Wiim Ultra

[The_Lecht_Rocks]

subscribing.
anyone B2B'd a WiiM Ultra against the Node ICON ?

 

[manicm]

I haven't followed the last bits of this thread, but as far the new Bluesound streamers go, WHF seems to be in a group of one. Every other professional review I've read/watched suggested the new Nano/Node has a wider soundstage and overall better sound than the Wiims. But here we are. So I think the user should audition if possible.

 

[manicm]

subscribing.
anyone B2B'd a WiiM Ultra against the Node ICON ?

Professional reviews of the ICON are MIA. Don't know why.

 

[Gray]

Professional reviews of the ICON are MIA. Don't know why.

https://www.avforums.com/reviews/bluesound-node-icon-streaming-preamp-review.22492/

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

Slightly (?) different price points on the products though - i.e. the Node Icon looks to be 2.5x the Ultra

 

[manicm]

https://www.avforums.com/reviews/bluesound-node-icon-streaming-preamp-review.22492/

The review was posted today only, but thanks.

 

[The_Lecht_Rocks]

Yeah. I asked same question on AVF

 

[The_Lecht_Rocks]

Response was Icon better if you can use XLR out.
My NAIT 50 won’t accept XLR, just 5 pin DIN

 

[Al ears]

Professional reviews of the ICON are MIA. Don't know why.

Bluesound Node Icon: A Streamer Worth Stretching Your Budget For | The Ear

I initially set up the Node Icon in my bedroom via wifi and the listened with the Sendy Peacock headphones that I usually use with a Chord 2Go/Hugo2

the-ear.net

 

[Gray]

The review was posted today only

I know it was.
Just a case of being patient, something like that is never going to go unreviewed.
(Took a while for the same site to do their Ultra review too).

 

[manicm]

Bluesound Node Icon: A Streamer Worth Stretching Your Budget For | The Ear

I initially set up the Node Icon in my bedroom via wifi and the listened with the Sendy Peacock headphones that I usually use with a Chord 2Go/Hugo2

the-ear.net

Funny, this reviewer thought the RCA output was superior to the balanced XLR.

 

[manicm]

Response was Icon better if you can use XLR out.
My NAIT 50 won’t accept XLR, just 5 pin DIN

As I mentioned last, one reviewer thought the RCA output sounded better, so maybe it's not an issue.

 

[Al ears]

Funny, this reviewer thought the RCA output was superior to the balanced XLR.

Odd, and difficult to explain.
I can think of no reason why it should be. Perhaps the issue is what you are actually connected to, and the reviewer himself I suppose.
a balanced XLR should be as good or better.

 

[siderealxxx]

Icon is more than twice the price of the Ultra so not really a comparison. The closest like-for-like would be the Bluesound Node 2024 (which is still £150 more than the Ultra). Despite some caveats, most reviews I've referenced seem to prefer the Ultra.

 

[The_Lecht_Rocks]

Icon is more than twice the price of the Ultra so not really a comparison. The closest like-for-like would be the Bluesound Node 2024 (which is still £150 more than the Ultra). Despite some caveats, most reviews I've referenced seem to prefer the Ultra.

Preferred what? The sound? The use ability?

 

[Witterings]

Icon is more than twice the price of the Ultra so not really a comparison. The closest like-for-like would be the Bluesound Node 2024 (which is still £150 more than the Ultra). Despite some caveats, most reviews I've referenced seem to prefer the Ultra.

That's funny, most of the reviews I've seen favour the Bluesound products for sound BUT do prefer Wiim for functionality / compatibility so I guess it depends what your priorities are.

This was also my conclusion testing a Nano (meant to be a step down from the Node) against an Ultra so I kept the Nano and returned the Ultra.

 

[manicm]

That's funny, most of the reviews I've seen favour the Bluesound products for sound BUT do prefer Wiim for functionality / compatibility so I guess it depends what your priorities are.

This was also my conclusion testing a Nano (meant to be a step down from the Node) against an Ultra so I kept the Nano and returned the Ultra.

I've read some reviews which favour the very latest Nodes to the Wiims - even the Ultra - for sound quality. AVForums (Ed Selley), and the British Audiophile thought so - both for the cheapest Nano model.

There's a word of caution though. Ed Selley works commercially now, as does Andrew Everard, and I think Simon Lucas - who gives slight variations of the same reviews across multiple sites.

Absolute editorial independence is almost gone, with only the established older print rags which possess it. And I wonder how long they'll last.

 

[Revolutions]

Everyone getting into the weeds of Bluesound vs WiiM, ignoring the fact that all these reviewers are putting a £1k+ DAC with the units.

 

[Witterings]

Everyone getting into the weeds of Bluesound vs WiiM, ignoring the fact that all these reviewers are putting a £1k+ DAC with the units.

I tried both ... their internal DACs and also through the DAC on my Arcam SA 30 and a Chord Qutest and whichever I was using , the same differences were there.
I was most surprised that it carried through even when using the USB out on the Ultra and the Nano into the Qutest .... I as also quite surprised at the difference between using Optical out on the Nano compared to USB out.

 

[manicm]

I tried both ... their internal DACs and also through the DAC on my Arcam SA 30 and a Chord Qutest and whichever I was using , the same differences were there.
I was most surprised that it carried through even when using the USB out on the Ultra and the Nano into the Qutest .... I as also quite surprised at the difference between using Optical out on the Nano compared to USB out.

On the most modern digital components it seems both optical and coaxial are out, and USB and other more esoteric outputs like I2S are in. I see this as progress.