Wiim Ultra as PreAmp

Tkkahalepuna

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Is the performance with the Ultra as a Pre good enough for the average listener? I have a Van Alstine power amp and would love to be able to use the Uotra for all its functionality, just curious as to how it performs.
 
If I'm an average listener, then yes, it performs very well.

Which functions of a pre-amp are you most interested in? The phono input is not exactly state of the art, but OK as long as you stay with MM. The line input is digitised immediately to allow e.g. equalisation and room correction. With modern sources (usually capable of ~2 V output voltage) there's not really any amplification going on. As a source switcher and volume control the Ultra works exceptionally well from my point of view.
 
I've used the Ultra as a preamp for 6 months now and sold the Schiit Lyr 3 I had been using as a preamp. No regrets. Note that I don't use the RCA or phono inputs on the Ultra; I just stream my local collection, Qobuz and some internet radio. The only two hitches I see that would cause a problem would be as follows:
  • You need XLR/balanced outputs for your power amp -- the Ultra doesn't offer that connection
  • Your power amp doesn't have enough gain. The Ultra is limited to 2 volts max output from its RCA line out connections. You may find that with digital material that has an average playback level well below average or you're using the phono input with a cartridge that needs a lot of gain, using the Ultra as a preamp may not produce the desired playback volume. Many standalone preamps have a voltage output capability well over 2 volts.
 
Points that should be noted.

However, I would basically consider any power amplifier with an input sensitivity lower than 2 V rms through RCA (lower sensitivity means higher input voltage required) broken by design. :)

If the digital source is far from 0 dBFS (like most early digital masters made for CD), then it's still possible to add some digital pre-gain. The same goes for low output MM cartridges (which are most likely really of "high output" MCs or Moving Iron type). Needless to say that pre-gain reduces the digital dynamic range, but the Ultra has plenty of that.

Just remember to reset the pre-gain when playing higher level sources. 😬
 
Is the performance with the Ultra as a Pre good enough for the average listener? I have a Van Alstine power amp and would love to be able to use the Uotra for all its functionality, just curious as to how it performs.
Works great as a preamp going into my Willsenton r8
 
Is the performance with the Ultra as a Pre good enough for the average listener? I have a Van Alstine power amp and would love to be able to use the Uotra for all its functionality, just curious as to how it performs.
Works well as preamp into Arcam p80. The amp was looking for 700mv. The nearest from the wiim settings is 800mv so I set the wiim to 500mv
as I think it's better to supply under voltage than over and its still goes loud enough.
 
Enjoying the Ultra as a preamp for my Audio Technica Turntable. I mainly use the Ultra as a streamer though. But the convenience of the turntable connected to the Ultra is huge. I do have a preamp in between and really dig the ability to raise the output a bit from the latest firmware update that came out. You can now selectively raise or lower the output form the different inputs on the Wiim Ultra. The phono stage built in the Wiim Ultra is just ok, but for audiophiles, going external preamp is the way to go.
 
I have yet to make a WiiM Ultra appreciation post, but yes put briefly: yes, it works amazingly well as a direct preamp for my Rotel RB-06. It has RCA inputs only and even with the Ultra's line level output set to 1V rms, I have plenty of gain. The 12v trigger input works great as well.

I still also own the matching RC-06 preamp, but currently I have connected all my components through the Ultra allowing for seamless switching. Phono, even though it is digitized, sounds perfect to me. HDMI cec is amazing in combination with the 12v trigger function.
 
This is how I use my Ultra, and I'm happy with the performance so far. My DVD player (for CDs) is on Optical, my turntable is on the phono input, and the Apple TV for Airplay goes through a cheap HDMI DAC so that I connect it to the RCA analog input. On the output side, I connect the sub amp through the RCA sub out and use the RCA analog out to my power amp. The 12V trigger connects to a power condition that has switching for both amps. I doubt that I'll upgrade the rest of the system anytime soon so that the WiiM Ultra would be the weak link, and I don't have any other listeners who would notice the difference anyway.
 
