WiiM Amp Ultra

[Cal_Cobra]

Not enough room to provide a set of extra speaker terminals so you can connect 2 wires per terminal to connect 4 speakers. The extra terminals on an amplifier that has them are parallel to each other anyway. It still is a 2 channel amp. (Offcourse there are amps with more than 2 channels)

Yes that's what I figured. Probably a use case for it, but not something that interests me.

 

[harkpabst]

I meant an internal pre amp in the turntable. My bad I probably should have been more clear

Or I should have given it a second thought before replying. It all makes a lot more sense this way.

I already wrote about it in another thread. Unfortunately, the new Ultra Amp doesn't have a headphone output. Why? I listen a lot with headphones, as I'm sure many others do. Therefore, this device is unusable for me. It's a shame.

The WiiM Amp Ultra continues the tradition of the WiiM Amp and the WiiM Amp Pro. Neither of them features a headphone output.

You can still connect a dedicated headphone preamp through the USB output. In fact, quite a number of users in this forum do connect a dedicated headphone preamp to the WiiM Ultra via its USB output, because its integrated preamp doesn't satisfy their needs. It's impossible to please everyone.

The space inside the Amp Ultra could be really crowded.

Please excuse my poor English. I'm using Google Translate here.

Thank you for politely doing so. Much better than everybody else having to run a foreign language through an online translator.

 

[canard]

Or I should have given it a second thought before replying. It all makes a lot more sense this way.


The WiiM Amp Ultra continues the tradition of the WiiM Amp and the WiiM Amp Pro. Neither of them features a headphone output.

You can still connect a dedicated headphone preamp through the USB output. In fact, quite a number of users in this forum do connect a dedicated headphone preamp to the WiiM Ultra via its USB output, because its integrated preamp doesn't satisfy their needs. It's impossible to please everyone.

The space inside the Amp Ultra could be really crowded.


Thank you for politely doing so. Much better than everybody else having to run a foreign language through an online translator.

Can the USB output be used as a source without the amplifier working?

frankly...it remains a strange oversight..

 

[Houma]

A cheap streamer with an amplifier and then an expensive headphone amplifier connected to it? I'd rather have the pure Ultra together with a decent hi-fi amplifier. Then I wouldn't need a bunch of separate devices like a phono preamp; I'd have everything in one. Sorry, that's my opinion.I'm just wondering why the new amp is missing this little feature.

 

[Burnside]

Well, as was done with the vibelink, @RyanWithWiiM may be planning a meeting with the product manager for a q&a session where that will no doubt be one of the questions. I’d say watch this space…

 

[Houma]

Well, as was done with the vibelink, @RyanWithWiiM may be planning a meeting with the product manager for a q&a session where that will no doubt be one of the questions. I’d say watch this space…

Perfect Answer

 

[canard]

as long as a line input is available...a tuner, a tape, or a prephono, etc is possible...

 

[harkpabst]

Can the USB output be used as a source without the amplifier working?

frankly...it remains a strange oversight..

Same as WiiM Amp and WiiM Amp Pro.

Design decision or oversight ... you might know better than me.

A cheap streamer with an amplifier and then an expensive headphone amplifier connected to it? I'd rather have the pure Ultra together with a decent hi-fi amplifier. Then I wouldn't need a bunch of separate devices like a phono preamp; I'd have everything in one. Sorry, that's my opinion.I'm just wondering why the new amp is missing this little feature.

Same as WiiM Amp and WiiM Amp Pro.

WiiM don't keep you from going with the Ultra instead.

 

[canard]

Same as WiiM Amp and WiiM Amp Pro.

Design decision or oversight ... you might know better than me.



Same as WiiM Amp and WiiM Amp Pro.

WiiM don't keep you from going with the Ultra instead.

