WiiM Amp Review: The All-In-One Solution For You?

Discover the WiiM Amp – Designed for those who appreciate affordability, wireless connectivity and traditional Hi-Fi quality.

FAQS & Tutorials - Updated 27th September 2024

WiiM Amp Review: The All-In-One Solution For You?

Written By

Elliott Peeters-Vanstone

Is The WiiM Amp Right For You?

Linkplay Technology, better known as WiiM, has built a reputation for delivering high-performance audio products at accessible price points. While the WiiM Amp isn't the brand's most affordable offering, coming in at £299, it still represents excellent value for money in a very competitive hi-fi market. In this review, we’ll delve deep into the WiiM Amp’s features and performance to determine if it's the right all-in-one amplifier for your audio setup.

Its worth knowing that, unlike the WiiM Ultra, WiiM Pro or WiiM Pro Plus or WiiM Mini, the WiiM Amp is an all-in-one streaming amplifier rather than a dedicated music streamer. So, this amplifier is designed to provide both streaming capabilities and amplification to your passive speakers, rather than needing an external amplifier to do so.

Competition in this category is stiff. However, just like its more expensive competitors like the Sonos Amp and Bluesound Powernode Edge, the WiiM Amp aims to provide the same combination of top-notch streaming capabilities and amplification (at a snip of the price, of course).

Prefer watching a video? Check out our WiiM Amp Review on YouTube.

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Design

Contrary to our expectations, the WiiM Amp boasts a premium finish with rounded edges, a space grey colourway, and a sleek aluminium finish, reminiscent of Apple’s signature hardware.

It doesn't boast the same LED display as the WiiM Ultra but it still stands out with its lack of plastic casing, setting it apart from other WiiM devices like the WiiM Pro Plus and WiiM Pro, making a huge leap forward to match the style of its more expensive competitors like the Sonos Amp.

WiiM Amp alongside KEF LS50 Meta from the right

WiiM Amp Remote in between KEF LS50 Meta

To put it simply, we’re big fans of this new and improved styling. Subtle details like the branding and the volume dial tie the whole design together and make this feel like a really neat piece of hi-fi kit. It’s also ultra-compact, so it's going to be perfect for either taking pride of place on your media unit or for tucking away out of sight.

The only pitfall is the plastic Bluetooth remote. It has all the usual controls like play, pause, skipping tracks, adjusting volume, and muting. Plus, there's built-in Alexa for voice commands, and you can customise some presets too. However, it would’ve been nice to see something that was as premium as the rest of the unit.

More: WiiM Streamers Lineup Overview: WiiM Ultra, WiiM Amp, WiiM Pro Plus, WiiM Pro & WiiM Mini

Features

When it comes to wireless streaming options, the WiiM Amp ticks a lot of boxes. There’s support for a variety of popular music services, like Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Alexa Cast, DLNA and two-way Bluetooth. You’ve also got all the usual audio format support, like MP3, FLAC, ALAC and AAC.

WiiM has also taken the fight to brands like Sonos by integrating key services directly into their dedicated companion app, including popular platforms such as Tidal, Amazon Music, Deezer, Quboz and Roon.

We’ve heard rumours that WiiM could also be adding dedicated Apple music support in the future, which could be huge as only Sonos currently has that privilege. However, only time will tell if this comes to fruition.

Connectivity

On the rear panel, you'll find a comprehensive array of essential hardwired inputs and outputs. This includes standard speaker binding posts, a subwoofer output, optical and analogue inputs, USB port for connecting your hard drives, and an Ethernet port. Think of this as the hub for all of your music needs.

Notably, there's also an HDMI ARC connection, allowing you to seamlessly connect the system to your TV. We weren’t expecting this feature by any means, but it definitely adds great value at this sort of price point.

We’ve been really impressed by the overall blend of connectivity and streaming options offered by a product at this price point. Whether you’re an audiophile or a newbie to high-fidelity audio, there really is something for everyone.

App Functionality

WiiM Home App being used to play Spotify

The WiiM Home App was a real standout in our testing. Setting up a Wi-Fi connection is a straightforward process and the app's interface is smooth, stable, and impressively quick.

Performance-wise it was actually pretty reminiscent of the Sonos app, and there were some really intuitive features built-in, like insights into what resolution audio you’re currently tuned into.

The app also offers a user-friendly interface with 24 preset EQ settings, a versatile 10-band graphic EQ for handy fine-tuning and a 4-band parametric EQ for more granular refinements.

Managing presets or exploring built-in services is user-friendly and efficient. So, while it falls slightly short of market-leading interfaces like the Sonos app on the whole, the WiiM Home app definitely exceeded our expectations and offers a performance that defies its price point.

Audio Performance

In terms of audio specifications, the WiiM Amp supports up to 192 kHz/24-bit audio with an ESS Sabre ES9018 DAC and a Class-D Texas Instruments T1 3255 chipset, but how does it fare when it’s put into practice? Well, we've been thoroughly impressed. Pairing it with our trusty KEF LS50 Meta’s, the WiiM Amp proved itself to be a remarkably capable little unit, regardless of the playback methods we’ve tested it with.

The sound reproduction is great, offering a clean and lean profile with ample volume and power to get a lot from our loudspeakers. Transitioning between sources was a breeze, and despite the occasional lag, the overall experience was a pretty positive one.

Another standout feature was the level of detail. The strings and bass lines on Dominique Fils-Aime’s latest album “Our Roots Run Deep, particularly the track ‘Rise’, were a real standout. In general, the WiiM Amp handles every genre with finesse, showcasing its versatility as an amplifier that can navigate the diverse landscape of music anywhere in your home.

Sure, the WiiM Amp won't compete with the richness and luxuriousness of some of the more premium amplifiers on the market. However, at its price point, there's nothing out there quite as functional. We’re having to draw comparisons to products that cost two or even three times the price, which does make it seem like a very compelling choice. Comparing it to its direct rivals, the Bluesound Powernode Edge and the Sonos Amp, sonically speaking, we would say they do have the edge. But for the difference in price, can you really complain?

We also had the chance to test the system with our KEF KC62 subwoofer. With a bit of tweaking using the bass crossover in the WiiM Home App (which, by the way, was impressively user-friendly), the performance was surprisingly close to that of the Powernode Edge and the Sonos Amp when paired with the same sub. While more testing definitely needs to be done, if you're on the lookout for an effective amplifier to enhance your setup's bass, this looks like a really promising option.

More: Sonos Amp Review - Is This Amplifier For You?

Our Verdict

From our initial experiences, the WiiM Amp has exceeded our expectations for a £299 unit. While it may not outperform competitors in every aspect, its overall package—combining connectivity, style, functionality, and sound quality—makes it a solid alternative, especially for those not solely committed to another ecosystem like Sonos.

We’ve definitely got more testing to be done, and we’ll update you on any new findings, but from our first hands-on experiences, things are set to be exciting!

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