SIGforum
Got the WiiM Ultra hooked up with new speakers on page 4
October 20, 2025, 11:36 AM
smschulzGot the WiiM Ultra hooked up with new speakers on page 4
quote:
Originally posted by Fly-Sig:
With wired speakers, HEOS isn't really the answer. HEOS sends data over wifi to speakers that then convert to analog and have their own built in amplifier. Like to play music over small speakers in the bathroom while you're cleaning up in the morning. Wifi has so much bandwidth that the quality should be great. Bluetooth not so much. For some applications, but not yours HEOS (and Sonos) are good solutions.
Think of your streaming device as a CD player without the DAC. It sends digital data via HDMI to the receiver, which then does the conversion to analog and amplifies it. You could use your phone or tablet, but personally I believe I can hear a significant decrease in sound quality.
Ideally, have a dedicated streaming device like the Appletv or others people have recommended, which connects via HDMI link to your receiver. You are likely to be able to control everything with one remote control due to HDMI eARC. The cost for these devices is cheap. Since they simply pass the digital stream to your receiver, the quality is however good the streaming service provides.
I caution against relying on apps running on your phone or tablet to control your equipment. They can be buggy and go obsolete. As an additional choice, yes, but not as the sole access to control the streaming device or receiver.
^^^ Not exactly.
A streaming device is not like a CD without a DAC.
In fact virtually all have a DAC unit.
Some are better than others, some units you can bypass and send to another DAC.
If you use your phone or other device as the source then yes you are limited to the quality of that unit for the sound quality.
A proper streaming unit will get it's digital material from the network (Internet or Local) via wired (preferred) or WiFi, process with the internal DAC or forward on to another external to the streaming unit, then the last stage is converted to analog before amplification.
Note: output is not always HDMI , there are other outputs and most analog output is RCA to RCA.
Apps that control are buggy or obsolete are not any significant factor now days.
Most of these units we have been talking about are usually connected to an existing system but there are units that also have amplification. Either because you already have a speaker/amp in place or that you want a better amp than in an all-in-one unit.
Additionally, if I wanted something I could just go up to an make a selection on the device albeit not as intuitive I would look at one from EVERSOLO >
https://www.eversolo.com/ (can also control with app).
October 20, 2025, 03:14 PM
Fly-Sigquote:
Originally posted by smschulz:
^^^ Not exactly.
A streaming device is not like a CD without a DAC.
In fact virtually all have a DAC unit.
Some are better than others, some units you can bypass and send to another DAC.
I think we are talking about different things. I'm talking about something like the AppleTV, FireStick, etc which streams music (or video) from the internet to whatever output one desires. Those simply pass on digital streams of data to wherever they are going, such as to a receiver or to a tv. They don't convert digital to analog and then back to digital before sending it. They indeed are just like a CD player without the DAC. They also require an external screen to display what's going on.
Perhaps you are talking about more high end systems which either have an analog preamp or power amp stage, which would be a different solution. Idk how those might interface to a tv to get tv sound out through external speakers.
October 20, 2025, 08:27 PM
springnrSchiit Audio is a made in USA, Texas company and might fall within desired price point.
Their Aegir 2F amplifier will drive the efficient Klipschorns very well.
The Freya +F is a combo digital or tube preamp, which might be nice for different types of music or to see which you prefer. Also tube rolling fun in the future. The Kara preamp if not.
I might lean toward the
Denafrips Ares 15th R-2R DAC instead of Schiit's Gungnir2 DAC.
If you end up interested I would call them and ask if they could help you compare their DAC, and maybe ask for a bundle price including their DAC.
Ask their AI questions about speaker protection, how their separates work together, Forkbeard...
Schiit Audio, AI pageOctober 20, 2025, 08:52 PM
sjtillI’m curious: is Amazon music streaming “lossless”?
Answer:
What HiFi: Music streaming services comparedBoth Apple and Amazon offer “hi-res” streaming, which according to the article is 24-Bit, 192 kHz. “Lossless” just means CD quality, which is 16-Bit, 44.1 kHz. So “lossless” doesn’t mean identical to the master recording, just better than MP3.
Can I tell the difference? I’m sure not. But I can still enjoy recorded music streaming over Apple Music or Apple Classical, listening through my AirPods Pro 3’s which are equalized to my horrible audiogram. I had a major hit to my hearing on the left side about a year or so ago, due to Sudden Onset Hearing Loss Syndrome, which unfortunately I got terrible advice when I called about it.
