WiiM streamer review
Our writer streams high-res tracks, sets up a multi-room audio system, and more with WiiM streamers
In this article: We'll introduce the WiiM family of wireless multi-room high-res streamers, including...
...And we'll talk about the WiiM Amp and Amp Pro, amplified "just-add-speakers" components.
W
iiM components let you add high-res streaming to pretty much any sound system. They can also be parts of a multi-room music system with the easy-to-use WiiM Home app. In fact, WiiM touts their regularly updated control app as the single most important part of their products.
To paraphrase Origin Acoustic's Marc Fisher, who demonstrated the components to Crutchfield Advisors: "It doesn't matter how fantastic it sounds if you can't figure out how to use it."
I've had the pleasure of testing out all the current WiiM models and can attest to the app's powerful user friendliness. Setup took minutes, even when units needed an automatically initiated software update. And WiiM's online support is impressive, although I didn't need it.
The app also has attractive features like easy grouping, 10-band EQ, room correction, and smooth Amazon Alexa voice-control capability.
I used the WiiM Pro Plus to add streaming convenience to a vintage tube receiver.
My ultimate goal is great sound though. And WiiM has that covered. Their affordable top-of-the-line models have high-performance DAC circuitry that delivers rich, detailed sound rivaling streamers that cost several times more, so you can get the best out of digital sources, including music services like Qobuz, TIDAL, Spotify, and more.
WiiM streamers also have digital and analog inputs that allow you to add sources — like a CD player or turntable — to your multi-room streaming system. And they're all unobtrusive, compact components that you can place almost anywhere.
Flexible audio connections
You can connect any of these streamers to your receiver, amp, or powered speakers using the analog stereo output — RCA on the Pro, Pro Plus, and Ultra; 3.5mm on the Mini — to take advantage of the their built-in DACs. Or use a digital output to connect to your favorite outboard DAC.
You can also use the analog input to connect sources like a turntable or cassette deck, or the optical digital input for a TV or CD player. Then you can stream those sources to other compatible multi-room speakers or WiiM components in your system.
User-friendly streaming options
Two-way Bluetooth lets you stream wirelessly from your compatible smartphone, tablet, computer, or other device using that familiar and popular platform to play music through whatever sound system your Pro Plus is connected to. You can also stream from the Pro Plus to your favorite Bluetooth headphones or speaker.
If you're like me, you'll want to stream using your home network via Wi-Fi (all models) or Ethernet (all models except the Mini). It's super-easy to add your any streaming service or source you use with the free WiiM Home app for Apple® and Android™ devices.
The app provides some features common to all WiiM components:
- play music from Qobuz, Amazon Music, TIDAL, Deezer, TuneIn, iHeartRadio and more
- control and group with other WiiM devices (sold separately) on your network
- sync audio option in the WiiM app uses a built-in mic on each component to get rid of any playback latency between grouped devices
- support for Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Google Cast, and DLNA
- displays actual audio resolution in real time
- work with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control devices (sold separately)
All WiiM streamers also work with Spotify Connect and TIDAL Connect, which give you access to your WiiM device natively from within those apps
And all of these WiiM models — except the Mini — include a remote with volume and playback control, four presets, and a built-n mic that accepts Amazon Alexa voice commands.
WiiM and Apple AirPlay/AirPlay 2
All of the WiiM components except their flagship Ultra streamer and Amp Pro streaming amplifier have Apple AirPlay 2. That means you can also use Siri voice commands with the ones that do support it: the Mini, Pro, Pro Plus, and Amp.
I'm an Apple user, but for me the lack of AirPlay support in the Ultra and Amp Pro isn't a big deal. The sound quality and response time are noticeably better when you stream using the WiiM Home app.
The WiiM Home app gives you access to your favorite music, powerful multi-room control, and more.
Versatile multi-room performance
Grouping and controlling multiple WiiM components together worked great when I used the WiiM Home app, with fast playback response and stable settings that stay put — you don't have to re-pair every time you start a fresh streaming session. Engaging the sync audio feature quickly and efficiently corrected an initial delay between the three devices.
All WiiM components (except the Mini) support Google Cast, and grouping them together that way worked well for me. And plenty of users will take advantage of WiiM's Apple AirPlay 2 (reminder: not supported on the Ultra or Amp Pro) and Alexa support — both for single-zone and multi-room streaming.
Room correction
iOs users can run the app's room correction software for every WiiM component except the Mini. It analyzes the effect your room and the stuff in it has on the sound and automatically adjusts the EQ.
