Verdict
Essentially the same wireless speaker as WiiM Sound but drops the porthole display and the remote for a less expensive asking price. The Sound Lite comes with the same strong feature set and pleasant sound, and will appeal for anyone who already has a WiiM set-up and wants to add speakers
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Warm, clear presentation
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Good app
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Strong feature set
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Less expensive option to WiiM Sound
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Bass and treble could be more expressive
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No AirPlay 2 support
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Presets don’t work properly
Key Features
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Sound
Up to 24-bit/192kHz audio
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RoomFit
Automatically adjusts sound for your room acoustics
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Home cinema
Can fit into a WiiM immersive 5.1.2 set-up
Introduction
When WiiM launched its first wireless speaker earlier this year, it followed it up with its second at the same time.
The Sound speaker is WiiM’s flagship model, but there’s a step-down version in the Sound Lite that’s available for less.
However, it’s step down in name only, as inside the speaker are the same electronics and the same audio tuning. For all intents and purposes, it’s the WiiM Sound aside from the loss of porthole screen and the WiiM remote – just for less money.
Design
- Drops the porthole
- Touch capacitive controls
- White and black versions
Aside from losing the porthole, there’s nothing else that’s aesthetically different between the WiiM Sound and its Sound Lite sibling.
The loss of the porthole does present the Sound Lite with a more anonymous appearance. If the Sound felt like a clone of the Apple HomePod, the Sound Lite reinforces that feeling. The Sound and Sound Lite both feel a little safe, but it is WiiM’s first speaker.
The Sound Lite also comes dressed in a coarse-feeling fabric with black and white options, and like the Sound, there are disappearing touch controls on the top surface. One difference I’ve noted is the black version shows up with more dust, whereas the white version looks clean by comparison.
It’s hefty at 2.5kg and has a bigger footprint than either the Sonos Era 100, Denon Home 200 and Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker. You’ll find in a recessed area underneath the speaker the aux and Ethernet ports, but there’s no USB-C input. USB-C is by no means a given, but the lack of it feels like a missed opportunity for WiiM to appeal to audiophile users.
App
- 12 presets
- Responsive performance
- No Apple Music support
Control can be done via the speaker’s top surface, but you don’t want to be getting up from the comfort of your sofa to be pausing or skipping tracks, so sofa fans will appreciate the WiiM Home app, which is available on iOS and Android.
The app has built-in access to pretty much all the main music streaming apps aside from Apple Music. Simply log in to as many services as you hold subscriptions to, and you’ll be able to cross-search music from multiple apps.
However, don’t expect logging into a service on one app automatically ensuring other WiiM speakers have that access. I’ve found that if you have multiple WiiM speakers, you need to log into services on each speaker. That’s not quite the convenience Sonos or the HEOS app offer where a single log-in opens access to any speaker on your account.
The app performs well, corralling your digital music libraries into one place, proving responsive to use and easy enough to navigate. For the more casual music fan it might overwhelm beyond the standard playback and volume controls, but if you like to get stuck in, there’s plenty to sift through.
I should mention there’s a third way of controlling the Sound Lite, which is through the optional WiiM Voice Remote. The app is more than serviceable but if you want, you can stump up an extra £39 for a physical remote. If the Sound Lite is integrated into a smart system, the remote can call up Alexa, and it works with other WiiM streamers and amplifiers too.
Features
- Hi-res audio support
- Stereo pairing with Sound or Lite speakers
- No AirPlay 2
There are 12 presets to save your favourite tracks and plenty of ways to customise the speaker with multiple EQ options, the ability to EQ for different sources, as well as being able to adjust the low frequencies manually or through the Dynamic Bass option.
However, there’s something definitely wrong with the presets. I noticed it on the Sound speaker and it’s the same here wherein playing presets results in another song playing rather than the one I chose. Strange.
There are pre-gain options for source inputs, volume control for each source; stereo pairing with either another Sound or a Sound Lite speaker, or having the speaker take care of optimising the sound for your room through the RoomFit feature that measures the acoustics and makes adjustments.
Audio up to 24-bit 192kHz over Wi-Fi is covered, and the Sound Lite can play FLAC, WAV, AIFF, and DSD (though it converts DSD to PCM).
Over Wi-Fi there’s Spotify Connect, Google Cast, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, Roon Ready, DLNA and Lyrion Music Server (LMS) but there’s no AirPlay 2 support. Other wireless options include Bluetooth 5.3 which maxes out at AAC/LC3 streaming.
