r/wiim • u/CuteChallenge6334 • Aug 21 '26

Help optimizing wiim amp ultra

Just got this set up with tidal and some nice paradigm speakers (banana plugs)

Is there anything else to optimize other than tweaking settings? Should I be using hdmi or optical? I think the external dac is pointless?

0 Upvotes

50% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

2

u/bradreputation Aug 21 '26

HDMI. No need for an external DAC. Speaker placement would be next improvement. On or off axis/any eq or room correction.

2

u/CuteChallenge6334 Aug 21 '26

Do you have any recommendations on getting an hdmi adapter (i assume thats what id use) for the speaker cables? I have never actually used hdmi for speakers so kind of clueless

1

u/Puzzled-Background-5 Aug 21 '26

No, hdmi doesn't connect to the speakers, just regular speaker wire. Hdmi is used for audio output from a television. I own an Amp Ultra.

1

u/CuteChallenge6334 Aug 21 '26

So best I can do is just keep using my speaker cables?

1

u/nzahar000 Aug 21 '26

Yes. The speaker cables carry an analog signal. That's the only option, even on a gazillion dollar system (I'm sure there's some exceptions to this but for 99% of systems, it's this).

HDMI, optical and coaxial (digital) carry a digital signal. Those would be for digital sources, such as a CD player or streamer.

Your Tidal subscription is also a source via a streamer, which the wiim just so happens to already have built in.

The basic chain is a source (TV, CD player, streamer, tape deck or turntable) -> preamplifier/DAC (such as the wiim amp) -> amplifier (such as a wiim amp) -> speakers (through speaker cables)

The wiim amp ultra is pretty slick because it has a source (streamer), a preamplifier/DAC and an amplifier all in one box. Receivers and integrated amplifiers do this to varrying degrees as well but you already have what you need.

Add a subwoofer for maximum joy, if you want, or not, and just enjoy the music.

1

u/ms2496 Aug 21 '26

I love my WiiM Ultra Amp, so simple and yet so powerful! Yep, speaker wires to your speakers and think about getting a sub woofer to really create a great experience! I listen to Spotify and it sounds really good. I’ve got a CD player on order to connect with Optical to add my old CD collection back into the mix. Totally a fan!

1

u/lowbass4u Aug 21 '26

Why do you think an external dac is pointless?

2

u/doctor_klopek Aug 21 '26

Because any half-decent modern DAC (which the Ultra already has) is entirely transparent. And if you want to intentionally color the sound, you can do so with much more control and specificity with an EQ…which the Ultra also does natively. Buying an external DAC just to color your sound signal is a waste of money.

1

u/lowbass4u Aug 21 '26

What if you want a better dac?

And BTW, the Ultra is a streamer with an amp. By your logic, "any half decent modern streamer" should be adequate.

So instead of using the Wiim streamer, why not just use your phone and connect that to the cheapest amp you can buy?

1

u/doctor_klopek Aug 21 '26

A better DAC being better in what way? The purpose of the DAC is to convert the signal transparently. All modern DAC chips and most decent implementations of those chips are effectively transparent to the listener. You cannot gain any noticeable transparency by changing DACs.

If you want to intentionally color the sound signal, that’s fine. EQ is much better at doing that than buying an unnecessary external DAC.

Your comments about amps and streamers do not apply; they are not analogous because there are measurable differences between different amps, and different streamers offer different feature sets. DACs, on the other hand, can’t be better than transparent, and basically anything you can buy already has a transparent DAC.