Works well as preamp into Arcam p80. The amp was looking for 700mv. The nearest from the wiim settings is 800mv so I set the wiim to 500mv
as I think it's better to supply under voltage than over and its still goes loud enough.
Can you explain this? I have an Emotiva Basx A2 with an input sensitivity of 1.2V and 29db gain. What Wiim Ultra configuration would you recommend?
 
The phono stage built in the Wiim Ultra is just ok, but for audiophiles, going external preamp is the way to go.
probably not too much because the quality limited ADC is common to both ana inputs...
:oops:
but there remains the interest of more richness of function gain impedance capacitance* lf filter of a complete external phono stage...

*
(I think that 6 months after its release we still don't know the precise characteristics of the Ultra's phono input)
 
Indeed not SOTA but the Ultra ADC is more than adequate for the output signal of any external phono amplifier.
 
Indeed not SOTA but the Ultra ADC is more than adequate for the output signal of any external phono amplifier.
there is no reason to degrade the signal of a phono more than a CD etc etc...
this adc will degrade it more than others that's all...
see because implied in your remarks the signal being all rotten... it would be necessary to take even more care of it. ...
:cool:
but if we take your position... 95% of the music listened to in the world, by the general population, is very undemanding, and therefore would support for the most part good old mp3 at 128k... and really does not justify the efforts deployed.....
and you?
;-)
 
My latest record purchase is this one:
1737099996831.png
Even from a sonic tour de force like this one is the negative contribution of the Ultra ADC is more than 20 dB down.
But of course it's possible to buy this.
 
It doesn't work like that... this ADC will bring more background noise, harmonic distortions etc. than others to the signal you send to it... than others more qualitative... that's all... too bad...
ps
I think there are versions on CD or vinyl that may be more interesting than this version...I think we should look into it ;-)
 
Prove it.
As for the music, I'm Norwegian so I've heard almost too many recordings of it. :)
I just invited you to compare to others..
if you are passionate about "classic" that you have many versions and that is your preference, ignoring the marketing thing of deutsch...no problem ;-)



for you..
(funny because opened on the table just this morning)
;-)
 

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It doesn't work like that... this ADC will bring more background noise, harmonic distortions etc. than others to the signal you send to it... than others more qualitative... that's all... too bad...
For fun I ask an AI about the ADC used in WiiM Ultra.

"The PCM1861 from Texas Instruments is generally well-regarded as a high-quality audio ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter). It offers 110dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and supports up to 192kHz/32-bit digital output. This makes it suitable for audiophile-grade applications and high-resolution audio.

It's used in devices like the WiiM Pro Plus, which highlights its capability for high-fidelity audio processing. If you're looking for a reliable ADC for high-quality audio applications, the PCM1861 is a solid choice.

Here are the detailed specifications for the PCM1861 ADC from Texas Instruments:

### Key Features:
- **Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR)**: 110 dB
- **Sampling Rate**: 8 kHz to 192 kHz
- **Number of Channels**: 2-channel
- **Input Range**: Single-ended, 2.1 V RMS full-scale input; Differential, 4.2 V RMS full-scale input
- **Gain**: Programmable Gain Amplifier (PGA) with fixed gain options of 0 dB, 12 dB, and 32 dB
- **Power Supply**: Single 3.3 V operation
- **Power Dissipation**: < 85 mW at 3.3 V

### Additional Features:
- **Hardware Control**: PCM1861 supports hardware control for volume adjustments.
- **Integrated Audio PLL**: High-performance audio phase-locked loop for stable operation.
- **Energy-Sense Audio Content Detector**: For auto system wakeup and sleep.
- **Automatic PGA Clipping Suppression Control**: To prevent clipping and distortion.
- **PCB-Footprint Compatibility**: Across all devices in the PCM186x family for easy integration."

So not all agree it's bad ;)
 
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