WiiM Ultra

Updated on 5/25/2024

Check out this fuller thread about our official announcement of the WiiM Ultra - https://forum.wiimhome.com/threads/meet-wiim-ultra-the-digital-hub-for-your-music.3487/

Updated on 4/19/2024

Hi Team,

We're excited to give you a sneak peek at the WiiM Ultra, your future go-to digital hub for all things music! We're putting the final touches on this innovative product and are on track for a Q2 release. Stay tuned for more updates as we gear up for launch!




Original message by Brantome:
As mentioned in a user reply from the WiiM/Linkplay CEO on the WiiM Fan Page on Facebook, WiiM are developing a new device called the WiiM Ultra which will have a screen, aluminium case and USB audio output. It should be available Q2 2024, so a good five to six months away.

Guess @Smartplug is due a prize (e.g. I'll lay off gently ribbing them about their constant 'when' questions) as I think they first suggested that name a while ago

That's the entirety of the information I have, but WiiM do say they'll release more details in due course.

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

They announced it with a mock up image of what it would look like in Aug ‘23, a good 4 months before release. Haven’t seen any mock-ups of the Ultra yet so take from that what you will

Thread 'WiiM Amp'
https://forum.wiimhome.com/threads/wiim-amp.1322/

Okay, so the gap between that post and the Amp’s first appearance at Amazon (11th November) was 92 days, or 3 months.

92 days from the first post on this thread was 27th January. So anytime now.

 

[Petevid]

Have Wiim given any indication of price for the Ultra?

 

[canard]

Okay, so the gap between that post and the Amp’s first appearance at Amazon (11th November) was 92 days, or 3 months.

92 days from the first post on this thread was 27th January. So anytime now.

I re-read Brantome's first message in this thread already at the end of October, was announced that a second quarter 24... since then there have been the adventures of the amp , so as Brantome expressed it, having a little perspective, maybe just a beginning autumn will already be positive...
will already be a good new surprise if wiim one day offers a new revised streamer... ;-)

 

[Brantome]

Have Wiim given any indication of price for the Ultra?

Nope - I wouldn't even say we've seen a full spec with any level of detail beyond the post linked - there's been a lot more speculation, hopes and dreams though

WiiM Ultra

As mentioned in a user reply from the WiiM/Linkplay CEO on the WiiM Fan Page on Facebook, WiiM are developing a new device called the WiiM Ultra which will have a screen, aluminium case and USB audio output. It should be available Q2 2024, so a good five to six months away. Guess @Smartplug is...

forum.wiimhome.com

 

[edo gawa]

I suspect the Ultra will be in the same case as the Amp. It probably won't have a bay for M.2 SSD storage but I sure wish it would. That would be a feature that would get me to upgrade my Pro. A much tidier option than hanging a drive off the back.

 

[Matterhorn]

I suspect the Ultra will be in the same case as the Amp. It probably won't have a bay for M.2 SSD storage but I sure wish it would. That would be a feature that would get me to upgrade my Pro. A much tidier option than hanging a drive off the back.

The proposed specs of the Ultra indicate that it will have a USB port which could be connected to a USB hub where several USB devices could be connected, including a media server. It's post #195 in this thread.

 

[canard]

I have never participated too much in this thread ""box of fantasies"" of the "ultra" ( i m not being concerned with the future.. a " plus" is enought for me)
but a personal consideration, or rather advice (because it participates in these fantasized aspects).. forget about the extremely pretentious name "ultra" which can only bring its share of disappointments.
(""pro"" was already a little unwelcome)

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

I have never participated too much in this thread ""box of fantasies"" of the "ultra" ( i m not being concerned with the future.. a " plus" is enought for me)
but a personal consideration, or rather advice (because it participates in these fantasized aspects).. forget about the extremely pretentious name "ultra" which can only bring its share of disappointments.
(""pro"" was already a little unwelcome)

It’s difficult not to be deeply moved, not to mention extremely impressed by a post like this.

 

[canard]

It’s difficult not to be deeply moved, not to mention extremely impressed by a post like this.

but I didn't want to destabilize you...

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

I suspect the Ultra will be in the same case as the Amp. It probably won't have a bay for M.2 SSD storage but I sure wish it would. That would be a feature that would get me to upgrade my Pro. A much tidier option than hanging a drive off the back.

Right. There’s a lot of guesswork as to what the Ultra will or won’t be.

I mean it could be a bag of stale sausages (it won’t be, only kidding), but there’s a point at which we’ve got to say, based on some fairly logical assumptions (the logic being that WiiM don’t want a dud on their hands) we must surely surmise what it’s going to be.

It’s going to include a WiiM streamer (I’m kind of hoping it doesn’t, just for the insanity of it…but it will).

It’s going to include everything WiiM have announced so far.

It’s DAC stage is going to be at least Pro Plus standard.

It will arrive with 8 bands of PEQ and room correction at launch.

Now, so far so good. The following is easy-to-add functionality, which I hope to see.

All features will be fully customisable. So if you want room correction, you’ve got it. If you want a sub out and bass management, you’ve got it. If you want to output to a DAC, you’ve got it…

…but if you want to use bass management to separate L&R from the sub, and have L&R done over digital out to an external DAC, you’ve got it. I mean it can’t be either/or. It can’t be “our DAC with bass management, or your own DAC with no separate sub out”.

But that works both ways. It can’t be “loads of great room correction and PEQ…but that has to apply to a digital out for a headphone DAC/amp, too”.

Adding this sort of flexibility is “a few lines of code”, but it stands between the Ultra being the ultimate front end, and an interesting diversion.

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

but I didn't want to destabilize you...

You’re not actually a foreign language speaker, are you.

 

[canard]

You’re not actually a foreign language speaker, are you.

?

