The WiiM Amp is a stream-everything receiver with Mac Mini vibes

Linkplay Know-how introduced a brand new addition to its lineup at the moment: the WiiM Amp. The $299 gadget serves as a receiver with a decidedly classic focus, much more so than the WiiM Professional Plus that the corporate launched earlier this yr, due to bodily outputs that allow you to output on to a set of old-school passive stereo audio system.

The WiiM Amp is now the priciest streaming field from the corporate, but it surely’s potential it earns it for the suitable individual. It’s extra versatile than most compact AirPlay 2 receivers due to plentiful streaming commonplace help and the distinctive set of outputs for the bring-your-own audio system crowd. That’s most likely a really small chunk of the inhabitants, however there simply aren’t that many wi-fi receivers like this which might be so focused, and judging from the tenor of the replies in WiiM’s boards, it’s a welcome choice.

The WiiM Amp has the suitable outputs for passive stereo output. Picture: Linkplay Know-how

The WiiM Amp has a number of wi-fi music choices, together with Chromecast, Spotify Join, TIDAL Join, Alea Forged, and DLNA. It helps the same old audio codecs like MP3, FLAC, ALAC, and AAC. However its coloration naming scheme — silver and house grey — is taken proper from Apple, and its rounded corners give it a distinctly Apple Mac Studio vibe, simply with a large quantity knob on the entrance. That is sensible, as this gadget fills a really specific area of interest with its AirPlay 2 help.

AirPlay 2 is a good multiroom audio commonplace, however there’s all the time been a irritating hole between reasonably priced AirPlay 2 receivers and really costly high-end ones from the likes of Denon and Sonos. There’s not quite a bit in that center floor outdoors of WiiM’s Professional and Professional Plus receivers, and even these have room for enchancment.

Just like the WiiM Professional Plus, the WiiM Amp helps as much as 192 kHz / 24-bit variable bit fee audio out. It makes use of an analog-centric ESS Sabre ES9018 DAC. It outputs both 60W per channel at eight Ohms or 120W per channel at 4, and it helps Stereo PCM however not Dolby Digital or DTS. Its two units of banana plugs on the again provide you with two channels of passive stereo output, and a subwoofer connection rounds that out.

The WiiM Amp ought to attraction to anybody who desires a standalone, extra simple method to get streaming audio to their old-school audio system than plugging a second-gen AirPort Categorical or one among WiiM’s different units into an older receiver that is perhaps on its final legs.