The streaming amplifier – that is, the integrated stereo amplifier with network streaming built in – is arguably the most burgeoning category in the hi-fi system market.
Hi-fi stalwarts such as Naim and Cambridge Audio were among the successful early pioneers in combining the streamer and amplifier into one box, and plenty of others have since followed in recent years.
These just-add-speaker components have kept on coming, and arriving in our test rooms, so it was only natural that, a couple of years ago, we added two dedicated sub-categories to our best hi-fi systems buying guide – 'best budget streaming amp' and 'best premium streaming amp'.
In the former spot, all this time, has sat the £899/$999/AU$1749 Technics SA-C600. A product with such an asking price might not strike you as very ‘budget’, and we would agree.
But we had not come across a more affordable model that we considered worthy of that spot… until recently. Indeed, the arrival of the WiiM Amp Pro has changed that.
Costing a much more budget-friendly £399/$379/AU$699, WiiM’s latest streaming amp has recently left our dedicated in-house test room with a four-star rating. No, not a five-star one, as we will justify momentarily, but we can still recommend it to most people for its almost ideal feature set and great-value performance.
Naturally, anyone considering a streaming amplifier will predominantly want a setup they can stream music to; most likely music from a streaming service such as Spotify.
(If you’re more of a CD or vinyl spinner and perhaps only an occasional streamer, it would make more sense to pair a CD player or turntable with a ‘regular’ stereo amplifier, and then buy a Bluetooth receiver or music streamer if you desire.)
The Amp Pro panders to many of the savvy streamer’s requirements, the WiiM platform covering an extensive list of streaming technologies, from Spotify, Tidal and Qobuz Connect to Chromecast and internet radio.
“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,” reads our WiiM Amp Pro review.
If you did want to expand on the streaming-centred experience, the amplifier has physical connections that allow you to connect your TV (HDMI or optical), CD player (RCA or optical) or USB stick (USB-A).
Just bear in mind that if you want to connect a turntable, you must ensure there is a phono stage somewhere in the chain (in the turntable itself or an external box) as the Amp Pro doesn’t have that necessary turntable component itself.
It also doesn’t support AirPlay 2, which may be a bummer for Apple device owners, or a headphone socket, although it can output music to your wireless headphones via Bluetooth.
Such omissions contribute to the WiiM not quite hitting the five-star benchmark, as does its slight restraint when it comes to grasping the rhythmic precision of upbeat tracks.
Still, it is no slouch when it comes to musicality – you can expect the kind of fun and energy that keeps you listening, to go alongside its clean, open, smooth and ultimately easily digestible sound.
Add to the Amp Pro simply a pair of realistic price-compatible budget speakers, such as the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1, which our reviews team partnered with the WiiM during testing, and you have a neat and capable three-box hi-fi system for less than £650/$800/AU$1400.
As noted in our review, “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”.
If you cannot afford the aforementioned Technics or level-up Naim Uniti Atom (the current occupier of our best premium streaming amp spot), this WiiM is a very viable, attractive option.
Is it perfect? No. But its compromises as a whole package are relatively few for its price, and it is by far the best-performing truly budget streaming amp we have come across.
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