 

[djwalter2000]

An Ultra at a price point south of $400 just doesn't make much sense to me but I can't help but thinking that is what we'll get. If it absolutely must have a DAC, and a screen, I'd much prefer having the option of seeing WiiM's class leading software baked into a no compromise device in the spirit of an Eversolo A8 than a Pro++. Doesn't WiiM already have an ultra affordable DAC/streamer for every occasion?

Who's ready for a $1,200 to $1,500 maxed out Ultra? I am.

 

[cooky560]

An Ultra at a price point south of $400 just doesn't make much sense to me but I can't help but thinking that is what we'll get. If it absolutely must have a DAC, and a screen, I'd much prefer having the option of seeing WiiM's class leading software baked into a no compromise device in the spirit of an Eversolo A8 than a Pro++. Doesn't WiiM already have an ultra affordable DAC/streamer for every occasion?

Who's ready for a $1,200 to $1,500 maxed out Ultra? I am.

The main attraction of the pro plus is it plays ball with the big boys without costing as much. This would destroy the wiim kits purpose

 

[bherren]

An Ultra at a price point south of $400 just doesn't make much sense to me but I can't help but thinking that is what we'll get. If it absolutely must have a DAC, and a screen, I'd much prefer having the option of seeing WiiM's class leading software baked into a no compromise device in the spirit of an Eversolo A8 than a Pro++. Doesn't WiiM already have an ultra affordable DAC/streamer for every occasion?

Who's ready for a $1,200 to $1,500 maxed out Ultra? I am.

I'm in the same boat. I want something to plug into a power amp and which will handle all my needs nicely (Tidal, TuneIn, HDMI arc, 12v trigger out and one analog input, preferably with phono preamp) and it's *incredibly hard* to find such a streamer combination that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

I'm very eager to see what WiiM ends up with.

I found plenty of people telling me to use other devices such as AVRs but this is simply not what I want. I want a focus on high quality stereo and not bother with 2 remotes to change volume when watching TV

So far the tentative specs for the Ultra hit the sweet spot better than anything else, so let's wait and see if they can beat the Eversolo A8 or NAD C658 ! I've been impressed so far, I am optimistic.

 

[Matt_Holland]

An Ultra at a price point south of $400 just doesn't make much sense to me but I can't help but thinking that is what we'll get. If it absolutely must have a DAC, and a screen, I'd much prefer having the option of seeing WiiM's class leading software baked into a no compromise device in the spirit of an Eversolo A8 than a Pro++. Doesn't WiiM already have an ultra affordable DAC/streamer for every occasion?

Who's ready for a $1,200 to $1,500 maxed out Ultra? I am.

Do you think Wiim are aiming the Ultra at the ultra niche Eversolo audiophile market? Or if we take emotion out of it, and apply some commercial logic, do you rather suspect they are aiming at a much larger and more profitable customer base?

Considering what stupendous value their other products are, I am expecting a “maxed out” Ultra for close to Wiim Amp money. Probably the most important feature the Ultra will have is HDMI ARC as it solves the integration issue for what will be their main customers, I.e. not audiophiles with dedicated listening rooms, but multi-use rooms with TVs.

The absolute top price will be $450 and that will only be the case if they push the boat out in the aesthetics and material quality.

I hope they make a matching power amp in the future. 200wpc and load independent for $300.

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

An Ultra at a price point south of $400 just doesn't make much sense to me but I can't help but thinking that is what we'll get. If it absolutely must have a DAC, and a screen, I'd much prefer having the option of seeing WiiM's class leading software baked into a no compromise device in the spirit of an Eversolo A8 than a Pro++. Doesn't WiiM already have an ultra affordable DAC/streamer for every occasion?

Who's ready for a $1,200 to $1,500 maxed out Ultra? I am.

I’m not up for that, for the simply reason that WiiM can do the same, if not better, for a lot less.

What is it on the Eversolo that you think won’t be on the Ultra?

Does the Eversolo have room correction? Does the Eversolo have PEQ? Does the Eversolo have a subwoofer out?

 

[Steve Woodhouse]

Do you think Wiim are aiming the Ultra at the ultra niche Eversolo audiophile market? Or if we take emotion out of it, and apply some commercial logic, do you rather suspect they are aiming at a much larger and more profitable customer base?

Considering what stupendous value their other products are, I am expecting a “maxed out” Ultra for close to Wiim Amp money. Probably the most important feature the Ultra will have is HDMI ARC as it solves the integration issue for what will be their main customers, I.e. not audiophiles with dedicated listening rooms, but multi-use rooms with TVs.

The absolute top price will be $450 and that will only be the case if they push the boat out in the aesthetics and material quality.

I hope they make a matching power amp in the future. 200wpc and load independent for $300.

I don’t mind whether WiiM make such an amp or not in the future.

If the Ultra lives up to promise, I’m matching it with a Topping PA7 and a pair of Revel M106s, and I’m done.

 

[Matt_Holland]

I don’t mind whether WiiM make such an amp or not in the future.

If the Ultra lives up to promise, I’m matching it with a Topping PA7 and a pair of Revel M106s, and I’m done.

Absolutely. That would be fantastic.
I have a Wiim amp and I’m picking up a used pair of Revel M16 for £300. Might add a sub in the future. Either way it will be silly value.

 

[Brantome]

What is it on the Eversolo that you think won’t be on the Ultra?

Unless WiiM pull a rabbit out of their hat, native Apple Music support for one thing. Eversolo achieve this by using the native Apple Music app on their Android based devices with a bespoke audio subsystem and VLC-like remote screen control from their own app. I know lots of WiiM users would love hi res Apple Music support, but until WiiM manage to squeeze a wedge in Apple’s door, I don’t see this happening. Even those who claim to have full Apple Music support on board, like Tesla and Sonos, still only play AAC.