WiiM Amp Pro review

WiiM’s first streaming amplifier – the WiiM Amp – made quite a stir, delivering amplification, DAC and wireless streaming features in a compact box that cost considerably less than anything else offered on the hi-fi market.

Its feature-packed, well-built and user-friendly design for such a budget price had plenty of appeal, but we found it lacking in the sound quality department.

The more ambitious WiiM Amp Pro aims to rectify this, while still retaining the same versatile specifications and affordable price that WiiM has become known for. If you’re looking for a space-saving, wallet-friendly streaming amp that you just need to add a pair of speakers to, the Amp Pro could be just the ticket.

Price

The WiiM Amp Pro is yours for £399 / $379 / AU$699 – still a terrifically priced product for those wanting a whole bunch of features and abilities in one compact box. All you need to do is add a pair of passive speakers, and you have a complete, streamlined hi-fi system.

We still haven’t come across any other streaming amplifier for such a reasonable outlay. The Award-winning Technics SA-C600 is a five-star favourite before things start to get too premium, but that streaming amp (which also includes a CD player) clocks in at a significantly pricier £769 / $1099 / AU$1599 these days.

The more budget WiiM Amp is still available for £319 / $299 / AU$495, so the step up towards the Amp Pro isn’t particularly steep.

Build & design

The WiiM Amp Pro looks identical to its younger sibling: a smartly built, very minimal design that puts us in mind of the Mac Mini. The footprint is also the same, with the ultra-compact 6.3 x 19 x 19cm (hwd) dimensions meaning it is well suited to those who are limited on space for their home audio set-up, as it can be placed anywhere from a busy TV cabinet to your work desk or even in a bookshelf.

The sleek aluminium unit has simple LEDs on the front to indicate power, input and volume level. The large volume dial is the only material change here: in the Amp Pro, it has a stepped feel compared to the smoother motion of the Amp’s volume dial.

You can further fine-tune how you use the volume by choosing the level of adjustment one volume step takes in the WiiM Home app – it’s a feature we rarely see in products like this and is a nice addition here.

You can press the volume and control dial to change inputs, but we mainly used the excellent WiiM Home app to control all our music playback from various streaming apps.

Delve into the app and you’ll find WiiM offers a wealth of customisation for the Amp Pro, from fine-tuning the audio for each input with various EQ settings to even customising the LEDs on the unit.

Another way of controlling the Amp Pro is the included voice remote, which is a nicely made handset and is responsive to all commands. Both the unit and remote feel like products with a higher price tag; the perception of high quality outstrips its affordable price point.

You can also set four presets on the remote to readily access your favourite playlists or internet radio stations. It’s not quite as intuitive as selecting presets using the touchscreen display of the WiiM Ultra streamer – you’ll have to remember what’s stored for each preset button, for starters – but it all works just fine.

We also appreciate that WiiM includes the required interconnect cables – HDMI, optical, RCA – in the box, making it easy for users to get started and connect their TV and other audio sources to the Amp Pro straightaway. Every little helps when you’re on a budget, after all.

Features & connectivity

The amount of features packed into the compact Amp Pro remains impressive. Inside is a Class D amplifier offering 60 watts of power per channel into 8 ohms. That’s the same power rating as the Amp, but the Amp Pro’s internals have been upgraded to help improve the overall sound quality.

We are promised wider dynamic range and lower distortion levels, as well as a higher signal-to-noise ratio. There is also a feedback loop from the speaker to the amplifier, to optimise the amp’s performance across a range of speakers.

The DAC chip has also been upgraded to the ES9038 Q2M Sabre DAC – the same one used in the five-star WiiM Ultra streamer – and it can handle hi-res files up to 24-bit/192kHz.

In terms of its streaming capabilities, the WiiM Amp Pro offers extensive support for playing music from most popular streaming services and methods. You get wi-fi and wired Ethernet network access (both stable and easy to set up) and you have everything from the recent Qobuz Connect to TuneIn internet radio supported. Its DLNA capability means the streaming amp can recognise and play local hi-res and CD-ripped files stored on the same network.

Bluetooth and Chromecast are also available, but the one notable exception here is Apple AirPlay 2. New generations of WiiM products have dropped AirPlay support, which will be a huge blow to dedicated Apple Music subscribers. If you use Apple Music with the Amp Pro, your only choice to stream music wirelessly is via lossy Bluetooth – hardly the best-sounding transmission method. The older WiiM Amp still supports AirPlay 2, however.

