Dude, I think you hit this video out of the park. IMO, you never hyped anything but gave personal testimonial of your experience on your speakers and I agree with you. I am 45 years old (tomorrow) and have been an audio "freak" since I was 12 years old. I have been through all the hype, I used to read some Home Theater Mags (had a subscription). Sh*t was way hyped back then, man, did they ever lie to sell some overpriced gear, but I digress... I watch reviewers constantly rifling through this sh*t and then they all seem to jump aboard a particular piece of gear. Realize, this is just the flavor of the week. Stuff will do good on some things and other gear will do better on other stuff. Experimentation is key: play music through all your gear and know their "personality". There is no 1 size fits all, at least, not that I've heard and I have spent a lot and heard a lot. I like how you did this video. I know what you're talking about and how you are careful not to trash talk or claim your opinion is gospel. I appreciate your video. Ain't no way I am giving up my Denon and Yamaha for Wiim mini amps. lol

I haven't used anything made by Wiim. I think it is neat but I am satisfied with my Denon X3500H in my bedroom and Yamaha RX-A880 in my living room. I don't see the need to change from receivers to anything else, really. The biggest issue is bluetooth doesn't connect the best, although, it works better on the Denon. I saw a Z Reviews video on the Wiim. He ended up with about 5 different mini boxes doing what my receiver does. I like the part where if one piece goes bad you only have to replace the one piece but you need like 3 Wiim amps to get only 6 channels. I don't even know if it has a room correction eq, probably not. I think the mini boxes lure people with their perceived "low price" and small foot print. But is it really a low price and small foot print when you add up how many you need with cables? I will be sticking with my receivers. I think powered speakers are interesting because they can be specifically built to match. If you want the Wiim and are happier with that method I support your decision. There may come a time when I want one but I don't see the time coming soon. I love my Denon and Yamaha way too much to give them up. As a side note: I don't limit my music listening to one system. I have Sennheiser HD600 headphones, JBL & AKG earbuds, Infinity system in my car, my Denon has JBL & Elac speakers, my Yamaha has Klipsch speakers. And I rate music, tediously. What is not enjoyable on one system may be much more enjoyable on another system. Sennheiser is analytical and detailed; JBL is bass heavy and better for hard rock; the earbuds are more bassy yet do everything pretty well; the Infinity is more for detail but is my least relied upon listening source. So, listen to your music through several different options. For example: I listened to COLD last night on Sennheiser and then my JBL speakers. On the Sennheiser kind of boring, TBH. Once I played it through my JBL, I really got much more into it because the bass is more emphasized and brought to the forefront. Whereas with the Sennheiser, the cymbals and voice were brought to the front and the placement of the instruments but the bass and "passion" was not nearly as much there. But on a lot of music, the JBL will not give the clarity the music needs, or will have too much bloat for enjoyment. Audio truly is a conundrum. I advise people to have different systems and headphones, learn what they do, and realize not all of your music is going to be the best through any one method - so experiment, but don't break the bank doing it. When you have something you like, you don't need to keep trying the new "best thing" or "flavor of the week". I think most speakers and audio gear these days will have things they make more enjoyable because there are so many recording styles, genres and different ways people will and can enjoy and experience audio.

생각하지 못했는데, 새로운 의견 감사해!

Quite the banger of a first video for someone who is "not a KZbinr". Keep creating, man

I agree with you. Great perspective. The only recommendation is to go with the Wiim pro. It sounds better than the Mini, for not much more money

Thank you! Finally a voice with the truth that's not behind the brand.

Good point and I agree what you said. To be fair in comparison in terms of value though, I think that old receiver that was featured are very old one pre HDML era so value is now almost nothing hence super cheap price comparing with Wiim Amp which is new product in the marketplace so full price. The price of entry for both option might be similar after several years later when used Wiim Amp price is also depreciated. And we also need to factor into account of durability and service cost since old receiver may need service for long term usage. Again, great video and keep them coming.

