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A flagship price makes people expect a flagship experience. The WiiM Ultra sits at the top of the WiiM lineup and costs $329.
Three headline features define it: a 3.5-inch touchscreen, an ES9038Q2M SABRE DAC and a phono stage that accepts turntables.
To find out whether the money really buys that experience, we went through the official specs and a pile of independent reviews.
Sound and Streaming Features
Files up to 24-bit/192kHz play through the ES9038Q2M SABRE DAC. WiiM claims a 121dB signal-to-noise ratio on the line out.
On the streaming side, Roon Ready, Bluetooth 5.3, Amazon Alexa, Google Cast, Tidal Connect and Spotify Connect are all supported.
Ports and Connections
For a streamer at this price, the Ultra offers far more connections than usual:
- HDMI ARC
- Coaxial out
- Optical in and out
- RCA line in and out
- A moving-magnet phono input for turntables
- A dedicated subwoofer output
- A USB port for local files
Everything is housed in a single aluminum chassis.
Where Reviewers Agree and Disagree
Both What Hi-Fi and HiFi Report singled out the same pair of strengths. The first is a clean, balanced sound that holds up across genres.
The second is the touchscreen. Reviewers called it genuinely useful, not a marketing ploy, and a real display is a rarity at this price point.
The complaints gather around two points. First, AirPlay 2 is missing, even though every other current WiiM streamer offers it.
WiiM itself has confirmed that the cause is hardware specific to the Ultra. A future firmware update will not fix it.
Second, reviewers called the built-in phono stage the weak link. They described its sound as cloudy, with squashed dynamics next to the Ultra’s digital inputs.
Living Without AirPlay
For an iPhone owner who uses AirPlay every day, this is the biggest factor in whether the Ultra fits. WiiM’s own support documentation suggests Bluetooth 5.3 as a workaround.
According to that documentation, Bluetooth delivers the same 256kbps AAC codec quality that AirPlay would.
Another route is to put the Ultra in a multiroom group with an AirPlay-compatible WiiM device, such as the Mini or Pro. Either way, decide before you buy instead of after.
Next to Its Siblings and the Bluesound Node
Within the WiiM lineup, only the Ultra has a touchscreen, a phono stage and HDMI ARC. That justifies the jump up from the $219 Pro Plus.
In independent listening tests, the Bluesound Node came out slightly ahead on clarity and instrument separation. The Ultra’s counterpunch is a lower price plus more connectivity.
Should You Pick the Ultra?
Choose it if you want a single box for hi-res streaming, TV audio over HDMI ARC and a turntable input. No other WiiM product at this price covers as much ground.
Before buying, confirm that going without AirPlay will not be a dealbreaker at home. Anyone who takes vinyl seriously should treat the built-in phono stage as no substitute for a dedicated phono preamp.