WiiM Amp Streaming Amplifier Review

[somebodyelse]

2 - Any drift will be reset every new track.

I hope not, because that would mean it can't play gapless.

 

[Descartes]

Has anyone tried it with 4 speakers?

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

I hope not, because that would mean it can't play gapless.

Not the same thing.

At all.

 

[somebodyelse]

Not the same thing.

At all.

How do you achieve the reset to bring the two clock domains back in sync without a gap or glitch in at least one output?

 

[Lothar_ab]

Recently bought WiiM Amp during Amazon Prime deals, so decided to put some useful information (I hope) for people interested in this little amp.

I was actually building my second audio system in my gaming room to mainly use PC as a source.
Initially I bought Argon Audio SA1 mk2 amplifier together with Dali Oberon 1 speakers and SVS SB-1000Pro subwoofer.

Decided to try WiiM Amp and compare it to Argon Audio that doesn't provide any subwoofer management (high pass filter).
I also compare it to my main class D amplifier Gato Audio DIA-400S NPS (MSRP ~4K euro) which also doesn't provide any high pass filter.
I run measurement sweep using REW together with UMIK-1 microphone in 3 listening spots and took average. Expected SPL level = 75dB.
Please take a note that room is very small (2,5m x 3m) and doesn't have any acoustic treatment.

Measure 1 - Only SVS subwoofer is connected, crossover set to 200Hz (on subwoofer itself for Argon and Gato and on amplifier only for WiiM Amp):
Most linear bass is on Gato followed by Argon. Wiim seems to have a lot of spikes even far below crossover frequency.

Measure 2 - Only SVS subwoofer is connected, crossover set to 80Hz (on subwoofer itself for Argon and Gato and on amplifier only for WiiM Amp):
Again Wiim seem to provide worst bass response. I don't understand why since subwoofer is fully active.

Measure 3 - Only Dali speakers are connected, no subwoofer, no crossover, left speaker:
Very similar measurement for all amplifiers, wow (seems Wiim doesn't have any issues in driving Dali Oberon 1).

Measure 4 - Only Dali speakers are connected, no subwoofer, no crossover, right speaker:
Again very similar measurement for all amplifiers, wow.

Measure 5 - Dali speakers and SVS subwoofer are connected, crossover set to 80Hz, left speaker:
Here we can see how much high pass filter is helping in bass management - the most linear is on Wiim. Interesting that Gato is not as bad as Argon even it doesn't provide high pass filter.

Measure 6 - Dali speakers and SVS subwoofer are connected, crossover set to 80Hz, right speaker:
Here I don't understand why there is so much drop in 60-100Hz range for WiiM. For Argon and Gato measurements are very similar to left speaker.

Anyway it seems that WiiM doesn't have any issues in driving Dali Oberon 1 speakers itself. The only questionable thing for me is subwoofer output - why there are so much spikes with subwoofer alone especially with crossover 200Hz. Especially 60-80Hz range seems to be problematic for WiiM in subwoofer output.
I'm really suprised how well it performed against much more expensive Gato amplifier in speakers alone setup.
For now I decided to return Argon amp and keep the WiiM Amp instead.
I'm also thinking about ordering Bluesound Powernode Edge to see if it will also have frequency drops in 60-80Hz in subwoofer output.

 

[staticV3]

Recently bought WiiM Amp during Amazon Prime deals, so decided to put some useful information (I hope) for people interested in this little amp.

I was actually building my second audio system in my gaming room to mainly use PC as a source.
Initially I bought Argon Audio SA1 mk2 amplifier together with Dali Oberon 1 speakers and SVS SB-1000Pro subwoofer.

Decided to try WiiM Amp and compare it to Argon Audio that doesn't provide any subwoofer management (high pass filter).
I also compare it to my main class D amplifier Gato Audio DIA-400S NPS (MSRP ~4K euro) which also doesn't provide any high pass filter.
I run measurement sweep using REW together with UMIK-1 microphone in 3 listening spots and took average. Expected SPL level = 75dB.
Please take a note that room is very small (2,5m x 3m) and doesn't have any acoustic treatment.

