WiiM Mini AirPlay 2 Wireless Audio Streamer, Multiroom Stereo, Preamplifier, Works with Alexa and Siri Voice Assistants, Stream Hi-Res Audio from Amazon Music, Tidal and More

Here's what I said in my first review.... (look below to see why I bought a second, or just get one already).It does what it says, it does it well, and at a reasonable price.Now for the audio nerds out there... So, I can stream directly to my receiver using its built-in AirPlay2. It sounds fine, And I know that it's better to get lossless data directly into my external DAC, which sounds way better than the DACs built-in to my receiver. But for convenience, nothing beats AirPlay streaming to the WiiM Mini, which connects to my external DAC via Optical. Does it sound as good as a direct connection to the DAC (no AirPlay AAC shenanigans involved)? No, it does not. But it definitely sounds WAY better than streaming AirPlay to my receiver's DACs, and so much more convenient than direct-connecting to the DAC.When I want to do attentive listening, I use an iPad connected via USB-C to the USB input of the Denafrips. When I just want to hear the Denafrips as part of my whole-house sound, the WiiM mini is my first choice.Looks like the internal DACs on my receiver are now relegated to Home Theater.The Mini is super easy to set up, it inhabits my AirPlay whole-house sound system beautifully, and the app even has some nice music discovery features of its own. This morning my "alarm clock" automation went off. It played SomaFM in my bedroom, and in the Home Theater through the Mini and into my external DAC. I made coffee, and spent a little time in from of the home theater/Denafrips system and thought... "yep, that sounds nice". That's all I was after, and that's exactly what I got. Nice job WiiM.I may get a couple more Minis before they introduce a new model that doesn't have AirPlay2 (I know, they're only rumors).== UPDATE ==So yes, I just bought my second WiiM Mini, and this time it's to run a second zone in my house as part of an AirPlay setup.My AVR has two zones, and I was using the AVR for that, but it's nowhere near as convenient as having another AirPlay device. However, I want better sound than I can get from a HomePod, and I have in-wall speakers that I want to use.In-wall speakers sound better than a HomePod? Well, if they're decent and driven by a decent zone amp (I'm looking at you Parasound ZAmp), and you use the WiiM Room Correction feature, then YES, it's not even close.The Room Correction feature worked so well in my setup that my in-wall speakers in the dining room actually sound very good now. Like not just good, but very good (not mindblowing either, but I'll take very good for this application).So yeah, the Mini has shown itself to be a great little swiss army knife and that's just using the AirPlay capability.WiiM Mini with Room Correction is killer.

With the latest software updates, the WiiM Mini has matured into a truly exceptional dedicated music streamer. It’s absolutely indispensable for anyone looking to breathe new life into vintage audio gear—or to explore music streaming for the first time.The software is intuitive and powerful, allowing you to curate audiophile-grade sound signatures with ease. Streaming is rock-solid with high-resolution digital output, and in my experience, it’s been completely reliable—no dropouts, no glitches.What makes the WiiM Mini even more impressive is its flexibility. At this price point, the sound quality is outstanding, and it pairs beautifully with external DACs as your next step toward higher fidelity.And with the new WiiM app now available on Apple TV, you can view album art and control playback on a large screen—something you just can’t do on streamers with tiny, unreadable displays from more than a few feet away. This feature alone elevates the WiiM Mini into serious consideration for any modern audio setup.

I recently bought a Denon CEOL all in one receiver with HEOS built in. So I needed to decide which streaming service (WIIM vs HEOS) I was going to use. Denon had had problematic software control, which was significantly upgraded in January 2024. It seems to work fairly well, now. WIIM seems to receive almost (not quite, but close) universal praise for its control software.Why I went with WIIM:* Greater chance of fewer problems with software.* More flexible in that I could use inexpensive speakers, and my existing legacy gear with it.* As one who uses hearing aids, I am unlikely to get to the point where HEOS's promised higher fidelity (and higher subsequent costs) will make a significant difference to me.* WIIM supports one of my favorite 2nd tier streaming services, Calm Radio), and HEOS does not.WHAT I LIKE ABOUT the WIIM mini:* VERY tiny! it sits on top of my elderly Technics SA GX190 with the vent holes on top in the area with no vent holes with room to spare in the spot with NO vent holes.* It came with all the cables I needed to connect my device to my Technics, and even included stuff I couldn't use.* It connected to the aux in RCA ports of my Technics reliever quite well. And the legacy Technics can control bass, treble, & volume quite readily.* Setup was EASY an straight forward. I believe literally ANYONE can do it.* Sound is VERY good, With or without my Hearing aids. My wife who doesn't uses HAs also thinks the streaming sound is very good. Maybe not as good as the new Denon HEOS streaming, but that could be the quality of speakers on the Denon as opposed to the Technics.* The WIIM software is easy to use after set up. I like using my Android device as a remote control for the mini.WHAT I DON'T Like about the WIIM Mini:* Only one thing really. The cord that connected the miniplug out of the mini to the RCA connectors, was all black (both RCA pins), so I couldn't tell which cord was 'left' and which was "Right'. I must have guessed correctly because it worked OK. I upgraded to a third party cable.IN CONCLUSION:I am pleased with my purchase. It seems well made, and the performance is better than I expected. The sound is quite good, particularly for a casual listener, even those who aren't hearing impaired. Could you do better? Yes, but I doubt you could do better for less than $100 US. Connectivity is good, Set up is easy, and the software is easy to use. I will likely expand my whole house audio system with WIIM products, even one for my Denon CEOL receiver.