Question What amplifier should I consider?

[matthewpianist]

I'm not convinced by WiiM amps. 8 or 9 times out of 10 I prefer class A/B to D, and with the advances in DACs and streamers I like the idea of a standalone amp that you can keep for a long time but upgrade the bits around it. This philosophy isn't right or wrong, or suitable for everyone but it makes sense to me.

I'm with you on that, and I've owned a WiiM Amp Ultra, and an Ultra/Vibelink combination.

 

[Fandango Andy]

Absolutely not

The wiim amp pro is the best budget amp

It might not have as many inputs as a marantz pm6007 but has a bult in streamer, digital in, room correction (plase use a good mic), eq and parametric eq, you can adjust gain from each input, incl hdmi arc, max volume limit in case you have speakers that can't handle alot power, sub out you can adjust thru the app, wifi,ethernet,bluetooth auto sense for the inputs, you can use alexa,dac digital filter type basically fine tyne what ever you can think of

Sounds really good and with out any doubt has more power than a pm6007 especially in 4 ohm

That all sounds great, but in theory, but its more a shopping list of features. Room correction has its uses, but if you are in a really bad room such as high reverb it can over correct and made the music sound dead. Cards on the table, I have heard a WiiM amp, I have never played with one so am not totally sure how good the room correction is.

Strangely enough after my comment about preferring class A/B an article popped up on my recommended list, the power of big brother, sorry I mean google! John Darko talking about how he found the WiiM struggled to drive 4Ω speakers, and he had better results from the more modest power Arcam A5.

AS for the best budget amp, I still say the Marantz, unless there are still some Audolab 6000A mk1's still kicking around for £350 to £400, in which case thats the best. Ultimately we are both wrong and matthewpianist's horses for courses approach makes more sense.