Sudden ASYMMETRICAL hearing loss is an otological emergency requiring steroid therapy ASAP.
_________________________
“Remember, remember the fifth of November!"
October 21, 2025, 08:30 AM
trapper189Amazon Unlimited is lossless and CD quality or better in terms of bit depth and sampling rate.
Streamer->DAC->integrated amp->speakers is looking like the way to go. On the other hand, Amazon has this Yamaha:
R-N1000A, for $1,200. Separates would be quite a bit more.
I actually had the Eversolo Play for a week or so. I had it hooked up to the Fortés and the streaming worked well, but the built in amp didn’t drive the speakers as well as the Pioneer Elite SC-63 does.
October 21, 2025, 09:56 AM
Lefty SigGet an AppleTV and connect by HDMI to any AVR or AVR Pre-Pro. Then to speakers, or to amp and speakers if using a pre-pro.
AppleTV can stream Apple Music directly to the AVR over HDMI without any wireless.
October 21, 2025, 11:20 AM
trapper189They’re here!:
My wife is going to freak out when she sees them. I showed her pictures, took a tape measure and tried to show her how big they were going to be in the corners, and she said OK, but she is still going to freak out. I had no idea each speaker would be on a separate pallet. Maybe I can tell her it’s like when Amazon ships one little thing in a giant box.
The painters are still painting, so I’ll have to wait to set them up.
October 21, 2025, 11:43 AM
stoic-oneI once owned a pair of these, they are sweet, and monstrous...
October 21, 2025, 11:44 AM
Lefty SigNow you need some TUBE amps for those.
6550's or KT88's.
October 21, 2025, 11:51 AM
mark60I didn't read past Klipsh in the original post and missed the Horn part. Very nice, can't wait till the unboxing. Depending on your chosen music sources AppleTv is great but I hate having to use the TV to play music. Sonos has a Port that can feed to an AVR or separates. It has a built in DAC and it has a digital output so you can offload to external if you want. Unless they changed things there's no 24 bit support if that's important. The Sonos app had some growing pains but they got it worked out and it's still so easy to use that my wife can use it.
October 24, 2025, 12:15 PM
trapper189I guess got the eye-talian ones, it says fra-gil-e:
I’m really glad the furniture delivery guys (looked like D2 linebackers) agreed to bring the bass cabinets up the stairs for a quick $100. I got the midrange/tweeter cabinets up by myself. After I pick my son up from school, we’ll get the bass cabinets off the foam and set the midrange/tweeter cabinets on top. On a side note, the speakers are mirror images of each other, so the left speaker has the speaker connections on its right side and the right speaker has its speaker connections on its left side. Naturally I found this out the hard way.
October 24, 2025, 12:27 PM
P250UA5Looks nice, not nearly as big as I was expecting from the wrapped up photos.
The Enemy's gate is down. October 24, 2025, 12:34 PM
stoic-onequote:
Originally posted by P250UA5:
Looks nice, not nearly as big as I was expecting from the wrapped up photos.
The upper horn of the speaker isn't on top yet...
October 24, 2025, 12:36 PM
P250UA5quote:
Originally posted by stoic-one:
quote:
Originally posted by P250UA5:
Looks nice, not nearly as big as I was expecting from the wrapped up photos.
The upper horn of the speaker isn't on top yet...
The Enemy's gate is down. October 24, 2025, 01:20 PM
trapper189For scale, the brick wall is 17’8” long by 9’6” high. The electric fireplace is 76” long which coincidentally is as long as an 85” diagonal TV. And yes, the midrange/tweeter cabinet isn’t on there yet.
October 24, 2025, 01:38 PM
mark60Beautiful, I love walnut. I know they’re very efficient but they really do deserve some nice budget blowing amperage.
October 24, 2025, 02:00 PM
trapper189Like this:
Ampzilla 2000?
October 24, 2025, 02:24 PM
400mI just hope some day to actually hear a pair of K-horns! Enjoy Trapper.
October 24, 2025, 02:41 PM
stoic-onequote:
Originally posted by 400m:
I just hope some day to actually hear FEEL a pair of K-horns! Enjoy Trapper.
FIFY
October 24, 2025, 06:06 PM
trapper189We’re getting closer. This is my slouching 5’10” 15yo son who refuses to take a good picture:
I bought a pair of 40 year old Klipsch Fortés a few months ago which give me goosebumps listening to. I’m stoked to get these going.