Wiim Ultra - Headphone ouput

[brunnetone66]

I have the line outputs on the Wiim Ultra currently feeding a headphone amp.

Is it possible (or advisable) to use the headphone output as a second line output to feed a integrated speaker amp?

I know I can't use them simultaneously, but I'd love to be able to use the Ultra's dac for both purposes (headphone and speakers) without another dac in between.

 

[hgo58]

I have the line outputs on the Wiim Ultra currently feeding a headphone amp.

Is it possible (or advisable) to use the headphone output as a second line output to feed a integrated speaker amp?

I know I can't use them simultaneously, but I'd love to be able to use the Ultra's dac for both purposes (headphone and speakers) without another dac in between.

Welcome

The WiiM Ultra features the ES9038Q2M DAC for its analog outputs (RCA). The headphone output, however, is powered by a separate Texas Instruments amplifier TPA6120A2 with its own DAC and does therefore not use the same DAC as the RCA line out.

Why not just use the headphone jack for your headphones and the RCA line out for the speaker amplifier?

 

[Burnside]

Can’t you use a simple rca switch like this which handles up to 4 outputs, feeding it from the WiiM’s line out?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/PROZOR-Bi-Directional-Channel-Splitter-Selector/dp/B099WMC1DJ

 

[brunnetone66]

Welcome

The WiiM Ultra features the ES9038Q2M DAC for its analog outputs (RCA). The headphone output, however, is powered by a separate Texas Instruments amplifier TPA6120A2 with its own DAC and does therefore not use the same DAC as the RCA line out.

Why not just use the headphone jack for your headphones and the RCA line out for the speaker amplifier?

Two reasons: 1) because I already have a headphone amp that I really like and 2) because of where the Wiim is in the room in relation to where I sit to listen. The separate headphone amp is right next to the seat location, while the Wiim is on the tv stand across the room.

This is good info though about the separate DACs. I was not aware of that and appreciate your response.

 

[brunnetone66]

Can’t you use a simple rca switch like this which handles up to 4 outputs, feeding it from the WiiM’s line out?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/PROZOR-Bi-Directional-Channel-Splitter-Selector/dp/B099WMC1DJ

I could, but I like being able to control everything on the Wiim from the remote or my phone. I use the presets to quickly change inputs and outputs, sub outs, eq settings, etc, so adding the physical switch would defeat the purpose for my use case.

 

[hgo58]

Two reasons: 1) because I already have a headphone amp that I really like and 2) because of where the Wiim is in the room in relation to where I sit to listen. The separate headphone amp is right next to the seat location, while the Wiim is on the tv stand across the room.

This is good info though about the separate DACs. I was not aware of that and appreciate your response.

Note that connecting the headphone output directly to an RCA input on an amplifier could result in distortion, noise, or even damage, due to impedance mismatches and signal level incompatibility. I would not recommend it.