Verdict
A really likeable first wi-fi speaker from WiiM, the Sound provides a powerful characteristic set, engaging design, and fulfilling sound. When you have a WiiM set-up already, the Sound speaker is an addition that dots the I’s and crosses the t’s to make it an end-to-end WiiM system
Heat, clear, spacious supply
Good app
Sturdy characteristic set
Engaging design
Maybe a contact lite with the highs and lows
No AirPlay 2 assist
No spatial audio for immersive audio followers
Key Options
Assessment Worth:
£299
WiiM Residence app
Begin your music journey with the Residence app
1.8-inch porthole show
Preserve monitor of playback and settings with contact display screen
AI RoomFit
Can routinely customise the sound in your room
Introduction
WiiM has loved a meteoric rise from a model you’ve in all probability not heard of to 1 that’s develop into a mover and shaker within the audio world.
It began with its inexpensive and excellent worth music streamers, earlier than introducing amplifiers, subwoofer and now its first wi-fi speaker within the WiiM Sound.
WiiM’s been knocking extra illustrious and well-known manufacturers out of their step with streamers and amps, however with the Sound its ambitions are a bit increased, taking goal at Apple, Sonos and Bluesound.
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Is the WiiM Sound a worthwhile adversary to a number of the finest wi-fi audio system?
Design
- Porthole display screen
- Contact controls
- White and black choices
There’s definitely a touch of the HomePod 2 with the WiiM Sound. It’s barely taller and never fairly as squat, however each audio system goal for the minimalist vibe all wi-fi audio system appear to be going for lately.
It’s wrapped in a material with black and white choices out there. On the highest floor are disappearing contact controls whereas the abrasive material masking in all probability stops cats (and different pets) from clawing on the speaker.
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There’s a 1.8-inch porthole display screen that does extra than simply inform what time it’s. It may be customised with completely different faces (like on a digital watch) with album artwork, private images, and VU meters simply a number of the choices. And the display screen additionally acts as one other contact interface, as you possibly can pause music or bounce into the settings with a swipe.
The display screen is each vibrant and vibrant, and the brightness is adaptive, altering in relation to how a lot brightness there may be in a room (in a darkish room it dims). I just like the display screen porthole, however if you happen to discover it distracting then you possibly can flip it off. Or purchase the Sound Lite speaker as a substitute.
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The speaker itself feels properly constructed. At 2.5kg it’s hefty, barely heavier than the HomePod 2. The cable isn’t captive, so it may be pulled out, and in a recessed space beneath is the place you’ll discover the aux and Ethernet ports.
I’m barely stunned there’s no USB-C enter. I might have thought that perhaps WiiM could be thought of a direct enter for high-resolution information or attaching a tough drive however alas, there isn’t the choice.
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App
- Multi-room assist
- Loads of customisation
- Chance of Alexa smarts
The primary technique of management is through the WiiM Residence app (also called Linkplay). That is additionally the technique of getting music to the speaker and it’s a fairly great way of doing so too.
There’s entry to just about all the primary music streaming apps except for Apple Music. Log in and also you’ll find a way search music from a number of apps in a single place. When you have a number of WiiM audio system you might be logged right into a music service on one speaker and not on the opposite – it’s not common entry, it’s a must to log into to the music app on the speaker itself.
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You’ve received entry to 12 presets (which is loads), although I did have a difficulty with the presets in that on some events none would load, and on others urgent a preset would queue a special monitor (or a monitor I not too long ago performed).
There may be extra customisation than I anticipated for a wi-fi speaker with the flexibility to customize the audio system’ EQ for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and auxiliary enter; choices of a 10-band Graphic EQ and a Parametric EQ if you wish to go into even deeper element. You may as well regulate the bass both manually or routinely by means of the Dynamic Bass choice.
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Audio settings embody whether or not you need to play stereo, mono or by means of the left and proper channels. You possibly can toggle on fade-in and fade-out results when transitioning between tracks, set the amount restrict, allow quantity management for every supply, and set pre-Achieve for supply inputs amongst different options.
Whereas the WiiM Sound isn’t a ‘good’ speaker within the standard sense, there’s Amazon Alexa voice management, which you are able to do through a linked Echo or different Alexa machine. Or you possibly can converse into the WiiM Voice Distant 2 Lite (the button is well missed on the facet).
The distant is a straightforward, stylish-looking affair, and it comes with the WiiM Sound as commonplace however not with the inexpensive Sound Lite. You’ve received playback controls, energy on/off quantity and supply controls, plus entry to 4 (of the 12) presets.
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Options
- Hello-res audio assist
- Stereo pairing with Sound or Lite
- Room correction software program
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The WiiM Sound accepts any incoming audio sign as much as 24-bit 192kHz, and it’ll entertain FLAC information together with WAV, AIFF, and DSD (which is downconverted to PCM).
I discussed within the earlier part that it’s proud of Bluetooth 5.3 (AAC, SBC, LC3) and auxiliary sources, and it’ll play simply advantageous with Spotify Join, Google Solid, Tidal Join, Qobuz Join, Roon Prepared, DLNA and Lyrion Music Server (LMS) sources too. It doesn’t assist AirPlay 2, although.
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When you’ve received a number of wi-fi audio system at house and a hodgepodge of multi-room programs, the Sound can work inside WiiM’s personal multi-room system, Google’s and Alexa’s too.
