WiiM Amp Review: The Audiophile System Builder

You smell that? Do you smell that?…affordable network amplifiers, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that. I love the smell of class D in the morning. 

There is something in the wind right now and it should have those who sell high-end audio products quaking in their boots.

Will it put manufacturers who lack the business acumen to adapt out of business?

Most certainly some of them. And that might not be the worst thing that ever happened.

Legacy brands like NAD, Bluesound, Naim, Cambridge Audio, Arcam, Rotel, and Yamaha — saw the train coming in the distance and have already made the transition; which is working for almost all of them.

The brands that don’t make the transition will pay a huge price this decade.

New companies like WiiM Audio, Topping, Eversolo, Arylic, FiiO, and Schiit Audio are paving over the existing high-end highway and will leave many in their wake.

Schiit Audio is the one brand on that list that still requires a proper network amplifier based around its Nexus and Continuity topologies, but imagine something the size of the Ragnarok 2 with a streamer, phono stage, 24-bit/192kHz DAC, and headphone section of the Lyr in a single chassis.

They can already take my deposit.

But what about the rest of the planet who are looking at two more affordable options as their future Hi-Fi system?

Wireless speakers versus network amplifier and a pair of passive loudspeakers.

The $299 USD sticker price of the WiiM Amp should scare a lot of companies.

I love the new WiiM Amp for a myriad or reasons; If only this product had been used in multiple rooms at CAF 2023, offering a much more affordable system option for music listeners looking to build their first high-end system. 

I can hear some of the old guard with a severe case of gear fetishism.

“It’s only $299…how can it be a high-end audio component?”

95% of audiophiles can’t afford any of the $100K systems at the show and we’re pretty sure that most people are not spending $50,000 or even $30,000 on new systems right now either. People are looking at ways of simplifying what they already own or building less expensive secondary systems. 

Products like the WiiM Amp make a lot of sense. 

The WiiM Amp is a network streamer that also includes an internal power amplifier, along with a lot of other features.

WiiM Amp

The first thought whilst removing the WiiM Amp from its packaging was the industrial design; anyone who owned one of the first two generations of the Apple Mac mini will recognise this right away.

And that might not be a bad thing.

In comparison to the Arylic H50 that we just reviewed, the WiiM Amp feels like a solid brick in comparison.

There is a solidity to the chassis that surprised me at its price; the one thing that they could have improved upon was the volume control dial that is clearly manufactured out of plastic.

Features

Built-in Amplifier: The TI 3255 Class-D amplifier chip can output 60 Watts per channel (8 ohms) or 120 Watts per channel (4 ohms).

Unlike its streaming players, the WiiM Amp does not have analog or digital outputs to connect to a powered speaker, soundbar, or AV receiver. Only speaker connections are provided. 

The WiiM Amp doesn’t provide a dedicated physical headphone output. However, it can pair with Bluetooth headphones.

Physical audio inputs include analog (RCA), digital Optical ports, and HDMI ARC.

The internal ESS Sabre ES9018  DAC supports up to 24-bit/192kHz PCM; there is no support for MQA or DSD.

Compatible audio formats supported include MP3, AAC, ALAC, APE, FLAC, AIFF, WAV, WMA, OGG, PCM. Dolby and DTS formats are not supported.

When connected to an external powered subwoofer, automatic bass management is engaged if needed.

There is USB port which provides access to personal media libraries for playback or you can use it as a media server for other WiiM devices.

EQ Settings? WiiM has included preset settings, a 10-band graphic EQ, and 4-band parametric EQ through the app.

Wireless connectivity options include Wi-Fi 5, 802.11 b/g/n/ac 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz dual-band (A wired Ethernet connection option is also included).

Bluetooth 5.0 with BLE support is provided for A2DP reception and transmission, AVRCP, and HID, and works with the WiiM Voice Remote ($19.99 at Amazon).

The WiiM Amp has Alexa built-in but also works with Siri and Google Assistant. This allows easy control of music selection, volume adjustments, and playback.

Streaming support?  

