Wiim Ultra instability

[burnssimon]

Just tested post update installation and like you, no change.

Will stick to Squeezebox until RAAT is available.

 

[harkpabst]

Just tested post update installation and like you, no change.

Will stick to Squeezebox until RAAT is available.

Don't forget to respond to your ticket. That's the best and fastest way to address it.

 

[Stessull]

I'm not sure if this casts any light on the issue, but I've got a JBL Authentics 300 that I use outside, apparently due to be Roon Ready anytime soon, but until then I've been trying to use the Chromecast connection with Roon, this also allows grouping with my various WiiM devices. This is not working well as Roon drops the connection regularly. When this happens it's not just the JBL that vanishes from Roon but also all the WiiM Chromecast connections as well. So not sure if this is a Roon issue or a Chromecast problem. Obviously, when the JBL becomes Roon Ready this will not be an issue for me but it's very annoying in the meantime.

 

[gazza1101]

I'm not sure if this casts any light on the issue, but I've got a JBL Authentics 300 that I use outside, apparently due to be Roon Ready anytime soon, but until then I've been trying to use the Chromecast connection with Roon, this also allows grouping with my various WiiM devices. This is not working well as Roon drops the connection regularly. When this happens it's not just the JBL that vanishes from Roon but also all the WiiM Chromecast connections as well. So not sure if this is a Roon issue or a Chromecast problem. Obviously, when the JBL becomes Roon Ready this will not be an issue for me but it's very annoying in the meantime.

I find that I regularly lose different chromecast devices, I think its a chromecast shortcoming

 

[harkpabst]

I find that I regularly lose different chromecast devices, I think its a chromecast shortcoming

Things have improved for me over time, but I don't know if this is due to CC firmware getting better, the Google Home App getting technically better (I hate it more and more from an UI point of view with every new release) or just good luck. But yes, I know this too well.

 

[castalla]

I use the chromecast bridge in LMS - it's rock steady with a variety of endpoints (but no wiim devices) . No drop outs, ever.

 

[Cal_Cobra]

I initially had issues with Amazon Music Unlimited. A track would either not play at all, or would get stuck during playback, it was super annoying, so bad that it was basically unusable w/Amazon. I opened a WiiM support ticket, and they immediately diagnosed an Amazon cloud issue (must've been a regional issue as I was in the minority). A week or so later they released a patch, and I'd say overall it's 95% better, although I feel it could be further optimized [stretch goal]. It has hung a few times since the SW patch, but unlike before where it'd just go katatonic, it recovers now. I think they can [and probably have] further optimize their Amazon cloud API, but for now, it's working quite well, well enough that I'll be dropping Apple Music. I get a better selection with more material in higher resolutions than I experienced with Apple Music, and given that Apple Music isn't supported on the Ultra (and seemingly never will be) I'll stick w/Amazon. Plus you can cast Amazon Music at a much higher rate then Apple Music, and I think it's $5-6/mo cheaper to boot

I'm also trying Tidal, which I also like. Sometimes it does beat Amazon with a higher res like track, and it has not had a single issue freezing during playback (admittedly I've listen to Amazon music more):

 

[Smartplug]

Apple would probably gain more revenue if they let their app adapt by company who want them not just few like sono.

 

[Cal_Cobra]

Apple would probably gain more revenue if they let their app adapt by company who want them not just few like sono.

I can't figure out if it's greed, exclusivity, or something else entirely? I've been an iPhone user since the iPhone 4, and love my iPhones, but I'm not married to apple (I'm a PC user, had a high end Macbook at work and prefered my PC Apple could make their music ecosystem more profitable if they chose to make it a more accessible music platform. Now that they're only one of a myriad of streaming services, we have choices. Ultimately it's their loss as customers may find other services that fit their needs better.

 

[Smartplug]

I can't figure out if it's greed, exclusivity, or something else entirely? I've been an iPhone user since the iPhone 4, and love my iPhones, but I'm not married to apple (I'm a PC user, had a high end Macbook at work and prefered my PC Apple could make their music ecosystem more profitable if they chose to make it a more accessible music platform. Now that they're only one of a myriad of streaming services, we have choices. Ultimately it's their loss as customers may find other services that fit their needs better.

The only device I use on Apple is iPhone, I use windows exclusively because I’m hard core gamer. Being gamer can be expensive if you want high frames low latency on 4K monitor. Nvidia 4090 is top range costing anywhere from 1500 to 2000 depending on vendor. New card will be out possible this year and could push the price North Star of 2000 plus.

 

[Cal_Cobra]

The only device I use on Apple is iPhone, I use windows exclusively because I’m hard core gamer. Being gamer can be expensive if you want high frames low latency on 4K monitor. Nvidia 4090 is top range costing anywhere from 1500 to 2000 depending on vendor. New card will be out possible this year and could push the price North Star of 2000 plus.

I used to be into hi-end gaming, I sunk tons and tons of money into PC gaming rigs, upgrades, the whole enchilada, then I discovered that I could save TONS of money by just buying a gaming console Now I'm a single father with a busy daughter and haven't played video games for eons, but I have been thinking a new gaming console would be fun to play with my daughter (she's six), but kids and video games are a slippery slope. Maybe if the Nintendo Switch2 comes out this fall, we'll try that.

 

[Smartplug]

I used to be into hi-end gaming, I sunk tons and tons of money into PC gaming rigs, upgrades, the whole enchilada, then I discovered that I could save TONS of money by just buying a gaming console Now I'm a single father with a busy daughter and haven't played video games for eons, but I have been thinking a new gaming console would be fun to play with my daughter (she's six), but kids and video games are a slippery slope. Maybe if the Nintendo Switch2 comes out this fall, we'll try that.

