Last year I added a Wiim puck into my system; Mark Levinson amp, NuPrime DAC/Preamp, 2nd tube amp, and Tarkus speakers. That tiny $99 thing has transformed my world. As a wifi streamer going into my boring DAC - now it’s exciting. I listen 3-4X more these days. Best cheap upgrade ever!!!
Nice review! I actually bought the Sonos Amp based on your review and I'm still super glad I did. The Sonos Amp, though more expensive, is just reliable like a Toyota Land Cruiser. I don't think I ever lost a connection or heard a weird noise in a year of owning it. Pairs well with my Lintons too. Also that Mountain Goats record is great!
Awesome review. Finally, a product that makes sense for casual listening without any fuzz or over-engineering that fits the day.. Well done Wiim. And Thanks to you Darko for the detailed review.
Nice review. I caught up on this review after recently purchasing the amp at $240 on Prime Days. Loving Roon/Tidal now as well! Thanks for all your hard work and I imagine a labor of love.
Great content, great information, plus….plus….plus…..beautiful, artistic camera work, styling, music choices, your poetic style of presentation, gorgeous decor. You are truly an informative, style genius. Thank you Mr. Darko!
A real WIMMER ! Hats off too these guys for making decent HI FI affordable , I can see this amp sharing many an Apple Mac mini set up , I dare say it will scare the Schitt out of a lot of over priced designer boxes .
I love Wiim. With the Wiim mini I put together a system that sounds near as good as a new $10k system, for just $2k. Parts = Wiim mini, used Kef R3 speakers, used 480 Watt Yamaha receiver, 2X used Yamaha 250 watt subs.
I bought the WiiM amp when it was released and have been using it for a few days now. Initially it was purchased for another room but i was testing in the main system to see what it can do. Magnepan LRS will play plenty loud with the Wiim. It does get a little warm after a session but nothing major. My favorite thing is the system is essentially "always on". When my wife turns on the TV it wakes up and plays the sound from HDMI with the LG remote. If I want to play music I just take out my phone and press play and it will switch over to the wifi and stream apple music. The sound quality is good. With the EQ trick(spoken word) it actually makes the speakers sound BETTER than a Rogue Audio Sphinx v2 with a schiit modi 3. My Hegel Rost still sounds a bit better but the retail price on that was 10x the Wiim, and there's no bass management. I am seriously considering getting a 2nd one because I don't want this to leave my main system. Its so easy and convenient to use. No multiple boxes to turn on or multiple remotes to lose. I've been looking for something like this for years!
This is the amp I've been waiting for since downgrading my living room setup from a 5-channel receiver to a basic 2.1 setup. I've debated getting the Sonos Amp for what feels like years at this point, and I'm so glad I didn't pull the trigger in the end. Every other stereo receiver or integrated amp on the market thus far has either had sub-par HDMI ARC support or costs a ridiculous amount. I never anticipated the amount of features WiiM has included in this little box. I'm anticipating this is going to be a hot item for quite a while.
Another enjoyable and informative product review. Thank you for introducing many of us to these new brands and technologies which make quality audio easier to afford and enjoy. John, you've rejuvenated my enjoyment of audio gear and the music to play it on. I'm very grateful. I always say to my wife, "my friend Johndarko (as in all one word) has a new video out!" LOL. She enjoys your video style as well. Thanks again. 🎵🙂
Hi John. I greatly respect and admire you. You're one of my earliest reviewer subs. Hear me out cuz its quite common for audiophiles to shun eq or tone controls for that matter. Been doing this since late 80s and there are 3 problems we're dealing with: 1. Room acoustics 2. Imperfect gear, speakers mainly and 3. Variances in recording quality. We can solve no. 1 only to an iffy extent but necessary nonetheless. No. 2 is basically a constant no matter how much money u throw at it and for No. 3, we are completely helpless, beyond our control. Given the overwhelming odds stacked against us, my view is we should embrace any helpful tool available. Room treatment is passive. It is never exact to begin with and hardly enough, so it needs to be augmented with an active tool, yes, tone controls or an EQ device, hard or soft. Its success depends on the quality of the tools themselves. I have found these "transparent" tools plus a few parts upgrades, mainly capacitors, cabling and op-amps, they altogether solve all 3 problems to an unexpected high degree even for a bargain sub 1000 gear, all in, in a smallish space. More power to your channel.
Yes, EQ can be a VERY useful in solving problems, especially rooms modes. But in my experience, you cannot EQ one amp to sound like another. EQ is the icing, not the cake.
@@DarkoAudio Well, the goal never changes. Like all else EQ is there to serve music. The reason why more expensive gear sounds better is because of better parts basically. This is where parts upgrades come in. Of course you're there to review products as is. I'm saying what's achievable in bargain stuff.
