WiiMUltra Music Streamer & Digital Preamp | 3.5" Touchscreen, Compatible with Google Cast & Alexa, Stream Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal & More | HDMI ARC, Phono Input & Headphone Output | Space Gray

I bought this because I had the inevitable audiophile itch to upgrade. My original setup was a Wiim Pro into a RME-ADI2 fs DAC. I ordered the Eversolo DMP-A6, the DMP-A6 Master Edition G2, and this Wiim Ultra just because I had heard so much hype and wanted to prove to myself that you get what you pay for. I ran all of these units through my Emotiva A300 amplifier and into my B&W CM9 as well as my B&W 704 s2 speakers. First off, the Wiim is a step down in build quality from Eversolos. It’s not bad, it’s just not audiophile-grade. The screen is not as nice either. It works, but it does not wow anyone. The Eversolos are fantastic in this metric. They look and feel like the real deal. This is not unexpected considering that the Eversolos are 3-5x the price. However, the Wiim app clearly edges out the Eversolo app. It’s just easier to use and you can stream from the Amazon Music app directly to the Wiim but you can’t with the Eversolos. The sound comparison, however, was mind-boggling. The Wiim was nose-to-nose with the regular DMP-A6. They have the same DAC chip so this seems logical, but how? HOW??!! It’s 1/3 the price! Good for you Wiim! Way to stand up to the playground bully. Then I ran the Ultra against the RME and Eversolo Master Edition. These aren’t just bullies compared to the Wiim, these are David versus Goliath. First off, the RME and Master Edition were virtually indistinguishable in sound quality. I did a blind A/B test for hours and they were weirdly identical. Considering that they both are in the $1500 range, I guess that’s reasonable. The Ultra at only $329 has no business in their ranks, right? RIGHT..? Think again. The Ultra actually sounded more dynamic and had a wider soundstage when compared to the RME and the Master Edition. There was definitely more “texture”/detail in the higher-end DACs and they had slightly more richness in the midrange. The Ultra is a teeny bit more relaxed but you can really only notice this with an A/B switch and you really have to concentrate. I also noticed the Ultra was a little less accurate in placing instruments in a 3 dimensional soundstage. When I say a little I mean like maybe 5-10% difference. The Ulltra is a bit more snappy and has a bit more punch in the bass. Again, we are talking a 5-10% difference here. The Ultra also has a very slight bump in the treble, ever so slightly accentuating cymbals and “s” sounds, but not in a way that introduces any offensive sibilance. It’s just a few percent more “airy”. Overall, the Ultra held its own, but how? HOW!!?? At 1/5 the price this is just stupid. I really wanted to keep the Eversolo ME Gen 2. The premium build and fancy screen just looks like it belongs with my system. This was supposed to be my impulsive yet objectively-justifiable audio equipment upgrade. It checks all the boxes. It has a sumptuous design with audiophile-approved bling. It has a screen to die for. The sound is exquisite. It has gold badges for Christ’s sake. GOLD BADGES! We are a match made in heaven. The Master Edition is my forever good looks girl with a parent-approved pedigree and we were going to live happily ever after. Then walked in this trashy, low-budget riffraff Wiim swaying her hips, twirling her curls, and grabbing my dirty mind like Susanna Hoffs’ legendary eye roll (I still get tingly today when I think about it) . I was ruined. I could no longer justify the investment in the Master Edition when I could have almost as much fun, maybe even more, with this cheap, trashy yet wildly irresistible vixen known as the Wiim Ultra. Yea, she's not the kind of girl I can bring home to mama and all my friends will officially disapprove of my transgression (but in private they will all want to know what immoral and forbidden fun I am having with this dirty little pig girl). Ostensibly hidden in their righteous contempt for my unacceptable break from convention will be endless envy. The ridiculous value proposition of the Ultra challenged my sense of financial responsibility (which was already quite rarified given that I engage in this ridiculous hobby). Simply put, the Ultra is 90% as good as the RME and the Eversolo Master Edition sound wise and function wise at 20% of the price. This damn little streamer robbed me of any reasonable argument for upgrading. In fact, I’m now selling my Wiim Pro and my RME DAC and returning the Eversolos. I have technically downgraded. Thanks Wiim. It’s like I cheated on my perfect boogie trust fund wife with a diner waitress, got divorced, and I’m now living in disgrace in a tiny apartment with this little hottie who doesn’t even know a single Coltrane song. Yet, somehow, it’s okay because I’m teaching her and she’s a quick learner who brings her own reckless but stunningly engaging approach to everything I love in life. So yes, I may have “downgraded”, but it feels like I’m still winning. Most of the time you get what you pay for. The Wiim Ultra is one of those rare products that breaks that paradigm and, in the process, turns everything we thought we knew on its head.

A review of an audio device should come with some context of the writer, what they listen to, and what their other gear is: My uses are for multiple kinds of music from classic rock, to some classical, to some electronic dance, and even some outlaw country. My system includes a clean Onkyo amplifier, older JBL 10” 3-way speakers, and I am bypassing the WiiM DAC by passing the SPDIF data into a Denafrips Ares 2 DAC. That said, my review is probably not audiophile-grade, but audiophile-ish. My perception of sound quality in this review is compared to that of a Marantz CD6007 CD player and my perception of sound quality.The most important thing about the WiiM Ultra for me was the ability to bypass the built-in DAC so I could maximize sound quality to my ears by passing through my own DAC. Great news: It does that, beautifully. And it’s amazing. By using my own DAC, I can only barely tell the difference between a CD and even Spotify. That could set a clear line in the sand about my hearing, but I’m baffled at how close to CD quality the WiiM with my Denafrips DAC can get. It’s gets so close, it’s no longer distracting how different the sound is between streaming and CD.Now, I acknowledge that the DAC is a specialized piece of gear, but it has allowed me to homogenize the tonality of sound between CD and streaming. The WiiM connects via SPDIF, allowing for connection to any DAC you like, which was the use case that led me to finally buy a dedicated streamer. The versatility to do this pushes this into the zone where it’s an interesting to those interested in maximizing and curating a tailor-fit sound quality. The WiiM Ultra hits the mark here.It’s also beautifully easy to use. I can operate my streams from my phone, carry it around the house. Love that. It’s great.It may also be valuable to know that the screen is super fun, because I can finally just walk by and see what’s playing - and so can anyone else in the house. So nice to not have this all hidden only in one person’s phone.The design of the device is also super beautiful. Sits next to my Marantz CD player and fits right in. That’s phenomenal at this price point.So, here’s the thing - I’m probably a “practical audiophile” - I love music, I’m a little picky about sound quality, but I don’t have tens of thousands of dollars worth of gear, but I do have a sizeable investment in equipment to get as good of sound as I can. I’ve been skeptical about streaming because of sound quality (and the need for perpetual subscriptions). And the WiiM Ultra is the first dedicated streaming device I’ve ever chosen to give a chance — because of the ability to use my own DAC. It hits all the right marks given my use case: Super easy to use, beautiful design, the ability to attach my own DAC, and there aren’t any gimmicks … it’s great.Even on Spotify, with my DAC, it’s so close to CD quality, I’m no longer distracted by the fact that the stream sound quality has such different sound signature than CD. In my use case, this is a perfect solution, and it’s clear that I’m WiiM’s perfect customer. I’m sold, and I would recommend this to anyone who wants great flexibility to expand in the future, but have something beautifully functional in the meantime that likely needs no upgrades at all to still be phenomenal.Five stars on providing an affordable device that finally hits in the zone of the venerable CD for music lovers.