Measure 1 - Only SVS subwoofer is connected, crossover set to 200Hz (on subwoofer itself for Argon and Gato and on amplifier only for WiiM Amp):
Most linear bass is on Gato followed by Argon. Wiim seems to have a lot of spikes even far below crossover frequency.
View attachment 382186
Measure 2 - Only SVS subwoofer is connected, crossover set to 80Hz (on subwoofer itself for Argon and Gato and on amplifier only for WiiM Amp):
Again Wiim seem to provide worst bass response. I don't understand why since subwoofer is fully active.
View attachment 382190
Measure 3 - Only Dali speakers are connected, no subwoofer, no crossover, left speaker:
Very similar measurement for all amplifiers, wow (seems Wiim doesn't have any issues in driving Dali Oberon 1).
View attachment 382191
Measure 4 - Only Dali speakers are connected, no subwoofer, no crossover, right speaker:
Again very similar measurement for all amplifiers, wow.
View attachment 382192
Measure 5 - Dali speakers and SVS subwoofer are connected, crossover set to 80Hz, left speaker:
Here we can see how much high pass filter is helping in bass management - the most linear is on Wiim. Interesting that Gato is not as bad as Argon even it doesn't provide high pass filter.
View attachment 382193
Measure 6 - Dali speakers and SVS subwoofer are connected, crossover set to 80Hz, right speaker:
Here I don't understand why there is so much drop in 60-100Hz range for WiiM. For Argon and Gato measurements are very similar to left speaker.
View attachment 382194
Anyway it seems that WiiM doesn't have any issues in driving Dali Oberon 1 speakers itself. The only questionable thing for me is subwoofer output - why there are so much spikes with subwoofer alone especially with crossover 200Hz. Especially 60-80Hz range seems to be problematic for WiiM in subwoofer output.
I'm really suprised how well it performed against much more expensive Gato amplifier in speakers alone setup.
For now I decided to return Argon amp and keep the WiiM Amp instead.
I'm also thinking about ordering Bluesound Powernode Edge to see if it will also have frequency drops in 60-80Hz in subwoofer output.

Was your measurement microphone fixed in place for all subwoofer measurements?

Variable placement could easily explain the measured differences.

 

[Lothar_ab]

Was your measurement microphone fixed in place for all subwoofer measurements?

Variable placement could easily explain the measured differences.

Frankly speaking placements were now 100% same but very close to each other (I just put the microphone on a chair but it might always move 1cm in any direction).

The problem with subwoofer drops are real in my case anyway and strict position of microphone doesn't matter that much .
I'm playing with measurements for few days already and even when moving the subwoofer around and using either svs peq or wiim peq I'm not able to completely get rid of them.
And it seems the issue is on WiiM side since it doesn't happen for both Gato and Argon amps. They also do use different connection type for subwoofer (single RCA in WiiM and double pre-out RCA in Gato and Argon). But that shouldn't make any difference, right?

 

[staticV3]

And it seems the issue is on WiiM side since it doesn't happen for both Gato and Argon amps. They also do use different connection type for subwoofer (single RCA in WiiM and double pre-out RCA in Gato and Argon). But that shouldn't make any difference, right?

Depends on how your subwoofer handles LFE Mono vs Stereo Pre input.

 

[sucramhabib]

Since I am a very satisfied user of streamers from the WiiM family (they replaced the Raspberry pi in my house), so I bought a bargain WiiM Amp. I wanted to use it in the bedroom. From the functional side, it is a fantastic device. Unfortunately, from the sound side, it is a failure for me. As a gadgeteer, I have a great many amplifiers at home from Class AB to the Class D amplifiers I use most often, including those based on the TPA3255 chip. Unfortunately, subjectively the WiiM Amp sounds the worst. Therefore, I suggest that those intending to purchase an amplifier from the WiiM family should wait for the unveiling of a new device from PFFB.

Yep! I have and use it daily but it sounds lean to compared to other amps I have

 

[bogart]

One wonders about the value added posting on page 50 of a thread, but here we go

Like others, I bought a WiiM amp during the prime day discounts, and got it set up today. It really reminds me of peak SONOS - the app is quick and clean, the setup was easy and straightforward, and everything works well. It has PLENTY of power to supply my desktop speakers, and a rough crossover setup to the subwoofer + AutoEQ has this sounding awfully good. I had the same setup with an old 5.1 receiver for power, and a MiniDSP 2x4HD for crossover/correction and... this is every bit as good, or better.

I've also just tested passing USB audio out to my headphone DAC/amp and results are solid! I used the built-in PEQ to apply headphone EQ, and saved it as a second EQ pre-set. If I have read it correctly, I should be able to set a kind of "preset macro" that would set the device to output to USB and apply this EQ, which would be pretty slick. Even if not, it's only a few taps in the app to set it up.

It's astonishing to have a multi-room streamer, PEQ and amplifier in this package at this price with this level of app quality. I'm extremely happy, and now I can re-deploy or sell my MiniDSP!

 

[djrodrigues]

I've also bought it recently.

It's an impressive bit of kit, feature wise.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same about it's sound.

Something is wrong about how it handles dynamics (and I'm not the first one to notice this). I was using a NAD before, that unfortunately gave up.

The Wiim, by comparison, now sounds wooly and gives little impact on many tracks. In fact, on some songs, at certain mid-high volumes, the amount of room reverb that was not there before is quite impressive (in a bad way). No adjustment in the EQ solves this.

There is also some clear compression happening on higher volumes. This is noticeable in movies, where when some action scene with a lot of bass comes in, a lot of dialogue goes away.

I'm pretty sure many people don't notice these things either because they listen at quite low volumes or they are using the Wiim on a desk setup (I'm not).

Not very impressed. Will return it.

 

[PGAMiami]

Purchased two WiiM Amps on eBay for $212.50 each and three pairs of Klipsch AW525 for $239/pair to replace our outdoor speaker system, and we could not be more pleased.

We live in Miami, not far from the coast, so our outdoor speakers don’t last long. That said, we installed AW525s in 2013, and they worked flawlessly for a decade, even after being subjected to a Cat 3 hurricane in 2017. So when Amazon marked AW525s down from $549 to $239, we decided to stick with this older model.

