WiiM Amp Pro (dark gray)

Description

WiiM’s affordable, high-performance streaming amp gets an update WiiM’s Amp Pro has almost all of the features that made the company’s Amp a big hit with our customers, plus some nice upgrades. The chassis design is identical, and setup is equally convenient: just pair the Amp Pro with a nice pair of passive speakers for a sweet stereo system with high-res streaming built in. So what makes the Amp Pro different? WiiM has improved the internal circuitry for more reliable wireless performance and better sound quality. And unlike the Amp, the Pro doesn’t come with Apple AirPlay. Read on for a closer look. Lower noise-floor and an upgraded DAC The Amp Pro’s redesigned internal circuitry implements a Class D amplifier with Post-Filter Feedback. This results in a notably lower noise floor, with lower distortion and better clarity and detail compared to the original Amp. And the upgraded DAC uses a highly regarded audiophile ESS Sabre ES9032QM2 chip, so you can get the best out of locally stored high-res files and music services like Qobuz, TIDAL, and Spotify. At home for a first look at the Amp Pro WiiM sent Crutchfield an early sample of the Amp Pro that I took home for an audition. Unboxing was a pleasant (even “Apple-like”) experience. The unit itself, like the original Amp, has a solid, heavy feel, with a single simple front-panel knob and thoughtfully laid-out connections on the back panel. I connected it to a pair of ELAC Uni-Fi Reference UBR62 3-way bookshelf speakers. As usual, I was pleasantly astounded by how quickly and easily I was able to get it set up: within five minutes I’d added it to our home network, entered my Qobuz credentials in the WiiM Home App, and run room correction using my iPhone. I played a few of my favorite reference tracks, and when I got to Andy Pratt’s Inside Me Wants Out, I was literally giggling with pleasure at the level of detail I was hearing. It feels to me like WiiM has hit upon another combination of features and price that sho