The WiiM Amp supports AirPlay 2, Alexa Casting, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz, Amazon Music, TIDAL, Deezer, TuneIn, and iHeartRadio

It also features Chromecast Audio, which lets you cast YouTube Music, TV audio, radio stations, podcasts, and local content directly from Chromecast-enabled Apps. 

For those who are thinking about using the WiiM Amp as a digital hub for a multi-room audio system throughout their home, one can use the WiiM Amp with AirPlay 2 speakers, Amazon Echo, Google Home, and other WiiM-branded devices for a multiroom audio experience. 

Roon Ready Certification is forthcoming via firmware update. 

The WiiM Amp will pop up automatically in the WiiM Home app. With the simple in-app guide and compact size, the device can be set up in less than two minutes. 

System Setup

As mentioned in my recent review of the WiiM Pro Plus Network Player, the control app is extremely well thought out and easy to use; the level of flexibility at this price level is excellent and the manufacturer has delivered something that feels superior to some of its more expensive rivals. WiiM will be adding new features through firmware updates so this initial effort is a great starting point.

The binding posts are rather close together so forget about using garden-hose thick loudspeaker cables with the WiiM Amp; not that anyone outside of the high-end audio world would waste their money on that.

The QED, Chord, and Kimber loudspeaker cables (all priced below $250) that are my standard cables for reviews of affordable amplifiers and loudspeakers worked just fine — and one should certainly stick with banana pin terminations.

At $299, it made very little sense to use the WiiM Amp with loudspeakers above $500 and whilst it worked surprisingly well with the Q Acoustics 5040 floor standing loudspeakers (at reasonable listening levels), my focus was with the Q Acoustics 3030i, Acoustic Energy AE100 MKII, and Wharfedale Diamond 12.1s and Diamond 10.1s.

Listening

Very much like the WiiM Pro Plus, the Amp reproduces music with a rather neutral tonal balance that rarely veers one way or the other; unlike the Bluesound NODE that offers a thicker, and fuller presentation with most music.

Loudspeakers with a hot treble will not be a great option unless you are a glutton for detail and a more precise sounding presentation.

There is an incisive edge to the WiiM Amp that results in bass response with excellent speed and definition, but not as much impact as some might prefer.

Of the four loudspeakers, the Acoustic Energy AE100 MKII offers the greatest amount of treble energy and detail, and whilst the overall presentation was extremely punchy and transparent sounding — there was a mild degree of hardness with poor recordings that became fatiguing over time. Using the EQ on the app allowed me to tame the aggressive treble somewhat.

The Q Acoustics 3030i is the hardest speaker to drive from the group and we did have to push the volume levels slightly higher to fill my 16′ x 13′ x 9′ dining room with enough impact to be satisfying.

60 watts of class D are not the same as 60 watts of class AB; the top panel of the WiiM Amp barely got warm which is a definite benefit of the topology.

What makes the WiiM Amp so impressive is that it offers more than enough power with high sensitivity bookshelf loudspeakers to sound robust and it does so with a remarkable degree of clarity and speed for only $299.

If you are looking for an amplifier that will put meat on the bones of recordings — that will have to come from the loudspeakers on the other end of the chain.

The overall presentation is slightly more forward sounding than something like the Cambridge Audio AXA35 which offers greater texture, resolution and low end impact at the expense of detail and clarity.

Vocals are clear, detailed, but somewhat lacking in the texture department.

The Wharfedale and 3030i have the right kind of tonal balance to sound extremely satisfying with the WiiM Amp, but one will need to add a subwoofer to fill out the bottom octaves.

Can Schiit Audio engineer something like this for $299? I have my doubts.

Loudspeakers

Q Acoustics 3020i

Very much like Jason Statham’s character in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, the Q Acoustics 3020i are a tad unleashed. They communicate music like an effortless weapon, and with some serious punch in the lower registers with the right amplifier. 

They borrow some of their driver technology from their much larger sibling; the Q Acoustics 3050i floor-standing loudspeaker that retails for almost three times the price.

