In this week's show we do a review of the WiiM Amp Multiroom Streaming Amplifier but first, we read your emails and take a look at the week's news.

News:

WiiM Amp: Multiroom Streaming Amplifier

As you know Ara just completed a set of speakers built from salvaged MDF and brand new components from Dayton Audio. The speakers sound excellent and will end up being a part of Ara's whole home audio system in Tennessee. The only issue is that these speakers are passive and need an amplifier. So to drive them Ara is using the WiiM Amp Streaming amplifier which runs for about $300 at Amazon.

This WiiM amp is an all-in-one device that combines a high-quality streamer, ESS Sabre DAC, and Class D amplifier into one cool looking box. It's perfect for "just add speakers" simplicity with great performance, especially at this pricepoint.

Key Features

Power Output: 60W 8 ohms
DAC: ESS Sabre ES9018 HyperStream, supports up to 24-bit/192kHz hi-res audio
Streaming & Connectivity: AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Amazon Music, Qobuz, DLNA, Bluetooth 5.1 (two-way), Wi-Fi, Ethernet
Inputs: HDMI ARC (for TV), optical digital, analog RCA line-level, USB-A (for local files/drives)
Outputs: Speaker binding posts, subwoofer RCA (with adjustable crossover)
Controls: WiiM Home app (iOS/Android), included remote, voice control (Alexa built-in, works with Google/Siri)
Other: 10-band graphic EQ + parametric EQ, room correction options, multi-room grouping with other WiiM devices, gapless playback

Setup

Setup was straightforward and took about ten minutes including the firmware upgrade done through the WiiM Home App. For Ara's setup it was, plug in power and connect the speakers and join the wifi network which was done through the WiiM Home app. Ara is not using a subwoofer but one can be added by using the sub out RCA connection. You can adjust the crossover in the app. The app is where you can select EQ, source, and do your multi-room configuration.

There is only one physical control that controls volume and doubles as play/pause. HDMI ARC makes it an excellent TV audio upgrade with minimal hassle. No complex wiring or external DAC needed. More on that in a bit.

Sound Quality

The WiiM Amp delivers clean, lively, and detailed sound at a reasonable price. It offers good clarity, solid bass control via the sub out. Distortion is very low even at high levels of volume. We are not saying that using these with some KEF or SVS Towers is the way to go, but for small-to-medium spaces, or desktop setups, it sounds surprisingly good. Add to it that it can make any speaker work with Apple Airplay or Google Cast Audio and you have a relatively inexpensive way to build out a wireless whole home audio system.

The HDMI ARC support makes this a cost effective way to add a 2.1 speaker system to your TV. In this case the center channel is split evenly between the left and right speakers giving the perception that the audio is coming from the center, provided the speakers are not separated from the TV by a large distance.

We have a listener named John who is using the Wiim Amp Pro ($379 from Amazon with no Airplay support) in this manner with an SVS subwoofer and his quote is, "It's been working perfectly". The only issue he had was with the EQ calibration. When it was set to cut and boost frequencies he would get audio dropouts. He did some experimenting and found that if he only cuts frequencies and does not boost them, the audio dropouts stopped.

Cool Features That Make It Worth $300

All-in-One Versatility — Streamer + DAC + amp in one small box (about the size of a small Mac mini).
HDMI ARC + Sub Out — Turns any TV into a better-sounding system and easily adds a subwoofer with crossover control.
Advanced App EQ & Room Tools — 10-band graphic + parametric EQ plus presets let you fine-tune for your room/speakers.
Multi-Room & Ecosystem — Group with other WiiM devices for whole-home audio; excellent service integration (Spotify/Tidal Connect, AirPlay 2, etc.).
Other Extras — USB playback, two-way Bluetooth, and voice control,

Summary

The WiiM Amp is an outstanding budget streaming amplifier that offers a lot of versatility, ease of use, and surprisingly good sound for the money. It's ideal for anyone wanting a simple, music or TV audio setup without complexity or high cost. While we don't recommend it for big rooms, it's perfect for desktop and bookshelf use, especially if you want to use Airplay 2 or Google Cast Audio. With all that said, Ara will probably never use the app again and simply connect to it via the Airplay 2 from his Mac and iOS devices.