Hi there
New WiiM Ultra user here.
Got it recently for 309€ during black week from Elektrowelt24 Germany after waiting three weeks because of some supply shortage.
It replaces my old setup:
Sources: Spotify Android App - Bluetooth aptX- Oehlbach BTR Evo 5.0 BT Reciever - RCA. Alternatively, TEAC TN-3B turntable with preinstalled AT MM cartrige connected to the Phono In of the RV2. Analog RCA In - Magnat RV2 Tube Amp with JJ KT88 matched quad tubes in ultralinear circuit - Magnat Transpuls 1000 3-way retro style speakers. The later combination requires heavy EQing for my ambient, trance, gothic, metal and industrial style listening preferences. As the RV2 has no EQ, I modified it for a FX insert path with a Panasonic WZ-DE45 Pro Digital PEQ.
Was quite happy with it, but I wanted to mitigate quality limitations of Spotify and BT, as my smartphone is limited to BT aptX, although the Oehlbach RX would have accepted aptX HD.
Now my new setup is:
Tidal connect - WiiM Ultra Ethernet LAN - Magnat RV2 - Transpuls 1000. I was able to recreate the Panasonic EQ settings with some mods on the Ultra PEQ.
BT RX or separate EQ is not needed any longer, first mission goal achieved! TEAC TN-3N connected to the Phono In of the Ultra as I like it's sound more than the built-in pre of the TEAC. I would have liked the Phono In of the RV2 directly more but then I would loose the PEQ of the Ultra.
Ignore the center speaker and the little sub, they belong to the Philips Dolby 5.1 setup for home cinema, together with the Kathrein Sat. The Telefunken OPUS 2550 is currently a museum piece, would need total recaping.
Result: Me sitting in the perfect sweet spot. I was blown away with the stereo image of the new setup. The sound was delocalized from the speakers, seeming to be able to come from everywhere outside of the speakers' baseline. Bryan Ferry - N.Y.C. - whisteling - almost gave me a heart attack fearing some intruders have secretly entered my mans' cave starting to whistle from behind. At first I was seeking for some odd phase reversal which could completely modify stereo imaging until I realized that it is real. And that this stereo stage is something I have heard hardly in before. I attribute this as the gain from Spotify to Tidal HiRes and omitting the Bluetooth loss. So nothing in special for the Ultra in principle, but the Ultra seems to do it's intented job in my rig just prefectly.
Next: Dayton Audio iMM-6C on the way for experiments with Android room correction. Comparing with the Sonarworks SoundID Reference Mic together with REW in Win10, and a RME Babyface Pro audio interface from my musicians business.
Looking forward to making new sound endvours!
New WiiM Ultra user here.
Got it recently for 309€ during black week from Elektrowelt24 Germany after waiting three weeks because of some supply shortage.
It replaces my old setup:
Sources: Spotify Android App - Bluetooth aptX- Oehlbach BTR Evo 5.0 BT Reciever - RCA. Alternatively, TEAC TN-3B turntable with preinstalled AT MM cartrige connected to the Phono In of the RV2. Analog RCA In - Magnat RV2 Tube Amp with JJ KT88 matched quad tubes in ultralinear circuit - Magnat Transpuls 1000 3-way retro style speakers. The later combination requires heavy EQing for my ambient, trance, gothic, metal and industrial style listening preferences. As the RV2 has no EQ, I modified it for a FX insert path with a Panasonic WZ-DE45 Pro Digital PEQ.
Was quite happy with it, but I wanted to mitigate quality limitations of Spotify and BT, as my smartphone is limited to BT aptX, although the Oehlbach RX would have accepted aptX HD.
Now my new setup is:
Tidal connect - WiiM Ultra Ethernet LAN - Magnat RV2 - Transpuls 1000. I was able to recreate the Panasonic EQ settings with some mods on the Ultra PEQ.
BT RX or separate EQ is not needed any longer, first mission goal achieved! TEAC TN-3N connected to the Phono In of the Ultra as I like it's sound more than the built-in pre of the TEAC. I would have liked the Phono In of the RV2 directly more but then I would loose the PEQ of the Ultra.
Ignore the center speaker and the little sub, they belong to the Philips Dolby 5.1 setup for home cinema, together with the Kathrein Sat. The Telefunken OPUS 2550 is currently a museum piece, would need total recaping.
Result: Me sitting in the perfect sweet spot. I was blown away with the stereo image of the new setup. The sound was delocalized from the speakers, seeming to be able to come from everywhere outside of the speakers' baseline. Bryan Ferry - N.Y.C. - whisteling - almost gave me a heart attack fearing some intruders have secretly entered my mans' cave starting to whistle from behind. At first I was seeking for some odd phase reversal which could completely modify stereo imaging until I realized that it is real. And that this stereo stage is something I have heard hardly in before. I attribute this as the gain from Spotify to Tidal HiRes and omitting the Bluetooth loss. So nothing in special for the Ultra in principle, but the Ultra seems to do it's intented job in my rig just prefectly.
Next: Dayton Audio iMM-6C on the way for experiments with Android room correction. Comparing with the Sonarworks SoundID Reference Mic together with REW in Win10, and a RME Babyface Pro audio interface from my musicians business.
Looking forward to making new sound endvours!