I got improved sound when I took the case off my iPhone and followed WiiM's other tips for getting the best results. And any sources you have connected to your WiiM benefits from the room correction — a feature I appreciated when I hooked up my turntable to the Ultra.
WiiM Ultra
The beautiful, compact Ultra is WiiM's flagship streamer. It's also a preamp, with digital and analog inputs, including HDMI ARC and phono. It also has a full-color touchscreen and a nice oversized volume/playback knob.
I tested the Ultra's premium onboard DAC by hooking up the analog RCA output to an NAD C700 driving ELAC Uni-Fi Reference UBR62 stand-mount speakers. I also connected my Pro-Ject X2 turntable to the Ultra's phono input. There's an included screw-lock ground pin that plugs into a corresponding rear-panel socket (pro tip: plug the pin in before connecting your ground wire).
Listening impressions
I had Elton John's Honky Château on the platter, so I cued the digital version of that album up in the WiiM app and did some comparative listening.
The John/Taupin-penned “Amy” has an uncluttered, funky arrangement that features electric violin and congas along with the core piano-bass-guitar-drum group. The Ultra presented the infectious track in super-sharp detail. I must've listened to it a dozen times — and still wanted more.
And the vinyl version playing through the Ultra's phono input also got the benefit of room correction. The streaming version of "Amy" sounds a hair fuller and clearer, but the vinyl version improved with the corrected EQ curves.
The Ultra does not support AirPlay/AirPlay 2.
Details
- high-performance ES9038 Q2M SABRE DAC with up to 32-bit/384kHz decoding
- analog stereo RCA and digital optical and coaxial audio outputs
- optical digital and analog stereo RCA inputs, including phono input with ground for moving magnet cartridges
- HDMI ARC input for great TV sound
- mono RCA output for a powered subwoofer (sold separately)
WiiM Pro Plus
The Pro Plus uses a premium AKM VELVETSOUND™ DAC along with an ultra-low-noise clock. It's also got a high-quality Texas Instruments op-amp (essentially a preamp stage), and a carefully chosen power supply. The sum of this thoughtfully designed circuitry helps the Pro Plus deliver exceptionally clear and dynamic sound from your streaming and digital sources.
I set the Pro Plus to fixed output in the WiiM Home app audio settings, then connected it directly to my Parasound Zamp v3 power amplifier and MartinLogan floor-standing speakers — simplicity itself.
Glitch-free streaming via Qobuz sounded full, rich, and detailed — in fact, its audio quality beats any streamer that I've tested or owned in its price range and is easily on par with or better than much more expensive ones.
Listening impressions
The Rudy Van Gelder-produced Stone Flower album from Antonio Carlos Jobim absolutely glistened when I played it through the Pro Plus. Jobim's melodic guitar, piano lines, and occasional vocals drifted like smoke through Eumir Deodato's chill-yet-tense arrangements, underpinned by Ron Carter's nimble, in-the-pocket bass and the impeccable polyrhythmic interplay of percussionists with drummer João Palma.
The Pro Plus rendered John Anderson's stomping "Wild and Blue" — with Anderson's soulful, idiosyncratic vocals and Buddy Spicher's fiddle driving the crack Nashville band — with a lively, lifelike soundstage full of musical detail. And for a reality check, I played one of my standby reference tracks: Steely Dan's "Aja" — yup. Clear, articulate, and muscular sound.
Details
- high-performance AKM 4493SEQ VELVETSOUND DAC for low noise and wide dynamic range
- analog stereo RCA and digital optical and coaxial audio outputs
- optical digital and analog stereo RCA inputs
WiiM Pro
The Pro looks almost exactly like its sibling, the Pro Plus, which has upgraded DAC circuitry that gives it the edge when it comes to sound quality. But the Pro is no slouch, and its streaming capabilities are the same, which means if you use one of its digital outputs to connect to an outboard DAC, you can get as good or better sound from it. So if you've already got a DAC that you love — like the Crutchfield customer-favorite Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M — the more affordable Pro might be the best choice for you.
I connected it to my NAD C700 integrated amp and ELAC Uni-Fi Reference UBR62 bookshelf speakers. Setup was fast and easy with the streamlined, user-friendly app. Within three minutes I was listening to glitch-free streaming music via Qobuz that sounded full and detailed.