Just received my Wiim Pro Plus after black friday discounts and i'm thrilled. Easy to set up and user friendly app is all i need. Integrated dac gives me a deeper bass and wider sound stage. System is ROTEL A12MKII, WiiM Pro Plus and a pair of Rega Ara bookshelf speakers. I wanted to say thank you John cause i manage to create my own system by informing myself about hi-fi with your videos. (Next step will be a CD player).👍
WoW! This review is as crisp as newly laid snow. It brilliantly highlighted the differences between the components here with 6500 kelvin daylight white clarity. What a gorgeous review. Thank you.
This review is sport on. I got one for Christmas and love it. We use the mic in the remote to cue up our Amazon Music songs and playlist. The app is good and having both graphic or parametric EQ and bass management is really nice to dial in the sound of less than ideal speakers. I do wish it had one more analog input and I'm not sure it makes it to 60 watts into 8 ohms as my Maranta NR1506 is rated at 50 watts into 8 ohms and has noticeably more drive, volume and headroom, but that is a class AB amplifier. If you need more power and can spend more, go with he SVS SoundBase. But, yeah this thing is a game changer with all it does and the quality it does it with for its price.
I got mine delivered yesterday. Since having kids a couple of years ago I have been mostly listening on headphones so I moved my speakers in the lounge (wife's domain) my old pre/power setup was too big hence was looking for a streaming integrated amp which was small to fit in the TV unit. I originally purchased a Cambridge Evo 75. But this was a bit too big and poked out the front. I am amazed by this thing, in my lounge (which isn't perfect acoustically and has strict speaker placement allowances) this sounds as good as if not better than the Evo 75. I was really shocked, not expecting much for £300!? For my needs it fits the bill perfectly. Class D seems to have a very low point of diminishing returns now! I was worried it would sound muddy/veiled but not at all! For anyone in my situation or wanting something to power a second system I can't recommend this highly enough! Thanks Darko!!
I feel like these are going to sell exceptionally well. For all those that want similar functionality to the Powernode or Sonos amp but for significantly less. It's certainly got good looks too IMO. Had this been available a year or so ago it absolutely would have been on my shortlist.
Wiim is making audiophilia more affordable for working folks. This is so exciting for everyone that wants to enjoy the hobby without taking a second mortgage on the house. It will take more companies like this to keep our hobby alive. It has never been a better time to be an audiophile or music lover!
I was nearly sold on this amp and it's companion, the WiiM "Ultra Streaming DAC" (329 USD on AMZN) but lack of AirPlay support is a dealbreaker. Next revision they should add AirPlay2 and do balanced XLR outputs on the DAC/inputs on this amp.
It is absurd to call the Ultra a companion of the WiiM Amp... There's way too much overlap. For the you just need a barebones power amplifier, maybe with some form of input sensing or a 12v trigger input. But yes the lack of Airplay in their recent devices is unfortunate.
I've always preferred you over these other whacky audio reviews, solely on the fact you shoot right straight to asking prices of products and then all that technical BS later...your loyal subscriber, Pule.
The speaker connections are awesome but I would be more interested in a DAC streamer with a headphone connection, maybe on the next revision of the pro plus 🤞🏼
Oh my god, this is what I've been wanting forever. I've had a Loxjie A30 for 2 years now and it's been great but I'd love a high pass filter for bass management and HDMI arc
I thoroughly enjoy your content. I always have take aways from your videos, even if I don't have much interest in the product under review. It is just a 20+ minutes of sheer esthetics and casual but so carefully put together entertainment. The music recommendation is a big bonus.
It would have been nice if Wiim amp would have been released about a week earlier. It would have saved me from getting a BluSound Node Edge. Not that the Node is bad. Just this is so much less expensive. All I wanted was a 2 channel setup for my other room to boost TV sounds or listen to music when I don't want to watch TV. Oh well.
I already have a Dac and amp, and just bought the little puck. Amazed how easy it is to connect. Most amazingly,the app comes with a graphic AND parametric EQ! It must use really good algorithms, as it sounds amazing. If you want an easy solution to make it sound more full, use the "Acoustic" setting in the EQ. Yeah yeah yeah.. I know EQ is bad...
Great video. I appreciate the time you took to walk-through all the details and provide actual opinion. Also really nice production value. Great looking video and it sounded good. Much appreciated.
I just got the Bluesound Powernode N330 from eBay a few weeks back but will be buying this to compare it. Feeding it in to the Kef LS50 Meta and Kef KC62 Subwoofer. The fact that you think the WiiM slightly beats the Bluesound Edge then I'm keen to see how it compares to the Powernode. Particularly given that the WiiM has the high pass filter. Add the fact that it has parametric eq for room correction then surely it will beat the Powernode if I out in the effort.
They should have made the analog in a phono input. Because if I’m steaming everything either directly or via AirPlay and have HDMI for the TV the only analog in most people need is going to be a turntable anyway.
