THE BEST Streaming Amp 2025: Bluesound Powernode or WiiM Amp Ultra?

Comments · 54

• ZU

  @Zuidlarencity · 9 months ago

  Very happy with my WiiM Amp Ultra. It’s a compact streamer and amplifier in one—exactly what I was looking for. Equipped with 2×100 watts of power, an ESS Sabre DAC, high-res audio, excellent software, and a matching app. Everything is easy to set up step by step. Internet radio, Spotify Connect, TuneIn Radio, etc., all work perfectly.<br><br>You can set presets, and the first four can also be found on the included remote control—my wife is listening to the radio again 😉. I connected my Oberon 5 speakers, set Spotify quality to Lossless, and the EQ to Rock. The result is stunning: full, spacious, and clean. When I then turn on the TV, the WiiM automatically switches to HDMI-ARC for Dolby TV sound.<br><br>I can highly recommend the WiiM Amp Ultra. A lot of value for your money👌

  13

• LE

  @leewilcox4044 · 10 months ago

  Full marks to Bluesound for thinking outside the box on this one. &nbsp;For AV geeks who have a full home cinema in a dedicated room, this makes an ideal amp for a second / family room. &nbsp;I&apos;m thinking of one of these for this very purpose. &nbsp;I understand there&apos;s some Gallium Nitride stuff going on inside too? &nbsp;One thing I will be keen to establish though about the sound, is the tonal balance. &nbsp;I do like something that conveys body and weight to voices and instruments. &nbsp;I&apos;m less keen on skeletal analytical sounding amps, so which of these categories the Bluesound falls into remains to be seen: but as far as inputs and features: spot on.

  1

• JU

  @justadad2304 · 8 months ago

  Great comparison, given many will be looking at these two brands as known quantities (one newish, the other newer) in the game of high value for money. Any plans to compare the bluesound N331 to the Naim CI-102 (much closer price comparison)?

  2

• PE

  @PerfectMoo · 7 months ago

  I’m using a Naim Nova for my home cinema setup, and it is fantastic 90% of the time. There are time however where dialogues sound muted, and from what I understand, it’s because downsampling multichannel removes the centre channel.<br>From what I understand, having a center channel makes dialog clearer and better positioned. I would not « downgrade » to Bluesound as the Naim sounds just amazing, but I sure wish it had a center channel.

• AN

  @andy3974 · 10 months ago

  Hi Ed. Sitting in front of you those displays look cool. Problem is I&apos;m 64 and my eyesight has always been cack. I used to be as supple as a cheetah 😂 but not any more. If I got down to read it I&apos;d probably not be able to get up again. Toying with getting the WiiM Pro plus streamer because I love my amp. My problem is vinyl is my thing. Currently I use Amazon music streamed via Bluetooth to an Anker speaker to audition vinyl possibilities. I can&apos;t afford to spaff £30 on an album that might only have 2 tracks I like. I wouldn&apos;t go lossless because I don&apos;t want to pay for a subscription. You can pick up the Pro Plus streamer for £219 new which is 7 albums so I think it&apos;s decent value for access to a huge array of tracks. Many not available on vinyl. It&apos;s a difficult one for me. Christmas is coming up and I would love to play the greatest Xmas song though my hi-fi. No it&apos;s not Fairytale of New York. It&apos;s &quot; Don&apos;t shoot me Santa Claus&quot; by the Killers. You are all very welcome 😂

  1

• MO

  @mohamedahmed1023 · 10 months ago

  Both the powernode and wiim have surround capabilities. Albeit the performance for both haven&apos;t been audited by many in any detailed manner. Also, the powernode is due for DIRAC but it hasn&apos;t been released yet. This was the same for the Node Icon upon release. Though I always recommend everyone hold off until promised features are actually released.

• PE

  @PeterScream · 10 months ago

  I would be more interested in eversolo. I had Node 2i for some time and it spend most of its life in the box -&gt; as it didn&apos;t cover all streaming services I needed. Not sure if the software is much different these days, but seams like eversolo can do pretty much anything you can wish for and than some

• SI

  @sillyme6127 · 6 months ago (edited)

  We have bluesound power node. After a few years it stopped working a week ago. Feels like a relief. It was almost €1000,- so we kept it for the tv. It does not recognize the external hd, needs restart. Often needs restart because the app can not connect the device. When listened to music and after that start up tv the ARC does not take over. &nbsp;Need the app to do so. But the app cant find the device and needs &nbsp;a restart. 😢 So now looking for something else. Wiim amp ultra seems an option

• CA

  @CATnTJ · 10 months ago

  This is all clear as mud. Ganfets sound more class A/B like but measure poorly or difficultly(Powernode). Chip amps have gain bias issues but measure brilliantly (wau). Dfaa amps are somewhere in between (Marantz m1) but are Dacless like the powernode. I feel like the industry FOMO is now electronics and not speakers. I just want a digital amp that won’t impede my LS50 metas give them their full measure. Why is that such a difficult ask under 1,000 dollars.

• ZO

  @zoran20261 · 8 months ago

  I purchased Wiim amp ultra &nbsp;couple of weeks ago, just out of curiosity. The price was 500 euros, what is cheaper then my cheapest power cable in my main system (Pass labs power amp, Lampizator dac, preamp, innuos streamer, Ansuz switch etc etc .. roughly 30K euros I put on my main system). And I am really surprised with how good Wiim amp ultra sounds. Ok, not better than my main system, but also not 60 times worse as it is 60 times cheaper than my main system. If Wiim comes with better version (GanFet transistors, more wattage etc) I will be really tempted to sell my main system.

  4

• CA

  @catalin_nt · 4 months ago

  once you use roomfit on wiim, powernode n331 is smocked

• SI

  @sinansinan80 · 4 months ago

  Hello, I have a Sonos Ara 300 speaker. Can it be connected via Bluetooth to a Wim Ultra device? And is there audio compatibility between the two devices if connected? I await your reply.