WiiM Amp Pro Streaming Stereo Amplifier Review

[pma]

I do not like this amplifier and would not give it my recommendation.

1) load dependency is unknown as it was measured only with resistive load
2) distortion rises with frequency too much
3) IMD 19+20kHz distortion is very poor, the odd order skirts are most likely a case of output inductors non-linearity
4) power cube behaviour is poor

Another toy instead of a serious amplifier.

 

[staticV3]

Can you use the usb port to send digital signal to an external dac, and hence to an external preamp and amp.

You can on the WiiM Amp, hence the Amp Pro should be capable as well.

 

[Pritaudio]

You can on the WiiM Amp, hence the Amp Pro should be capable as well.

Who knows, it may be removed in future updates.
It would be good for a wait stop amp solution.
But then there is the problem of lifespan of amp being the limiting factor due to being always on, even though not connected to speakers.

 

[daniboun]

What kind of quick test? The Dashboard?

Yes first dashboard please)

 

[Tovarich007]

a little disappointed by the headphone output of the ultra it seems...
?

I don't own a Wiim Ultra at present, so I can't be disappointed. Its headphone output seems OK, but not on a par with the very good DAC/headphone amps like RME, Violectric, Topping, SMLS, Fiio, etc. And there is only one type of headphone connection. I would prefer a top range headphone section.

All in all, the Wiim Ultra is a pretty good streamer/dac/preamp, with good performances, a very reasonable price tag and superb esthetics.
Neverthesess, it lacks some useful features for a model called "Ultra" : no Airplay connectivity (a very surprising omission, the lower models including it), no balanced analog output and subwoofer output, a good but suboptimal heaphone section.

Maybe the next step for Wiim ?

 

[Petrushka]

There’s a lot of silly chatter about an amp that made it to the blue zone, looking like the equivalent of two Fosi monos plus a miniDSP, for under $400.

For the golden ears among us, show us your double blind results.

 

[Sig.Rossi]

Would it work together with other class d amps (Fosi etc.) in a multichannel setup?

I am wondering if there would be too much latency from the wiim amp.

 

[Tovarich007]

There’s a lot of silly chatter about an amp that made it to the blue zone, looking like the equivalent of two Fosi monos plus a miniDSP, for under $400.

For the golden ears among us, show us your double blind results.

I was writing about the Ultra (a little bit off topic of this review, I admit).
We could hope for a more powerful and complete version, a sort of Ultra+Pro amp on steroid.
As it is, this Wiim pro is almost perfect, what ask for more in terms of esthetics, power, performance, ease of use, for this price ?

The Ultra is better than the Pro for what it can do, but IMO, at the same price level, it's not as "perfect" as the Pro integrated is : lack of Airplay is a serious miss, and the improvements over the other models in preamp, streaming and connectivity have not been pushed as far as it could have been done for a reasonable increase in price.

My guess is many costumers would prefer to pay 600 for an even more complete and better unit, a "real Ultra", than 400 for the released model.

 

[jeapie]

Unlike Airplay, I hope new WiiM Amp Pro is (always) compatible with LMS (Logitech Media Server) and Squeezelite, my media library.

 

[Mort]

This seems relevant.

 

[Haskil]

I don't own a Wiim Ultra at present, so I can't be disappointed. Its headphone output seems OK, but not on a par with the very good DAC/headphone amps like RME, Violectric, Topping, SMLS, Fiio, etc. And there is only one type of headphone connection. I would prefer a top range headphone section.

All in all, the Wiim Ultra is a pretty good streamer/dac/preamp, with good performances, a very reasonable price tag and superb esthetics.
Neverthesess, it lacks some useful features for a model called "Ultra" : no Airplay connectivity (a very surprising omission, the lower models including it), no balanced analog output and subwoofer output, a good but suboptimal heaphone section.

Maybe the next step for Wiim ?

Air play is not an omission: it is a feature announced and officially withdrawn for hardware reasons. But many wonder if these are not more compelling reasons on Apple's part.
Yes, the Wiim Ultra does have a subwoofer output

https://www.son-video.com/article/h...kxTSTO05dwqoTOyZA1SwBrAvdDp1A2PC2sDS7JezT1t3x

And to return to the Wiim Amp it also has a SUb output

WiiM Amp

L'ampli connecté WiiM Amp est un modèle compact et polyvalent pouvant lire les musiques partagées en DLNA sur le réseau local ou diffusées en Chromecast, AirPlay 2 et…

www.son-video.com

What associated with its high pass and low pass filter puts its "small" output power into perspective a little at 8 ohms, because if the subwoofer is cut around 80 Hz, the amp which takes care of the high pass will be relieved of a quite demanding part of the spectrum...