Glad to see you're listening to New Order's 'Substance 1987' digital remaster as well! That out of the way, I have a pair of 20 year old B&W 601's that are in storage and not doing anything since my Audio Analogue amp packed it up. It's never seen 'future fi' and this amp/DAC/streamer might just do the trick! Thanks for the review.
Fantastic review. I bought one and it's really good. Better than the Sonos amp which I could A/B. Your written review was the most helpful source for this device on the internet. Thank you!
If this had pre amp outs...It would have everything. If the 2.0 version of this amp had that, and they released an affordable power amp with more grunt...you'd have an upgrade path within the WiiM brand...or just use any other brand of power amp of your choosing.
Just a quick note about static charges: With certain shoe soles (mostly rubber-like) I can generate a sort of cardiac infarction to my Mac Mini by building a charge with just a few steps across my carpeted room. Everything goes dark and quiet for about 3 or 4 seconds, then pops back on. It can't be good for the Mini, and I ground myself now before I touch it. Both the winter months and forced air heating are the culprits here causing very dry conditions. As an aside, I'm not a big fan of all kinds of mac mini design copies springing up like weeds in the garden.
Great in depth analysis, John, as always! A Wiim Mini saved me from some god awful buggy RPi-based streaming gear, and, while I am not in the market for a new amplifier right now, I continue to be impressed by the rapid development and sophistication of the crew behind the Wiim line! Always good to see you! 🎉 All the best! ❤
Regarding the ticking it sounds like the digital inputs aren’t muting when they lose sync clock source, ie turning tv off. Explains why it’s on HDMI and toslink. I wonder if on boot it’s happening when previous input used was one of those two, and when you power on if the source device is not on. Would be a good test. Still it seems like an incredible gateway product for people to get into hifi, and for second rooms holiday homes etc.
The Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 is a streaming amp with even more functions and subwoofer management capabilities. Of course it´s price tag is on an another level.
@@rpete2733because people need to complain, and they are stupid. Let's just get a separates stack of Marantz, it'll annihilate the Wiim! Just a bit more money right? So tired of the 73 club.
Interesting alternative to the sonos amp (which i bought refurbished couple of weeks ago). But what i really dislike of this wiim amp is the lack of decoding of dolby digital and dts. This means you have to rely on the pcm downmix capabilities of your source. Here I found, that very often the LFE channel („.1“) is omitted in the downmix.
It should have had the AK4499 so it would be a step up from the Plus that has the Ak4493 but they went with an older ESS dac to keep cost down. Bad idea!
The filtering available for the sub makes me think that they could implement DSP driven equalization of the subwoofer based on microphone input to the phone running the app, which would make it a total killer product, incorporating not just app control, streaming, and EQ, but also bass room correction.
precisely my thoughts soon as I looked at the EQ. Wiim can even implement possibly an interface to get EQ tuned to personal liking based on data points with an interface like those of the Sony headphones. The possibilities are huge here
It’s interesting to see what companies are doing with full range class D amps attached to streamer & DAC. The price point for quality of sound is making many of them very appealing.
I just received my WiiM amp and set it up, when I turned it off I got the same noise as you described that lingered for a few minutes, changing inputs didn't affect it. Also it would not recognize HDMI input so I had to use optical. Sound is good through my Klipsch speakers and sub, no problem there.
In 1990 The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry decided it should only be called "Aluminium" but they changed their mind 3 yrs later allowing "Aluminum" to be used as well. Nevertheless, most chemist will only use Aluminium.
it's great that is has bass management. one nice addition would have been a speaker output for a center channel 3.1 setup, but that's asking a lot for this price point.
The thing about WiiM products is the constant updating and upgrading of the app. It is orders of magnitude better than it was even 6 months ago! I have the WiiM Pro plus, the sole complain I have is the ADC for the analog input is not very good for turntable preamps.
Great review! I've been waiting for this one, by YOU. Thank you, Darko! I was ready to purchase until I heard the PUT, PUT, PUT......issue. That's a no, no. WiiM, get on this!!!! Merry Christmas, good sir!!!!
Great review John, really useful. Thank you. This sems to do much of what my Powernode does for significantly less. Seems like a fantastic proposition for my (very small) home office, especially as a Tidal, Roon and Chromecast user. All the best 🙂.
Definitely will buy the amp as soon as I can plug in two stereo speaker sets. Then it got everything I could wish for! So Wiim, I'm counting on you..they..it..
This sounds like a great option to simplify the audio in our new to us 10 year old motorhome. The only thing missing is sync features so both sound systems in the bus play the same music. Might be a use case for my old SONOS 1 Connects.
Waiting on the WIIM Amp Pro (which seems inevitable). Hoping for better sound yet (A-type integration) and 80wpc. THAT would be the bee's knees. I have Ascend Acoustics Sierra LX which love a little extra juice. The perfect setup for me!
