5 Alternatives to the WiiM Ultra — Including Better Fits for Some Setups

If you’re looking at the WiiM Ultra, you’re probably after a compact, great-sounding way to bring streaming, TV audio and analogue sources together. That’s exactly why it’s so popular: the 3.5-inch touchscreen, HDMI ARC, phono input and headphone output make it unusually versatile for £349. But alternatives can make more sense depending on whether you already own speakers, want more power, or need a room-filling TV/music system.

WiiM Amp — £319.00, 4.4★

At £30 less than the WiiM Ultra, the WiiM Amp is the most obvious alternative if you want to drive passive speakers directly. That’s the key difference: the Ultra is a streamer and digital preamp, while the Amp adds a proper integrated amplifier. In practical terms, that means the Amp can replace a separate hi-fi amplifier in a minimalist system, delivering enough output to run a pair of bookshelf or small floorstanding speakers without needing extra boxes.

Feature-wise, the Amp keeps the same broad streaming convenience you’d expect from WiiM: AirPlay, Google Cast, Alexa support, and access to Spotify, Amazon Music and Tidal. It also includes HDMI, which makes TV integration easy. The Ultra has the edge on flexibility, though, because it gives you the touchscreen, phono input and headphone output. The Amp is more about getting sound out of speakers than handling every source imaginable.

Build quality is solid and purposeful on both, but the Ultra feels more like a premium control centre, while the Amp is a tidy, functional component. If you care about the tactile experience and want to see album art and settings on the unit itself, the Ultra is more satisfying. If you just want a neat streaming amp with less faff, the Amp is arguably the smarter buy.

Verdict: choose the WiiM Amp if you need amplification in the same box and want a clean, compact system for passive speakers. Choose the Ultra if you already have an amp or active speakers and want the better source hub.

WiiM Amp Ultra with Voice Remote 2 — £499.00, 4.7★

This is the premium WiiM alternative and, at £150 more than the Ultra, it’s the one to consider if you want a more serious all-in-one streaming amplifier. The headline spec is the 100W streaming amplifier section, backed by an ESS ES9039Q2M DAC and dual TI TPA3255 amplifier chips. On paper, that’s a meaningful step up: the DAC architecture is more ambitious, and the TPA3255 platform is well regarded for clean, efficient Class D power with strong control over speakers.

The practical benefit is better grip, more headroom and potentially more convincing dynamics, especially with demanding bookshelf speakers or in larger rooms. HDMI ARC, optical and RCA inputs make it a far more complete hub than a basic streamer, and the built-in RoomFit EQ is valuable if your room is lively or awkwardly shaped. The touchscreen also gives it a more polished, premium feel than the standard Amp.

Compared with the Ultra, the Amp Ultra is less about being a preamp and more about being the heart of a compact hi-fi system. It costs more, but you’re paying for genuine amplifier power and a more advanced digital-to-analogue section. Build quality should also feel a notch more substantial, with the sort of feature set that justifies a higher-end desk or rack position.

Verdict: choose the WiiM Amp Ultra if you want the best single-box WiiM solution and plan to use passive speakers properly. It’s the better choice for performance-focused buyers who would otherwise need a separate amp.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) — £449.00, 4.6★

At £100 more than the WiiM Ultra, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 isn’t a direct hi-fi streamer replacement at all — but it is a strong alternative for people whose real priority is TV and casual music in one elegant package. The Beam is a compact smart soundbar, so you’re buying a speaker system, not a preamp. That means no phono input, no analogue hi-fi source flexibility, and no headphone output. In return, you get a neat, living-room-friendly product that can transform TV dialogue and film soundtracks far more dramatically than a streamer ever could.

The Beam’s build quality is excellent in the way Sonos products usually are: understated, sturdy and designed to disappear into a room. Sonos’ multiroom ecosystem is also a big selling point if you already own other Sonos gear. For music, it’s clean and easy to live with, though it won’t match a proper streamer feeding a decent amplifier and speakers for stereo imaging, bass extension or musical nuance.

There’s also a different sound signature here. The WiiM Ultra is about source quality and system building; the Beam is about convenience and room-filling presentation. If you want a compact product that makes TV sound dramatically better and also handles streaming music neatly, the Beam is highly appealing. If you care about hi-fi separation, transparency and upgrade paths, it’s the wrong category entirely.

Verdict: choose the Sonos Beam Gen 2 if your main goal is better TV sound in a stylish all-in-one unit. Don’t choose it if you’re building a proper stereo system.

Sonos Era 100 — £199.00, 4.5★

The Era 100 is £150 cheaper than the WiiM Ultra, and that makes it an attractive option for buyers who want simple wireless music without the complexity of a hi-fi front end. It’s a smart speaker with WiFi and Bluetooth, plus Alexa compatibility, so it’s designed for quick, effortless listening. In a small flat, kitchen or bedroom, it can be a very sensible buy.

The trade-off is obvious: you lose the Ultra’s HDMI ARC, phono input, headphone output and preamp functionality. You’re not building a system around it; you’re buying a self-contained speaker. That means less flexibility, but also less clutter and less setup. For many people, that’s exactly the point.

Sound quality is respectable for a compact powered speaker, but physics still applies. You won’t get the same stereo separation, bass authority or scale as you would from a proper pair of speakers driven by a good amp. Build quality is good and the industrial design is polished, though it’s more lifestyle product than hi-fi component. It’s also worth noting that Sonos tends to prioritise convenience and ecosystem integration over the sort of source purity hi-fi enthusiasts obsess over.

Verdict: choose the Era 100 if you want affordable, easy streaming in a single box and don’t need to connect external sources. It’s a convenience play, not a hi-fi upgrade path.

Sonos Sub Mini Black — £429.00, 4.7★

At £80 more than the WiiM Ultra, the Sonos Sub Mini is the least direct alternative here, but it matters if you’re trying to build a fuller system rather than replace the Ultra outright. This is a wireless subwoofer, so it doesn’t stream music on its own. Instead, it adds low-frequency weight to a Sonos setup, especially with the Beam or Era speakers.

The practical impact is huge if you listen to bass-heavy music or watch films: a proper subwoofer can transform a system from merely pleasant to genuinely immersive. The Sub Mini is the opposite of the Ultra in terms of role. Where the WiiM is about source control and signal routing, the Sub Mini is about the bottom octave — the kick drum punch, synth rumble and cinematic impact you feel as much as hear.

Build quality is excellent, with the sort of neat, furniture-friendly finish Sonos does well. But again, this is only the right choice if you’re already in the Sonos ecosystem or planning to be. For pure hi-fi value, £429 on a subwoofer without the rest of the system is a very different proposition from £349 on a streamer/preamp that can anchor an entire stereo chain.

Verdict: choose the Sub Mini if you already own compatible Sonos speakers and want deeper, tighter bass. It’s not an alternative to the WiiM Ultra so much as a different part of the system.

Overall, the best alternative depends on what role you need the box to play. If you want amplification, the WiiM Amp or Amp Ultra make far more sense than the Ultra. If you want an elegant TV-and-music solution, the Sonos Beam is the stronger lifestyle buy. If you just want a simple wireless speaker, the Era 100 is cheaper and easier. And if you’re already invested in Sonos, the Sub Mini can add the scale and low-end authority that small speakers can’t deliver on their own.

The WiiM Ultra still stands out because it does so much for the money: streamer, digital preamp, phono stage, headphone output and HDMI ARC in one compact unit. But alternatives can be better value when you look at the whole system rather than just the box.