Wiim Ultra suddenly outputs maximum volume

[EddNog]

I compared both the wiim ultra internal dac (ess9038q2m) and the wiim ultra + smsl ps200 (ess9039q2m) sound and I have a clear preference for the ps200.

I’m happy to use coaxial or optical outputs of the wiim ultra to stay on the safe side as I can’t hear any noticeable difference between any of these 3 digital outputs connected to my external dac.

I hope that this thread (the issue and the probable explanation) will help the community and will be seen by wiim team, as I’m sure I’m not the only one that had or will have this issue with the usb output.

Do your active speakers have a volume control? Maybe find the quietest thing you ever listen to, crank the volume down on the active speakers, max out the volume on the WiiM, slowly turn the volume back up on the speakers until they're as loud as you'd ever want to listen (to said quietest thing you like to listen to), then re-level-match your subwoofer to the speakers, and then from there use the WiiM/Apple TV to control volume. This way, at its absolute loudest, it still at least won't blow your speakers/sub.

-Ed

 

[hassoune]

Do your active speakers have a volume control? Maybe find the quietest thing you ever listen to, crank the volume down on the active speakers, max out the volume on the WiiM, slowly turn the volume back up on the speakers until they're as loud as you'd ever want to listen (to said quietest thing you like to listen to), then re-level-match your subwoofer to the speakers, and then from there use the WiiM/Apple TV to control volume. This way, at its absolute loudest, it still at least won't blow your speakers/sub.

-Ed

Thanks Ed for the tip, unfortunately my active speakers (b&o beolab 6000) don’t have volume control…

 

[hassoune]

Update regarding this, I have explored the topic and here is what I learned:

The UAC norm/protocole has 2 modes: UAC1 and UAC2. UAC2 is the mode that we should be using if you want to keep the volume control at the source. UAC1 is mainly used when you are connecting a DAC to devices like the PlayStation 5, and the DAC manufacturers disable the source hardware volume control and make the source play at full volume in UAC1 mode.

The wiim ultra uses the UAC2 mode for its usb output (as per the specs here https://wiimhome.com/langPdf/en/WiiM Ultra User Manual.pdf)

So in my case, even tough my Smsl ps200 has the UAC switch on UAC2 position, it seems that it randomly switches (electronically) to UAC1 and forces the wiim ultra to output at full volume.

@WiiM Support @WiiM Team does anyone in the technical team know how to prevent this from happening? Does the UAC implementation allow for some kind of protection in order for the wiim ultra to avoid/reject being forced by a device to switch to UAC1?

If someone has better understanding of the topic please let me know.

Thanks,
Hassan

 

[ctctech]

Hi all,
I recently purchased a Wiim ultra and I’m super happy with it (except for the recent problem I’m sharing here).
My current setup is: Samsung tv (hdmi arc) Wiim ultra (usb output) smsl ps200 dac (rca) active speakers. I have also an active subwoofer connected to the sub output of the ultra.

Over the last 2 weeks, I had a very annoying issue happening randomly 3 times already:

While watching tv (Wiim volume around 20), the volume suddenly starts blasting at a crazy level, I’m suspecting the ultra goes to 100% volume. This is kind of scary and happens with no apparent logic and it is also very bad for my family’s ears and for my speakers which may get seriously damaged. Each time it happened I unplugged everything and the issue was solved, but it happened again randomly few days later.

Now family is asking to use tv speakers when watching tv as they are afraid this happens again…

Did anyone experience the same issue? Would appreciate your view on this.

Thanks

yes had it happen to me twice, now I have it on fixed volume and running it through my denon

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

I think the key lesson here is, just in case we haven't learned it already, HDMI ARC and eARC are absolutely pants.

They just regularly get it wrong, do mad things, and don't do what they're supposed to.

 

[hgo58]

I think the key lesson here is, just in case we haven't learned it already, HDMI ARC and eARC are absolutely pants.

They just regularly get it wrong, do mad things, and don't do what they're supposed to.

Volume Control is not ARC but CEC.

 

[hassoune]

Based on my readings and understanding of this, the issue is purely related to the usb port and the protocole used between the Wiim ultra and the external dac connected to it through usb.

This specific issue has in my opinion nothing to do with HDMI arc and CEC. It is a pure usb protocol issue. This issue can in theory happen with any of the inputs of the Wiim ultra, when using the usb output of the ultra.