Q Acoustics have tweaked something in the cabinet design and crossover of the 3020i making it hit much harder than one would expect considering the size of the cabinet and drivers.

The 3020i s not a very difficult loudspeaker to drive (88 dB, 6 ohms) but it definitely benefits from an amplifier with some grip and midrange punch. Stay away from amps that veer dark because the 1-inch soft-dome tweeter needs some illumination.

Available in Graphite Grey, English Walnut, Carbon Black or Arctic White. All are finished with an attractive chrome bezel around each driver and feature magnetic speaker grilles.

Ditch the grille covers and do not use the foam bungs even if you need to place them closer to the wall; the mid bass and lower midrange loses some of clarity in the process. The price has increased over the past 12 months which is a shame because these are very fine loudspeakers. 

Where to buy: $449 at Amazon

Wharfedale Diamond 12.1

The Diamond series receives a facelift every 3-4 years, and the new Diamond 12 series have remained in the line because they are consistently good and an excellent value for the money.

Wharfedale understands that most consumers don’t have a lot of space and are working within a very specific budget when buying a hi-fi system. 

There are specific brands of electronics that work exceptionally well with Wharfedale’s loudspeakers; Audiolab, Croft, Marantz, Cambridge Audio, Quad, Rega, and NAD.

The Wharfedale Diamond 12.1’s are the ideal size for a desktop loudspeaker or placement on a credenza in a home office scenario. 

These stand-mounters are a two-way, bass-reflex design. The 5-inch mid/bass driver uses a polypropylene/mica composite cone material, and the tweeter is a 1-inch textile dome design that offers a very smooth sounding top end and excellent dispersion. 

Where to buy: $449/pair at Crutchfield

You Spin Me Round?

One of the benefits of the $299 price is that one has a larger budget for a turntable and phono preamplifier.

When you consider the typical loudspeaker for the WiiM Amp is going to be in the $350 to $500 range, that does give one some extra room to play with if you can stretch your budget for the entire system out to $1,250 or even $1,500 USD.

The U-Turn Orbit makes the most sense for a system like this with a few changes to the deck and cartridge.

Orbit Special  

Orbit turntables incorporate a modular design. This enables users to customize several turntable components such as the cartridge, preamp, speed control, platter, and isolation feet. This makes it easy for users to upgrade their turntable over time.

Electronic Speed Control: the Orbit’s new electronic speed control allows users to change between 33/45 RPM playing speeds with the turn of a knob. This option is available on the Orbit Special and Custom. 

Revamped Drive System: U-Turn’s new grooved platter, combined with an all-new seamless silicone belt, provides stable operation at the chosen speed. 

The original U-Turn Pluto was decent for the money when it was first introduced but it really didn’t offer the same level of performance as something like the Schiit Audio Mani or one of the entry-level Pro-Ject phono pre-amplifiers.

Users can now add a built-in Pluto 2 Phono Preamp which offers superior performance to the older iteration; which also justifies upgrading to a better cartridge

The Orbit Special retails for $629 and includes a walnut plinth, acrylic platter, electronic speed control, Pluto 2, and comes with a pre-installed Ortofon 2M Red MM cartridge.

Final Thoughts

Does it make sense to spend $1,498 on this system that includes the WiiM Amp, a pair of the aforementioned loudspeakers and a turntable?

Depending on your listening habits, and the amount of space that you have available — it is a prudent acquisition for a number of reasons.

By including a subwoofer output and HDMI ARC input, WiiM Audio made this type of system upgradeable for the type of listener who wants to enjoy music and movies through the same system and will likely add a subwoofer at a later date.

It takes up very little space, can be controlled with a well designed control app, and gives one access to almost every major streaming platform through the app, AirPlay 2, and Chromecast.

Before you look at the power specifications and think that you can drive almost anything below $1,500 in the floor standing loudspeaker category — spend some time with a pair of bookshelf speakers with a darker tonal balance and see how that works out in your listening space.

It worked out rather well in mine.

Where to buy Wiim Amp: $299 at Amazon

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