The WiiM Pro network player offers an ultra-complete solution for enjoying streaming and digital music on a vintage hi-fi system or an active speaker without connected features. Its LinkPlay ecosystem enables you to access the majority of streaming services such as Qobuz, Tidal and Spotify, receive music via AirPlay 2, Bluetooth and Chromecast, and even broadcast sound from your wired sources throughout the house. Priced at €179, this latest-generation multimedia gateway promises to bring your hi-fi system into the era of Hi-Res streaming.
Included accessories
The WiiM Pro network player comes in a small cardboard box similar to the Apple TV packaging. The box is simple and uncluttered, with a white background on which a representation of the player is printed, along with the logos of the various compatible technologies. Inside, the player comes with all the necessary connectors, including a USB-C to USB-A cable and AC adapter, an RCA to RCA cable, an optical cable and a quick installation guide. Note that you can also purchase the optional WiiM Remote for easy remote control.
Presentation
Design
With its ultra-compact dimensions of 14 x 14 x 4cm, the WiiM Pro network player can be easily installed alongside the living-room hi-fi system. Its streamline, minimalist finish makes it discreet. Its all-polymer chassis has a simple silhouette, with a single-piece structure and no ventilation grille. While we would have appreciated the use of a metal chassis for a more premium look, the matte finish on the top panel combined with glossy side panels remains very attractive.
On the front panel, the WiiM Pro features a touch-sensitive control interface. This allows you to quickly start or pause music playback from the previous source in use. It’s also possible to adjust the volume and activate your pre-configured favorites from the WiiM mobile app.
Inside this small box, the WiiM Pro incorporates a TI PCM5121 DAC for bit-perfect playback of Hi-Res streams at up to 24-bit/192kHz. With the exception of DSD tracks, most formats are supported. Analog, digital and processing circuits are mounted on three separate PCBs to limit interference. As a result, the WiiM Pro offers an excellent signal-to-noise ratio of 102 dB and distortion of less than 0.009%. For the most demanding users, the manufacturer offers a premium version of this streamer: the WiiM Pro+ (€249). This big brother retains all the features of the standard model, and is equipped with a more powerful AKM4493SEQ DAC, combined with a high-precision clock. As a result, the signal-to-noise ratio rises to 120 dB and distortion drops to an impressive 0.00032%.
HD streaming and multi-room
As with the WiiM Amp connected amplifier, the WiiM Pro network player takes advantage of its LinkPlay parent company for streaming and multi-room management. It provides direct access to the majority of streaming services, including Spotify, Qobuz, Deezer, Amazon Music, Tidal, Pandora and SoundCloud. Global web radio listening is also included, thanks to the integration of vTuner, TuneIn, iHeartRadio and Radio Paradise. Last but not least, titles shared via DLNA on the local network can be played at up to 24-bit/192kHz.
The WiiM Pro streamer can also receive music from any smartphone, tablet or computer. It uses AirPlay 2, Chromecast and Bluetooth technologies. Conveniently, the latter is bi-directional, which also enables you to listen to wired sources connected to the WiiM Pro or streamed music with Bluetooth headphones or a pair of wireless speakers.
Thanks to the LinkPlay ecosystem, the WiiM Pro streamer can be integrated into a multi-room installation to enjoy music throughout the home. Not only can WiiM amplifiers and players be connected, but also any equipment equipped with LinkPlay technology. Increasingly popular, this technology is now used by a number of manufacturers, including Audio Pro (Audio Pro G10, Audio Pro A10, etc.), Octavio (Octavio AMP, Octavio Maestro and Octavio Stream), Jean-Marie Reynaud (JMR Agape) and Elipson (Elipson Multiroom range). All this equipment from different brands will be able to work in symbiosis. What’s more, multi-room streaming is also possible with AirPlay 2 and Chromecast, or using AVS Multiroom technology exclusive to Amazon speakers.
Mobile app
The WiiM Pro network player is controlled primarily via the WiiM mobile app for iOS and Android. Adapted from the LinkPlay app, the display is simple yet highly functional. Stable and intuitive, it provides access to streaming services, web radios, music shared over the network and various streamer settings. You can select the source, adjust the volume and tone and personalize the listening experience. To do this, 24 DSP modes are available to suit all musical genres. What’s more, a 10-band equalizer lets you fine-tune the reproduction to suit your preferences or installation. And best of all, you can set alarms, routines and standby functions so you can fall asleep or wake up to your favorite music. A feature also offered by Sonos.
