WiiM Ultra Firmware v5.2.709956 - Mar 6, 2025

[etoniolo]

Hi Team, In my Ultra, when I change the VU meter mode to 'original signal' nothing happening .
After a change of output volume the the VU meter works fine, but when I set the mode back to 'output amplitude' the Ultra ignores the setting.
Change the output volume has not effect.
When I reboot the Ultra, the VU meters work as expected.

Ultra firmware 5.2.709956
Android app 3.1.6.250310.dcd3ee

Regards from Italy (Venice )!

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

A lot of the posters do not seem interested in music, but rather in silly/useless gizmos. That is fine, except that their demands push @WiiM Team away from its core mission - music playback functionality. Piling up further DSP processing and screen currents adds additional digital noise which pollutes and degrades the output stream. I say to @WiiM Team: save your resources aand concentrate on what really matters.

For those interested in music - turn off the screen.

I appreciate your post and your point.

But I feel duty bound to point out that there’s no evidence whatsoever that dsp causes the issues you suggest. Indeed, there is evidence that it causes little-to-no measurable issues, and where a difference is measured, it’s well below human audibility, whilst bringing substantial audible benefits.

The screen? Yes, screens can cause issues. But again, the Ultra has been measured, and those measurements show that the Ultra, with screen on, can reproduce any input signal with transparency within the limits of human audibility.

And finally, even if you believe the screen is bringing some sort of interference, I see no evidence, nor any logic, in the idea that providing a different selection of VU meters (as an example) would increase this.

 

[adias]

I appreciate your post and your point.

But I feel duty bound to point out that there’s no evidence whatsoever that dsp causes the issues you suggest. Indeed, there is evidence that it causes little-to-no measurable issues, and where a difference is measured, it’s well below human audibility, whilst bringing substantial audible benefits.

The screen? Yes, screens can cause issues. But again, the Ultra has been measured, and those measurements show that the Ultra, with screen on, can reproduce any input signal with transparency within the limits of human audibility.

And finally, even if you believe the screen is bringing some sort of interference, I see no evidence, nor any logic, in the idea that providing a different selection of VU meters (as an example) would increase this.

Your points are well taken. But... the higher the processing load, the higher the current, the higher the EMI emmission. In any case, these are audio products not video screen gizmos. Some like them, others dislike them; I have been since day 1 on the camp that Ultra does not need a screen.

 

[QuarryHunslet]

Hi Team, In my Ultra, when I change the VU meter mode to 'original signal' nothing happening .
After a change of output volume the the VU meter works fine, but when I set the mode back to 'output amplitude' the Ultra ignores the setting.
Change the output volume has not effect.
When I reboot the Ultra, the VU meters work as expected.

Ultra firmware 5.2.709956
Android app 3.1.6.250310.dcd3ee

Regards from Italy (Venice )!

According to post #1, this feature requires an upcoming firmware update before it will work.

 

[EddNog]

According to post #1, this feature requires an upcoming firmware update before it will work.

A lot of us already got the firmware update. Some of us got it before the app update (like myself).

-Ed

 

[QuarryHunslet]

A lot of us already got the firmware update. Some of us got it before the app update (like myself).

-Ed

What version firmware is this?

 

[EddNog]

What version firmware is this?

-Ed

 

[QuarryHunslet]

View attachment 18398
View attachment 18399

-Ed

I have had that version for quite some time, and it predates the latest app version, which states that an upcoming firmware version is required for this feature.

 

[EddNog]

I have had that version for quite some time, and it predates the latest app version, which states that an upcoming firmware version is required for this feature.

Then it seems there are mixed messages coming from WiiM given the line I circled there in the firmware details.

-Ed

 

[slartibartfast]

I have had that version for quite some time, and it predates the latest app version, which states that an upcoming firmware version is required for this feature.

