What's your setup/configuration look like?

[jeffme]

I'm working with a friend for a 24-zone WiiM installation... and playing around with separate WiiMs for subwoofers in some of the rooms.

I should have said, playing around with separate WiiMs for subwoofers in my own house, not the 24-zoner.

 

[jeffme]

@Hazenhart - lots to like in that setup... Papa Bear chair, what appears to be a variation on a shot ski... I like the cut of your jib, sir!

 

[Hazenhart]

@Hazenhart - lots to like in that setup... Papa Bear chair, what appears to be a variation on a shot ski... I like the cut of your jib, sir!

Good eye on the shotski.
That comes out once per year at the end of November in tribute to the snow gods.

 

[Chris Bolkan]

My system is based on my home theater but also serves as my 2 channel stereo. It's a 7 channel surround with 2 height speakers and 2 individually amplified subwoofers that are run mono. (I am hoping WiiM will add a bi-amp feature so the subs can be operated stereo) The main left and right speakers are Tannoy V12s. The center, surrounds and height channels are all Tannoy V8s. The subwoofers are home brew infinite baffle type co-located (under) the mains in the basement garage. Each manifold contains four 15 inch drivers. The subwoofer out from the processor feeds a Minidsp that flattens the sub's frequency response in the room. The layout of the room allows all of the speakers to be nearly equidistant (about 13 feet) from the sweet spot except the center channel and subs which are about 3 feet further away. The amplifiers are Mackie cross coupled complimentary pro audio that I have modified for best sound quality. The amplifier closet has a dedicated 240V 30A circuit that feeds into a Sherwood server sequencer that I have re-purposed to sequence the amplifiers on. A diode OR circuit allows either the HT processor or the Ultra trigger out to turn the system on.

OK, why the Ultra? Well, my processor has absolutely the worst performance ratings on Audio Science review. It sounds good, but my friends and I like to go to each others places and listen to music. They have high end dedicated 2 channel systems that are very nice and fun to listen to. They bought me a WiiM mini for Christmas last year and I fell in love with streaming high end recordings on my system. Even though I very much enjoy my system operating as 2 channel with the WiiM Mini, I wanted to get the best 2 channel experience I could at my place so I bought the Ultra to do everything 2 channel.

After considering several approaches to integrating the Ultra, I settled on triple pole double throw switch box that disconnects the L, R and sub amplifiers from the HT processor and connects them directly to the Ultra analog outs. That ended up being the cleanest way to get the most out of the Ultra and leave the HT system untouched. Eventually I will set the trigger out from each device to automatically drive the amp switching.

The results have been fantastic and the Ultra provides a whole new way to enjoy my setup as a dedicated high end 2 channel stereo. The Ultra DAC is very well regarded on Audio Science review. It's performance is light years beyond that of my processor. I input the exact PEQ filter values Tannoy recommends for the V12s. That alone makes them sound more refined than when connected to the HT processor without compensation. I also input the same PEQ and shelving values for the subwoofers that the Miinidsp does on the subwoofer output of the HT processor.

It's been a blast having friends over listening to my new dedicated audiophile 2 channel system! It really does sound good.

Some pics: Apologies as some of them are already posted elsewhere on this site when discussing features and setup.

 

[Gala]

Would be great to see some pictures of your setup with WiiM product and exact audio configuration to give others some ideas and recommendations.

 

[LucAce]

@Gala
Which amp is that? And why does it have large additional feet?
Which Magnat are they?
Are they Liedtke stands?

 

[Gala]

@Gala
Which amp is that? And why does it have large additional feet?
Which Magnat are they?
Are they Liedtke stands?

Hello! This is Wiim amp! Large feet from AliExpress . Speakers Magnat signature 703!

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

My ongoing desktop.

View attachment 10746

Topping EX5 DAC/headphone amp on the left (driving Sennheiser HD600s), Ultra on the right, on top of which is a Topping PA5ii power amp, driving Wharfedale Diamond 12.1s.

I previously had the EX5 and Ultra the other way around, until the penny dropped that, being right handed, it was daft having the touchscreen on the left.

The grey thing on the shelf in the middle is a charging stand for an Amazon Fire tablet. It’s in position as a placeholder for a new, upcoming monitor. The PC will go on the desktop in the middle.

My sub (BK) is in the bottom right corner (not in shot).

Still in a state of flux.

There’s currently a load of ‘stuff’ in the room that shouldn’t be there; it should be in the spare bedroom. But the spare bedroom is full of the new bathroom, which is currently being installed.

