Wiim Ultra with PC, best way to use?

[OrbitalB]

I'm new to the audiophile game, so please try to answer as detailed as possible. I hope that there is no stupid question here.

How can I setup my PC to connect to the Ultra?
I currently run the following setup on my gaming desk but am not happy with it:

Ultra >> Optical>>Active speakers (cheap Edifier from Amazon)
And in parallel
PC>>Aux/Line In>> Active speakers

I want to able to connect the PC to the Ultra so that I don't have to switch the input from optical to Line In on my speakers all the time when I stream music through my phone (mainly because the volume changes drastically every time).
When I tried to do the following there was no sound.
PC>>HDMI>>Ultra>>Optical>>Active speakers
(I read in another thread here that this is die to the HDMI ARC only on the Ultra)

When I tried to do the following the sound was not good/muffled/low volume.
PC>>AUX/RCA>>Ultra>>Optical>>Active speakers

I also tried to use an USB Flashdrive in the ULTRA but there was nothing detected. Does the flashdrive need a special formatting?

Would the Klipsch The Fives active speakers HDMI Arc port help to solve my problem?

Would an Amp after the Ultra help?

I'm grateful for any advice even if it differs from my current setup. How do you guys play Audio files from your digital PC library through Wiim DACs?

 

[jfbuk]

What is it that you want to cast from your PC & phone ?
You would probably be better sending all audio over the network using UPnP/DLNA from your PC and Chromecast from your phone (assuming Android) to the Wiim. This means your Wiim input can be left as network all the time

 

[Burnside]

A few things - the ultra’s hdmi port is only for connection to an hdmi arc socket on a tv so the tv sound can be played via the Ultra.

For a connection from a PC to the Ultra’s optical in port, this converter has often been suggested: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cubilux-TOSLINK-Converter-Compatible-Computer/dp/B0B2DBGKL3/

Once you set the pc output volume appropriately, you can then use the Ultra’s volume control into your speakers

For usb drive compatibility, please see the WiiM faq/support pages https://faq.wiimhome.com/en/support...tible-usb-drive-specifications-for-wiim-ultra

 

[manyung1987]

I'm new to the audiophile game, so please try to answer as detailed as possible. I hope that there is no stupid question here.

How can I setup my PC to connect to the Ultra?
I currently run the following setup on my gaming desk but am not happy with it:

Ultra >> Optical>>Active speakers (cheap Edifier from Amazon)
And in parallel
PC>>Aux/Line In>> Active speakers

I want to able to connect the PC to the Ultra so that I don't have to switch the input from optical to Line In on my speakers all the time when I stream music through my phone (mainly because the volume changes drastically every time).
When I tried to do the following there was no sound.
PC>>HDMI>>Ultra>>Optical>>Active speakers
(I read in another thread here that this is die to the HDMI ARC only on the Ultra)

When I tried to do the following the sound was not good/muffled/low volume.
PC>>AUX/RCA>>Ultra>>Optical>>Active speakers

I also tried to use an USB Flashdrive in the ULTRA but there was nothing detected. Does the flashdrive need a special formatting?

Would the Klipsch The Fives active speakers HDMI Arc port help to solve my problem?

Would an Amp after the Ultra help?

I'm grateful for any advice even if it differs from my current setup. How do you guys play Audio files from your digital PC library through Wiim DACs?

The best is to buy a mutec format converter
USB to optical into the wiim ultra

for functional features, I prefer PC connecting to audio interface with optical output (RME, Motu, Universal Audio, Focusrite, etc will do the job)

Or, use the USB optical coverter suggested above.
something like SMSL PO100

https://smsl-audio.com/portal/product/detail/id/855.html

 

[OrbitalB]

What is it that you want to cast from your PC & phone ?
You would probably be better sending all audio over the network using UPnP/DLNA from your PC and Chromecast from your phone (assuming Android) to the Wiim. This means your Wiim input can be left as network all the time

From the phone I always use Chromecast or Quboz through Wiim Home anyway. From PC I want zo cast my music library. I don't know how to send the signal grom PC to the Wiim through network.

 

[pieterv1]

For a connection from a PC to the Ultra’s optical in port, this converter has often been suggested: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cubilux-TOSLINK-Converter-Compatible-Computer/dp/B0B2DBGKL3/

This is the most straightforward way it seems to me... Normally you could use the auto input sensing to make the Ultra switch to the computer automatically.

