Last month, rising audio brand WiiM announced yet another wireless smart speaker. The company appears to be eyeing up the market currently occupied by Sonos and has its own ecosystem with a range of wireless speakers and streamers offering the same kind of convenience as Sonos but at more competitive prices.
The WiiM Sound was the first wireless speaker lauched by the brand. The second was the WiiM Sound Lite which I’ve now had a chance to hear and play with, so I thought I’d sketch out the differences between it and the more expensive WiiM Sound and see which one offers the best value.
Designed to offer high-quality sound and upholstered with a robust textile skin, the WiiM Sound Lite features a 4-inch, long-throw woofer as well as a couple of 1-inch silk-dome tweeters. It slots directly into the WiiM ecosystem, which means users can play radio stations, music streaming services and podcasts via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and there is even an input for analog or optical digital sources.
Standalone Or In A Pair
The WiiM Sound Lite is aimed at music lovers who don’t want, need or can afford all the bells and whistles of the WiiM Sound speaker. Like all WiiM speakers, the Sound Lite can be used as a standalone device or paired with with devices like WiiM Sound, WiiM Amps, WiiM Streamers and the WiiM Sub Pro, creating a true stereo setup with separate left and right channels.
Because the WiiM ecosystem also supports Google Cast and WiiM’s own wireless streaming protocol, it can also be part of a multi-room audio system or home theater setup. However, the one feature it lacks is support for Apple’s AirPlay 2. WiiM’s products used to support the casting standard for iPhones and Mac, but no more.
Like all WiiM products, Sound Lite is controlled using the WiiM Home smartphone app. It’s a unified operating system with whole-home control for a WiiM speaker setup with features like advanced EQ personalization, RoomFit room correction, multi-room grouping, smart presets, universal search and support for more than 20 streaming services. It can also use access and play music libraries stored locally on a NAS or SSD.
Wide Streaming Support
With the WiiM Home ecosystem users can stream directly from the app or cast from their favorite apps using Google Cast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, Alexa Cast, DLNA and Roon. Without AirPlay support, casting from Apple’s Podcast app and a few others that don’t support Google Cast can get a bit complicated. However, a workaround using Bluetooth is a suitable fallback. The speaker also has alarms for waking up to a favorite playlist or radio station.
“WiiM has always believed that great sound should be accessible to everyone, from dedicated audiophiles to everyday music lovers,” says Dr. Lifeng Zhao, WiiM’s CEO. “With WiiM Sound Lite, we’re extending that vision with a minimalist yet powerful speaker that fits effortlessly into any room while delivering the high-quality, flexible audio performance our community expects.”
WiiM Sound Lite has is the same size and shape as the more expensive WiiM Sound, but it doesn’t have the round color display on the front for showing album artwork, time or other info. It also doesn’t include the smart aluminum remote control that’s bundled with the WiiM Sound. The good news is the Sound Lite works with the WiiM Voice Remote 2 Lite which can be purchased separately.
Hi-Res Playback
The compact WiiM Sound Lite has a peak power of 100W, which is loud enough to fill the average-sized room with plenty of sound. It can be expanded by using extra speakers and there’s support for the playback of digital files with a resolution up to 24-bit/192kHz.
The Sound Lite is suitable for use on its own as a bedroom or kitchen speaker, but it can also pair easily with another WiiM speaker to produce a proper stereo soundstage with left and right channels. Alternatively, it can work as a surround or center speaker that’s part of a 5.1 home theater setup.
Like the more expensive WiiM Sound, this more affordable speaker supports Alexa and is certified Roon Ready. By adding the speaker to your Amazon Alexa app, you can issue commands using your smartphone and Alexa will happily do your bidding.
Pricing and Availability:
The WiiM Sound Lite is available now from Amazon and select retailers in a choice of white and black. The price is $229.
Tech Specs:
- Peak output: 100W.
- Hi-Res support: Yes.
- Woofer: 1 x 4-inch long-throw.
- Tweeter: 2 x 1-inch silk-dome.
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 and 100 Mbps Ethernet.
- RoomFit room correction: Yes.
- Casting: Google Cast, Spotify/TIDAL/Qobuz Connect, Alexa Cast, DLNA, Roon.
- Stereo pairing: Yes.
- Home theater integration: Yes.
- App: WiiM Home App Control.
- Smart features: Organize music, alarms and routines for flexible listening.
- Finishes: Black and White.
- Dimensions: 146 x 146 x 193mm.
- Weight: 2.5kg.