The one thing I hate is that I prefer my external EQ and the WiiM amp doesn’t play well with it. Stupid

Why buy a receiver when a classic stereo integrated will be better still? Let’s see how the Wiim compares to a 1984 Audiolab 8000A for example, or a Creek, or even a Marantz integrated. Home cinema receivers are not audiophile products either.

Your review or quote, "2 cents worth" was, enlightening, and I have only one observation I would like to submit: The Wiim amp and Wiim Pro Plus both with an AK 'Velvet Sound' chip sound much better at low volumes than my Yamaha amplifier bought 10-12 years ago. I suspect because I do not yet have a DAC in my original set up. I switched and ran the Wiim Pro Plus through the Yamaha, and I found that, at least, to my Amateur Audiophile ears, there is no distinguishable difference between the two except perhaps that at extremely high volume, the Wiim amp lags behind the Yamaha in terms of heaviness, depth, or gravitas, if you will. The price point is what I am the most happy about, and your candor has persuaded me to subscribe to your KZbin channel.

Cascade Audio where? In Seattle?

Ok, but you should compare apples with apples, not Apple with pear. You compare a "D" class with an "A,B" class...

I think you are talking absolute nonsense and the need for a product like the WiiM amp went way over your head. Just my thoughts.

You are 100% correct and I just made the pricey experience. My 17 year old NAD C325BEE amp had an issue with the right channel and needs repair. Instead of streaming music to the digital output of an old Apple TV or Chromecast audio in my amazing ARCAM rDAC, I bought the NAD C700. I have floor standing speakers from PMC (17 years old…) and the C700 does a fair job but is far from the warmth and certain details the old C325BEE is able to deliver. The bass is less precise but more present (the DAC is a reason), but it powers the speakers better (and delivers more power at less volume compared to the new C700). Spot on!

Maybe the WiiM amp os just not a good combination with the Tannoy speakers. Other speakers might fit better with the WiiM.

i dont get the wii hype.. yup its cheap but still to expensive ;)

I like my WiiM mini too. Just like used cars- I think the value sweet spot is 15 year old gear. You can't do better than a 20 year old Marantz SR receiver with a remote and a big-ass toroidial transformer in it. Keep in mind if it breaks it's not repairable like a 70's amp but at 1/10th the cost you can buy enough to last a lifetime

Power consumption is something I am taking much more notice of these days, I have an attic with a stack of AR receivers, now replaced with soundbars

What you're probably hearing in difference is the difference between a class D (WiiM) and a proper old skool discrete A/B (Onkyo). Class D will never sound the same, its targeted more at high power at low cost and modern age young folk who don't really know what good sound should sound like.

Great video and very honest! The thing about theTPA3255 chip is that it is very dependent on the quality of the switching power supply upstream from it, which is internal to the WiiM amp. Also the op-amps after the chip matter a lot, and they are not swappable.

I totally with everybody said. As long as you have the space and don’t mind the looks, the older higher end AVR will kick butt of these newer Chinese amps.

I'm guessing this video is for those not familiar with audio. Those that have been into this hobby for even a short while already know that one can get older used pre HDMI class a/b receivers for dirt cheap, even the flagship models. However, those that want something small and unobtrusive for a desktop system, or to blend with room decor might opt for one of the chip amp products. I actually picked up one for my desk, it's a rare Cabasse Stream Amp 100. These retailed for ~ $600 however a guy on Craigslist was selling one new in box for $115 years ago. I have it connected to a set of Boston Acoustics VS 240 speakers and two Mirage Omni S8 subwoofers. Great sound for a desk rig! I also jave a WiiM Pro streamer in my main system in the family room.

Isn't the real lesson that people should take away from this, that you should power match your amp to your speaker? 15 watts does really matter. Also it seems a bit unfair to to compair a budget all-in-one amp to something older that once was very high end. Great match to vintage speakers, but how long will they last and will they be repairable or easily replaceable?

