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WiiM, the company behind some of the best-value streamers and streaming amps around, has started shipping its first soundbar. The WiiM Bar is a compact 3.0.2 Dolby Atmos bar with a touchscreen, room correction and a big list of streaming features. The first reviews are in, and they all raise the same question for a bass site: does it need a subwoofer?
- The WiiM Bar is a 3.0.2 Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundbar, listed at $479 on WiiM’s US site.
- Early reviews say its bass is good for a single box but light on the deepest notes.
- WiiM doesn’t list a wired subwoofer output, so the bass upgrade is its wireless WiiM Sub Pro.
- Gloss black is first; matte black and white follow later this year.
What you get
| Spec | WiiM Bar |
|---|---|
| Channels | 3.0.2 (Dolby Atmos, DTS:X) |
| Drivers | 3 mid-woofers, 3 tweeters, 2 up-firing drivers, plus 4 passive radiators |
| Power | 135 W (WiiM) |
| Connections | HDMI eARC (no passthrough), optical, analog line-in, USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth |
| Room correction and EQ | RoomFit auto-calibration; graphic and parametric EQ in the WiiM Home app |
| Subwoofer | Wireless WiiM Sub Pro; no wired sub output listed |
| Width | 1,060 mm (41.7 in) |
Pricing has moved slightly since launch: September coverage quoted $499, while WiiM’s US product page now lists $479. In the UK it’s £449. It’s also on Amazon US as the WiiM Bar, sold by WiiM.
How much bass on its own?
Four passive radiators help a slim bar more than you might expect, but physics still applies. TechRadar’s review (22 October) found the bass solid for an all-in-one but a little subdued in the lowest frequencies, and noted that films lacked some impact. Expert Reviews (16 October) reached a similar conclusion: it gets closer to subwoofer-like bass than most 3.0.2 bars once you use the EQ, but it doesn’t replace a dedicated subwoofer. Neither reviewer tested it with WiiM’s sub.
Adding the WiiM Sub Pro
WiiM’s bass upgrade is the WiiM Sub Pro, a wireless sub with an 8-inch driver and a 250 W amplifier. WiiM’s spec sheet gives a 25–200 Hz range. Paired with the bar it makes a 3.1.2 system, and adding two WiiM speakers, such as the WiiM Sound, as rears takes it to 5.1.2.
The catch is that WiiM doesn’t list a wired subwoofer output on the bar, so as far as we can tell you can’t simply plug in a sub you already own. If you have a good wired sub, a receiver or a soundbar with a sub out is the better fit; our soundbar subwoofer guide explains the options.
What it means for you
- Music and TV in a small room: the bar alone may be enough, especially with RoomFit and a little EQ.
- Movies and games: budget for the Sub Pro from the start. A small sub adds the impact the bar can’t.
- Placement: a wireless sub can go almost anywhere, which helps. Start near the front of the room; see where to place a sub with a soundbar.
- Other wireless options: our best wireless subwoofers guide covers subs that work with other systems.
Our take
On paper and in early reviews, the WiiM Bar looks like a strong value for streaming-heavy households. Treat it as the start of a system rather than a complete one: for movies, the Sub Pro is the upgrade that matters most. We’d like to see reviews of the bar and Sub Pro together before calling the pair a bargain.