Synergy, synergy , synergy, I suspect that the 'leanness' of the Wiim Amp would match up well with the 'warmness' of the Wharfedale Diamond 225 Bookshelf Speakers, along with the Kanto Sub8 subwoofer. Approximately US $869. Future upgrades; iFi LAN iSilencer & iFi AC purifier.
In this set up the IFI stuff won’t make any difference. Cause it is not resolving and exact enough. I’m having an 9.000 Euro system and I sold the silencer cause It didn’t made any difference.
Got mine yesterday. One thing I would be interested to hear your thoughts on is the output level. I initially tested the WiiM Amp with my Cornwall IVs and the very lowest volume setting on the WiiM Amp resulted in SPL levels in the mid to high 40 db range. That’s far too loud for the lowest volume. In all other respects it’s really great - truly incredible for $299. And the build quality is just exceptional.
It's ridiculous that it doesn't have headphone output. I guess it's more important that it looks nice. Also, the WiiM amp is currently unavailable on Amazon in US. BTW I've had 4 pieces of Cambridge equipment and all of them have failed within 2 years. It cost $75 (several years ago) to ship it for factory warranty service.
I've already preorder it. I think it will be great with Bowers Wilkins 607 on my desktop. I am also big fun of Bluesound and I was thinking about Powernode Edge but sorry..the price speaks for itself. Let's give it a try...
I bought the Wiim pro plus, superior tech to all people accessible, wonderful. Im waiting almost with frenetic desire the Wiim amp 2 ultra, with hi fi balanced ports, more amp power, sub woofer port, AKM or ESS latest powerful dacs, DSP, clocks chips, cristal enclose on top and headphone amp
Great review. It’d be good to see a follow up with a pre-amp and turntable. Also, I know it’s not Darko’s Bag, but does anyone have experience using the WiiM with vintage speakers?
This is a great great review, very informative. I have a WIIM Pro streamer. Great device, for the money. I really like your review as always. Your one of the best out there.
Hi, the 'putt, putt' sound John mentioned has been resolved in our latest firmware update, version 5.0.537347, released on 11/30/23. 😊
I love the support! Thank you WIIM. You guys are amazing
What was the issue?
So it was a firmware issue rather than a Darko synthetic underwear issue.
@@thedownunderverse It was a software bug that occured when adjusting the crossover frequency with the App.
The beauty of Digital. Remote feature upgrades and remote fixes. All in a days work!
Last year I added a Wiim puck into my system; Mark Levinson amp, NuPrime DAC/Preamp, 2nd tube amp, and Tarkus speakers. That tiny $99 thing has transformed my world. As a wifi streamer going into my boring DAC - now it’s exciting. I listen 3-4X more these days. Best cheap upgrade ever!!!
Nice review! I actually bought the Sonos Amp based on your review and I'm still super glad I did. The Sonos Amp, though more expensive, is just reliable like a Toyota Land Cruiser. I don't think I ever lost a connection or heard a weird noise in a year of owning it. Pairs well with my Lintons too. Also that Mountain Goats record is great!
Awesome review. Finally, a product that makes sense for casual listening without any fuzz or over-engineering that fits the day.. Well done Wiim. And Thanks to you Darko for the detailed review.
Nice review. I caught up on this review after recently purchasing the amp at $240 on Prime Days. Loving Roon/Tidal now as well! Thanks for all your hard work and I imagine a labor of love.
Great content, great information, plus….plus….plus…..beautiful, artistic camera work, styling, music choices, your poetic style of presentation, gorgeous decor. You are truly an informative, style genius. Thank you Mr. Darko!
I bought it, I love it! And I am shocked at the low price, it's capability and the sound quality! Fantastic bargain! A must buy!
A real WIMMER ! Hats off too these guys for making decent HI FI affordable , I can see this amp sharing many an Apple Mac mini set up , I dare say it will scare the Schitt out of a lot of over priced designer boxes .
I just realized SONOS upsidedown still says SONOS
Mind; blown
Oh, snap! WIIM too. Wow, just wow.
WIIM Amp. It really kicks the llamas ass...
Sandra Bullock says you're wrong... it licks ass😂
Comparatively speaking, your review blows Cheapaudioman’s review of the Wiim Amp out of the water.
😂
I watched him for a good while and finally had to unsubscribe. Same with that Robinson guy.
Cheapaudioman got lazy.
I like Randy's style a lot
Destroyed it in fact.
I love Wiim. With the Wiim mini I put together a system that sounds near as good as a new $10k system, for just $2k. Parts = Wiim mini, used Kef R3 speakers, used 480 Watt Yamaha receiver, 2X used Yamaha 250 watt subs.
I bought the WiiM amp when it was released and have been using it for a few days now. Initially it was purchased for another room but i was testing in the main system to see what it can do. Magnepan LRS will play plenty loud with the Wiim. It does get a little warm after a session but nothing major. My favorite thing is the system is essentially "always on". When my wife turns on the TV it wakes up and plays the sound from HDMI with the LG remote. If I want to play music I just take out my phone and press play and it will switch over to the wifi and stream apple music.