I buy the wiim amp yesterday. I want Go back to stereo sound and come from a Marantz 7010 avr. Cost 1500 Euro in 2016 ! The Wiim Amp is in Stereo not bader at the Marantz for 1200 Euro more ! Only the power is more at the Marantz. But for my Canton Ventos 830.2 in a 18qm Room the wiiM amp have enough power for my speakers to hear in Party Volume. So its the perfekt Power Amplifier with some nice Features. For sure , to operate big speakers the WiiM Amp have Not enough power. Sry for my Bad englisch 😂 Greetz from Germany

I subscribed because I love seeing a MUSICIAN talking about audio, and not some random person who only speaks about "detail" and "clarity" and "low punch" and "big soundstage". Musician knows music and listens to music waaay differently. Keep it up!

These little chip amp have always been shyte, always have been always will be, youtoobers will say anything for a free lunch, just jump on the train and watch the till go kerrrrrching

Dude, you've got only one video on your channel. You've literally found the golden formula to get viral videos: talk about what people are looking for 😄 I like the way you phrase things. Kind, honest and simply to the point. I especially like the final statement: people buy the WiiM at (admittedly) a great price, it's like a bargain. However, when you're in need to push the speakers more because of a larger room/space I think the WiiM simply cannot handle it. Full disclaimer: I haven't heard it yet, so I can't speak, but the fact that it's a tiny box like that simply comes with physical limits. Likely, at low listening levels it's fantastic, and the best value compared to many amps many times more expensive. But if you're going to listen for longer periods to higher volumes, this thing will not only be incapable of keeping up as you described, but it's also going to become defective *very quickly* without any doubt. It's still a recent release, so I'm sure we'll be seeing people frying the WiiM in the coming months/years. Great video, keep it up!!

Thanks for the video! Agree, if you’re looking for an affordable option and a matched beautiful hifi stack isn’t a concern, this is a great option. It’s amazing how much high-end amplification gets discarded (maybe privileged living in a city where this is all easy to find, I acknowledge). I have a 2-channel Onkyo amp with a Wiim mini in my garage powering my old bookshelf speakers hanging from the pegboard wall, and I proudly left the $25 Goodwill sticker on the amp. Even if your budget setup sounds better than anyone’s new $500 soundbar, you’ve got to stay humble…

I do have a WiiM mini, but haven't found a use for it yet. For my office, I stream from my iMac and iPhone to an Vizio sound-bar with sub (2.1) via bluetooth. I have a Sony 400 CD / DVD chassis connected to the Vizio via an optical cable. For living room theatre A/V, I use a Denon with Infinity towers and a massive Sony sub. Again, I stream to it via iPhone; movies via a Roku. These all sound great and were low $ options. I've owned the Infinity towers and the Sony sub for over 20 years - they sound like new. Picked up the Denon from Marketplace for peanuts when my vintage 90's Sony konked out. Might connect the WiiM to the Denon, maybe. Bought it on a whim.

Thank you so much for your video. It was super helpful and validating for me. I picked up a Denon receiver for $30, but got frustrated trying to set it up (I only want 2.1 audio and it is built for 5.1 or 7.1). So then I saw all the hype around the WiiM amp. I bought one thinking it would simplify my life and give me the ability to stream Spotify. I found the MiiM amp to not be powerful enough compared to the Denon. I thought I was crazy because everyone else loves it so much. Then I saw your video and felt like I wasn't crazy. So then I sent back the WiiM amp and bought the mini for streaming and it works perfectly. I get the connectivity of the mini and the power and rich sound of my Denon. Thank you!

Informative direct to the point honest opinion. Very refreshing, all I can say is thank you and keep doing what you're doing. It is highly important to see both sides of the coin. You were honest in your experience and non-insulting just REAL. Thank you. hope to see more from you. "I feel like we have a tendency to overlook older equipment in the audio industry. I express my frustrations with the way audio equipment reviewers play the system of making a living on KZbin." Well said and I completely agree as I have been into audio for the better part of 60 years!