Listening impressions
If you approach multi-room streaming the way I do, with multiple stereo setups, you might use the Pro Plus in your dedicated listening room and a Pro in the living room, where you listen while you talk with family and friends. It will sound very nice, as I discovered listening to the Rolling Stones' "Monkey Man." The Pro showcased the dramatic intro, with Nicky Hopkins' icicle piano setting the stage for Keith Richards' stabbing rhythm guitar riffs and strangled-then-soaring slide guitar. I could even pick out the subtle vibraphone accents in the raunchy mix — no mean feat, especially for a component in this price range.
Details
- built-in Texas Instruments PCM 5121 DAC provides high-res audio decoding
- analog stereo RCA and digital optical and coaxial audio outputs
- optical digital and analog stereo RCA inputs
WiiM Mini
The Mini has the same DAC as its bigger sibling, the Pro, but with a streamlined form factor and connection bank. That makes it perfect for adding high-res streaming to things like a set of powered speakers with an aux input or a sound bar.
I connected it to the 3.5mm aux input on a Boston Acoustics table radio I bought at Crutchfield around 2010. In my home, it was an easy way to extend multi-room playback to our bedroom and bring an older but great-sounding clock radio into the streaming age instead of replacing it.
Details
- built-in Texas Instruments PCM 5121 DAC provides high-res audio decoding
- 3.5mm analog stereo input and output
- optical digital audio output
WiiM Amp
The Amp contains all the WiiM connectivity plus 60 watts x 2 of Class D amplification inside its compact chassis. That means all you need to do is add your favorite passive stereo speakers and you’ve got a viable hi-fi system.
It sounded deceptively huge when I connected it to my MartinLogan floor-standing speakers. And it also flawlessly connected to my Wi-Fi network and responded to WiiM Home app control when I streamed high-res music files via Qobuz.
Listening impressions
Can you ever really hear "detail" in Link Wray's trashy, swampy roots-rock? Yes! His 1970s Polydor recordings, collected on Guitar Preacher feature some brilliant distorted guitar tones, but also some beautiful acoustic and clean electric sounds in his refreshingly stripped-down and soulful tunes. And the Amp handled it all very nicely.
I also listened to The Oscar Peterson Trio's beautifully recorded We Get Requests album. The Jobim-penned opening track, "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (Corcovado)" features Peterson and bassist Ray Brown working the upper registers while drummer Ed Thigpen eases his way into the trio's interpretation of the bossa nova groove. The Amp rendered a crisp, articulate soundstage that let the uncluttered arrangement shine.
Details
- high-performance ESS SABRE HyperStream DAC
- 60 watts x 2 into 8 ohms, 120 watts x 2 into 4 ohms
- analog stereo RCA, digital optical, USB Type A, and HDMI ARC audio inputs
- subwoofer output
WiiM Amp Pro
WiiM's Amp Pro has almost all of the features you'll find in the Amp, plus some nice upgrades. The chassis design is identical, and setup is equally convenient: just pair the Amp Pro with a nice pair of passive speakers for a sweet stereo system with high-res streaming built in.
So what makes the Amp Pro an upgrade? Its redesigned internal circuitry implements a Class D amplifier with Post-Filter Feedback. This results in a notably lower noise floor, with lower distortion and better clarity and detail. And the upgraded DAC uses a highly regarded audiophile ESS Sabre ES9032QM2 chip. It also uses tri-band Wi-Fi 6E — a big step forward over the dual-band Wi-Fi 5 used in the Amp.
The Amp Pro does not support AirPlay/AirPlay 2.
Listening impressions
I played a few of my favorite reference tracks, and when I got to Andy Pratt's “Inside Me Wants Out,” I was literally giggling with pleasure at the level of detail I was hearing. Once again, it feels to me like WiiM has hit upon another combination of features and price that should please a great many casual listeners and hi-fi aficionados like.
Details
- premium ESS Sabre ES9032QM2 DAC for low noise and wide dynamic range
- Texas Instruments TPA3255 Class-D amplifier with FFB (Post-Filter Feedback) technology for clean, low-noise performance
- 60 watts x 2 into 8 ohms, 120 watts x 2 into 4 ohms
- tri-band Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
- analog stereo RCA, digital optical, USB Type A, and HDMI ARC audio inputs
- subwoofer output
Want more advice on the different WiiM streamers?
If you need some help choosing the best WiiM streamer or streamers for your setup, feel free to get in touch with our friendly, knowledgeable Advisors. And remember: all of your Crutchfield purchases come with free lifetime tech support.
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