{"product_id":"wiim-ultra-space-gray","title":"WiiM Ultra Network Streamer, Space Gray","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe WiiM Ultra is a network streamer with a colour touchscreen, ESS Sabre converter, phono input and headphone output. It's the point where WiiM stops being an affordable insider tip and starts building fully grown devices.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy the WiiM Ultra?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause it ends the clutter on the rack. Turntable? A phono input for MM and MC is built in, including a grounding terminal. TV? HDMI ARC is there. Headphones? Its own output on the front. Subwoofer? A separate RCA output. And everything else that counts as streaming runs anyway: Chromecast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Amazon Music Cast, DLNA, Roon Ready.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdd to that a 3.5-inch touchscreen behind glass showing album art, VU meters or a clock, and a real volume knob. You underestimate how much that changes daily life until you've turned the volume down once without reaching for your phone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat you hear\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M delivers 121 dB signal-to-noise ratio and a total harmonic distortion of -116 dB at the line output — that's rarefied air for a device in this price class. In practice that means: a very calm background, clean imaging, and recordings that used to sound a bit flat regain depth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe headphone output runs on its own TI TPA6120A2 chip and delivers around 150 mW at 32 ohms. With high-impedance headphones it performs confidently — hifitest.de confirmed this in a test with a 250-ohm Beyerdynamic. With very low-impedance models and in-ears, however, the comparatively high output impedance colours the sound audibly. For a good hour of headphone listening in the evening, that's plenty; anyone mainly listening via headphones is better off hanging a dedicated headphone amplifier off the line output.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWho is the WiiM Ultra for?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor anyone who wants one source for everything: network, vinyl, TV, headphones. And for anyone using the streamer as a preamp and going straight to a power amp or active speakers — the output level can be switched to adjustable for that.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStraight talk:\u003c\/strong\u003e the Ultra doesn't have AirPlay 2. If your household runs entirely on Apple and AirPlay is your main route to music, you're better served with the WiiM Pro Plus — that one has it. And it has no built-in power amp: you don't connect speakers directly, that needs an amplifier or active speakers downstream. If you want both in one housing, look at the WiiM Amp Ultra.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe WiiM Ultra is one of the few streamers where you read the connection list twice, thinking you misread it. Phono, HDMI, headphones, sub-out and a decent converter for this price — that simply didn't exist for a long time. At HD Zürisee in Wädenswil, it's the device that lets most grown systems be tidied up in one go.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAwarded:\u003c\/strong\u003e Top class, 5 out of 5 stars – HiFi Test 1\/2026 · 5 out of 5 stars – What Hi-Fi?, February 2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat the trade press says:\u003c\/strong\u003e \"The build quality is excellent, and the features allow for a broad range of use, with the high sound quality rounding off the package.\" – HiFi Test 1\/2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTechnical data\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eType: network streamer with DAC, phono input and headphone output\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDisplay: 3.5-inch colour touchscreen behind glass\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWiFi: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11a\/b\/g\/n\/ac\/ax, 2.4 and 5 GHz)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNetwork connection: LAN 10\/100\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBluetooth: 5.3 LE\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDAC: ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSignal-to-noise ratio: 121 dB (line-out), 119 dB (headphones)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTotal harmonic distortion THD+N: -116 dB (0.00015%) at line-out\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaximum resolution: 192 kHz \/ 24-bit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInputs: 1 × RCA analogue (line-in), 1 × phono MM\/MC with grounding terminal, 1 × optical Toslink, 1 × HDMI ARC, 1 × USB-A (storage media), 1 × LAN\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOutputs: 1 × RCA analogue (line-out, max. 2.1 V), 1 × subwoofer (RCA), 1 × optical Toslink, 1 × coaxial (RCA), 1 × USB audio, 12 V trigger\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOutput level: switchable — fixed or adjustable via app, remote control and rotary