A wide range of connectors
Located on the rear panel, the WiiM Pro streamer’s set of connectors is comprehensive enough for any scenario. Thanks to RCA and optical inputs, up to two sources can be connected, such as a pre-amplified turntable, an HD TV or a CD player. The WiiM Pro can not only convert or pre-amplify signals, but also broadcast them in multi-room mode to any LinkPlay-compatible equipment. A real asset for enjoying the sound of your discs throughout the house, or in a room far from the turntable. As for outputs, the WiiM Pro offers optical, coaxial and stereo RCA jacks for easy connection to any amp, external DAC or active speaker. A convenient trigger output automatically switches on a compatible amp as soon as a signal is sent to the streamer. So even a vintage hi-fi system can be fully automated.
Installing the WiiM Pro streamer
Installation of the WiiM Pro streamer only includes a few quick steps in the WiiM app. You’ll be prompted to add the device to the WiFi network if it’s not connected via Ethernet, to rename it or select the room in which it’s installed, and then, if necessary, to perform acoustic calibration to correct any multi-room latency. To do this, the WiiM Pro incorporates its own microphone. Finally, you’re able to add your different streaming services and start playing music.
For this test, we paired the WiiM Pro with NAD, Pioneer, Marantz and Pathos amplifiers that have no network features. As these models are purely analog, we connected the player via RCA using the included cable. The speakers used were Elipson Prestige Facet 6B, Eltax Monitor V and several Cabasse floorstanding speakers. The player was then tested in multi-room mode with the WiiM Amp and Focal OD Stone 8 outdoor speakers.
Listening impressions
The WiiM Pro network player delivered its score with a mastery and balance that are rare for a model costing less than €200. It effectively brought out the best of high-resolution audio files, while forgiving compressed titles by avoiding any over-compression flaws. The soundstage was wide and well-defined, with precise placement of the various instruments. Music had room to breathe and benefited from a pleasant transparency.
The WiiM Pro streamer delivered beautifully uniform frequencies. Without being abyssal, the bass was tight and correctly controlled, giving weight and presence to tracks without ever dominating other frequencies. The midrange boasted a richness that made vocals particularly expressive. The highs, meanwhile, were slightly cool to favor clarity and precision. Despite this, they avoided any form of harshness or auditory fatigue over long listening sessions.
Without reaching the dynamic amplitude of more high-end models, the WiiM Pro managed to rhythm music effectively and breathe life into the different genres we listened to: jazz, classical music, pop, rock… It managed to capture subtle variations in volume and intensity, brilliantly underlining the different nuances. Even on complex, dense productions such as Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, the WiiM Pro delivered clarity and definition that allowed us to feel the energy and emotion of the music. Vocal harmonies, dramatic transitions between rock and opera and Brian May’s guitar solos were rendered with beautiful precision, allowing the complexity of the composition to be properly appreciated.
WiiM Pro vs Octavio Stream
Priced at €199, the Octavio Stream network player offers similar features, thanks to the same LinkPlay ecosystem. However, it lacks Chromecast and has fewer connectors, preventing the multi-room diffusion of wired sources that the WiiM Pro does so well.
WiiM Pro: who is it for?
The WiiM Pro network player is a comprehensive, affordable solution for upgrading vintage or non-connected hi-fi systems. It opens a gateway to streaming by supporting the majority of online music platforms, access to web radios, playback of files shared over the local network and streaming from a smartphone, tablet or computer. This streamer will also be ideal for designing a multi-room system to easily enjoy your music and sources throughout the house.
WiiM Pro: conclusion
For just €179, the WiiM Pro network player offers a wide range of functions. Its real strength lies in the use of LinkPlay, whose ecosystem is one of the most comprehensive and advanced on the market. The device’s meticulous finish enhances the feeling of quality. The control app is a real pleasure to use, offering intuitive access to your music library and various streaming services. Musical performance lives up to its promise, with a transparent, natural and well-balanced reproduction. The WiiM Pro demonstrates precision and mastery to faithfully reproduce every recording and musical genre.
We liked:
- The well-designed mobile app
- The numerous streaming options
- The transparent, natural sound
We would have liked:
- DSD compatibility
- A metal chassis
- A remote control as standard