It was already a somewhat damaging oversight in the amp and the pro amp...and it had already been pointed out at the time
;-)

 

[HansD-NL]

It was already a somewhat damaging oversight in the amp and the pro amp...and it had already been pointed out at the time
;-)

Yeah? Well, you know, that's just like uh, your opinion, man. ​

 

[Danny Linguini]

All I need is Bluetooth in, stereo speaker and subwoofer outs, and a little more grunt than my Amp Pro. The Amp Ultra is on my very short list - just gotta knock a few other things off before pulling that trigger. Given this use case, I’m very interested to hear OP’s impressions when he gets to fire it up.

 

[slartibartfast]

It was already a somewhat damaging oversight in the amp and the pro amp...and it had already been pointed out at the time
;-)

It can't be an oversight if they keep repeating it

 

[HansD-NL]

All I need is Bluetooth in, stereo speaker and subwoofer outs, and a little more grunt than my Amp Pro. The Amp Ultra is on my very short list - just gotta knock a few other things off before pulling that trigger. Given this use case, I’m very interested to hear OP’s impressions when he gets to fire it up.

Out of genuine interest. Where do you (only) need Bluetooth for? I would argue that Google Cast/Cromecast support is a real killer feature of the Wiim's (ex the Mini)

 

[Danny Linguini]

Out of genuine interest. Where do you (only) need Bluetooth for? I would argue that Google Cast/Cromecast support is a real killer feature of the Wiim's (ex the Mini)

Pretty much my entire library is in Apple Music, other than a few obscure CD’s that I never ripped. I Bluetooth from my phone (or iPad, but mostly my phone), and that’s it. If it’s not in my library, I can find about 90% of anything else I’m looking for in Apple Music. The only streaming service I subscribe to is SiriusXM, primarily for use in the car, but that is also an app on my phone if I just want background noise in the house. That’s about all of my listening needs. I’ve also heard from a few different sources that the sound quality over BT is just as good as Airplay would be, and I’m happy with what I’m hearing, so that’s good enough for me.

I’ve found google cast to be problematic and unreliable in the past streaming video, so that’s never been high on my priority list.

 

[Mr Ee]

All I need is Bluetooth in, stereo speaker and subwoofer outs, and a little more grunt than my Amp Pro. The Amp Ultra is on my very short list - just gotta knock a few other things off before pulling that trigger. Given this use case, I’m very interested to hear OP’s impressions when he gets to fire it up.

Subwoofer outs, plural?

Otherwise, consider your requirements fulfilled.

 

[HansD-NL]

Pretty much my entire library is in Apple Music, other than a few obscure CD’s that I never ripped. I Bluetooth from my phone (or iPad, but mostly my phone), and that’s it. If it’s not in my library, I can find about 90% of anything else I’m looking for in Apple Music. The only streaming service I subscribe to is SiriusXM, primarily for use in the car, but that is also an app on my phone if I just want background noise in the house. That’s about all of my listening needs. I’ve also heard from a few different sources that the sound quality over BT is just as good as Airplay would be, and I’m happy with what I’m hearing, so that’s good enough for me.

I’ve found google cast to be problematic and unreliable in the past streaming video, so that’s never been high on my priority list.

I'd say that for your use case the Wiim is not "the right" choice. The best (non Apple device) support/integration for Apple Music is provided by Sonos or the way Eversolo does it by running the Apple Music app on it's internal Android OS. Using Bluetooth as you do now will offcourse work but your Phone or iPad is doing the playing using the Wiim as it's audio output. What about if you get a call? The ringtone and call will disturb the music and/or mute it, other notifications will do that also I guess.
And then there is the quality. An Apple phone or Ipad only supports the Bluetooth AAC codec and no AptX or LDAC. As much as I like Apple devices (my iphone, ipad, macbook pro and mac mini) this fact is a sad omission by Apple I think.
Lastly I want to express my appreciation for Apple Music's killer feature in that it is not only a music streaming service but you can put your entire own music library in their cloud neatly integrated. I wish Apple was not so stubborn providing connection to their music service for other non Apple devices.

 

[Streamer2025]

Pulled the trigger on the WiiM Amp Ultra this morning. I have the WiiM Ultra and the WiiM Amp Pro, and really enjoy both, but with them basically integrated and upgraded into one unit, I had to test it out.