If you’ve got multiple wireless speakers dotted around the home, the Sound Lite fits into WiiM’s own multi-room system, as well as Google Home and Alexa Multi-Room.
With the WiiM Bar announced, you can also create a 5.1.2 immersive audio set-up with the Sound Lite acting as surround speakers (or as a centre with multiple ‘Sound’ speakers). Despite that, WiiM Sound Lite doesn’t support immersive audio with Dolby Atmos like the Denon Home 200 does.
Sound Quality
- Warm and clear presentation
- Not the most energetic bass
- Good Bluetooth performance
Audio is delivered through a 4-inch long-throw woofer and two full-range tweeters with up to 100W of power – the same as the WiiM Sound – and as it’s the same set-up and tuning as the Sound, the Sound Lite sounds the same as well.
For more detail on that sound, you can read my WiiM Sound review; but rather than go over it again, I’ll go for a broad overview.
Lows sound rich, clear and balanced, but I’d happily have more depth, power and energy to the bass. There’s not a lack of bass per se, but when there’s a track that demands a bit more power and depth; there’s a slight hard and hollow aspect to the performance as if the Sound Lite has reached its limit. Bass lacks a little excitement.
Treble is clear but the top end also sounds like it could go further in being a little brighter and more detailed, but the natural tone of the highs makes a good impression.
It’s the midrange that’s the star here: clear and smooth with a hint of warmth; it’s a very likeable tone that the Sound Lite reaches for, with an openness and a naturalism that I think is better than either the Sonos Era 100 or the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker. Overall, the Sound Lite is not the most energetic or dynamic performer, preferring a smooth, almost polite presentation that never feels as if it’ll spill out of control – but it is a likeable sound.
With Bluetooth, the Sound Lite initially sounds a little tepid, but flicking the volume up and it starts to show its true self with a performance that’s similar enough to Wi-Fi.
Bass again isn’t the biggest, with a slightly warm tone to the sound; a midrange that again sounds clear and natural and highs that sound clear. It’s not as detailed or as defined as listening over Wi-Fi, but you get solid levels of detail over Bluetooth, and again, the tuning of this speaker is pleasant and likeable.
Should you buy it?
If you want to add speakers to your WiiM set-up
As a less expensive version of the WiiM Sound, if you’re happy losing the porthole display and remote, you’ve got the same sound just for less.
If you’re in another ecosystem
If you’re a Sonos fan, or you’re into HEOS, Bluesound or Apple, you’re arguably better staying off within those ecosystems given the ease of use of connected speakers within those ecosystems.
Final Thoughts
Like the WiiM Sound, the Sound Lite is a likeable wireless speaker. It’ll hold appeal for those already in the WiiM ecosystem looking for a less expensive speaker.
The nearest competition in terms of price is the Sonos Era 100, which sounds better in some ways but not every way. Despite Sonos’ app woes in recent years, it still offers excellent music streaming support and carries AirPlay 2 and Apple Music support.
With speakers that are so similar, it’s the differences that stand out the most. The WiiM Sound Lite has a pleasant sound and a strong feature list. If you like the tinker to your heart’s content, both the WiiM Sound and Sound Lite offer plenty of customisation, and that’s the main reason to get the Sound Lite over any other wireless or multi-room speaker.
How We Test
The WiiM Sound Lite was tested for two weeks with a range of music tracks to test treble, midrange, and bass frequencies.
- Tested for two weeks
- Tested with real world use
FAQs
There’s no immersive audio support such as Dolby Atmos.
The WiiM supports FLAC, WAV, AIFF, and DSD (which it converts into PCM).
There’s no USB-C input with the Sound Lite, only an Aux input and Ethernet.
Full Specs
| WiiM Sound Lite Review | |
|---|---|
| UK RRP | £229 |
| USA RRP | $229 |
| Manufacturer | WiiM |
| Size (Dimensions) | 146 x 146 x 194 MM |
| Weight | 2.5 KG |
| Release Date | 2026 |
| Audio Resolution | Up to 24-bit/192kHz |
| Driver (s) | 4-inch long throw woofer, two 1-inch full range tweeter |
| Ports | Aux, Ethernet |
| Audio (Power output) | 100 W |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Spotify Connect, Google Cast, Qobuz Connect, Tidal Connect, Bluetooth 5.3, Roon Ready, LMS, DLNA |
| Colours | Black, White |
| Frequency Range | 50 20000 – Hz |
| Audio Formats | FLAC, WAV, AIFF, DSD, PCM |
| Speaker Type | Wireless Speaker |
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
