WiiM now sells the Vibelink Amplifier, its first standalone amp. It doesn’t offer any Wi-Fi streaming or Bluetooth functionality, but it boasts the same components as WiiM’s super-high-end audio receivers and costs just $299.
As always, WiiM’s hardware design is minimalistic and sleek. The Vibelink Amplifier is housed in a compact aluminum chassis with a big knob and an input-switch button (no LCD screen this time around). It has the same footprint as WiiM’s Ultra streamer, so you can stack the two items together to create a tidy, powerful audio system. Though, to be clear, the Vibelink Amp will work just fine without a WiiM streamer box.
The amplifier’s internal components are all audiophile-grade. There’s a TI TPA3255 amplifier chip, a TI OPA1611 op-amp, and a ESS ES9038Q2M DAC. These components are also featured in the WiiM Amp Pro, which is nearly twice the price of the Vibelink Amplifier and regularly praised by hardcore audio nerds.
WiiM says that the Vibelink Amp can accommodate digital audio at up a maximum 24-bit 192kHz quality. It also delivers 100 watts per channel at 8ohms (or the equivalent 200 watts at 4ohms), its signal to noise ratio is an impressive 120 dB, and its total harmonic distortion measures at an exceptionally low -105 dB. In other words, it’s a shockingly accurate, clean, and loud amp for the price.
As for the I/O, WiiM’s Vibelink Amp offers an optical input, a coaxial input, an RCA analog input, and a stereo output. Interestingly, the output jacks use high-quality banana plug posts rather than screw caps or clamps. The amp does not have a dedicated subwoofer output, which isn’t unusual for an audiophile amp, though you can wire up any subwoofer that has a high level speaker output (this is true of any amplifier that lacks a sub output).
Three input channels is somewhat lean for a $299 stereo amp. Cheaper amps from brands like Pyle offer far more analog input channels, plus Bluetooth connectivity, FM radio, and other functionality. WiiM is clearly sacrificing some practicality or flexibility in this particular area.
That said, the amplifier’s high-quality components and price-to-performance ratio are a reasonable tradeoff for I/O. And if you pair the Vibelink Amplifier with a WiiM streambox (which gives you some extra digital and analog input options), or even a cheap RCA switchbox, then input limitations aren’t such a big deal. And I doubt that the average customer will wring their hands over inputs, anyways. It certainly doesn’t matter if you’re just using the Vibelink Amp as a companion for a WiiM streamer or a desktop tower.
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I should point out that the WiiM Amp, which offers Wi-Fi streaming, Bluetooth connectivity, and HDMI eARC passthrough for TVs, costs the same price as this new amp. But its output is limited to 60 watts per channel at 8ohms—so, 40% less than that of the Vibelink Amplifier. Plus, the Vibelink Amplifier contains the upgraded DAC and op-amp of the more expensive WiiM Amp Pro and may sound subjectively “better” as a result, assuming that all the other items in your signal chain (speakers, audio sources, etc) are up to snuff.
The WiiM Vibelink Amplifier is available today for $299 at Amazon. It’s currently sold in a gray colorway, though a silver option will arrive at a later date. If you want a new amplifier for your sound system or desk, the Vibelink Amplifier appears to be an exceptional option for the price, so long as you don’t need any built-in audio streaming or Bluetooth functionality.
Source: WiiM
