The Ultra has just come into play, offloading DAC duties to the Eversolo (vastly superior to the onboard DAC) via USB. The Eversolo then feeds the Classe' preamp via balanced direct.. the Classe' balanced output then feeding either the ATC or the Anthem (depending on mood). Effectively the Ultra is just a transport for my purposes (Tidal and QoBuz). Though I may take the optical out from the Rega Jupiter CD (bottom left) and try that through the Ultra as well - currently, it's using the DAC built into the Classe'. We now have 3x Wiim's in the house.. this on the lounge system, a Pro+ in the kitchen feeding a small power amp and pair of monitors, then a Mini in the shed feeding a big Samsung speaker which I've had for about 15 years.. Have to say, I cannot fault the performance of any of the Wiim units. They've all worked flawlessly and do everything I ask of them.
What's your setup/configuration look like?
- Thread starter WiiM Team
- Start date
EddNog
Senior Contributor
Q Concerto Meta is a nice, solid buy at open-box pricing. Doesn't give up a ton to R3 Metas, and would pair up really nicely to SB-1000 Pro. The imaging ability of KEF Uni-Q is straight-up legendary--you will LOVE it if you do it! Doesn't have the headroom/bass limits of LS50 Meta, yet doesn't particularly give up a ton in terms of accuracy or detail extraction versus LS50 Meta; having owned LS50 Meta in the past, I'd take Q Concerto Meta over it any time, day, or place.
-Ed
It's IP (intellectual property) theft.
As someone who works in R&D I do NOT SUPPORT THIEVES.
I had one and only one interaction with AliExpress. There was one guy in China selling the Ultra for 20 bucks less than anyone else.
He never shipped it, he tried to cancel the transaction after I had paid him... took me a month to get my money back.
If you can not afford the real thing, then buy it used or build it yourself. DO NOT SUPPORT THE CHINESE IP THIEVES.
Yes, exactly. My four Ultras all work the same way, into USB DACs. Then I can use the PC, our Android phones, tablets or Chromebooks as sources.
Bit perfect playback.
It sounds sort of sad to spend all that money on the DAC, room processing, etc, features... but I don't need them.. just an inexpensive way to play bit perfect from Tidal HiFi and the music in the NAS. Heck, I would like to get the Ultra processing even more out of the way. If I want balance control then I can use a preamp ( with dual gain controls ).
Oh, in two systems I run the DAC directly to the amps. One of the DACs has dual inputs as well (analog and USB) so in such simple systems getting rid of the preamp will make it sound even better.
I got the Sound to replace my old bluetooth speaker. For trips... although 2.5Kg is a little on the heavy side...
It's a bit sad, yes.. I'd happily pay for a nice transport, a very high res, pure transport from Wiim would be a real winner as many people chasing the best possible sound quality are already going with outboard DACs. I tend to run everything just through the Wiim app on the phone/tablet. Never touch the front panel controls. I have to give Wiim credit where due, managing multiple sources (Youtube music, Tidal, QoBuz) and multiple devices, (The Mini, Pro+ and Ultra) is seamless and intuitive with the app--works flawlessly and has been perfectly reliable. Something almost counter-intuitive perhaps for Wiim is that though they go for the whole "compact audio" thing, there are many, many Wiim units in full size systems - in fact, of the people I know personally who have them, they all have expansive, full size systems.. This adds another perhaps unrealised dynamic to their client base/potential client base..
HansD-NL
Valued Contributor
What is a bit sad exactly?
Spending the money to use it as a headless transport.. It's an excellent one in fairness.. does a lovely job, but for all the bells and whistles that sit sidelined, it's a bit sad..
HansD-NL
Valued Contributor
Wiim products are a steal considering what they can do. Most people use the bells and whistles just fine. The sidelining is what you chose to do, so you made yourself sad i guess?
Yep. I have interconnects that cost more than the Ultra.. Nevermind the speaker cables. And the power supply for the turntable.. Etc. I guess what we want, a Music-over-IP to Music-over-USB bridge would have a pretty small sales volume so it would cost a bundle... then add the requisite High End jewelry cabinetry, the sales markups and we'd be looking at 1500 bucks. I suppose we can piggy back on the mass market and save a lot of money. And the screen and the box look pretty enough ( mine are dark silver ).
In reality, the Ultra is ridiculously cheap. It's gotten where for 1000 bucks we can get some absolutely great sounding front end hi-rez digital.
Yep, I never touch the front panel controls.... I set up the screen to show then name of the file (song) being played.
Boothmeister
New Member
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2026
- Messages
- 3
Yeah, for the size they are epic! Really nicely balanced speaker.
HansD-NL
Valued Contributor
That's what I call sad and I mean actual sadness, for the people who live small and don't have extra cash laying around, work hard for their money and get sucked into "the cult" telling them that they need anything other than a cable that is correct for the application.
Last edited:
Aaah.... the typical class warfare... making all kinds of assumptions. ASSumptions (*). It never ends.
Read on...
First of all, the power supply for the LP12 makes a huge difference in sound. PERIOD.
Well, I'm collecting social security, have been working hard since the 70s and turned my hobby of audio into a vocation and job.
When I started at this I wasn't rich at all... I've flipped burgers, cleaned toilets, mowed lawns then kissed off the butts of countless managers....
My first system was simple: Marantz 2220B, Marantz 4G, Kenwood belt drive, Pickering 625E, Kenwood cassette deck, Koss Pro4AA headphones. Not bad for a 15 year old kid, huh? Over the years I've worked on that system... adding more systems as I went along.
So now, that I got some money, and some time, I peruse the used market and buy stuff. The stuff I buy is well made... most of my interconnects are 30 years old by now and they're working perfectly. I've bought some newer things in the speaker size of the house, but always got some great deals.
The thing is that well made products, most of them in the USA, are not cheap. Cheap stuff tends to break down soon and it's actually a waste of money. Well made stuff will last for a very long time (except for video and digital and computers).
It's like wines, cigars, coffee... you don't have to spend a lot of money to get the best quality. Knowledge is your power.
Right now I got some cigars in the humidors that are unobtainable... like 40 year old Partagas perfectos. And some 30+ year old robustos that will blow your mind away. But for everyday, I smoke 6x60 toros that are rolled in town and are a house blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan.
I never paid MSRP or usurious-luxo-prices for those cigars. Nor my wines, nor my audio stuff. MSRP is stuff for people who have more money than time.
Like everything else, knowledge is power.
Besides, the cables look pretty and I can afford them. I never paid any attention to what people said about them. You got a problem with that?
And I've had my turntable now since '90 and have been rebuilding onto it. Got a problem with that too?
(*) I had a boss in '85 who kept saying: "Tony don't make assumptions, because if you do you'll make an ASS of yourself"
Last edited:
castalla
Major Contributor
Are the Partigas Cuban?
HansD-NL
Valued Contributor
I'm actually speechless. And since you seem to ask in a fairly aggressive and assuming way if I have problems with you personally or the way you post comments on this forum: How I see it is that you are indeed perfectly capable of making an ass of yourself.
Last edited:
Similar threads