The sound quality is good. With the EQ trick(spoken word) it actually makes the speakers sound BETTER than a Rogue Audio Sphinx v2 with a schiit modi 3. My Hegel Rost still sounds a bit better but the retail price on that was 10x the Wiim, and there's no bass management. I am seriously considering getting a 2nd one because I don't want this to leave my main system. Its so easy and convenient to use. No multiple boxes to turn on or multiple remotes to lose.
I've been looking for something like this for years!
This is the amp I've been waiting for since downgrading my living room setup from a 5-channel receiver to a basic 2.1 setup. I've debated getting the Sonos Amp for what feels like years at this point, and I'm so glad I didn't pull the trigger in the end. Every other stereo receiver or integrated amp on the market thus far has either had sub-par HDMI ARC support or costs a ridiculous amount. I never anticipated the amount of features WiiM has included in this little box. I'm anticipating this is going to be a hot item for quite a while.
It’s an absolute game changer
You are the best audio reviewer in Germania, at least the best originating in Englandia.
That's the spirit! :D
Via Australia!
@@kraminbris6980 Aussie, Aussie, Aussie
That’s gold. And yes via Australia or Australiania
Another enjoyable and informative product review. Thank you for introducing many of us to these new brands and technologies which make quality audio easier to afford and enjoy. John, you've rejuvenated my enjoyment of audio gear and the music to play it on. I'm very grateful. I always say to my wife, "my friend Johndarko (as in all one word) has a new video out!" LOL. She enjoys your video style as well. Thanks again. 🎵🙂
Hi John. I greatly respect and admire you. You're one of my earliest reviewer subs.
Hear me out cuz its quite common for audiophiles to shun eq or tone controls for that matter.
Been doing this since late 80s and there are 3 problems we're dealing with:
1. Room acoustics
2. Imperfect gear, speakers mainly and
3. Variances in recording quality.
We can solve no. 1 only to an iffy extent but necessary nonetheless. No. 2 is basically a constant no matter how much money u throw at it and for No. 3, we are completely helpless, beyond our control.
Given the overwhelming odds stacked against us, my view is we should embrace any helpful tool available.
Room treatment is passive. It is never exact to begin with and hardly enough, so it needs to be augmented with an active tool, yes, tone controls or an EQ device, hard or soft.
Its success depends on the quality of the tools themselves. I have found these "transparent" tools plus a few parts upgrades, mainly capacitors, cabling and op-amps, they altogether solve all 3 problems to an unexpected high degree even for a bargain sub 1000 gear, all in, in a smallish space.
More power to your channel.
Yes, EQ can be a VERY useful in solving problems, especially rooms modes. But in my experience, you cannot EQ one amp to sound like another. EQ is the icing, not the cake.
@@DarkoAudio Well, the goal never changes. Like all else EQ is there to serve music.
The reason why more expensive gear sounds better is because of better parts basically. This is where parts upgrades come in.
Of course you're there to review products as is. I'm saying what's achievable in bargain stuff.
Just received my Wiim Pro Plus after black friday discounts and i'm thrilled. Easy to set up and user friendly app is all i need. Integrated dac gives me a deeper bass and wider sound stage.
System is ROTEL A12MKII, WiiM Pro Plus and a pair of Rega Ara bookshelf speakers.
I wanted to say thank you John cause i manage to create my own system by informing myself about hi-fi with your videos. (Next step will be a CD player).👍
WoW! This review is as crisp as newly laid snow. It brilliantly highlighted the differences between the components here with 6500 kelvin daylight white clarity. What a gorgeous review. Thank you.
Am I the only one who kept hearing WiiMAmp as WinAmp? lol. Love the video Darko!
We're old! 😅
WiiM amp. It really whips the llamas ass. 😀
Villalobos’ classic, genre and 2000s defining work. What a pick.
At last, this is THE review i've been waiting for
This review is sport on. I got one for Christmas and love it. We use the mic in the remote to cue up our Amazon Music songs and playlist. The app is good and having both graphic or parametric EQ and bass management is really nice to dial in the sound of less than ideal speakers. I do wish it had one more analog input and I'm not sure it makes it to 60 watts into 8 ohms as my Maranta NR1506 is rated at 50 watts into 8 ohms and has noticeably more drive, volume and headroom, but that is a class AB amplifier. If you need more power and can spend more, go with he SVS SoundBase. But, yeah this thing is a game changer with all it does and the quality it does it with for its price.
