WiiM Amp Streaming Amplifier Review

[Yorkshire Mouth]

@amirm Thanks for your test and reviews!
I have a WIIM Amp for one small room and Topping PA3s + WIIM Pro for a second larger room. Reading your reviews, I thought about an upgrade for a large room.
There I got big 3 band speakers. What do you say about the connection Topping PA5 II plus + WIIM Pro plus? Will such a set be noticeably better than WIIM Amp?
Also, I think such a set will be in reserve for the case when I manage to purchase higher quality floor acoustics.

I’d definitely suggest waiting for the WiiM Ultra, as opposed to shelling out immediately for the Pro Plus, unless of course you’re in a hurry.

Indeed, the Ultra and PA5 II Plus is what I’m currently looking at.

 

[VintageFlanker]

WiiM Amp review

Another budget wii-nner from WiiM?

www.whathifi.com

Have fun reading this "review".

Pretty bad rating (3/5 is in the low 25% by What-HiFi standards), logically explained by... 1) WiiM is not a British brand, 2) WiiM is not an advertiser for their magazine, 3) The Amp does have an extremely good price/feature/performance ratio, that is threatening the competition ("traditional" brands, British or others).

 

[JeremyFife]

@amirm Thanks for your test and reviews!
I have a WIIM Amp for one small room and Topping PA3s + WIIM Pro for a second larger room. Reading your reviews, I thought about an upgrade for a large room.
There I got big 3 band speakers. What do you say about the connection Topping PA5 II plus + WIIM Pro plus? Will such a set be noticeably better than WIIM Amp?
Also, I think such a set will be in reserve for the case when I manage to purchase higher quality floor acoustics.

Slightly depends:
How big is your room, what are your speakers (and do you know their sensitivity rating), how loud do you listen and are you considering adding a subwoofer in future?
The WiiM Pro Plus has a better DAC than the Pro but even then that difference may not be audible (personally, I'd prefer the Pro Plus over the Pro but that's not wholly rational). It comes down to how loud you want to listen. Perhaps just another WiiM Amp might be a good choice too.

 

[Ze Frog]

I’d definitely suggest waiting for the WiiM Ultra, as opposed to shelling out immediately for the Pro Plus, unless of course you’re in a hurry.

Indeed, the Ultra and PA5 II Plus is what I’m currently looking at.

Or maybe WIIM Amp ultra, now that would really be something. That's if they have that as a possibility in future, would be super cool though, I'd happily buy one at 4 or 5 times the price of the regular WIIM Amp with more power and improved internals.

 

[JeremyFife]

Or maybe WIIM Amp ultra, now that would really be something. That's if they have that as a possibility in future, would be super cool though, I'd happily buy one at 4 or 5 times the price of the regular WIIM Amp with more power and improved internals.

lol ... or wait for the WiiM MEGA ... which is also not available yet (or, for the avoidance of doubt, may never be since I just made that up)

Why wait for something new and untested if there are good options now?

Why not, for example, try a WiiM mini (for the streamer and rudimentary, but useful PEQ) into a Yamaha AS-501. Old school but reliable and would sound brilliant ...

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

Or maybe WIIM Amp ultra, now that would really be something. That's if they have that as a possibility in future, would be super cool though, I'd happily buy one at 4 or 5 times the price of the regular WIIM Amp with more power and improved internals.

Yeah, I get that.

But in a way, why? Hope you understand this - I’m not being critical.

I suspect the ‘front end’ (streamer, processing, DAC, pre amp) on the Ultra will be solid. And you need that whether you have a small, desktop amp, or if you’re feeding a massive amp to drive multi-thousand pound speakers, or to deliver a signal to superb (and expensive) Genelecs.

I’d rather WiiM get this right, and eventually offer a range of front ends (Mini, Pro, Pro Plus, Ultra, maybe another somewhere between the Pro Plus and Ultra) - and a range of power amps (basic Fosi Audio V3, right through to something offering the top end of Topping’s LA90), than tie everything in to a simple start-to-finish solution like the WiiM Amp.

Don’t get me wrong, the WiiM Amp is great. And yes, okay, eventually 3 tiers of that, perhaps.

But expand the front for now. And get into amps if you must.

 

[Head_Unit]

Well, it is not about the level of volume which is more than ok, it is all about control and sound quality, in respect of bass control and mid high detail.

I don't know about the mid-high, but my impression from the original testing was this amp is simply not super great at the lowest frequencies, maybe power supply rated. I was thinking to use one highpassed to satellite mains.

 

[amix]

4 or 5 times the price of the regular

Shhhht!

 

[jmtocali]

And now the Wiim amp is Roon ready

 

[Bruce Morgen]

This Wiim review brings up the issue of whether the long-standing de facto industry method for measuring amp power is all that useful. Not only that, but we get an Amir name-drop and a glimpse of his photo too.

 

[antcollinet]

This Wiim review brings up the issue of whether the long-standing de facto industry method for measuring amp power is all that useful. Not only that, but we get an Amir name-drop and a glimpse of his photo too.

Well that is a really stupid test. If you put a tiny signal in, you'll get a tiny signal (and low power) out. He doesnt seem to understand the relationship between volts, gain, impedance and power.

 

[Ze Frog]

Anybody running one of these who has other more expensive systems, and how does it compare?

Seen What Hi-fi review on it for a chuckle, lol, I love how product's like this highlight there review scores and the review itself completely garbage. 3 stars, really, for something at this cost,this has really spooked a lot of the peddler's of expensive gear and the elitist part of the community for sure.

I'm actually contemplating getting one as my main system, wondering if I need to spend the money I have set aside on a system that will cost 10x the amount of more.

 

[Antlestxp]

Anybody running one of these who has other more expensive systems, and how does it compare?

Seen What Hi-fi review on it for a chuckle, lol, I love how product's like this highlight there review scores and the review itself completely garbage. 3 stars, really, for something at this cost,this has really spooked a lot of the peddler's of expensive gear and the elitist part of the community for sure.

I'm actually contemplating getting one as my main system, wondering if I need to spend the money I have set aside on a system that will cost 10x the amount of more.

Just try it and return it if you don't like it.

 

[Xibal]

Interesting point made by Scientific Audiophile on the 1kz test tone. It would be nice to know @amirm 's point of view on this, thanks

 

[Bruce Morgen]

Interesting point made by Scientific Audiophile on the 1kz test tone. It would be nice to know @amirm 's point of view on this, thanks

This has already been posted to the thread AND it has its own thread.

 

[Xibal]

I beg your pardon, could someone post a link to the mentioned thread?, thanks

 

[Bruce Morgen]

I beg your pardon, could someone post a link to the mentioned thread?, thanks

Is it time for the traditional 1kHz tone test for amp power to go? (brief Amir name drop)

 

[staticV3]

I beg your pardon, could someone post a link to the mentioned thread?, thanks

Just search for the YouTube video code and the first result will be the thread in question:

Search results for query: wmeQTOEL0oo

www.audiosciencereview.com

It's a good way to check if a video you're interested in is already being discussed elsewhere.

 

[Julf]

Interesting point made by Scientific Audiophile on the 1kz test tone. It would be nice to know @amirm 's point of view on this, thanks

I doubt the "Scientific" part, I don't doubt the "Audiophile" part.

 

[Xibal]

Thanks for the replies, much obliged