GoKawiilFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
There's a shift in the smart speaker market. More companies are investing in multi-room streaming, intuitive displays, and higher fidelity. The Wiim Sound smart speaker is the latest player in this game, eyeing competitors such as Sonos' Era 100, Amazon's Echo Show, and Apple's HomePod 2.
The Wiim Sound speaker both lacks features compared to competitors, but also offers up some of its own. Unlike Sonos and Apple, Wiim has a small touchscreen display. Unlike Amazon, its real estate across the speaker is modest. Unlike Sonos, Amazon, and Apple's speakers, you need the included remote to summon the Wiim Sound's voice assistant capabilities.
Also: Should you buy a Sonos or Samsung sound system? I compared both brands to find out
Overall, the Wiim Sound has great sound quality, a robust companion app, and a sleek, unassuming design. But is it worth $300 and passing up on more familiar brands? Let's dive in.
Sonically impressive
The Wiim Sound features two full-range tweeters and one 4-inch long-throw woofer, making for strong bass and highs, with mids that don't need to compete to be heard. I often listened to the Wiim Sound at very low volume, and the bass was ever-present. At a louder volume, you'll feel the counter or table shaking. However, if you push the speaker too loud, you'll notice some distortion.
Due to its size and acoustic design, the Wiim Sound is most comparable to the Sonos Era 100, but the Wiim Sound produces a more pronounced bass response. The Wiim Sound supports up to 24-bit/192 kHz, a higher fidelity promise than its competitors.
The app is a work in progress
The Wiim Home companion app houses your speaker's EQ settings, serves as your hub for music streaming services, and lets you easily toggle source inputs. You can also create playlists in the app using tracks from the available platforms.
... continue reading