WiiM Amp Ultra

A glimpse into the Future of High Fidelity.

WiiM is a US-based brand whose philosophy is to offer High Fidelity equipment featuring great connectivity, ease of use, a compact size, and an unbeatable quality-to-price ratio, focusing primarily on streaming as the music source. The WiiM Amp Ultra is, precisely, a compendium of all those virtues. Perhaps the most interesting development here is that the brand has ventured into building an authentic amplifier, moving toward an (almost) all-in-one solution where you only need to add a pair of passive speakers. Given the product's restrained price and its comprehensive features, one might wonder if the amplification stage will live up to the expectations of a true Hi-Fi device. Anticipating the conclusions of this bench test: the answer is yes.

User Experience and Setup

Let’s take it step by step. Right from the start, a crisp full-color screen occupying a good portion of the front panel informs us of the current mode and the music playing. We previously loaded the app onto our smartphone and linked it to our streaming service. While you can operate the Amp Ultra like a conventional amplifier, it is clear that users will purchase it primarily to benefit from the DAC and streaming capabilities. I must emphasize that the configuration and handling via smartphone are simple and impeccable. You can even turn the device on and off from the app, a great touch that saves us from needing a remote control. With this approach, the American brand seems to be targeting a younger audience, those used to managing everything from a smartphone who demand real, immediate performance from their purchases.

Internal Specs and Connectivity

Inside the WiiM, we find:

• DAC Chip: ESS Technology ES9039Q2M SABRE.

• Amplification: A Texas Instruments TPA3255 Class-D dual amplifier delivering 100 watts.

• Operational Amplifiers: Six OPA1612 units from the same brand.

All of this is housed within a very compact, elegant, and discreet casing. Connectivity is comprehensive, though we reiterate that its ideal operating mode is via Wi-Fi, allowing you to forget about cables except for the speakers. It also offers 10-band equalization with the ability to save different profiles for specific inputs. For more casual users, there are 24 presets available. We also appreciate the specific, configurable subwoofer output; whether or not to include a sub will depend on the room and user preference.

Performance and Synergy

For this test, we used Sonus Faber Lumina I monitors. The synergy with these speakers is absolutely impressive. Tests were conducted in a room of just over 20 square meters. Once installed, we played various tracks from Tidal.

We started with The Headhunters' live recording, Live at Garcia’s Chicago (2025). Against all odds, the little WiiM kicked off with a punchy rhythmic base. The lows are powerful and generous. The aforementioned subwoofer isn't necessary at all; including one would allow for refining (though not necessarily increasing) the lowest frequencies. However, I believe WiiM's philosophy is to offer big sound with minimal hardware, so I didn't even bother testing my resident REL subwoofer. The Sonus Fabers are more than enough on their own.

The second track chosen was "This Town" from Patricia Barber’s album Clique!. Here, we confirmed two things: the credibility of female vocals and the ability to reproduce a piano convincingly. Both challenges were met with high marks. The WiiM preserves the clarity of the recording, instrument separation, and the ability to generate a well-dimensioned soundstage. Pushing the volume a bit revealed the system's only potential limit: trying to achieve extremely high volume levels in a very large room. But for listening at reasonable levels, the Amp Ultra’s 100 watts deliver outstanding performance.

High-Resolution Mastery

The WiiM is capable of even more. To prove it, we turned to the 2022 remaster of Wilco’s "Jesus, Etc." from their masterpiece Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. We played it at 24-bit / 192 kHz, significantly more detail than a conventional CD. This is where the WiiM Amp Ultra technology shines, taking full advantage of the format to deliver music with impeccable cleanliness and stereo focus.

This crystal-clear sound is also a result of eliminating steps in the signal transmission chain. In this sense, all-in-one devices and active speakers are the future. Smaller living spaces, cable reduction, and reasonable budgets are all factors working in favor of this type of equipment.

Conclusions

The Amp Ultra is likely the best option if you want to build a true Hi-Fi system without complicating your life with multiple devices, remotes, and cumbersome connections. True to its founding philosophy, WiiM has once again managed to give more for less. The Amp Ultra is a pragmatic and rational choice, but also a confident, clear winner.