Thank you for your honesty here I keep thinking WIIM amp but the fact it struggles to push 60 watts and distorts under load kind of worries me a good second-hand amp and the WIIM streamer option have been something I have also been weighing up. .

Your system is cheap but no DAC.

WHAT HIFI Gave the wiim amp only 3 star review - the question is have all these KZbin reviews received a free amp for a 5 star review and over hyped it - I also see the price has increased as when released it was £299 now its selling for £319 here in the UK

I'm currently running a newer yamaha avr and streaming directly through the built in dac over wifi. Is there any reason that i should switch to a wiim product to stream music?

What youre running into is a poor damping factor for those speakers and a lack of current driven instantaneous power delivery 😅 This is what NAD does in the relativeky affordable segment for speakers in the low to mid 80's for sensitibity.

I'm a wiim mini + Yamaha reciever setup kind of guy, and this video sure helped me stay with it :)

One thing that bugs me is all these reviews saying this and that. Just power the thing up get some royalty free music and let us listen and if the difference is so big we'll hear it especially when it comes to dynamics...

You lost me at, "the difference in sound is massive". I'm not heavily into the objectivist camp when it comes to audio, but I can't imagine you'd be able to consistently tell the difference in a blind test between those two products - all things being equal. Just my opinion.

Of course used HW will be better value. Is there anything new that would yield better sound than the Wii amp? I’m curious.

I'll buy your WiiM AMP. I'm right down the road from you. The problem I have with most used receivers you will find is that they are bulky, have pretty crappy DAC's, and frequently don't have HP controls for the subwoofer crossover. That Onkyo is far from what I would call quality sound. I'm a Media Technician in Albany.

I've never heard a class D amp that can hold a candle to a decent class AB amp.

I just checked Amazon, and they're fresh out of 15-year-old $40 Onkyo receivers, but they have the Wiim amp all day long and holidays, too.

I see your point and partly agree. One needs to understand and accept the limitations of the AMP part. But the Mini on the DAC of your average AVR should also not be considered audiophile (whatever that horrible word may mean). I guess the better approach if you run into the limitations of the AMP potion of the WIIM AMP, get the WIIM Pro plus and use that internal DAC with any amp, preferably a very good 2.0 amp.

I appreciate everything you're saying in this video. Your comparison is like comparing a Mac mini to a used PC from 5 years ago with an upgraded GPU (in this analogy the Mac mini is the Wiim Amp, the used PC is the receiver and the GPU is the Wiim mini). Like of course the PC is going to provide a better gaming experience. The new coat of those (PC) components is 3x that of a Mac Mini. FWIW Erin himself "bought" the Wiim Amp. It's different use cases. But you're right, if absolute quality is what your after, discreet larger components will generally outperform their smaller, cheaper, counterparts.

Nice

What you forgot to mention is that the WiiM mini does NOT have a USB port. Which would be one of the main reason for me to get the WiiM amp. Having my whole digital library connected to my amp would be the best.Sure I can stream from my iPad. On the finding a decent amp with a USB port

Yup, that helped me a lot, thanks!

So... it was the high pass wasn't it? ;)

I agree 100 percent. For my bedroom system, I use the Sony STRDH190, Wiim mini and the Klispch Rp 600m. To me it's a killer bedroom system for cheap. Coming from the Ultra Hi-End audiophile snob in the past 40 years, I have to admit that for such a small amount of money, I enjoy my bedroom system every day. Sure, the Krell Full Balanced mono blocks, the Audio Research preamp and the Rega CDP can make my Martin Logan LS3 sing but for a nice bedroom system, the Sony STRDH190 is a perfect match for my Klipsch RP 600m unlike the Yamaha R-S202 that has the HQ rolled off and the midrange bumped up. That's my 2 cents.