They will have to come out with a Wiim Ultra with integrated amp section to compete with the Eversolo Play. I remember we proposed this long ago.So far, WiiM make two streaming integrated amplifiers.
What is it that you're missing?
Don't get me wrong, I seriously wonder what WiiM had to do to makes customers skip the M10 V3 or MSA5500 in favour of a WiiM product.
- 2 x 100 W instead of 2 x 60 W?
- VU Meters or a configurable display?
- Turntable input?
- aptX support?
- More physical inputs?
- More physical outputs?
- Higher price?
- Blue light?
Looking forward to learn what they think customers might be after.
Which and when will the successor of the Wiim Ultra be released on the market?
- Thread starter Flatron7
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If you want all of that combined in one product (in addition to what we already have, of course), that's perfectly legit. But it's also very specific and (I think) unlikely to ever happen.
None of the two amplifiers you mentioned as a reference supports two sets of speakers, despite of their high price. As soon as you provide an A/B switch, others will be asking for A+B (for whatever reasons).
WiiM currently does not get allowance from Apply to enable Airplay 2 support for any new product. Nobody (outside WiiM and Apple) knows if this is ever going to change (the older products like the WiiM Amp continue to support Airplay 2).
Higher power is something that will win additional customers for sure. But even twice the power only results in 3 dB higher SPL, so it really has to be a massive increase in power to make some sense. Where would you want the dual mono design to start? Just for the power section or further up the processing chain? Even the WiiM Amp already provides crosstalk numbers of -100 to -80 dB between 1 kHz and 20 kHz for digital sources.
A full width device was certainly more likely to get some of these extras and dual independent sub outputs surely would be on my wish list , too. It's all a question of what market segment WiiM will try to attack. There have been rumours that we might see more devices dubbed "Vibelink" in the future, just based on the naming scheme. Let's see what this might or might not be.
I don't think they have to. Let's see if they will.
everyone goes there "with their injunction"... funny... ;-)
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I would prefer dual mono design from DAC stage. There are many DAC implemented with dual ESS / AKM.
One can buy multiple off-the-shelf devices to implement most of these features such as; dual mono DAC, dual mono amps, speaker selection switch, airplay 2 receiver, external DSP for multiple subwoofers, and build a system. Such system will end up with a mess of interconnect cables and multiple remote controllers / apps and probably costs about $1-2k. If an integrated amp include all these functions into a box (either wider or taller form factor), it will take less shelf space and looks a lot cleaner than a pile of multiple equipment. That alone can be a big selling point even if it costs more than sum of multiple gears.
I think the Ultra already is a rather perfect product. The soundquality cant be bettered, not as a transport or as a streamer, unless you make it sound more ”analog” with some earfriendly colorations. That can already be done with an external colored dac of choice.
I like the Ultra size, and I even like the display
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Ok, if I could wish - I would like dual subwoofer outputs in stereo , and switchable lowpass and highpass crossover between 36 dB butterworth, 24 linkwitz riley, 18dB butterworth, 12 dB butterworth, 12 dB linkwitz . I also wish that lowpass and highpass crossover could have different slopes to combine , so a closed box main speaker can be crossed 12dB/oct high pass ( making it a acoustical 24 dB/oct ) and combined with 24dB/oct low pass for the subwoofers. This would sum be a correct 24/24 dB acoustical crossover LP and HP, - if one uses closed box main speakers. This is called a THX crossover as you all know.
Best integration would infact be 30dB/oct low pass combined with 18dB/oct high pass for closed mains - so I would want that option to.
I like the Ultra size, and I even like the display
.Ok, if I could wish - I would like dual subwoofer outputs in stereo , and switchable lowpass and highpass crossover between 36 dB butterworth, 24 linkwitz riley, 18dB butterworth, 12 dB butterworth, 12 dB linkwitz . I also wish that lowpass and highpass crossover could have different slopes to combine , so a closed box main speaker can be crossed 12dB/oct high pass ( making it a acoustical 24 dB/oct ) and combined with 24dB/oct low pass for the subwoofers. This would sum be a correct 24/24 dB acoustical crossover LP and HP, - if one uses closed box main speakers. This is called a THX crossover as you all know.
Best integration would infact be 30dB/oct low pass combined with 18dB/oct high pass for closed mains - so I would want that option to.
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Wonder if the WiiM scientists are testing out a new WiiM Ultra II with the new AKM chipset combination. Have been hearing very positive reports on the implementation of these chips together.
