WiiM Pro Plus Review: Does the AKM DAC Upgrade Justify the Price?

Introduction

WiiM has built a reputation for streaming hardware that covers the essentials without asking for a premium. The WiiM Pro Plus follows that formula at $219, against $150 for the WiiM Pro. The headline change is the DAC: the Pro Plus uses an AKM AK4493SEQ chipset, a low-jitter design that supports up to 32-bit/768 kHz audio with a claimed 123 dB signal-to-noise ratio.

Everything else that makes the WiiM family appealing carries over. That means gapless playback, a 10-band EQ, Apple AirPlay 2, digital outputs, a remote control, and a streaming platform that covers most major services. The practical question is whether the extra spend buys a meaningful improvement, and the answer depends largely on what you already own.

Who the WiiM Pro Plus Is For

The Pro Plus is aimed at listeners who want a complete streaming source without adding a separate DAC. That includes anyone setting up a second room or a second system, where an all-in-one box keeps both the budget and the cable count down. It also suits people new to streaming who want a single purchase to cover the app, the outputs, the remote, and the conversion stage.

If you already own a WiiM Pro connected to an external DAC, the calculation changes. The Pro Plus does not so much replace that arrangement as offer a tidier alternative for a different room, and the sonic gains are unlikely to justify a swap on their own. Where the Pro Plus becomes the obvious choice is when there is no external DAC in the picture at all.

Main Strengths

The feature set is the strongest argument for the Pro Plus, and most of it is inherited from the WiiM Pro. Gapless playback matters more than it sounds. On live albums and records where one track rolls directly into the next, the music continues without the pause that some streamers insert at a track boundary, which is exactly the kind of interruption that breaks the mood of a full album listen.

The 10-band EQ is equally useful in a modest system, since a few adjustments can address room and speaker shortcomings that would otherwise be difficult or expensive to fix. It is available across the WiiM range, including the entry-level models, and it remains one of the most practical tools in the ecosystem.

WiiM’s software support is another differentiator. Updates arrive frequently and tend to unlock additional features over time, which extends the useful life of the hardware. Roon support is part of that picture: the WiiM Pro is Roon ready, and Roon support for the Pro Plus is expected to arrive through a future update.

The AKM AK4493SEQ DAC

The DAC is what separates the Pro Plus from the Pro. The AKM AK4493SEQ is a low-jitter chipset that handles up to 32-bit/768 kHz and claims a 123 dB signal-to-noise ratio, the kind of specification usually attached to high-resolution streaming hardware. In listening, the Pro Plus delivers noticeably better bass than the WiiM Pro, with a fuller and more substantial low end, plus improved detail through the midrange, particularly with percussion.

It is worth setting expectations here. The same DAC chip appears in a number of affordable converters, and how it ultimately sounds depends heavily on the surrounding implementation, including the analog output stage, the filter choices, and the power regulation on the board. A modest price step over the standard WiiM Pro does not automatically buy a maximally optimised version of the chip. The Pro Plus does sound better than the Pro, but not dramatically so.

Sound Compared With the WiiM Pro

The difference between the two streamers is real but incremental. Bass is the clearest gain: the Pro Plus sounds thicker and more forceful down low, which shows up immediately on bass-heavy material. Detail retrieval improves as well, most obviously on percussive tracks where the leading edges of hits are easier to follow.

Wider qualities such as soundstage, imaging, and depth deserve more time before firm conclusions, so treat those as open questions rather than settled wins. What can be said with confidence is that the internal DAC in the Pro Plus is a genuine step up from the internal DAC in the WiiM Pro, and that the gap is one of character as much as of outright resolution.

There is also a legitimate alternative worth weighing. Pairing a WiiM Pro with an inexpensive external DAC can land close to the same total outlay, and for some listeners that route will suit a system they already own. The Pro Plus answers the question differently, by putting a better converter inside the same small box.

Streaming Platform, App, and Features

WiiM’s platform covers YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer, Pandora, Spotify Connect, and Tidal Connect, with Apple AirPlay 2 support alongside them. Roon support is available on the WiiM Pro and expected on the Pro Plus through a future update. Setup runs through the WiiM app, and the same app experience applies across the range, from the entry-level models upward.

The 10-band EQ lives in that app and remains the most practical tool in the ecosystem. On a modest system, small adjustments can change the character of the sound more than a component swap would. Alexa and Chromecast support round out the control options, the device can serve as a preamp of sorts in a simple setup, and the included remote gives the Pro Plus a physical control option out of the box.

Things to Consider Before Buying

Two trade-offs are worth understanding before ordering. First, using the EQ means giving up bit-perfect playback. That is a reasonable exchange at this price point, and the effect on everyday listening is smaller than the specification suggests, but if bit-perfect output is a firm requirement, it is a limitation to plan around.

Second, the Pro Plus is not a necessary upgrade for existing WiiM Pro owners who already run an external DAC. In that setup the money is better spent elsewhere. It is also worth comparing the remote situation directly: the Pro Plus includes one, while the WiiM Pro adds roughly $10 at the time of purchase, or $20 bought separately later.

Buying Advice

For a first streamer or a second system, the WiiM Pro Plus is an easy recommendation. At $219 it bundles a better internal DAC, a remote control, and the same platform and feature set as the WiiM Pro, which sells for $150 and needs a little more for its remote. That puts the real premium at around $60, and the DAC improvement plus the included remote makes that a straightforward trade for anyone without an external converter.

If you already own a WiiM Pro feeding an external DAC, there is no urgent reason to change. The Pro Plus makes the most sense when it replaces a purchase you would otherwise have to make anyway, namely a streamer plus a separate DAC. For a second room where you want one box and one cable run, it is the version to pick.

Conclusion

The WiiM Pro Plus is not a dramatic sonic leap over the WiiM Pro, but it does not need to be. The bass is fuller, the detail is better, and the converter inside is a clear step up from the standard model’s internal DAC. Add the included remote and a premium of roughly $60, and the Pro Plus becomes the more sensible choice for most new buyers. Existing WiiM Pro owners with a good external DAC can comfortably stay where they are.