So the VU Meter feature listed in the firmware requires an app update and the VU Meter feature in the app requires a firmware update. Classic WiiM

 

[QuarryHunslet]

Then it seems there are mixed messages coming from WiiM given the line I circled there in the firmware details.

-Ed

Yes, it looks like that to me, as the feature doesn't work for me.

 

[QuarryHunslet]

So the VU Meter feature listed in the firmware requires an app update and the VU Meter feature in the app requires a firmware update. Classic WiiM

All I know is that it doesn't currently work for me.

 

[slartibartfast]

All I know is that it doesn't currently work for me.

That is also quite likely.

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

Your points are well taken. But... the higher the processing load, the higher the current, the higher the EMI emissions…

…yeah, I get that, and agree.

But how do you know that? Why are we even here, able to discuss that?

Because scientists have developed instruments capable of detecting EMI emissions.

And those same scientists have developed instruments capable of testing noise and distortion in audio products.

And those same scientists have measured, using that equipment, and controlled testing in humans, the level of noise and distortion that humans can detect. And the Ultra has lower levels than that, so those scientists say it’s not audible.

So here’s the thing. Either you trust the scientists who developed testing for EMI, and all those other things.

Or you don’t.

If you don’t trust them, then your argument about EMI becomes irrelevant, because you don’t trust that it’s there.

If you do, then you’re duty, bound to accept the scientific evidence that it’s too low in the Ultra to cause audible issues.

Which is it?

 

[EddNog]

Yes, it looks like that to me, as the feature doesn't work for me.

That is also quite likely.

Schrödinger's VU Meter

-Ed

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

So the VU Meter feature listed in the firmware requires an app update and the VU Meter feature in the app requires a firmware update. Classic WiiM

Isn’t that pretty obvious, though?

I mean if I have a car, and I fit some sort of turbo charger, and a switch on the dashboard to turn it on, I need to have done both of those things for it to work.

No switch, you can’t turn the turbo on. No turbo, the switch doesn’t do anything.

 

[EddNog]

Isn’t that pretty obvious, though?

I mean if I have a car, and I fit some sort of turbo charger, and a switch on the dashboard to turn it on, I need to have done both of those things for it to work.

No switch, you can’t turn the turbo on. No turbo, the switch doesn’t do anything.

I think his point, and I agree, is that the firmware says the app update is not out yet; however, the app says the firmware is not out yet. One must be wrong, and one must be right, yet for those of us that have both, neither is right, as it still does not work.

-Ed

 

[adias]

…yeah, I get that, and agree.

But how do you know that? Why are we even here, able to discuss that?

Because scientists have developed instruments capable of detecting EMI emissions.

And those same scientists have developed instruments capable of testing noise and distortion in audio products.

And those same scientists have measured, using that equipment, and controlled testing in humans, the level of noise and distortion that humans can detect. And the Ultra has lower levels than that, so those scientists say it’s not audible.

So here’s the thing. Either you trust the scientists who developed testing for EMI, and all those other things.

Or you don’t.

If you don’t trust them, then your argument about EMI becomes irrelevant, because you don’t trust that it’s there.

If you do, then you’re duty, bound to accept the scientific evidence that it’s too low in the Ultra to cause audible issues.

Which is it?

I’m not a Scientist. I am an engineer. I know how circuits work. I know that limited measurements are far from defining a complete system defining matrix. Those who go by SINAD do not know what they do not know.

 

[dominikz]

I’m not a Scientist. I am an engineer. I know how circuits work. I know that limited measurements are far from defining a complete system defining matrix. Those who go by SINAD do not know what they do not know.

Audio measurements seen online may or may not be complete, but well-executed controlled listening tests IME tell a pretty convincing story.

If anyone can demonstrate in such a test that EMI from DSP/screen in WiiM Ultra causes audible issues, I'd be very intrigued to read the report!

Until such time, I'm happy to wait and see what kind of exciting new EMI-ridden features @WiiM Team can cram inside these lovely devices!