The WiiM streaming platform is robust and stable, and it has no problem recognising our iPhone or Naim music servers on the same network.

The WiiM app is swift, responsive and easy to navigate. Its user-friendly interface is a big reason why we’re fond of WiiM’s streaming products, as they make the process of juggling multiple music sources and playing music very smooth and accessible.

Around the back, you’ll find a decent complement of physical connections, which also mirror that which you get on the cheaper Amp. Inputs include HDMI ARC, digital optical, RCA stereo analogue and a USB type-A port for plugging in USB media sticks. There is also a subwoofer output and, of course, a pair of speaker terminals.

There is no headphone jack here, but you can connect a pair of wireless headphones by selecting Bluetooth as the audio output. We connect Sony’s WH-1000XM6 cans and it is a swift, uncomplicated process, with the WiiM’s sound quality remaining consistent here as with the rest of its audio sources.

Sound

We start listening to the WiiM Amp Pro, and we are met with a clean, open and smooth sound. It’s not unlike the sonic character of the WiiM Ultra streamer, which is a great start.

It’s an easy presentation to listen to, giving streamed songs ample space to flourish, with voices projected clearly and in focus, and instruments working together to deliver an engaging, lively sound.

It takes us only a handful of seconds of comparison with the Amp to discover that the Amp Pro has taken a leap forward in performance.

There is more punch, snap and sparkle to the sound than the Amp.

The flattened dynamics we criticised in the Amp’s performance are improved here: the Amp Pro offers greater subtlety to the way dynamic swings are communicated, and there is a more convincing sense of dynamic contrast and rhythmic agility to the sound.

There’s more flair and personality, aided by the Amp Pro digging out more detail overall as we run through our playlist.

Where the Amp used the same simplified brush over all songs, the Amp Pro offers more light and shade, making it a more interesting listen. Doechii’s personality and the way she pronounces words with attitude in Denial Is A River come through with greater intent and nuance here, while we hear more impactful slam and depth at the lower frequencies.

Disturbed’s cover of The Sound Of Silence sounds more muscular and powerful, while Aesop Rock’s gritty Checkers propels forward with nimble footwork. The same songs played through the Amp sound rather disinterested and leaden in comparison.

There is simply more detail and subtlety revealed through the Amp Pro, with a sense of fun and energy that keeps us listening.

We still find there is a hint of restraint to the sound, though, with the WiiM Amp Pro playing it just a little safe. Even acknowledging its budget billing, we would like to hear a better sense of timing and momentum, as well as have it dig out greater texture to the body of instruments to make them sound that bit more realistic.

There are instances – in Dave Brubeck’s Take Five and Radiohead’s The National Anthem – where the Amp Pro gets a little confused with the complex rhythmic patterns and isn’t as musically cohesive as we’d like. Piano notes could have more resonance and textural depth, too. We think there is space for the WiiM to mature – but overall it’s a move in the right direction after our criticisms of the cheaper Amp’s sound.

The Amp Pro’s sonic improvements are heard through the various sources we use, from Qobuz Connect to Bluetooth to our Naim server. We also plug in a Cyrus CDi CD player using the RCA inputs, and we hear the same sonic character, with an increase in grip, detail, dynamics and spaciousness.

We spend the first part of our testing with the Amp Pro paired with our reference Epos ES-7N speakers, but then switch to a more realistic price-compatible pair of budget speakers, the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1. The Wharfedales are a great partner; their easy-going, balanced and dynamic nature works a treat with the Amp Pro, adding a touch of warmth and midrange fluidity to the WiiM’s starker and more efficient presentation.

Verdict

The WiiM Amp Pro’s combination of talents at this price level and for this compact size remains unusual. That it also delivers an improved sound performance over its predecessor while juggling so many different elements is impressive.

We are pleased to see the WiiM Amp Pro moving in the right direction in terms of sound quality; if it can continue at this pace, its potential is sky-high.

The lack of AirPlay will be a disappointment to many potential users here, but if it’s not a priority, we have no problem recommending the Amp Pro for those who are limited in space and budget – its user-friendly design makes listening to music fuss-free and enjoyable.

Review published: 11th June 2025

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Features 4
• Build 5

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Read our review of the WiiM Amp

Also consider the WiiM Ultra streamer

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