High-res streaming, lots of connections, and a full-color touchscreen
WiiM asked their customers, their customers responded, and WiiM listened: they've incorporated a full-color touchscreen, an HDMI ARC input, room correction, and more into their new flagship streamer, the Ultra. It lets you add high-res streaming to pretty much any sound system using WiiM's powerful, user-friendly app. Whether you control it from the front panel or your smartphone, great sound is always at your fingertips.
High-res streaming with full-color touchscreen control.
This streamer's high-performance ESS SABRE™ DAC circuitry delivers rich, detailed sound that rivals streamers costing several times more, so you can get the best out of music services like Qobuz, TIDAL, Spotify, and more.
This streamer can also be part of a multi-room music system that allows you to add digital and analog sources with ease — even a turntable — thanks to its analog-to-digital (ADC) chip. And it all fits into a sleek, compact aluminum chassis that you can place almost anywhere.
User-friendly streaming options
The Ultra connects to your home network using Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and it's super-easy to set up using the free WiiM Home app for Apple® and Android™ devices. You can access and manage a bunch of music services — including high-res music files stored on an external storage drive connected to the USB input — from within the app. You can also control music across multiple WiiM players in different rooms (additional players sold separately). A sync audio option in the WiiM app uses a built-in mic on the Ultra to get rid of any playback latency between grouped devices.
Plenty of users will take advantage of its Chromecast built-in and Alexa support — both for single-zone and multi-room streaming. It also works with Spotify Connect and TIDAL Connect, which give you access to the Ultra natively from within those apps.
Two-way Bluetooth lets you stream wirelessly from your compatible smartphone, tablet, computer, or other device using that familiar and popular platform to play music through whatever sound system your Ultra is connected to. You can also stream from the Ultra to your favorite Bluetooth headphones or speaker.
Hands-on with WiiM's flagship streamer
I'm glad to report that the WiiM Ultra retains all of the user-friendliness I've found across the company's range. Setup was a glitch-free experience that took about five minutes, most of which was waiting for the firmware to automatically update.
Getting connected
I tested the Ultra's premium onboard DAC by hooking up the analog RCA output to an NAD C700 driving ELAC Uni-Fi Reference UBR62 stand-mount speakers. I also connected my Pro-Ject X2 turntable to the Ultra's phono input. There's an included screw-lock ground pin that plugs into a corresponding rear-panel socket.
Vinyl and streaming
I had Elton John's Honky Château on the platter, so I cued the digital version of that album up in the WiiM app and did some comparative listening. But before doing so, I ran the Ultra's room correction, which I found in the app's audio settings.
Test-driving WiiM's room correction
As WiiM recommends, I positioned my iPhone's mic toward the speakers at ear level from my listening position. A quick tone-sweep played, and the app took a moment to produce a corrected set of EQ curves. Toggling between the corrected and flat EQ settings in the app lets you easily hear the difference. It definitely added bass. More bass than I had previously heard out of the ELACs — possibly too much bass.
Pro tip: I learned on WiiM's website that they recommend removing your iPhone's case before running room correction. Doing it that way definitely produced more balanced results for me — I preferred listening to the corrected EQ over the flat.
Listening impressions
The John/Taupin-penned “Amy” has an uncluttered, funky arrangement that features electric violin and congas along with the core piano-bass-guitar-drum group. The Ultra presented the infectious track in super-sharp detail. I must've listened to it a dozen times — and still wanted more.
And the vinyl version playing through the Ultra's phono input also got the benefit of room correction. That's a big checkmark in the “buy me” column of this already value-packed little unit, even if the streaming version of "Amy" sounds a hair fuller and clearer.
Connect a turntable, TV, powered subwoofer, and more
You can connect to your receiver, amp, or powered speakers using the analog stereo RCA output to take advantage of the Ultra's DAC. Or use a digital output to connect to your favorite outboard DAC.
A dedicated phono input lets you connect a turntable with a moving magnet or moving coil cartridge. You can also connect another analog source to its stereo RCA input, or a digital audio source like a CD player to the optical digital input. Connect your TV to the HDMI ARC port for soundtrack audio. You can then stream any connected sources to other compatible multi-room speakers or WiiM components in your system.
A front-panel headphone jack powered by a built-in amplifier lets you listen discreetly on your favorite high-performance wired 'phones. And the Ultra also has an output for a powered subwoofer (sold separately) with handy in-app bass management.
