Blink and you’ll miss it. The Plus that is.
Henley Audio has just started distributing WiiM’s streamers in the UK. So when a press release hit my inbox I skimmed it, thinking it was just part of getting the distribution process up and running. Then I saw it – this is a new product. The WiiM Pro Plus. Not the WiiM Pro that we looked at recently (here).
The standard WiiM Pro is a star for its digital output sound quality. Just connect an external DAC. Not so much when using its own DAC though, who’s performance is passable but no more. No problem; if you can live with the digital output then for £150 you get one hell of a streamer.
It seems WiiM listened (for which we, of course, take all the credit). Hence the WiiM Pro Plus, which is very similar to the WiiM Pro but has some important enhancements. On sound quality the Pro Plus: –
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- has a better ADC for the Line Input, which uses a TI Burr-Brown Audio PCM1861 ADC. Outputting up to 192kHz/32-bit PCM, it converts analogue sounds from devices like turntables into digital, which the Pro Plus can then handle.
- uses an ultra-low noise clock, power supply, and careful PCB layout to achieve less than -110dB THD+N on analogue output.
- features an AKM 4493SEQ premium DAC – supporting up to 768 kHz PCM & DSD512 – to achieve lower distortion and wider dynamic range.
The Pro Plus also comes with the WiiM Remote Control, which amongst other things includes voice control. And – no surprise – the Pro Plus uses Linkplay’s excellent app that’s stylish, easy to navigate and gives you access to a host of services (Roon Ready is due soon).
All for £219 / US$219. If it meets expectations on analogue sound quality that’s a very keen price (I reviewed the similar NAD CS1 streamer recently and thought its £300 price distinctly reasonable).
The Pro Plus should be available this month (August). If I can get hold of one for review I will; keep your fingers crossed.
