For the past few years, the home audio company Wiim has been making waves with its line of streamers and amplifiers. Not long ago, the global manufacturer, introduced a flagship product: the Wiim Amp Ultra.
Boasting a host of features, along with a room-friendly footprint, and a reasonable price point, the latest Wiim product can like other products in the home audio market, serve as the foundation of a modern two-channel system, and it can also serve as a zone within a larger whole-house audio system.
Trying the Wiim Amp Ultra out for myself, I set the product up in my dining as part of a mini Wiim-based whole-house audio system that also included a Wiim Amp powering my daughter’s AV system in her room.
CE Pro & Cons
Pros:
- Outstanding sound quality and enough power to efficiently drive most speakers
- Reliable wireless and traditional connection options to connect a range of source devices
- The Wiim Amp Ultra’s affordable $529 retail price tag is tough to beat
Cons:
- Wiim selectively offers Apple AirPlay throughout its product line. It would be nice for an amp called “ultra” to include Apple AirPlay options
Wiim Amp Ultra Features
Designed for modern home AV activities, the new amplifier is nearly 8-inches wide by 3-inches tall by just over 8-inches deep. The amp weighs just under 5.5 pounds, and it is offered in a choice of space gray and silver to help it to blend into a variety of home environments.
According to the company, the Wiim Amp Ultra is rated to produce 100-watts-per-channel into 8 ohms. Helping the amplifier section to safely work with a variety of loudspeakers, the product utilizes Wiim’s proprietary Post Filter Feedback Technology (PFFB), and Wiim’s RoomFit room calibration technologies.
The Wiim Amp Ultra beyond its ability to help form a Wiim-based whole-house audio system, also provides home theater capabilities to enable dealers to assemble 5.1 surround sound systems. Other features include the use of ESS ES9039Q2M. Sabre digital-to-analog converters (DACs), as well as dual Texas Instruments (TI) TPA3255 Class-D amplifiers, and six TI OPA1612 op-amps that help the product generate stable power.
Aiding the reliability of the amplifier, Wiim says the component employs copper heat piping to help transfer heat away from sensitive internal components, along with aluminum heatsinks, and real-time temperature regulation.
Transitioning from the audiophile information, the amp’s rear panel incorporates a set of RCA analog inputs, as well as a single digital optical input that supports bit rates up to 24-bit/192kHz, and an HDMI input that provides ARC (audio return channel) capabilities. The HDMI input supports 24-bit/192kHz PCM, and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround audio.
Outputs include USB that supports eight channels up to 24-bit/192kHZ, and a mono RCA dedicated subwoofer output.
The rear panel of the Wiim Amp Ultra offers several inputs to support a range of source component connections. (photo credit: Bob Archer CE Pro)
Other connectivity options include Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6 and Ethernet (100Mbps).
CE Pro Summary of Features
- The Wiim Amp Ultra is rated to produce 100-watts per channel into 8 ohms
- Analog RCA inputs, as well as HDMI, USB, and digital optical
- The amplifier provides 5.1 surround sound and whole-house audio capabilities
- Wireless and Ethernet networking connectivity options
- Retail price for the Wiim Amp Ultra is $529
Amplifier Setup and Installation
After unpacking the compact integrated amplifier, I plugged the Wiim Amp Ultra and opened the companion Wiim app. Within a matter of seconds, the app quickly discovered the new amplifier and from there it requested network access. Once the app acquired a network address, it notified me that it required a firmware update.
With the firmware update completed I then paired the physical remote control that ships with the Wiim Amp Ultra and I enabled Google Cast and Amazon Alexa.
Other setup items I did include connecting the amp to my iPhone and I named the amp within the Wiim app to represent a zone within the Wiim whole-house audio ecosystem.
Finishing up with the physical connections, I ran a set of analog RCA cables from an old Toshiba disc player to the Wiim Amp Ultra rear panel and speaker cables to a set of LSA loudspeakers.
Listening Impressions
Let me say up front that I think that all the Wiim amplifiers deliver impressive levels of sound quality and the differences between the products is close, and in most cases, it will come down to personal preference. I do think the Wiim Amp Ultra does separate itself in terms of performance by adding a bit more detail and refinement.
One of the things that struck me about the Wiim Amp Ultra is that I think it will sound good with just about any set of speakers you pair with it.
My initial listening sessions were done with a set of Monitor Audio CL2M indoor/outdoor speakers. Using content such as Living Colour’s “Vivid” CD I found the flagship Wiim amplifier to produce firm mid-bass levels, along with a warm, extended top end. With the Monitor speakers I also thought the combination produced a nice stereo image, and the Wiim Amp Ultra had no problem driving the 6-ohm, 85.5dB sensitive CL2 M speakers at volume levels more than enough to fill my dining room.
Setting up the LSA bookshelf speakers with the amplifier I listened to everything from Chappell Roan and Yungblood to AC/DC and Chicago.
The Wiim Amp Ultra through its wired and wireless connectivity options allows homeowners to stream their favorite content. (photo credit: Bob Archer CE Pro)
With the LSA speakers, I thought the amp liked being pushed. What I mean is, the Wiim Amp Ultra’s sound opened up when played at higher volumes. I thought the amp displayed a nice level of musicality through its upper midrange frequencies. The amp also imaged well with the LSA speakers and that image was really showcased through its ability to place instruments and vocals in space throughout the soundstage.
Wiim Amp Ultra Final Thoughts
I have become a big fan of Wiim’s product line, and focusing on the Amp Ultra, I am really impressed with the features and performance of the product.
The amp is reasonably priced, it sounds great, and it has lots of options to enable modern listening experiences that include as the central component within an AV system for surround sound or as a dedicated stereo solution with legacy source components and wireless media. Maybe the only disappointment with the Wiim Amp Ultra is it omits Apple AirPlay. I believe AirPlay sounds much better than Bluetooth and I wonder why the company is selective in how it utilizes AirPlay in some products but not others.
Despite my Apple fan boy whininess, the Wiim Amp Ultra is an affordable, fantastic amplifier that can be used for 5.1 surround sound, whole-house audio, and dedicated stereo without sacrificing sound quality to meet a price tag.
For anyone looking for an affordable, high-performance, feature-laden home amplifier product, I highly recommend checking out the Wiim Amp Ultra.