Pc has lots of tweak to make it eye candy and high frames more than console can delivered. It could burn an hole on your wallet if want max setting and 200 fps. I only have 2 hobby play games and listen to music. I would let sock get a hole before I replace it but if you say there’s new gpu I would prioritize that over socks. I know it’s weird.

 

[Cal_Cobra]

Pc has lots of tweak to make it eye candy and high frames more than console can delivered. It could burn an hole on your wallet if want max setting and 200 fps. I only have 2 hobby play games and listen to music. I would let sock get a hole before I replace it but if you say there’s new gpu I would prioritize that over socks. I know it’s weird.

I feel your pain, I remember the days of sinking all of my extra money into my gaming PC, waiting for the next latest and greatest video card, overclocking my CPUs and GPUs, max ram, fastest HDDs, best sound cards, etc. The visits to Fry's Electronics Besides, who needs socks.

 

[Smartplug]

I feel your pain, I remember the days of sinking all of my extra money into my gaming PC, waiting for the next latest and greatest video card, overclocking my CPUs and GPUs, max ram, fastest HDDs, best sound cards, etc. The visits to Fry's Electronics Besides, who needs socks.

Fry’s used to be my get go then one day they closed down. Their pc hardware to choose from was so many. Amazon put many company out of business. Now a days just look at the picture and specs and click buy. I missed the time when there were so many brick and mortar store. Remember circuit city and radio shack? Both went to oblivion.

 

[Longfellow78]

I received my Wiim Ultra yesterday. It's replacing a Wiim Pro that I've had for several months. Is anyone else experiencing issues with connection stability when using Tidal Connect or Chromecast from Roon? My Wiim Pro is rock solid, but the Ultra is not. My experience is that at some point, the Ultra will simply disconnect from whichever service I'm playing from. It will disappear from the Tidal or Roon app, only to reappear a few moments later. Tidal is significantly more reliable. EDIT: I'm aware that Roon certification is pending for the Ultra. I mention Roon only because it's what I'm using primarily, and it is handling connection via Chromecast when not using Tidal Connect directly for troubleshooting purposes.

When casting from Roon, audio will play fine for up to a few hours, and then the device disconnects/reconnects. When it disconnects, it vanishes entirely from the Roon device list. It appears moments later. Once it does, I can no longer play more than a second or two. This repeats until I reboot the Ultra. Sometimes, that resolves the issue for a few hours more. Other times, it does not. Looking at the Roon logs, I can see the disconnection. At the same time my Wiim Pro works flawlessly.

My network is enterprise-grade, backed with Ruckus L3 switches and a Ruckus R650 WiFi 6 AP. I've used the Ultra and Pro both wired and wireless. The network shows no instability in the connection to the Pro or Ultra. My firewall shows no dropped packets from the Ultra, no odd traffic, no unusual activity at all. My DNS filter shows nothing anomalous from the Ultra nor are any queries being blocked. The only difference between the Ultra and Pro (other than hardware, of course) is that the Pro uses RAAT for the connection from Roon while the Ultra uses Chromecast. If I drop back to Chromecast for the Pro, I have no issues.

The Ultra is running the latest beta firmware (5.2.624635), as recommended by Wiim support via a ticket submitted from the Wiim Home app last night. I'm happy to wait on firmware updates, but with so many positive reports of people having no issues I'd like to get it replaced by the retailer if the device is defective.

Sorry side question. How do you get beta updates? Thanks.

 

[paidhima]

Sorry side question. How do you get beta updates? Thanks.

No special method. I had a ticket open with WiiM, they told me to run updates the usual way in the app and I would get the beta. If they can target updates with device serial, then that's why I got the beta.

 

[HoosierHiFi]

I initially had issues with Amazon Music Unlimited. A track would either not play at all, or would get stuck during playback, it was super annoying, so bad that it was basically unusable w/Amazon. I opened a WiiM support ticket, and they immediately diagnosed an Amazon cloud issue (must've been a regional issue as I was in the minority). A week or so later they released a patch, and I'd say overall it's 95% better, although I feel it could be further optimized [stretch goal]. It has hung a few times since the SW patch, but unlike before where it'd just go katatonic, it recovers now. I think they can [and probably have] further optimize their Amazon cloud API, but for now, it's working quite well, well enough that I'll be dropping Apple Music. I get a better selection with more material in higher resolutions than I experienced with Apple Music, and given that Apple Music isn't supported on the Ultra (and seemingly never will be) I'll stick w/Amazon. Plus you can cast Amazon Music at a much higher rate then Apple Music, and I think it's $5-6/mo cheaper to boot

I'm also trying Tidal, which I also like. Sometimes it does beat Amazon with a higher res like track, and it has not had a single issue freezing during playback (admittedly I've listen to Amazon music more): View attachment 9864

I’ve also been using Amazon unlimited on the ultra for the last 2 weeks and would agree that it’s only 95% there. Even after the patch I’m still getting occasional dropped songs and the cover art always gets lost in the WHA (although it always appears correctly on the ultra). The amazon archive is just as good or better than apple, sounds great and functions acceptably well on the ultra so I’m making the switch. Hope the WiiM team can dial in the last 5% and really make using Amazon on the ultra a higher end experience.

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

Perhaps the ‘bug’ is doing something more with newer users than more established ones.

It would appear that we have 3 or 4 brand new members who’ve joined the group just to report an issue that none of the rest of us have.

So my charitable reading if that is that it’ll get better as you use it more.

 

[harkpabst]

I'd say it's perfectly acceptable and likely that people register in this forum only if they stumble across oddities.

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

I'd say it's perfectly acceptable and likely that people register in this forum only if they stumble across oddities.

Of course.