That might take the next version to another level of refinement but probably cost a little more.
That might take the next version to another level of refinement but probably cost a little more.
If AKM chip is all you want which they call velvet sound you can just attach external dac with akm chip. Ultra is very flexible on many things.
Currently have the Wiim Pro with a 5v LPS running to a RME ADI-2 and AKM chipset. It sounds great.
The WiiM Ultra II would be a big winner with the new dual AKM chipset is what I was offering. Think it would be a big winner.
I hear you but the return improvement is just minimal. I used to visit high end audio shop back in days when they were popular but recent changes how people listen to music are just casual get go type. I heard exotic amp, speakers, cable, dac among others. They sound great however the performance price ratio is not good. Pair of 2000 dollars speakers gets 90 percent of exotic speakers cost as much as house. For those who value every ounce of performance they would not mind spending that much. The biggest change you could do is not so much about the dac but rather going better speakers and finely tuned accoustic.
EddNog
Major Contributor
The WiiM Ultra is approaching peak WiiM as it is, in terms of performance. There are some slightly higher-spec things that they could add, but really it would not be a lot. I imagine it would be possible to make a WiiM Ultra Special Edition and maybe give it these things:
Include the Voice Remote 2 (as Amp Ultra does)
True Balanced Differential Outputs (XLR, or combo TRS/XLR)
Stereo Subwoofer Outputs, better bass management (slope selection)
Option to upgrade with DIRAC Live license for room correction
Option for Higher Output Voltage (2.5/5V single-ended/balanced, which helps push the sound farther past the noise floor)
Analog Volume Control (relay-actuated resistor ladder preferable, but even if it's just the same attenuator they put in the VibeLink, as long as it's analog and it's remote-controlled [unlike VibeLink], that's good enough), because analog volume control attenuates the full signal including noise floor, unlike digital volume control
-Ed
Include the Voice Remote 2 (as Amp Ultra does)
True Balanced Differential Outputs (XLR, or combo TRS/XLR)
Stereo Subwoofer Outputs, better bass management (slope selection)
Option to upgrade with DIRAC Live license for room correction
Option for Higher Output Voltage (2.5/5V single-ended/balanced, which helps push the sound farther past the noise floor)
Analog Volume Control (relay-actuated resistor ladder preferable, but even if it's just the same attenuator they put in the VibeLink, as long as it's analog and it's remote-controlled [unlike VibeLink], that's good enough), because analog volume control attenuates the full signal including noise floor, unlike digital volume control
-Ed
azoriusmage
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I would take getting some of the software implementations completed over new hardware if the new hardware takes away from the software dev resource. Some of the betas drag on for a long time and miss key features.
slartibartfast
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What's wrong with the Ultra preamp?
EddNog
Major Contributor
Not that it's broken per se, but there is some potential for improved performance. I requested specifics in my post #71 above. Much of what I requested is already there in Eversolo DMP-A8 and Luxsin X9.
-Ed
slartibartfast
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Thanks. That is a bit more specificNot that it's broken per se, but there is some potential for improved performance. I requested specifics in my post #71 above. Much of what I requested is already there in Eversolo DMP-A8 and Luxsin X9.
-Ed
EddNog
Major Contributor
Sometimes it can actually help to be severely overly verbose as I tend to be.Thanks. That is a bit more specific
-Ed
The unit was measured well. How much are you looking to see thd plus noise .000001 and sinand of 130 db? If anything contributing to distortion and noise would be speakers. Modern devices even entry are transparent. If your looking significant improvement is not streamer or better dac but better class speakers and well treated acoustics. Audioholics mention this before
EddNog
Major Contributor
Yes, or better room correction, which provides improvements for handling both, poorer-performing speakers as well as listening rooms that are not dedicated and/or not treated. Hence why I included a request to provide the ability to apply optional DIRAC Live correction (just as Bluesound streamers offer). Since it's optional, many/most buyers don't have to pay for it if they don't intend to use it, but those who want the benefits of DIRAC Live will still have the option to implement it by simply buying the license and the microphone. It shouldn't actually cost LinkPlay much money/resources to design the WiiM firmware to support DIRAC processing, and from an actual developmental standpoint, DIRAC has already sunken the costs/resources for development of the algorithm itself, so that actually offloads resources/development costs from LinkPlay.
I've seen plenty of complaints that WiiM RoomFit still isn't that great, even after all of the improvements (so far)--DIRAC still outperforms it by quite a margin (as it should, since it is a separate cost, and not cheap at that).
-Ed
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