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The Wiim Amp Ultra aims to solve this problem, catering to those looking for a little more than just worry-free performance at a very great price. On this front, it proved an instant hit, delivering noticeably cleaner, more spacious stereo sound than the Amp Pro I’ve had in the middle of my living room for the past few months. The sound isn’t perfect, and it omits some features I’d expect at this price (like AirPlay and a dedicated audio input), but it won my heart easily regardless. The Wiim Amp Ultra demonstrated an impressive combination of performance, design, and quality over the course of several weeks on my TV stand.
Quick setup
The Amp Ultras are great to work with. Opening the box reveals two cable boxes, a rechargeable voice remote, and a cool aluminum cube with an obsidian glass front. It looks like a Mac Mini on steroids. For those who are new to speakers, you will want to get your hands on some Speaker wirebut otherwise, the Wiim includes all your accessories, including four banana plugs (pushable cable ends) for plug-and-play connectivity.
Photography: Ryan Wanyata
After connecting my TV via HDMI ARC and plugging in the speakers, I plugged in the power to reveal a QR code on the 3.5-inch color touchscreen (this one has a color touchscreen!) for the Wiim Home app, which handles the network setup wheel. The app couldn’t find my unit at first, but after tapping the volume knob, the Amp Ultra quickly appeared. After a five-minute update, I was off to the races.
The beauty of the Wiim system — like Sonos — is that there are plenty of ways to play. From smart services to multi-room audio, there’s a lot you can do in the app to personalize your home listening experience.
Small loaded box
Wiim makes a lot of products, including very similar ones Wim ultrawhich does not provide amplification, but instead acts as an additional transmitter for older speakers in the future. The Amp Ultra packs it all into one 7.87 x 8.3 x 3-inch box.
Small inside Class D amplifier With up to 100 watts per channel at 8 ohms (200 watts at 4 ohms), that should power almost any speaker you have, unless you’re carrying something very special. Digital audio conversion is handled by the ESS ES9039Q2M SABER DAC chip – the thing that converts your digital audio into analog sound waves – with support for high-resolution audio up to 24-bit/192kHz, which is better than CD quality. On the back is a brief array of physical inputs, including the aforementioned HDMI ARC TV port, digital optics, RCA analogue line input, a USB port for flash drives, an Ethernet connection, and a subwoofer output.
Wireless connectivity starts with Wi-Fi 6 and includes support for Google Cast, Alexa cast, and a series of streaming services, from the usual suspects like Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect, to network apps like Plex and random services you’ve probably never heard of like SoundMachine. Spotify Connect is turned on by default, while others need to be enabled to “reduce network load,” according to the brand. AirPlay 2 and Apple Music are obviously absent, which will be a big loss for some listeners. You can access it via Bluetooth 5.3, but honestly, if Apple Music is your main listening hub, I’d choose another option, including the standard Wim amp.