The WiiM Amp Pro Is the Perfect Starter Amp
The Amp Pro also plays nicely with Alexa Cast, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, and TIDAL Connect, in addition to being Roon Ready and DLNA-compliant. It can access an absolute stack of music streaming services, internet radio providers, and what-have-you accessible via the WiiM Home app that’s free for iOS and Android.
The app itself can take a moment or two to catch up with itself if the device that’s hosting it goes to sleep, and it’s not absolutely the last word in logic where navigation is concerned, but otherwise it’s among the most thorough and useful examples of its type around. As well as allowing access to Amazon Music, Deezer, Qobuz, vTuner, and plenty of other services, it features a room-correction routine, a 10-band EQ (with a staggering 24 presets), space for a dozen “favorites,” a balance control, and even an alarm clock.
Easy Listening
The device ships with a fairly comprehensive remote control handset if you prefer operating your devices that way, and if you’re interested in simply issuing your demands vocally, the Amp Pro is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
Photograph: Simon Lucas
No matter how you prefer to control it, the WiiM Amp Pro is a friendly and easy-to-operate device. Provided you keep things sensible and proportionate when it comes to the speakers it’s driving and the source equipment it’s supporting, it’s no kind of hardship to listen to, either.
Play to its strengths with a 24-bit/48-kHz FLAC file of “Common Land” by James Holden via TIDAL Connect, and the Amp Pro proves to be hugely accomplished in any number of ways. It strikes a lovely tonal balance, for instance—there’s just a tiny hint of heat at the bottom of the frequency range, but nothing problematic. In every other area it’s as neutral and as natural as can be. And aside from a slight (and probably quite sensible) rolling off of the highest frequencies, the top-to-bottom frequency response is even and smooth too.
At the bottom of the frequency range the Amp Pro hits with real determination. It controls the attack of bass sounds with the sort of authority that allows rhythms to be expressed with proper confidence. There’s authentic variation to the low-end stuff, plenty of detail regarding tone and texture revealed, and all of it put into convincing context.