I got mine delivered yesterday. Since having kids a couple of years ago I have been mostly listening on headphones so I moved my speakers in the lounge (wife's domain) my old pre/power setup was too big hence was looking for a streaming integrated amp which was small to fit in the TV unit. I originally purchased a Cambridge Evo 75. But this was a bit too big and poked out the front. I am amazed by this thing, in my lounge (which isn't perfect acoustically and has strict speaker placement allowances) this sounds as good as if not better than the Evo 75. I was really shocked, not expecting much for £300!? For my needs it fits the bill perfectly. Class D seems to have a very low point of diminishing returns now! I was worried it would sound muddy/veiled but not at all! For anyone in my situation or wanting something to power a second system I can't recommend this highly enough! Thanks Darko!!
I feel like these are going to sell exceptionally well. For all those that want similar functionality to the Powernode or Sonos amp but for significantly less. It's certainly got good looks too IMO. Had this been available a year or so ago it absolutely would have been on my shortlist.
Wiim is making audiophilia more affordable for working folks. This is so exciting for everyone that wants to enjoy the hobby without taking a second mortgage on the house. It will take more companies like this to keep our hobby alive. It has never been a better time to be an audiophile or music lover!
Wiim Amp. It really whips the llamas ass.
Ha! I almost put something like that in the video.
Underrated comment!
Canadia !! Yes
I was nearly sold on this amp and it's companion, the WiiM "Ultra Streaming DAC" (329 USD on AMZN) but lack of AirPlay support is a dealbreaker. Next revision they should add AirPlay2 and do balanced XLR outputs on the DAC/inputs on this amp.
I appreciate your comment, AirPlay multiroom audio is what I’m trying to setup. Saved me wasting time on this 👌🏼
It is absurd to call the Ultra a companion of the WiiM Amp... There's way too much overlap. For the you just need a barebones power amplifier, maybe with some form of input sensing or a 12v trigger input.
But yes the lack of Airplay in their recent devices is unfortunate.
I've always preferred you over these other whacky audio reviews, solely on the fact you shoot right straight to asking prices of products and then all that technical BS later...your loyal subscriber, Pule.
Wii amp vs Blusound powernode
WIIM is kicking ashe! I have all three streamers. Now a little integrated? Roh-roh...
The speaker connections are awesome but I would be more interested in a DAC streamer with a headphone connection, maybe on the next revision of the pro plus 🤞🏼
Would the performance delivered by the two-way Bluetooth be sufficient?
Great take John. You provided your observations here. What more could I ask for ? Well done.
Oh my god, this is what I've been wanting forever. I've had a Loxjie A30 for 2 years now and it's been great but I'd love a high pass filter for bass management and HDMI arc
I thoroughly enjoy your content. I always have take aways from your videos, even if I don't have much interest in the product under review. It is just a 20+ minutes of sheer esthetics and casual but so carefully put together entertainment. The music recommendation is a big bonus.
What a groovy little thing, looks very much like a mini version of my Cambridge Edge NQ
It would have been nice if Wiim amp would have been released about a week earlier. It would have saved me from getting a BluSound Node Edge. Not that the Node is bad. Just this is so much less expensive. All I wanted was a 2 channel setup for my other room to boost TV sounds or listen to music when I don't want to watch TV. Oh well.
God, that Ricardo Villalobos album is going to really hit the spot, great call back. Probably dig up some Thomas Brinkmann afterwards!
I already have a Dac and amp, and just bought the little puck. Amazed how easy it is to connect. Most amazingly,the app comes with a graphic AND parametric EQ! It must use really good algorithms, as it sounds amazing. If you want an easy solution to make it sound more full, use the "Acoustic" setting in the EQ. Yeah yeah yeah.. I know EQ is bad...
It has something of the Cambridge Edge look about it too..........Great review, great product 👍
Wiim are really making waves long may they continue to develop!
These day reviewers are the best source of finding new music. Thank you, The Mountain Goats sounds great.
Great video. I appreciate the time you took to walk-through all the details and provide actual opinion. Also really nice production value. Great looking video and it sounded good. Much appreciated.
I just got the Bluesound Powernode N330 from eBay a few weeks back but will be buying this to compare it. Feeding it in to the Kef LS50 Meta and Kef KC62 Subwoofer. The fact that you think the WiiM slightly beats the Bluesound Edge then I'm keen to see how it compares to the Powernode. Particularly given that the WiiM has the high pass filter. Add the fact that it has parametric eq for room correction then surely it will beat the Powernode if I out in the effort.
They should have made the analog in a phono input. Because if I’m steaming everything either directly or via AirPlay and have HDMI for the TV the only analog in most people need is going to be a turntable anyway.
Generally I would think most people would have a better quality phono pre-amp which would then plug straight in the the RCA's
Glad to see you're listening to New Order's 'Substance 1987' digital remaster as well!
That out of the way, I have a pair of 20 year old B&W 601's that are in storage and not doing anything since my Audio Analogue amp packed it up. It's never seen 'future fi' and this amp/DAC/streamer might just do the trick! Thanks for the review.
