John Darko
One of the highlights of Munich High-End 2024 was the soon-to-be-released Ultra streaming DAC from Linkplay. Linkplay is headquartered in the USA but manufactures its WiiM-branded devices in China. We penned a half-baked preview of the Ultra here; its internal D/A converter is built around an ES9038 Q2M SABRE DAC chip whose analogue output stage, power supply design and clock isolation will have more of an impact on overall sound quality than the chip’s 32-bit/384kHz hi-res PCM capabilities.
However, not until the show did we learn that the 3.5″ touchscreen – despite showing cover art, album metadata and playback controls – talks not to an Android OS but Linux. That means it cannot host streaming apps like more costly touchscreen-based streaming DACs from FiiO, Eversolo and Shanling. WiiM’s Henry Jeong told me that the Ultra’s operating system effectively ports (parts of) the Wiim Home smartphone app to the Ultra to give users access to input/output selection, playback queue, presets and EQ.
Ergo: the touchscreen is not the Ultra’s main drawcard. So, what is?
To answer that we need to turn the WiiM Ultra around to look at its back panel. Hard-wired inputs include line-level, MM/MC phono, TOSLINK and HDMI ARC. That’s on top of the unit’s streaming ingress which opens the door to Apple AirPlay 2, Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, Google Chromecast, Squeezelite and (eventually) Roon Readiness. Qobuz and Amazon Music HD are delivered from within the WiiM Home app.
On outputs, we get coaxial, TOSLINK and analogue. The front panel volume pot, the touchscreen and the WiiM Home app can all control the latter’s output level. BYO power amplifier. I asked Jeong about the possibility of WiiM’s software team adding (optional) variable output functionality to the Ultra’s digital outputs. He told me he would look into it. Given the Chinese company’s track record in swiftly making good on crowd-sourced feature requests, the likelihood of that coming to fruition is strong. Hello, Peachtree GAN1. UPDATE: WiiM/Linkplay has since confirmed that the S/PDIF outputs are already switchable between fixed and variable output.
But wait, there’s more. iPhone owners can tap into the unit’s room compensation smarts by moving their iOS device around the room as the Ultra plays two minutes of white noise a frequency sweep through the speakers. This allows the WiiM Home app to map the room’s acoustic behaviour (presumably below 300Hz) and tackle any room modes to reduce the negative impact of low-frequency standing waves. Why not Android? Microphones vary hugely between models and there are too many Android smartphones with which to keep pace.
Another key detail frustratingly held back until High-End 2024 was the Ultra’s price: it’s fundamental to how we judge a product’s potential before we get hands-on with it or its value proposition once we’re in the listening seat.
Now confirmed at US$329, the Ultra is shaping up to be an exceedingly affordable multi-function pre-amplifier – with the bonus of touchscreen control – that additionally offers a subwoofer output (with hi/lo-pass bass management) and a headphone output which, given the price point, isn’t likely to be anything more than 32 Ohm-friendly. Other features include WiFi 6E and Bluetooth.
Further information: WiiM