 

[OrbitalB]

A few things - the ultra’s hdmi port is only for connection to an hdmi arc socket on a tv so the tv sound can be played via the Ultra.

For a connection from a PC to the Ultra’s optical in port, this converter has often been suggested: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cubilux-TOSLINK-Converter-Compatible-Computer/dp/B0B2DBGKL3/

Once you set the pc output volume appropriately, you can then use the Ultra’s volume control into your speakers

For usb drive compatibility, please see the WiiM faq/support pages https://faq.wiimhome.com/en/support...tible-usb-drive-specifications-for-wiim-ultra

Thanks. All very helpful. I knew the HDMI Arc thing from another post here but didn't know a solution. Tyvm

 

[OrbitalB]

The best is to buy a mutec format converter
USB to optical into the wiim ultra

Thanks, I'll check that converter out.

 

[manyung1987]

Thanks, I'll check that converter out.

If your active speaker has USB input,
you can even try USB connection from the Wiim Ultra to your speakers.
Let us know if you can get better sounding (Likely, DAC part of wiim ultra is better than that of your spk)

 

[OrbitalB]

For a connection from a PC to the Ultra’s optical in port, this converter has often been suggested: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cubilux-TOSLINK-Converter-Compatible-Computer/dp/B0B2DBGKL3/

For this one, optical in and then optical out to speakers is the way to go? If I get active speakers with HDMI Arc I guess I still can't use WiiM>>HDMI>>Active speakers, from what you wrote above right?

 

[manyung1987]

For this one, optical in and then optical out to speakers is the way to go? If I get active speakers with HDMI Arc I guess I still can't use WiiM>>HDMI>>Active speakers, from what you wrote above right?

Both of them are HDMI ARC input
you cannot connect a input to a input

 

[OrbitalB]

for functional features, I prefer PC connecting to audio interface with optical output (RME, Motu, Universal Audio, Focusrite, etc will do the job)

I assume these are hardware interfaces that have an optical output and possibly more?

 

[manyung1987]

I assume these are hardware interfaces that have an optical output and possibly more?

There are many brands for audio interface.
Any with optical output can do the job

 

[manyung1987]

I assume these are hardware interfaces that have an optical output and possibly more?

Also, have you checked is there any optical out of your PC mainboard ?
maybe you need to add nothing but an optical cable

 

[OrbitalB]

Both of them are HDMI ARC input
you cannot connect a input to a input

My bad, sorry

This is the most straightforward way it seems to me... Normally you could use the auto input sensing to make the Ultra switch to the computer automatically.

Thanks. The Ultra does that. That's not the problem. The active speakers need to be switched from optical to Line manually.

 

[OrbitalB]

If your active speaker has USB input,
you can even try USB connection from the Wiim Ultra to your speakers.
Let us know if you can get better sounding (Likely, DAC part of wiim ultra is better than that of your spk)

My current cheap speakers don't have USB..But the Klipsch Fives have one. Thinking about upgrading to those.

 

[OrbitalB]

Also, have you checked is there any optical out of your PC mainboard ?
maybe you need to add nothing but an optical cable

Yes I checked that. Would have loved that option though.

 

[simbun]

From the phone I always use Chromecast or Quboz through Wiim Home anyway. From PC I want zo cast my music library. I don't know how to send the signal grom PC to the Wiim through network.

You can use MediaMonkey or foobar2000 (both only pseudo gapless playback) to cast your local music from the PC to the Ultra.

 

[jfbuk]

From the phone I always use Chromecast or Quboz through Wiim Home anyway. From PC I want zo cast my music library. I don't know how to send the signal grom PC to the Wiim through network.

This is easy to install and configure. I will cast whatever audio is playing on your PC
There will be a slight lag so not necessarily recommended for casting the audio sountrack to a video

GitHub - dheijl/swyh-rs: Stream What You Hear written in rust, inspired by SWYH.

Stream What You Hear written in rust, inspired by SWYH. - dheijl/swyh-rs

github.com

 

[manyung1987]

Yes I checked that. Would have loved that option though.

this is the simpliest, straight forward, latency-free option for your current setup
Although the Ultra does not have a USB DAC input, don't forget and miss the optical in