There’s stereo pairing assist with both one other Sound or a Sound Lite speaker. I’ve discovered on my iPad Professional, the choice to stereo pair didn’t pop up, nevertheless it did so so on an iPhone and an Android smartphone. Each the Sound and the Sound Lite have the identical driver configuration, and sound precisely alike.
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Having a number of WiiM Sound audio system additionally means you possibly can create a house cinema set-up with the Sound appearing as both one of many satellites or pulling responsibility because the centre, alongside the WiiM Amp and Sub fashions. There’s no immersive audio assist reminiscent of Dolby Atmos like there may be with the HomePod 2 or Denon Residence 200.
One space I didn’t point out within the App part was the room correction software program the Sound has. The AI RoomFit can optimise the sound of the speaker for the setting it’s in, much like Sonos TruePlay. You possibly can select whether or not you need to allow it and undergo the method, or just go away it off.
Sound High quality
- Balanced highs and lows
- Clear midrange
- May use a bit extra power and energy
A lot of the testing I carried out was with the RoomFit calibration turned on, so the outcomes could differ relying on the room you’re in, however I feel that the WiiM Sound is a good-sounding wi-fi speaker, even when it doesn’t tip into the distinctive class.
You possibly can rely on the WiiM Sound to ship a heat, at occasions highly effective and spacious sound, although I wouldn’t say it’s essentially the most nuanced. A play of Useless Inside Shuffle and in comparison with the Audio Professional A10 MkII (itself a Linkplay powered speaker), the WiiM provides extra power and joie de vivre, taking a extra aggressive supply.
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With take a look at monitor favorite GoGo Penguin’s Ascent, the WiiM sounds extra pure than the Audio Professional, relaying extra element with the instrumentation within the monitor, a clearer bass efficiency and highs which are additionally clearer, extra insightful and exact.
To my ears, the audio system strike a stable steadiness between the highs and lows, although arguably it could possibly be stronger with each.
There’s weight and a few richness to the bass, with the low frequencies avoiding sounding muddied or one-note. The bass feels barely toned down – extra balanced than excitable. That’s advantageous, I really feel, and so whereas the WiiM doesn’t endure for an absence of bass, the lows do really feel as if they might hit with extra welly and punch.
The highs might have extra chew and be brighter, however they arrive throughout pure sufficient. It’s not essentially the most dynamic both by way of leaping from quiet to loud and vice vera, coming throughout as a bit of languid.
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The speaker delivers an analogous, constant sound whether or not at low, default or increased volumes; although I’d say that when the speaker will get above quantity 50, it conveys extra power however the commerce off is shedding some element and readability. The WiiM Sound is a wi-fi speaker that sounds assured with whichever monitor I chuck at it, nevertheless it’s not essentially a daring-sounding speaker.
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Vocals sound heat; the WiiM’s efficiency within the midrange might be the very best facet of its efficiency, hanging a pure tone with good readability whether or not it’s coping with a male or feminine artist, or conveying the tone of devices.
As a stereo pair what I’ve talked about above carries over when a Sound (or Sound Lite) are paired collectively. There’s good depth to the sound, precise left and proper channels quite than barely spaced aside, with a bit of extra weight and energy to bass, however total a transparent and balanced efficiency. It’s the identical sound as a standalone speaker occasions two.
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Do you have to purchase it?
Bought a WiiM streamer? Or Amplifier? Then it’s one thing of a no brainer so as to add this speaker to the system and full the circle.
The HomePod 2 is identical worth and provides higher integration with Apple gadgets and good programs.
Last Ideas
The WiiM Sound is a wi-fi speaker that’s very likeable. It ticks the packing containers from what you’d need from a wi-fi speaker and provides a couple of thrives of its personal into the combo.
The design is well-conceived, and the porthole is a pleasant addition that provides the WiiM a special flavour from the remaining. The feature-set is robust, although the dearth of AirPlay 2 will hassle Apple followers and this isn’t a speaker that provides spatial audio if that’s of curiosity. If you need what the WiiM provides however can do with out the porthole (or distant), the Sound Lite is the inexpensive choice.
However for a primary try, this can be a robust effort from WiiM. The sound could possibly be a bit bolder however what’s provided is likeable and entertaining. It’s definitely within the combine with a number of the finest wi-fi audio system from the likes of Apple, Sonos and Denon.
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How We Check
The WiiM Sound was examined for 5 weeks with a variety of music tracks to check treble, midrange, and bass frequencies.
- Examined with actual world use
- Examined for 5 weeks
FAQs
Does the WiiM Sound assist spatial audio?
There’s no immersive audio assist reminiscent of Dolby Atmos Music for this speaker.
Full Specs
WiiM Sound Assessment
UK RRP
£299
USA RRP
$299
Producer
WiiM
Measurement (Dimensions)
146 x 146 x 194 MM
Launch Date
2025
Audio Decision
As much as 24-bit/192kHz
Driver (s)
4-inch woofer, Two full-range tweeters
Ports
Ethernet, aux enter
Audio (Energy output)
100 W
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 6, Spotify Join, Tidal Join, Google Solid, Qobuz Join, Bluetooth 5.3, DLNA, Roon Prepared
Colors
Black, White
Frequency Vary
50 20000 – Hz
Speaker Sort
Wi-fi Speaker