IMHO there were a few misses on the WiiM Ultra, such as the RCA jacks on the rear panel had hardly any clearance around the RCA jack, so using thicker higher quality cables was off the table (some folks actually bore out the holes so they could fit their favorite cables). Looking at the rear panel on the WiiM Amp Ultra it appears that WiiM listened to their customers complaints about the Ultra's RCA jack clearance issue and the holes look significantly larger (a super easy fix, but nice to see if they did!). The dual TI TPA3255 amps with PFFB is a nice addition as well, For me the WiiM Amp Pro was lacking in the power department.

I like that WiiM used the newer ESS ES9039Q2M DAC, and hopefully the phono pre-amp is improved as it was sketchy on the WiiM Ultra (highly suspectable to picking up external noise).

One question I had was that WiiM advertises it as support four speakers, plus a sub. The rear panel only shows one set of left and right speaker out jacks. Are they suggesting to run two speakers per output jack?

Looks like there's still no Apple AIrPlay support. Ran into that issue when I first bought the WiiM Ultra (even though it was advertised as supporting it, but they latter back peddled on that). For me it's a non-issue as I switched over the Amazon music, which I feel is equal.

Anyone else looking at the WiiM Amp Ultra?

Hi Cal_Cobra,
how is the sound different between WiiM Amp Pro an WiiM Amp Ultra? I have the WiiM Amp Pro with the Wharfedale Evo 4.4 Speakers and the Sound is good but maybee i by a WiiM Amp Ultra to. Best Regards an sorry for my english.

 

[Danny Linguini]

I'd say that for your use case the Wiim is not "the right" choice. The best (non Apple device) support/integration for Apple Music is provided by Sonos or the way Eversolo does it by running the Apple Music app on it's internal Android OS. Using Bluetooth as you do now will offcourse work but your Phone or iPad is doing the playing using the Wiim as it's audio output. What about if you get a call? The ringtone and call will disturb the music and/or mute it, other notifications will do that also I guess.
And then there is the quality. An Apple phone or Ipad only supports the Bluetooth AAC codec and no AptX or LDAC. As much as I like Apple devices (my iphone, ipad, macbook pro and mac mini) this fact is a sad omission by Apple I think.
Lastly I want to express my appreciation for Apple Music's killer feature in that it is not only a music streaming service but you can put your entire own music library in their cloud neatly integrated. I wish Apple was not so stubborn providing connection to their music service for other non Apple devices.

Not a fan of Sonos, particularly their customer support as of late. And I don’t know much about Eversolo, other than their price point, and from what I can see requires separate streaming and amplifier devices. The WiiM Amp Pro just works for what I need.

 

[HansD-NL]

Not a fan of Sonos, particularly their customer support as of late. And I don’t know much about Eversolo, other than their price point, and from what I can see requires separate streaming and amplifier devices. The WiiM Amp Pro just works for what I need.

Of course it's perfectly fine to use a Wiim device as you do. I was only trying to make a case as to why for Apple Music users it is unfortunately a fairly limited device and some comments about Bluetooth implementation and such since you also mentioned something about the quality in your original post. (Eversolo has recently launched the Play series all in one.)

 

[Mr Ee]

Hi Cal_Cobra,
how is the sound different between WiiM Amp Pro an WiiM Amp Ultra? I have the WiiM Amp Pro with the Wharfedale Evo 4.4 Speakers and the Sound is good but maybee i by a WiiM Amp Ultra to. Best Regards an sorry for my english.

Welcome.

If I may cut in here..
I wrote this a while ago about the difference between an amp pro and a vibelink (optical in from ultra):
Even on lower volumes music via the vibelink had more 'life' to it and was significantly clearer, crisper and more engaging.

When I swapped between the amp pro and ultra/vibelink into my Paradigm speakers there was no contest, vibelink was considerably better.

imo the amp ultra is virtually indistinguishable from a (digitally fed) vibelink.