Hardwired
In Hardwired, AC Senior Editor Harish Jonnalagadda delves into all things hardware, including phones, audio products, storage servers, and networking gear.
WiiM has consistently delivered great products over the last two years, and while it started out with amps, it is branching out into home audio, and that’s exciting. The WiiM Amp Ultra sits at the center of my home theater system, and it does a great job paired to my Wharfedale Linton. I use the WiiM Pro Plus daily, and it continues to be the ideal way to connect older stereo gear to the internet. Similarly, the WiiM Sub Pro is an interesting addition that ties in really well with existing stereo systems if you need to add a subwoofer.
Then there’s the WiiM Sound. I’ve been using it for the last six months, and it has proven to be the perfect smart speaker. It sounds much better than the Nest Audio, the stereo sound is much more detailed than the Sonos Era 100, and its connectivity is unmatched. There are plenty of other features that I’ll get into below, but if you need a great-sounding stereo speaker with Google Assistant and Alexa integration, this is the one I’d get in 2026. And coming in at $299, it doesn’t cost much more than the equivalent Sonos while giving you so much more.
While convenience is always high up on the list when considering a smart speaker, I care about sound quality above all else, and the WiiM Sound does well in this area. The speaker has a 4-inch woofer alongside two 1-inch silk-dome tweeters, and it delivers 100W of sound with plenty of detail. I would’ve liked a bit more rumble to the bass, but it is tightly controlled, and the mids are clean, with vocals shining through. Audio quality is better than what you get with Amazon, Google, and Sonos in this category.
Where the Sound truly stands out is the connectivity. It has Google Cast, Spotify Connect, DLNA, Tidal Connect, and Roon Ready integration. Additionally, you can easily connect it existing multi-room audio systems if you use Google Cast or Alexa.
You can get two units and create a true stereo pair, and if you need a 2.1 system that has much better bass, you can connect it to the $449 WiiM Sub Pro like I did. Rounding out the connectivity, you get Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm aux in, and Ethernet, so there isn’t much missing anything in this area.
This flexibility is a key selling point of WiiM products in general, and with the brand rolling out a soundbar — dubbed the WiiM Bar — soon, you can use the Sound as a rear surround or center channel in a home theater configuration. The Sound has 24-bit/192 kHz playback, and combined with Roon integration, you get the easiest way to stream your local music library — that’s how I’ve been using it in the last six months.
The WiiM Sound connects via the WiiM Home app, and it has a modern interface with an exhaustive amount of customizability. It does a great job bringing together all of your media streaming platforms, and it’s just a joy to use. Setting it up takes just a matter of minutes, and if you don’t like the way it sounds, you can easily tweak the EQ.
Design is another area where WiiM is doing the right things; the Sound has a modern aesthetic that resembles the HomePod 2, but it includes a 1.8-inch panel up front that lets you control the speaker without pulling out your phone. I use it as a clock, but you can customize it to show album art, and you can change the settings. There’s also a top portion with playback controls.
There’s a $229 WiiM Sound Lite as well, and the only difference is that it doesn’t have the front panel, and you don’t get the Bluetooth WiiM Voice Remote 2 Lite. If you’re looking to maximize value, the Sound Lite is the one I’d buy.
I have a half-dozen WiiM products at this point, and a big reason why I use the brand’s audio gear is because of the connectivity and easy configurability. Value also plays a big part, and while the Sound costs $299, you’re getting a feature-set that far exceeds what other products deliver in this category. If anything, the only feature omission is AirPlay; this was an issue on the Amp Ultra as well.
Outside of that, the WiiM Sound does everything I want in a smart speaker. It looks great, connects to every music platform and digital assistant I use, has decent sound, and is highly configurable. If you’re looking to get a new Cast-enabled speaker or want something to extend your multi-room audio setup, the WiiM Sound should be your go-to choice.
The WiiM Sound is the ideal smart speaker in 2026; it has Google Cast and Alexa, you get good built-in sound, and you can extend it with a subwoofer.