John Darko
UPDATE 23rd November: the WiiM AMP is reviewed here.
How much must we spend on an amplifier to turn the WiiM Pro Plus into a complete Future-Fi solution to which we just add loudspeakers? Linkplay, developers of the WiiM hardware and software platform, answer that question today with the announcement of the WiiM AMP.
The new streaming amplifier takes the WiiM Pro Plus as its foundation – a hi-res capable DAC circuit* that decodes streams sent wirelessly over Bluetooth, Google Chromecast, Apple AirPlay 2, Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, (soon) Roon Ready or received via hard-wired sources like analogue RCAs and TOSLINK – and adds HDMI ARC and a 60wpc into 8 Ohms Class D loudspeaker amplifier. An Ethernet socket shows up for those who prefer wired data transmission and the Bluetooth connection works in both directions: in (from smartphones) and out (to headphones).
Lest anyone doubt the market demand for HDMI ARC, here are 3230 (out of 8500) people expressing their desire to see it above all else in a pair of powered loudspeakers. That’s as polled on the Darko.Audio YouTube channel a month ago.
The WiiM AMP is a powered speaker’s nearest neighbour where a pair of passive loudspeakers play it dumb, driven by an outboard amplifier that houses all the connectivity. It’s Future-Fi for someone who prefers to hedge their bets. Vinyl heads should connect their phono stage to the WiiM AMP’s single-ended RCA inputs. Those wanting USB will need to apply a USB-S/PDIF converter to the WiiM AMP’s TOSLINK input. The USB Type A socket found on the back of the WiiM AMP isn’t for PCs or Macs but USB storage devices.
And what of the WiiM’s amplifier board? It’s built around a Texas Instruments TI 3255 chip for 60wpc into 8 Ohms and 120wpc into 4 Ohms. Those of a measurement persuasion should know that the distortion profile of that chip, according to TI, looks like this:
We’re not done yet.
The subwoofer output on the back of the WiiM AMP has seen Linkplay’s app developers add a bass management pane to the WiiM Home app. From there, we choose the subwoofer’s crossover frequency but also gain and phase (the latter two features are yet to be found in BluOS). And yes, Linkplay’s underlying DSP also high-pass filters the loudspeaker outputs to take the low bass burden away from a 2-way loudspeaker’s mid-bass driver. None of this is in the press release though — I had to ask WiiM about it directly.
Also not in the press release is another very clever piece of wizardry (if it comes off): the aforementioned bass management pane will show up in the WiiM Home app for WiiM Pro and Pro Plus users. Connect either streamer’s pre-amplifier outputs to a cable adapter and then to the subwoofer, sync its streaming zone with the WiiM AMP’s and presto: wireless subwoofer integration.
I’ve not tested this feature and probably won’t have time to before my WiiM AMP review goes up in written format in the next two days. After ten days of using only streaming apps, I have just now paired the supplied Bluetooth LE remote with the WiiM AMP and can report that its play/pause and volume up/down commands are more responsive than any in-app play/pause button or volume up/down.
Now let’s return to where we came in: how much must we spend to add an amplifier to the €249 WiiM Pro Plus? With the WiiM AMP stickered at €349** in Europe, the answer is a flat €100. For our extra cash, we also get HDMI ARC convenience and a subwoofer output with bass management. Even on paper, that’s a pretty, pretty good deal.
Further information: WiiM
* Linkplay told me via email two months ago that the AMP “uses the same AKM 4493SEQ DAC as the WiiM Pro Plus” but the press release going out to US-based publications says it’s now an ESS Sabre ES9018 chip. 🤷🏻
** The WiiM AMP will sell Stateside for US$299 and in the UK for £299.