knob\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeadphone output: present — 3.5 mm jack on the front, TI TPA6120A2 chip, around 150 mW at 32 ohms (manufacturer's figure); no 6.3 mm jack, no balanced output, no gain switching\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStreaming protocols: Chromecast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Amazon Music Cast, DLNA, Roon Ready, internet radio, NAS (no AirPlay 2)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVoice control: Alexa and Google Assistant via the respective devices\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSound settings: 10-band equalizer, parametric EQ, room correction\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePower supply: internal power supply, 100–240 V\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDimensions (W × H × D): 211 × 72 × 200 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeight: 1.42 kg\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColour: Space Gray\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eScope of delivery: WiiM Ultra, WiiM Voice Remote, power cable, HDMI cable, RCA cable, optical cable, phono grounding adapter, quick guide\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently asked questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I connect headphones to the WiiM Ultra?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. There's a headphone output with a 3.5 mm jack on the front, with its own TPA6120A2 chip, around 150 mW at 32 ohms. With high-impedance headphones it performs very well; with low-impedance models and in-ears it colours the sound audibly. For a 6.3 mm plug you need an adapter — we have those in store.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes the WiiM Ultra replace a dedicated headphone amplifier?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor occasional listening, yes; for daily headphone use, no. It lacks a 6.3 mm jack, balanced output and gain switching, and the output impedance is notably higher than on dedicated devices. If headphones are your main playback, hang a proper headphone amp off the line output — we'll show you suitable models.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan the WiiM Ultra drive a power amp or active speakers directly?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. The output level can be switched from fixed to adjustable, after which the Ultra serves as a preamp — controlled via app, remote control or rotary knob. Set this before connecting the power amp, otherwise full level is present at your speakers as soon as it's switched on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDo I still need a phono preamp for my turntable?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. The WiiM Ultra has a built-in phono input for MM and MC cartridges, including a grounding terminal. You connect the turntable directly. And because the Ultra digitises the signal, your record also plays across the multiroom network on request — in the bathroom, if you want.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes the WiiM Ultra have AirPlay 2?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. The WiiM Ultra supports Chromecast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Amazon Music Cast, DLNA and Roon Ready, but not AirPlay 2. Anyone using AirPlay as their main route finds it on the WiiM Pro Plus or the WiiM Amp — we're happy to tell you which path fits your household.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy buy the WiiM Ultra at HD Zürisee?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause the Ultra replaces many devices and precisely because of that needs planning: what goes out, what stays, what needs rewiring? We go through that with you instead of just shipping you a box. Our technician Maurizio takes care of installation and setup at your home on request.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eGoes well with\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Ultra wants a good amplifier behind it — found among the \u003ca href=\"\/en-ch\/collections\/vollverstarker\"\u003eintegrated amplifiers\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/en-ch\/collections\/endstufen\"\u003epower amplifiers\u003c\/a\u003e. Matching headphones are among the \u003ca href=\"\/en-ch\/collections\/kopfhorer\"\u003eheadphones\u003c\/a\u003e, the amplification to go with them among the \u003ca href=\"\/en-ch\/collections\/kopfhorerverstarker\"\u003eheadphone amplifiers\u003c\/a\u003e. The turntable is among the \u003ca href=\"\/en-ch\/collections\/plattenspieler\"\u003eturntables\u003c\/a\u003e, the foundation among the \u003ca href=\"\/en-ch\/collections\/subwoofer\"\u003esubwoofers\u003c\/a\u003e. Everything from WiiM: \u003ca href=\"\/en-ch\/collections\/wiim\"\u003eWiiM overview\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WiiM","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53028349739344,"sku":"303813","price":429.0,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0932\/3262\/8048\/files\/wiim-ultra-netzwerk-streamer-space-gray-frontansicht.jpg?v=1787157925","url":"https:\/\/hdzuerisee.ch\/en-ch\/products\/wiim-ultra-space-gray","provider":"HD Zürisee AG","version":"1.0","type":"link"}