Fantastic review. I bought one and it's really good. Better than the Sonos amp which I could A/B. Your written review was the most helpful source for this device on the internet. Thank you!
If this had pre amp outs...It would have everything. If the 2.0 version of this amp had that, and they released an affordable power amp with more grunt...you'd have an upgrade path within the WiiM brand...or just use any other brand of power amp of your choosing.
You have to be realistic about what can be offered for the asking price
Wiim is definitely my streamer of choice with the Pro and Pro Plus. Not sure I'll replace any of my amps with this but it's a great idea.
Just a quick note about static charges: With certain shoe soles (mostly rubber-like) I can generate a sort of cardiac infarction to my Mac Mini by building a charge with just a few steps across my carpeted room. Everything goes dark and quiet for about 3 or 4 seconds, then pops back on. It can't be good for the Mini, and I ground myself now before I touch it. Both the winter months and forced air heating are the culprits here causing very dry conditions. As an aside, I'm not a big fan of all kinds of mac mini design copies springing up like weeds in the garden.
Great in depth analysis, John, as always! A Wiim Mini saved me from some god awful buggy RPi-based streaming gear, and, while I am not in the market for a new amplifier right now, I continue to be impressed by the rapid development and sophistication of the crew behind the Wiim line! Always good to see you! 🎉 All the best! ❤
Regarding the ticking it sounds like the digital inputs aren’t muting when they lose sync clock source, ie turning tv off. Explains why it’s on HDMI and toslink. I wonder if on boot it’s happening when previous input used was one of those two, and when you power on if the source device is not on. Would be a good test. Still it seems like an incredible gateway product for people to get into hifi, and for second rooms holiday homes etc.
Wiim is really knocking out of the park.
One just can dream about the WIIM active speakers!!!!
Thanks for everything John. Greetings from Colombia.
And subwoofer!!
The Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 is a streaming amp with even more functions and subwoofer management capabilities. Of course it´s price tag is on an another level.
It's $2600 (US) vs $300. Why bring it up in this review? Instead of a Honda CR-V, how about a Porsche Macan?
@@rpete2733because people need to complain, and they are stupid. Let's just get a separates stack of Marantz, it'll annihilate the Wiim! Just a bit more money right? So tired of the 73 club.
First! also I already ordered the wiim amp, I'm very excited to play around with it.
I think the wiim amp is the best amp for 2023
Remembered me about the mp3 player of 1997 WINAMP 😂
Interesting alternative to the sonos amp (which i bought refurbished couple of weeks ago). But what i really dislike of this wiim amp is the lack of decoding of dolby digital and dts. This means you have to rely on the pcm downmix capabilities of your source. Here I found, that very often the LFE channel („.1“) is omitted in the downmix.
16:20 A Faff and a Kerfuffle is the name of my first jazz fusion album.
John, great review, as always. Do you think the Wiim amp would benefit from a better DAC?
No, who wants a better DAC? Thats crazy talk.
If it stays in production long enough, or is upgraded in the future, it may well get one?
It should have had the AK4499 so it would be a step up from the Plus that has the Ak4493 but they went with an older ESS dac to keep cost down. Bad idea!
@@991carreras3calling it now, Wiim amp pro with the better dac and a headphone output, like Bluesound did with their node to make it a node x.
What Wiim have done here is reframe the value equation. But my Kef LS50 just don’t sound good - at all - with this device. Returning.
If not working with these ones which speaker then? I want to buy some Audio Monitor 100 hmm
The filtering available for the sub makes me think that they could implement DSP driven equalization of the subwoofer based on microphone input to the phone running the app, which would make it a total killer product, incorporating not just app control, streaming, and EQ, but also bass room correction.
precisely my thoughts soon as I looked at the EQ. Wiim can even implement possibly an interface to get EQ tuned to personal liking based on data points with an interface like those of the Sony headphones. The possibilities are huge here
It’s interesting to see what companies are doing with full range class D amps attached to streamer & DAC. The price point for quality of sound is making many of them very appealing.
canadia always gets me XD
I just received my WiiM amp and set it up, when I turned it off I got the same noise as you described that lingered for a few minutes, changing inputs didn't affect it. Also it would not recognize HDMI input so I had to use optical. Sound is good through my Klipsch speakers and sub, no problem there.
In 1990 The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry decided it should only be called "Aluminium" but they changed their mind 3 yrs later allowing "Aluminum" to be used as well. Nevertheless, most chemist will only use Aluminium.
it's great that is has bass management. one nice addition would have been a speaker output for a center channel 3.1 setup, but that's asking a lot for this price point.
They missed the chance to call it the “WiiMp”. I’ll see myself out, but I want royalties if they reconsider
Excellent 🤣
I’m still rockin two squeezebox touches 😎
You know you did something remarkable when your all in one amp streamer costs half of most speaker stands.
John, where do I buy it in Europe? Amazon UK/DE/IT don't sell it. Amazon US asks €123 for shipping to EU.
