjoyed when its easy / convenient / you have the most options.
Get the one with the remote.

Thanks very much. I am buying these tube amps from someone quite a distance away and I wanted to be sure of any issues I had before I purchased one of them. Thanks again

 

[Wiimer]

imo, music is best enjoyed when its easy / convenient / you have the most options.

I am super sympathetic.
It is a treasured word to me.

 

[harkpabst]

Thanks very much. I am buying these tube amps from someone quite a distance away and I wanted to be sure of any issues I had before I purchased one of them. Thanks again

What would be the list of deciding criteria then between these tube amps?

If you do not want to use the Ultra's volume control for whatever reasons you'd have to get up and manually adjust the volume if you buy the amp with no remote. Are you really, really sure that this is how you want to spend the year 2025?

 

[St David]

What would be the list of deciding criteria then between these tube amps?

If you do not want to use the Ultra's volume control for whatever reasons you'd have to get up and manually adjust the volume if you buy the amp with no remote. Are you really, really sure that this is how you want to spend the year 2025?

I am happy to use the WiiM's volume control thru the Wiim remote. I just don't want to use the Wiim as a preamp and want to use the preamp in the new tube inegrated amp

 

[slartibartfast]

I am happy to use the WiiM's volume control thru the Wiim remote. I just don't want to use the Wiim as a preamp and want to use the preamp in the new tube inegrated amp

Using the WiiM's volume control means you are using the WiiM as a preamp. You can still use the preamp in the tube amp as well.

 

[harkpabst]

I am happy to use the WiiM's volume control thru the Wiim remote. I just don't want to use the Wiim as a preamp and want to use the preamp in the new tube inegrated amp

I thought this would have become clear from what @Mr Ee said: If you are using the Ultra's volume control, then you're using it "as a preamp". It's just not that it would pre-amplify anything or override anything in the following amp. It's an input selector, volume control and phono pre-amp, in case you're using that. There's no such thing as putting it into or out of pre-amp mode.

In this case you have absolutely no need for a remote for the tube amp. Y