Chances are you have come across our many product buying guides, where we handpick the top products we have tested and can recommend as the very best of their particular price range or type. These lists include, typically, less than a dozen (or in some cases even a small handful) products that have impressed us must during our comprehensive, in-house testing – and we don't include a new product in these guides unless they either surpass a current star in the same category/price or stand out for good reason.
Our best music streamers buying guide is one that has grown in the past couple of years – there are now nine products on the list that have scored five stars and will do justice to your digital music collection, whether you have a strict budget or have thousands to spare. The latest and newest entrant to this guide is none other than the recently reviewed WiiM Ultra.
WiiM has already been a fixture of this music streamers category since we reviewed (and gave a What Hi-Fi? Award to) the budget WiiM Pro Plus, which we still recommend as the best budget streamer you can buy. The WiiM Ultra (£349 / $329 / AU$599) is pricier than the Pro Plus, and is the same price as the multiple Award-winning and reigning Product of the Year, Cambridge Audio MXN10. But its particular set of talents is such that we created an entire new entry for the Ultra, deeming it to be the 'best music streamer for versatility'.
The Ultra is a clear step above its cheaper sibling in terms of price, audio performance and design, and while the Cambridge streamer still pulls ahead when it comes to absolute sound quality, the Ultra offers a wealth of features and connectivity that far outstrips what we would expect from your usual network audio player.
The WiiM Ultra has the streaming chops – DLNA, wi-fi, Bluetooth, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz, internet radio – with native hi-res resolution up to 24-bit/192kHz supported. The one glaring omission here is AirPlay 2. If you're an iOS user and a regular Apple Music subscriber, then the Pro Plus and MXN10 are better options if AirPlay is a priority.
But the Ultra includes a headphone stage, a moving-magnet phono stage for plugging in a turntable, and an HDMI ARC for easy connection to your TV – none of which you will find on either the Pro Plus or the Cambridge streamer.
Add in a sleek, well-built Mac Mini-style design and very responsive and appealing touchscreen display that we enjoy prodding and using, and you have a product that, unlike many streamers, you won't want to stow away on a busy hi-fi rack or hide away in a corner. You can add various other sources to the streamer, while the unit itself can be connected to a pair of active speakers for a streamlined, compact and modern audio system.
Streaming songs via the WiiM Home app is slick and organised, and it adds voice control, multi-room functions and ample EQ customisation. That display is customisable too, so you can pick a different clock font or choose your pet or holiday snaps as the screensaver background.
The Ultra's sound quality is clean, clear, lively and organised – it's an engaging presentation that is easy to listen to regardless of which streaming source you use. In our review, we say, "There’s enough space and bite at the top end without getting too shrill or splashy, while basslines on Massive Attack’s Paradise Circus have a decent amount of punch and solidity." The phono stage's quality isn't its strongest suit (the dynamics are squashed and the mids are pushed forward, upsetting the Ultra's otherwise well-judged tonal balance), but the headphone stage is great for wired listening and its innate balanced, composed sonic character is consistent across the analogue and digital inputs. "It’s a likeable, tidy performance that keeps us wanting to play more songs from our various music libraries," we continue in our review. "We like the way in which the Ultra doesn’t try to overtly grab your attention; its clean, balanced and nimble sound packs enough punch and pizazz to keep you interested."
The Cambridge MXN10 does, however, unearth greater textures, deeper subtleties in detail and dynamic punch, as well as giving instruments greater body and authenticity. If sound quality is your number one priority, then the MXN10 remains our top recommendation at this price if you are looking solely for a streamer to add to your hi-fi set up.
For music fans who aren't perhaps going down the traditional hi-fi separates route, however, the Ultra offers a versatile, modern hub that gives you a great starting point for streaming music wirelessly but with the potential to add more as you go along your audio journey. (And it's especially appealing if you don't have hundreds in loose change to spend on new kit). The touchscreen display is an immediate draw, while the range of connectivity options available is impressive for this price point. The lack of AirPlay will be a dealbreaker for some, but the WiiM Ultra's charming, likeable performance and hugely appealing design ensures it has a prime spot in our best music streamers buying guide. We'd be hard pressed to find a more versatile player for such a realistically affordable price point of under £/$350 in today's market.
MORE:
Read our full WiiM Ultra review
WiiM Pro Plus or WiiM Ultra: what are the differences, and which is best for you?
7 test tracks that have been playing on repeat in the What Hi-Fi? test rooms
