WiiM Amp Pro Streaming Stereo Amplifier Review

[staticV3]

Can someone explain what this means in the point 2, regsrding inverse polarity? Usually, if you reverse the polarity, the sound sucks;

That only happens if you reverse the polarity of just one speaker, so the stereo pair plays 180 degrees out of phase with each other.

That is not what the Amp Pro does.

The Amp Pro has inverted phase on both stereo outputs.

That means the speakers still play perfectly in phase with each other, so the stereo effect and phantom center are fully intact.

This defect is not generally considered audible or consequential in any way, you can safely ignore it.

But if it bothers you, simply switch the speaker wires on the Amp Pro speaker outputs (plus to minus and minus to plus), and the inverted phase will be corrected.

 

[sbronf]

Thank you so much, perfect explanation! In fact, some speakers, for example, have tweeters with reversed polarity. But why do you think they designed the Wiim Amp Pro with this feature? Is there any advantage?

 

[staticV3]

But why do you think they designed the Wiim Amp Pro with this feature? Is there any advantage?

There is no advantage, just an engineering mistake.

WiiM said they will fix it with an upcoming firmware update.

 

[Inertiaman]

That only happens if you reverse the polarity of just one speaker, so the stereo pair plays 180 degrees out of phase with each other.

That is not what the Amp Pro does.

The Amp Pro has inverted phase on both stereo outputs.

That means the speakers still play perfectly in phase with each other, so the stereo effect and phantom center are fully intact.

This defect is not generally considered audible or consequential in any way, you can safely ignore it.

But if it bothers you, simply switch the speaker wires on the Amp Pro speaker outputs (plus to minus and minus to plus), and the inverted phase will be corrected.

The one instance where this reversed polarity is consequential is if you're integrating a subwoofer. If you mistakenly assume the main speaker outputs are normal polarity, and leave the subwoofer in default normal polarity, then you'll unknowingly have the sub and mains in opposite polarity and the resulting reduced low freq audible output. Of course, any thoughtful subwoofer setup effort would involve reversing polarity to check alignment with mains, and this polarity issue would be identified and easily corrected (either through a switch on sub, or manually reversing the wires). But a less thoughtful setup effort might miss it.

 

[AlexScan]

Static you think Wiim Amp Ultra may sound better than Pro ?

...if not... 150€ for a remote and and screen, it's not a bargain

 

[staticV3]

Static you think Wiim Amp Ultra may sound better than Pro ?

...if not... 150€ for a remote and and screen, it's not a bargain

Amp Ultra can play 17% louder, otherwise sound quality is the same.

 

[AlexScan]

Higher gain ?

 

[gasolin75]

I now have one

No danish in the app but english is okay

4 ohm and 85 db (rated at 88db) it for shure can make them sing 4 out of 6 is loud even for me Beth Hart Fire on the floor Tidal

Like it when you in the app can se the quality Madman across in the water Elton John Flac 2652Kbps 24-bit/96khz

Full volume from tidal (app on wiim home app) Dire Straits on everyu street (albumk) no or very little distortion

 

[gasolin75]

Translate into percentages, the distortion of - 54 dB at 15 Khz, - 62 dB at 10 Khz and - 68 dB at 5 Khz... and you will undoubtedly be less disappointed.

Even if obviously, we would have preferred even better distortion figures that do not change with the amplified frequencies, as well as lower intermodulation distortion, even if here again the values are all below - 68 dB...

Many of yesterday's renowned integrated amplifiers and amplifier blocks, both transistor and tube, do no better. But are much more expensive.

If we look at what this Wiim Amp Pro gives for the market today, at the price it is sold for and if we take a time machine to see what we could buy as an integrated amplifier for the same amount of money in 1982, the year the CD was launched... You won't find much for a hundred dollars-euros...

I have just celebrated my 70th birthday and I am resolutely in the camp of "it was much less good and much more expensive before"...

A wiim amp pro don't cost a hundred dollars + you forgot about the Nad 3020

 

[gasolin75]

It's a fine device. I don't think it was needed in the lineup.

How many more customers are they going to serve with this vs the regular amp? The design and production resources should have gone elsewhere, no?

Make a remote subwoofer device!

wiim-sub-pro

www.wiimhome.com

 

[gasolin75]

My "metric" is that a "good" amp is one that is perfectly transparent to me at any volume I'd want to listen, given my mediocre ears and typical auditory processing. A "great" amp is one that is perfectly transparent to everyone. Is this not reasonable?

I don't know how you can evaluate an amp's performance without reference to audibility. Once something is transparent, better measurements don't make it more transparent.

To me a good amp (system) is on that doesn't try to sound bright to give an impression of details and one that makes you wanna listen to music, makes your foot tap

 

[gasolin75]

Let's say; filling a large room with bass-heavy, highly dynamic orchestral music listening at 80/85dB SPL at 4m ...

If you need to play that loud you might have speakers that can do that without needing 200 watt pr channel

 

[Haskil]

A wiim amp pro don't cost a hundred dollars + you forgot about the Nad 3020

You're right, it doesn't cost $100. In fact, if... if we apply a converter that transposes today's price to yesterday's and vice versa according to inflation... Hi-fi prices have dropped considerably for entry-level equipment... But I admit that my calculation was just to show that.