 

[somebodyelse]

LMS (Logitech Media Server)

Now renamed Lyrion Music Server

 

[jeapie]

Now renamed Lyrion Music Server

Yes of course ...

 

[Tovarich007]

Air play is not an omission: it is a feature announced and officially withdrawn for hardware reasons. But many wonder if these are not more compelling reasons on Apple's part.
Yes, the Wiim Ultra does have a subwoofer output

https://www.son-video.com/article/h...kxTSTO05dwqoTOyZA1SwBrAvdDp1A2PC2sDS7JezT1t3x

And to return to the Wiim Amp it also has a SUb output

WiiM Amp

L'ampli connecté WiiM Amp est un modèle compact et polyvalent pouvant lire les musiques partagées en DLNA sur le réseau local ou diffusées en Chromecast, AirPlay 2 et…

www.son-video.com

What associated with its high pass and low pass filter puts its "small" output power into perspective a little at 8 ohms, because if the subwoofer is cut around 80 Hz, the amp which takes care of the high pass will be relieved of a quite demanding part of the spectrum...

I knew that these two models have a sub output. It would be even better if the Ultra had unbalanced and balanced outputs, which isn't the case.
Maybe Apple is responsible of Airplay missing on the Ultra, but it sounds strange because Airplay is possible on the lower models, if I'm not mistaking. For Apple users it's a bit puzzling (I am not one, but I know many people who are, and I could myself in the future use an Apple computer or Iphone).

 

[somebodyelse]

I do not like this amplifier and would not give it my recommendation.

1) load dependency is unknown as it was measured only with resistive load
2) distortion rises with frequency too much
3) IMD 19+20kHz distortion is very poor, the odd order skirts are most likely a case of output inductors non-linearity
4) power cube behaviour is poor

Another toy instead of a serious amplifier.

It's imperfect but similar to other TPA325x amps with PFFB. Have we seen any 'serious amplifiers' at a comparable price?

 

[Haskil]

I knew that these two models have a sub output. It would be even better if the Ultra had unbalanced and balanced outputs, which isn't the case.
Maybe Apple is responsible of Airplay missing on the Ultra, but it sounds strange because Airplay is possible on the lower models, if I'm not mistaking. For Apple users it's a bit puzzling (I am not one, but I know many people who are, and I could myself in the future use an Apple computer or Iphone).

but you wrote that the Sub jack was missing. And higher up in this discussion you will find the documents in the Airplay-Apple versus Wiim file and its different models.

 

[Tovarich007]

but you wrote that the Sub jack was missing. And higher up in this discussion you will find the documents in the Airplay-Apple versus Wiim file and its different models.

I wrote "no BALANCED line and sub outputs". Balanced was in common factor in my sentence, but it wasn't obvious I admit. In fact, the lack of balanced output is quite minor, because real balanced circuits are rare, but for a model which aims at the highend (for a much lesser price) this would be better, like Topping/SMLS use to do.

I'll check the documents for the controversy Apple/Airplay/Wiim. Thank you Alain, I haven't read yet the full 14 pages.

 

[billou5767]

Unless Airplay requires MFI security chip, I can't see any hardware limitations to implementing it. The CPU here is powerful enough to support other protocols so don't see any issue with Airplay in that regard.

you test hundred of bad hardware , how many could be average or good with 10$ of good component ? when you see speecker filter of speeker sold 1000 €

licence 5 to 10 buck for a pcb motherboard of 30 $

 

[Haskil]

I wrote "no BALANCED line and sub outputs". Balanced was in common factor in my sentence, but it wasn't obvious I admit. In fact, the lack of balanced output is quite minor, because real balanced circuits are rare, but for a model which aims at the highend (for a much lesser price) this would be better, like Topping/SMLS use to do.

I'll check the documents for the controversy Apple/Airplay/Wiim. Thank you Alain, I haven't read yet the full 14 pages.

You worte : "All in all, the Wiim Ultra is a pretty good streamer/dac/preamp, with good performances, a very reasonable price tag and superb esthetics.
Neverthesess, it lacks some useful features for a model called "Ultra" : no Airplay connectivity (a very surprising omission, the lower models including it), no balanced analog output and subwoofer output, a good but suboptimal heaphone section."

It is at least very ambiguous as a formulation for those who will not check and would not know that there is a sub output... He should have written : "neither L and R outputs nor balanced sub outputs".

Mais nous avons levé toute ambiguité sur le sujet.

 

[Tell]

I do not like this amplifier and would not give it my recommendation.

1) load dependency is unknown as it was measured only with resistive load
2) distortion rises with frequency too much
3) IMD 19+20kHz distortion is very poor, the odd order skirts are most likely a case of output inductors non-linearity
4) power cube behaviour is poor

Another toy instead of a serious amplifier.

But in the end it'll still proably sound just as good as any class AB amplifier.