The WiiM Amps replaced an Amazon Echo Link and a Nad CI 9060 6 channel amp. The Nad served us well for 13 plus years, but we were looking for something smaller than this 60 lb monster and figured the reliability of the Nad may be soon challenged since it’s been ON for essentially 13 years.

How do the Amps and AW425s sound? For outdoor pool speakers, just fine. Plays plenty loud. And it works perfectly with Alexa and the Amazon Echos.

The AW525 are nominal 8 ohm, 95 db efficient; we have two pairs on one Amp, and the third pair on a separate Amp. The same outdoor area has several Amazon Echo speakers. All are in the same speaker group. I can close all my cabinet doors, no problems with heat, no amps that stick out from our shelves, and everything just works.

All I have to do is ask Alexa to play Jimmy Buffett and every speaker and Echo in our pool area starts playing perfectly in sync, and essentially at the same volume (somewhat lucky how the efficiency of the AW525 allowed for this). And I can go fix myself a margarita, jump in the pool and tell Alexa to switch to The Eagles …

 

[Bernard23]

Full disclosure I haven't read all 50 pages of this thread, just the first few, but I'm interested to know how well it handles a sub in room correction? I've got a pro plus feeding a Yamaha 501 that's driving some dbr62s and a wharfedale sub. Obviously I can RC for overall frequency response but can't phase align the sub.
Now I was contemplating swapping the Elacs for some bigger boxes and be less reliant (even eliminate) the sub, but that's going to around a net £1k investment. I'm wondering if correcting for the sub might be a much more cost effective solution, given the low price of the Wiim amp, assuming that it can implement time delay between mains and sub.

 

[staticV3]

I'm wondering if correcting for the sub might be a much more cost effective solution, given the low price of the Wiim amp, assuming that it can implement time delay between mains and sub.

You can manually set sub level, delay, phase, and HPF/LPF frequency.

Afaik the WiiM Amp does not support automatic sub integration.

 

[kyuu]

I'm finding the complaints about sound quality rather odd. There's nothing in the review that suggests this should be anything but transparent. Unless you're driving some inefficient speakers at very loud volumes, I doubt 60W/8Ohm and 120W/4Ohm is terribly limiting.

 

[antcollinet]

I'm finding the complaints about sound quality rather odd. There's nothing in the review that suggests this should be anything but transparent. Unless you're driving some inefficient speakers at very loud volumes, I doubt 60W/8Ohm and 120W/4Ohm is terribly limiting.

More than likely either plain old perceptive bias - or comparing with a non transparent previous amp that the listeners ears have just got used to.

For example

he amount of room reverb that was not there before is quite impressive (in a bad way). No adjustment in the EQ solves this.

Certainly this makes no sense - amps don't impact room reverb unless they are putting out more energy at the reverberating frequency. So either a previous amp had a lack in this area that the wiim is now filling with a flat FR, or the mentioned EQ adjustments (eg turning up bass) is causing it.

 

[Bernard23]

You can manually set sub level, delay, phase, and HPF/LPF frequency.

Afaik the WiiM Amp does not support automatic sub integration.

Agh, just realised it only has 1 line input. I have 3 devices, though seems like the Amp makes the Pro plus redundant, though it's DAC is not as good, but I have a phono amp to connect and a tuner! I mean I could survive with swapping things over but what a faff.

 

[staticV3]

Agh, just realised it only has 1 line input. I have 3 devices, though seems like the Amp makes the Pro plus redundant, though it's DAC is not as good, but I have a phono amp to connect and a tuner! I mean I could survive with swapping things over but what a faff.

The WiiM Ultra has Line in, Phono in (built-in Phono pre), and Sub out.
But you'd have to add an external Amp.

 

[Bernard23]

The WiiM Ultra has Line in, Phono in (built-in Phono pre), and Sub out.
But you'd have to add an external Amp.

So that I'm clear, Amp has a digital preamp including sub for DSP, Ultra does the same but with more inputs and a better DAC. Obviously it doesn't have the analogue output stage, but then you'd output the Ultra into a Line in on say my Yamaha 501 in the same way I connect the Pro Plus, the difference being that the sub is included in the DSP of the Ultra.
If that's the case, then Ultra might be a better solution, I don't need to change the power amp, and I wouldn't need the pro plus either as the Ultra is a direct replacement.
How good is the phono section? That could potentially replace my cambridge duo too!
Checking specs on Wiim site, no mention of RC, but presumably same functionality as the pro plus?

 

[staticV3]

So that I'm clear, Amp has a digital preamp including sub for DSP, Ultra does the same but with more inputs and a better DAC. Obviously it doesn't have the analogue output stage, but then you'd output the Ultra into a Line in on say my Yamaha 501 in the same way I connect the Pro Plus, the difference being that the sub is included in the DSP of the Ultra.

Correct!

How good is the phono section?

I don't know.

Checking specs on Wiim site, no mention of RC, but presumably same functionality as the pro plus?

A remote control is included.