Wiim Ultra vs Node Icon

[harkpabst]

There is not necessarily a correlation between price and sound quality but probably between price and build quality.

Shock an horror once again.

You must not make such naughty comments in a Hi-Fi forum. People might end up totally confused.

 

[hgo58]

Shock an horror once again.

You must not make such naughty comments in a Hi-Fi forum. People might end up totally confused.

What many seems to forget is that in the digital domain it requires a lot of resources and skills to design the hardware and software. That is where the product quality comes from.


Once the design is done it's not that expensive to mass produce the consumer devices and we can get them "cheap".

Small companies usually struggles here, as they need to spread the initial cost on a small number of devices.

For analog amps and speakers it's normally a bit more expensive to produce the devices to a good quality, so that is where I would spend my money .

 

[harkpabst]

What many seems to forget is that in the digital domain it requires a lot of resources and skills to design the hardware and software. That is where the product quality comes from.


Once the design is done it's not that expensive to mass produce the consumer devices and we can get them "cheap".

Small companies usually struggles here, as they need to spread the initial cost on a small number of devices.

For analog amps and speakers it's normally a bit more expensive to produce the devices to a good quality, so that is where I would spend my money .

Yes, but why the long face?

 

[DG77]

Different not better in my opinion..

Have you listened to them?
I noticed one of the local stores here have your speakers (a trade in) selling for 4100 Euro, that made me curious and perhaps I should ask to borrow them and compare.

 

[GusGusNFT]

Hello people! Just got my Wiim Ultra. Pairing it with the Musical Fidelity M3Si Integrated Amp and the Buchardt P300 speakers. Really happy so far with the performance.

Just found out this forum inside the Wiim app, really nice touch. So, I decided to ask a question which I am curious about, how would the Wiim Ultra compare to the new released Node Icon? Is there any real reviews for the latter on the internet?

A $329 device against a $1000 device? Why? You’re better off upgrading your speakers.

WiiM is the best budget music streamer. Add a good external DAC, good amp, good speakers and you’re set.

 

[m_sherzod]

A $329 device against a $1000 device? Why? You’re better off upgrading your speakers.

WiiM is the best budget music streamer. Add a good external DAC, good amp, good speakers and you’re set.

Which is the go to DAC with the Wiim Ultra? I mean in terms of price to performance ratio? I understand that expensive DACs don’t make sense if you use it with a budget device like the Ultra..)

 

[hgo58]

Which is the go to DAC with the Wiim Ultra? I mean in terms of price to performance ratio? I understand that expensive DACs don’t make sense if you use it with a budget device like the Ultra..)

The WiiM Ultra DAC is fine. In most cases you don't need an external.

If the rest of your system can handle it, a high-end DAC could be an upgrade and using the digital domain of the Ultra would still be fine.

 

[m_sherzod]

The WiiM Ultra DAC is fine. In most cases you don't need an external.

If the rest of your system can handle it, a high-end DAC could be an upgrade and using the digital domain of the Ultra would still be fine.

Thanks. Just curious, do you think my system would benefit from a better DAC, or has it reached its upper potential with the DAC inside the Ultra?

 

[hgo58]

Thanks. Just curious, do you think my system would benefit from a better DAC, or has it reached its upper potential with the DAC inside the Ultra?

Ad far as I know your Musical Fidelity M3Si Integrated Amp has I USB input that could be used with the Ultra. This will then use the M3Si's own DAC. Try that and the WiiM DAC on RCA (aux) input and compare.

 

[m_sherzod]

Ad far as I know your Musical Fidelity M3Si Integrated Amp has I USB input that could be used with the Ultra. This will then use the M3Si's own DAC. Try that and the WiiM DAC on RCA (aux) input and compare.

The DAC inside the amp is a very old DAC, I don’t think it can compete with the Ultra, but can try for fun)