I'm not forgetting the NAD 3020, which benefited from an aura that it owed nothing to its qualities but to top-notch marketing relayed by a press that was already not very attentive. It was even much less good than so many hi-fi amplifiers of Japanese origin.

 

[gasolin75]

If a nad 3020a was in mint condistion and had no transformer hum,noise + moderne binding post, i think io would have one and a streamer over any wiiim amp,eversolo mabye even over a audiolab 6000a + a wiim streamer

I just don't have one but i own a wiim amp pro

 

[gasolin75]

I hope Wiim will release in a next future a sort of Super Ultra Integrated with one balanced input, about 150W-200W on 8ohms power amp, a better and more versatile headphone output than the Ultra's one and, this time, Airplay connectivity too. The whole for, let's say, around 1500 €.

They offer affordable hifi for mr and misses jones (or what ever last name is most commen i uk,usa) at a very high value for money that sound really good

Use to be nad 3020a,b and shiit, now it's wiim

Headphone as many does with a turntable if they want the best sound, they use an extrenal unit for therer headphones,turntable in 9 out of 10 cases

The last just want an all in one unt that is easy to operate, has a decent amount of power that sounds good and dosn't cost a fortune

Some wants a Denon D-M41 and some wants (i think it's an upgarde from the denon all in one unit) a wiim amp pro for almost the same money

For a little more money an eversolo play cd edition as the name state has a cdplayer next upgrade i think could be somthing from technics (SC-CV70 around 950 pounds or rotel (DX-5 1300 pounds or more)

 

[gasolin75]

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.

Your recommendation

Let's say 500 euros all in one unit

Streaming, (personally i want room correction), equalizer that works before and after room correction if it has room correction, almost double power in 4 ohm compared to 8 ohm, no less than 2x50 watt in 8 ohm or no less than 2x100 watt in 4 ohm, something that don't get hot, good sound

If you find one (from europe for that max price) i will return my wiim amp pro and get it instead BUT it has to have everything i mentioned + generally has to be better than a wiim amp pro

Here is my simple review of the pro amp

Amp has alot of power with my 4 ohm (not 3.9 ohm) speakers, max sensitivity is 85db (under 86 despite being rated at 88db) 4 dots out of 6 (volume) is loud for most people, PFFB Post Filter Feedback sound doesn't change depeing on the load from the amp

If you can live with airplay thru bluetooth or cromecast (i don't use it so i don't know it's limit) it has everything in streaming you can ever imagine
wanting,needing, no noise,buzz,hum from the power supply,no distortion at 100%, the amp sounds really good, no excessive brightness, good fairly tight bass that can be adjusted for the sub or for the main speakers (or both), peg, parametric eq + regular equalizer, room correction that i so fare havn't used tried, compact size with a built in power supply, no laptop sized power supply, comes with rca + hdm+power cable and a remote with built in mic, so fare the streaming seems stable, very fair price.

Full sized amp + a streamer will set you back 300-400 euros for the amp and minimum 180-200 euros for the streamer, could be a wiim vibelink and a wiim pro

Cons

It's a warm amp, not as much as a nad 3020D (also class d), not as much in any situations as a nad c326 (at idle it's super hot,way to much for my liking), very little but noticeable static noise when turning the amp off (subtle but i can hear it, turn the power plug 180 degrees and it's gone ??), limited analog inputs

Value for money 10, if it for the same price was cooler,had 2 or 3 analog in + a screen it would be one of the best budget streaming amps, for now it's just a no brainer, super high value for the money

Sound 9 out of 10, for the price 10 out of 10 there are amps who sounds better but that will cost you 1000 euros or more, if it has to sound better, what amp can do it for 500 euros i don't know, the same goes if we opted for a 1000 euros amp

 

[gasolin75]

I don't see anything positive with distortion in a hifi amp.

Tube amps ??? They do have more distortion then most amps

 

[gasolin75]

Have you checked this out?

UniFi PowerAmp - Ubiquiti Store

Premium speaker amplifier designed for high-fidelity multi-zone audio streaming and immersive spatial sound experiences.

eu.store.ui.com

Seems as a strong competition to the Wiim Amp Pro. Offering 130W per channel—pretty impressive!
It also features AirPlay 2
Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, and Dolby Digital via eARC

569€ net in Europe

682,80 € VAT incl.

Just based on the price it looks like it's no match for a wiim amp pro and should be more compared to an eversolo play or play cd edition than a wiim amp pro

How much is again a wiim amp pro costs ? 482.14 euros

https://www.amazon.de/-/da/WiiM-Amp-Pro-Multiroom-streaming-forst%C3%A6rker-stemmestyring-m%C3%B8rkegr%C3%A5/dp/B0DFPJ91ZX?th=1

 

[gasolin75]

If you start PEQing the speakers which you should do and add bass to the audio then the extra power will be handy.

if you want bass many add a subwoofer, then the power from the amp doesn't since 59 watt is enough, even with 85-86 db sensitive speakers

 

[gasolin75]

FYI, rather unintuitively, the extra 40W output power of the Marantz M1 translate to just ~15% higher loudness, compared to the WiiM.

max 2 db and it will only be noticeable at max spl and why would bother with 100db vs 102db or 120 miles vs 125 miles, again only a difference when pushed to it's limit and can your feel a noticeable difference, before 100 db and before 120 miles (around 190kmt) it's still loud, fast