Audiophonics are now showing “Incoming restock 28 December - 04 January” so I’d expect other EU/UK suppliers to be similar
It's listed on Audiophonics but not in stock yet
audiophonics in France will have it in stock in december
In France, Spain, etc...
They surely will soon
The thing about WiiM products is the constant updating and upgrading of the app. It is orders of magnitude better than it was even 6 months ago! I have the WiiM Pro plus, the sole complain I have is the ADC for the analog input is not very good for turntable preamps.
Sold! wow! i can replace my wiim puck, int amp, and my dac and have one small box w bass management! un real!
Great review John. Love the contrast between you and Randy. Don't change a thing.
Any reference to Winamp wins it for me
Very comprehensive and detailed review,🔥 love those white Kefs in the background.👌🏾
I'm waiting for the first shop to have them in stock so I can trade in my Marantz NR1200.
Great review! I've been waiting for this one, by YOU. Thank you, Darko! I was ready to purchase until I heard the PUT, PUT, PUT......issue. That's a no, no. WiiM, get on this!!!! Merry Christmas, good sir!!!!
Great review John, really useful. Thank you. This sems to do much of what my Powernode does for significantly less. Seems like a fantastic proposition for my (very small) home office, especially as a Tidal, Roon and Chromecast user. All the best 🙂.
Definitely will buy the amp as soon as I can plug in two stereo speaker sets. Then it got everything I could wish for! So Wiim, I'm counting on you..they..it..
This sounds like a great option to simplify the audio in our new to us 10 year old motorhome. The only thing missing is sync features so both sound systems in the bus play the same music. Might be a use case for my old SONOS 1 Connects.
Waiting on the WIIM Amp Pro (which seems inevitable). Hoping for better sound yet (A-type integration) and 80wpc. THAT would be the bee's knees. I have Ascend Acoustics Sierra LX which love a little extra juice. The perfect setup for me!
With left and right subwoofer output 2.2 sound? 🤔
This sounds like it will be perfect for my daughter when i upgrade my bookshelf speakers. Thanks as always for your great informative review.
Wiim has truly found a “wiiming” formula, all puns intended :)
Synergy, synergy , synergy, I suspect that the 'leanness' of the Wiim Amp would match up well with the 'warmness' of the Wharfedale Diamond 225 Bookshelf Speakers, along with the Kanto Sub8 subwoofer. Approximately US $869. Future upgrades; iFi LAN iSilencer & iFi AC purifier.
In this set up the IFI stuff won’t make any difference. Cause it is not resolving and exact enough. I’m having an 9.000 Euro system and I sold the silencer cause It didn’t made any difference.
Hello from Canadia ;)
Great video, thanks! Certainly an excellent all in one option with soundbar killer potential.
Wiimamp...it really kicks the lamas ass 😅
+1 !
Correction : plus 1k for such a funny and educated Jeff Minter reference
Got mine yesterday. One thing I would be interested to hear your thoughts on is the output level.
I initially tested the WiiM Amp with my Cornwall IVs and the very lowest volume setting on the WiiM Amp resulted in SPL levels in the mid to high 40 db range. That’s far too loud for the lowest volume.
In all other respects it’s really great - truly incredible for $299. And the build quality is just exceptional.
It's ridiculous that it doesn't have headphone output. I guess it's more important that it looks nice. Also, the WiiM amp is currently unavailable on Amazon in US. BTW I've had 4 pieces of Cambridge equipment and all of them have failed within 2 years. It cost $75 (several years ago) to ship it for factory warranty service.
back in stock according to cheap audio man 👍
I've already preorder it. I think it will be great with Bowers Wilkins 607 on my desktop. I am also big fun of Bluesound and I was thinking about Powernode Edge but sorry..the price speaks for itself. Let's give it a try...
I’d love to hear your thoughts with those speakers. Thanks!!!
Entertaining and informative review of a product with all the connections desirable today for an unbeatable price.
So, you don't need the Wiim mini, Wiim Pro & Wiim Pro+ if you buy this amplifier because it includes everything the other products offer?
Yes.
I bought the Wiim pro plus, superior tech to all people accessible, wonderful. Im waiting almost with frenetic desire the Wiim amp 2 ultra, with hi fi balanced ports, more amp power, sub woofer port, AKM or ESS latest powerful dacs, DSP, clocks chips, cristal enclose on top and headphone amp
It may take quite some time to become Roon Ready. Hegel took years.
Great review.
How would say it stacks up compared to a Node N330? If price is not taken into account
Great review. It’d be good to see a follow up with a pre-amp and turntable.
Also, I know it’s not Darko’s
Bag, but does anyone have experience using the WiiM with vintage speakers?
This is a great great review, very informative. I have a WIIM Pro streamer. Great device, for the money. I really like your review as always. Your one of the best out there.