When the new bathroom is finished (Wednesday, I’m assured), I can move the stuff into the spare room. When that’s done I can re-run room correction. And when that’s done I can give some serious listening comments.

So, a bit of a pain. Whilst I've re-run room correction, I need to re-re-run it, due to moving things round.

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

As you can see, it's Christmas, and there's a large tree off to the right, so further correction is on hold.

You can see the tablet has been replaced with a PC and monitor, much larger.

By the way, my sub is on the right, behind the tree, right in the corner.

But where are the headphones and DAC/HP amp?

Well, they usually live on the right, where the tree is. But the tree's appearance means they temporarily moved to the left. But the set up is on the table hasn't changed.




So that's a WiiM Mini, sat on top of the Topping EX5 DAC/HP amp, behind which are my Sennheiser hd600s - my go-to headphones.

On the left, hanging off the desk, are a couple of pairs of Beyers (DT770 and DT990).

The output from the Topping goes into a switch, from which all three headphones are driven.

Once the tree has gone, that table is switching back to the right, and room correction will be re-run.

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

After that, I have a further job for the new year. I currently have a good chunk of my old CD-ripped music library on a USB drive attached to the Ultra,

I have a load of music not on there, as I only very rarely play it, if ever. But it'd be nice to have on top. So I'm putting that on a second USB. A project for which I'm about to ask a question elsewhere...

 

[Mr_J]

Currently experimenting with an Ultra as a Pre in the main rig (valve integrated in Direct input) + as a wireless Pre/Power with a Wiim Amp (just swap SCs at the speaker end)

KIT:
Garrard 401/Jelco SA-750D/ BigBottle BB3 Phono
Lector CDP 603
Innuos ZeniTH mk3/ heavily pimped Black Ice DSD
MasterSound Compact 845
Heco Direkt Dreiklang
Puritan Classic+ PCs
Chord Epic ICs
Chord Epic XL SCs
DNM Reson SCs (from Wiim Amp)

 

[Gala]

View attachment 11576

Beautiful!!!

 

[cottonchipper]

Low volume listening for condominium living.
Wiim Ultra
Klipsch The Three ii
Sennheiser RS 175 RF Wireless Headphones

 

[AceDeuce73]

Howdy! Just took delivery of a Wiim Pro yesterday and got everything running for the most part. Album art display is still being a struggle. Oh well. Currently playing some CDs via optical from my Sony CDP-670 and line-out to a Yamaha CR-600 and Acoustic Research AR5s, all of which are cheap, local Goodwill finds but sound gooood.

 

[cc_rider]

 

[PA79]

My fairly minimal setup with Wiim Ultra feeding into a Sabaj A30a via coax, then out to my trusty pair of Norh SM 5.1's. My turntable's currently out of action, but when it's working, I use a Merdien 201 as a phono preamp and send that signal to the line-in on the Wiim - I find that it sounds better than the onboard phono. I'm dreaming about a Parks Audio Waxwing as a phono stage though, into the optical input on the Wiim. I'm cheating somewhat for the now-playing artwork on the TV though - the music is playing via Tidal on the Wiim, but I play the same album on the Nvidia Shield on Spotify... There's a little sub in the back that a friend is lending me, and it's had a fairly magical effect on the whole setup - my wife has started talking about the lower quality sound when she watches music videos on Youtube

 

[Zap Rekowski]

...I'm cheating somewhat for the now-playing artwork on the TV though - the music is playing via Tidal on the Wiim, but I play the same album on the Nvidia Shield on Spotify...

That is tricky! But the cover is not much bigger on the TV screen than on the Ultra.

 

[PA79]

That is tricky! But the cover is not much bigger on the TV screen than on the Ultra.

I know! But at least I can read the track titles - although whether it's worth the faff when skipping through tracks is doubtful...

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

Okay, this is it. Not much of a change from previous pics, except the HP table has now moved to its proper location on the right.

I've now completed room correction to my satisfaction, and am more than happy with it.

Pics may take a few moments to appear.

Main set up. Now I'm at a desk, listening in nearfield, but if I sit right up to the desk (as I do when on the PC) I'm too close to the speakers, so I have to move the chair back. Getting the exact position right can be tricky, but in this set up I can just push it back to one of the sofas, so it's very easy to place.

Note the HP desk on the right, and in this shot it's right up to the wall. Also note the sub right into the right hand corner.

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

The headphone table.