In this case as I mentioned before, the external device (dac, digital interface…) connected to the Wiim ultra through usb, will disable the source (Wiim ultra) volume control and force it to output volume at maximum level. And it seems to be due to the external device mishandling of the UAC protocole.

 

[Valentino]

I optical.

 

[Mr Ee]

I optical.

It has to be said, ultra optical into vibelink (consider it an external dac) sounds fantastic.

 

[QuarryHunslet]

It has to be said, ultra optical into vibelink (consider it an external dac) sounds fantastic.

How does it compare to Coaxial, as that is what I'm currently using.

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

Volume Control is not ARC but CEC.

Yeah, technically, but through the ARC connection.

And, importantly (as the posts to which I was responding suggest) just as flakey.

 

[pieterv1]

This specific issue has in my opinion nothing to do with HDMI arc and CEC.

I would think so as well. I have absolutely no issues using the Ultra (with the built-in line output) with HDMI. Seems like the addition of the external USB DAC is causing the occasional issue for OP.

 

[EddNog]

I think the key lesson here is, just in case we haven't learned it already, HDMI ARC and eARC are absolutely pants.

They just regularly get it wrong, do mad things, and don't do what they're supposed to.

I gave up on ARC for this reason. Just using analog line in and mapped the 1 button on the presets to line in because all the time I had issues with ARC being unreliable. Ridiculous.

-Ed

 

[Valentino]

^i prefer to use optical because no chance of grounding issues.

 

[Mr Ee]

How does it compare to Coaxial, as that is what I'm currently using.

I'm not ignoring you...
Ultra / vibelink is in the office, and with the Easter and Anzac holidays 3 days (annual leave) off work gives 10 days (inc weekends) away from work.
So I might let you know my thoughts mid next week!
If it's anything like my pro into my Hegel then I probably won't be able to tell the difference.

 

[Kro]

Hi all,
I recently purchased a Wiim ultra and I’m super happy with it (except for the recent problem I’m sharing here).
My current setup is: Samsung tv (hdmi arc) Wiim ultra (usb output) smsl ps200 dac (rca) active speakers. I have also an active subwoofer connected to the sub output of the ultra.

Over the last 2 weeks, I had a very annoying issue happening randomly 3 times already:

While watching tv (Wiim volume around 20), the volume suddenly starts blasting at a crazy level, I’m suspecting the ultra goes to 100% volume. This is kind of scary and happens with no apparent logic and it is also very bad for my family’s ears and for my speakers which may get seriously damaged. Each time it happened I unplugged everything and the issue was solved, but it happened again randomly few days later.

Now family is asking to use tv speakers when watching tv as they are afraid this happens again…

Did anyone experience the same issue? Would appreciate your view on this.

Thanks

I think this just happened to me with a Chord Mojo 2 through USB-C, while playing web radio at low volume. God that scared me, and I was not even in the room when that happened, it took me a couple of seconds to understand what was happening. No speaker damage fortunately it seems. I switched to optical and will likely stay that way, at least to rule out a Mojo issue.

 

[Kro]

I think this just happened to me with a Chord Mojo 2 through USB-C, while playing web radio at low volume. God that scared me, and I was not even in the room when that happened, it took me a couple of seconds to understand what was happening. No speaker damage fortunately it seems. I switched to optical and will likely stay that way, at least to rule out a Mojo issue.

It seems I can't edit my previous post : Please discard my previous comment, I think this is rather the Mojo 2 "white noise issue", so for now I assume the Wiim is not the one to blame here.

 

[Mr Ee]

How does it compare to Coaxial, as that is what I'm currently using.

Did you try this yourself?
I spent most of yesterday listening (from an ultra) via coax, and this morning switching between coax and optical.
I'm sure I couldn't tell them apart despite sort of wanting / expecting / hearing differences on each switch.

Ultra usb out to rme adi 2 dac fs then analog into vibelink sounds shockingly bad in comparison (same conclusion I reached a while back using ultra analog out into vibelink). More like a curtain over the speakers than a veil, and turning it up didn't help.
I have to blame the vibelink analog input for this as neither the rme nor ultra analog out into my other amps sound this poor.
Basically, stick to one of the digital inputs and the vibelink is great.