The WiiM Bar added the enjoyable I did not know was lacking from my residence cinema setup

Introduction

With eager pricing, an open streaming ecosystem and loads of scope for enlargement, the WiiM bar is a transparent shot throughout Sonos’s bough. This compact, Atmos-approved soundbar straight competes with the Beam 2 however even one-ups the Arc with its attention-grabbing round touchscreen, which places album artwork on the centre of your property cinema setup.

WiiM clearly is aware of a factor or two about multi-room and music, having launched a string of inexpensive streamers, audio system and amplifiers that don’t skimp on sound high quality – however that is it’s first enterprise into residence cinema. Can the $479/£449 WiiM Bar ship convincing encompass sound on par with rivals which have been within the recreation so much longer?

How does the WiiM Bar stand out from rivals visually?

At slightly over 1m broad, the WiiM Bar sits completely beneath a 55in TV and received’t look misplaced beneath a much bigger 65in set – in contrast to the smaller Sonos Beam Gen 2. It’s not overly tall, so didn’t hinder the underside fringe of my LG OLED (which doesn’t have the very best TV stand) – regardless of the round display screen subtly and easily protruding upwards from the minimalist chassis. You’ll be able to’t miss it, even when the Bar is powered off.

A couple of touch-sensitive buttons (which gentle up as your hand approaches) and a tiny exercise LED are the one issues of word on the highest edge; in any other case the entire thing is wrapped in steel, with tiny perforations throughout the entrance and on high the place the up-firing drivers sit. This isn’t a soundbar that may be oriented in a different way when wall-mounted, just like the Samsung HW-QS90H.

It has some heft, however not a lot it was a chore to get out of the field, or that I’d fear for any wall brackets. Constructed high quality is high notch too, with no creaks or rattles.

Is the Wiim Bar’s display screen vital characteristic?

At 2.1in, the round display screen is extra a enjoyable addition than a vital I can see different manufacturers borrowing for his or her future soundbars. Whereas it may well present monitor, artist and supply info, you actually can’t learn the textual content clearly at a typical sofa-to-tv distance. I largely left it exhibiting full-screen album artwork; play a tune by way of streaming service and it mimics a spinning vinyl report, making me really feel that bit extra related to my music alternative.

The remainder of the time it may well present one in all a number of digital or analogue clocks, animated backgrounds, and even act as a digital image body for your loved ones images via the companion app. It naturally signifies quantity and supply adjustments made utilizing the distant management.

Playback controls, supply choice and EQ presets are only a few swipes away, however let’s be sincere: no-ones getting off the sofa to do this when their cellphone is probably going a lot nearer at hand, and WiiM’s companion app is up there with one of the best. With the ability to swipe as soon as and decide a favorite playlist or radio station earlier than sitting down, although? Very slick.

There’s a fairly typical collection of inputs on the rear subsequent to the facility socket: HDMI eARC for hooking up a TV, Ethernet in case your Wi-Fi sign isn’t as much as the duty, USB for native music playback, and each digital optical and line in for different audio equipment like a turntable. They’re barely recessed, however not a lot you’ll simply be capable of maintain the cables from view – whether or not you fill ’em all or not.

I bought by simply fantastic with solely energy and HDMI, given the WiiM Bar is suitable with a lot of the main music companies. You’ll be able to beam tunes straight from the Spotify, Tidal or Qobuz apps, whereas WiiM’s personal integrates a bunch extra. It’s Roon prepared and has Bluetooth for direct playback. Solely Apple Music subscribers will lament the shortage of AirPlay 2.

What makes the WiiM Bar’s distant management so helpful?

The WiiM Residence app is your most suitable option for music streaming. It helps all the foremost companies, helps you to assign favourites and beam multi-room audio to your different WiiM equipment. The structure is easy and it doesn’t overwhelm with options, however there are a lot to be discovered should you go looking for them.

Setup is simply as easy, whether or not you’re getting the Bar related to your Wi-Fi or including satellites and a subwoofer for true encompass sound. Signing into streaming companies (those which are absolutely built-in, anyway) and selecting tunes is simply as easy. Including favourites and assigning them to shortcuts is easy too.

The bundled distant management, in the meantime, is a premium affair that’s comprised of aluminium. It recharges over USB-C and has a built-in mic for issuing Alexa-compatible voice instructions with a button press, so that you don’t should yell on the soundbar over the noise of no matter’s at present taking part in. Having devoted keys for the 4 EQ presets (Film, Music, Speech and Late Evening) saves you reaching for the app when watching TV. My solely minor criticism is that the buttons aren’t backlit.

How does the WiiM Bar’s sound high quality stack as much as rivals?

Hearth up a movie or TV present and the touchscreen rapidly fades into the background, letting the eight speaker, 3.0.2-channel speaker array do the speaking. There’s one 110mm mid-range driver and three 52mm tweeters (for left, proper and centre channels) doing the heavy lifting, plus two up-firing full-range 52mm drivers offering the peak results and 4 passive radiators bringing the bass.

WiiM has loads of audio pedigree however dialogue readability and convincing Atmos top and encompass results are new challenges for the agency. Fortunately the Bar delivers on each fronts, with a space-filling sound that’s not quick on quantity. A 135W energy output received’t lead to noise complaints from half means down the road, however for something aside from “I’m residence alone tonight” film nights I used to be very joyful to stay to between 40 and 50% quantity. The centre channel delivers brilliantly clear speech.

The automated RoomFit calibration makes voices sound like they’re coming from above the bar, to be extra in keeping with your TV. I bought one of the best outcomes utilizing my spouse’s iPhone to measure the room’s acoustics, with the 2 Android handsets I attempted giving extra various tunes, however all three introduced a small but noticeable enchancment to the tonal steadiness in my low-ceilinged front room.

Bass is greater than respectable for a one-box system, giving hectic motion sequences simply sufficient grunt that explosions, gunshots and automobile crashes felt impactful. You’ll nonetheless wish to add a subwoofer should you’re after room-shaking bass, although. Additionally, whereas the general presentation has quantity of width, there’s little sensation of sounds coming from behind or beside you – for {that a} set of devoted satellites are nonetheless wanted.

I used two WiiM Sound audio system and a WiiM Sub Professional, however you can have 4 Sound Lites as surrounds and assign the Bar solely to the centre channel. The ensuing system was splendidly composed and enveloped my couch in motion pictures, with no delay or crossover points.

Must you purchase the WiiM Bar in 2026?

Including surrounds and a subwoofer means the WiiM Bar is not fairly the cut price it’s as a standalone soundbar, but it surely’s nonetheless an apparent purchase should you’re already rocking WiiM audio system elsewhere in your house. It effortlessly slots into WiiM’s streaming ecosystem and is delightfully simple to make use of for each music and films.

Even should you’re new to WiiM, the Bar’s distinctive round display screen provides a level of appeal you simply don’t get from different soundbars. It doesn’t do something to make it a real must-have, however generally, simply placing a smile in your face everytime you queue up a playlist and the album artwork begins spinning is sufficient.

What are the WiiM Bar’s technical specs?