Wiim Sound: Touchscreen-Equipped Wireless Speaker Set to Debut at High End Munich 2025

Wiim Sound: Touchscreen-Equipped Wireless Speaker Set to Debut at High End Munich 2025

Tomorrow at High End Munich 2025 (opening 15 May), Wiim will pull back the curtain on Wiim Sound, its first self-branded wireless speaker. Packing a 1.8-inch circular touchscreen and a spec sheet that out-guns many rivals, the cylinder-shaped speaker is Wiim’s clearest shot yet at Sonos’ Era line and Apple’s HomePod.

A Quick Look at the Hardware

• Form factor: 5.7 × 5.7 in footprint; 7.5 in tall – basically HomePod girth with Era 100 height.

• Drivers: 4-in woofer + two BMR tweeters; rated for 100 W total output.

• Display: 1.8-in hi-res round panel (album art, volume, transport, EQ presets).

• I/O & radios: 3.5 mm analog-in, 10/100 Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3.

The round display reprises the interface introduced on the Wiim Ultra music streamer, bringing quick glance control to a tabletop speaker for the first time at this price tier.

Streaming & DSP Muscle

Wiim leans on its own OS for an unusually open menu of sources:

• Hi-res PCM up to 24-bit/192 kHz

• Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, DLNA, Alexa Cast

• 24 preset EQ curves, 10-band graphic EQ, optional parametric EQ

• Smartphone-based room correction

A single Sound can stand alone, act as a centre channel, or pair for stereo or surround duty (with a Wiim Ultra or Amp/Amp Pro handling HDMI-ARC). That flexibility mirrors Sonos’ Trueplay groups, but with wired and wireless options baked in.

 

Another step toward a true Sonos alternative

 

Where It Sits in the Market

Speaker	Key hook	Core drawback	MSRP*
Wiim Sound	Touchscreen, hi-res, Wi-Fi 6E, open casts	No built-in mics, no AirPlay 2	TBA (Q3 2025)
Sonos Era 100	Tight Sonos ecosystem, Trueplay	Limited inputs, no display	$249
Apple HomePod (2nd gen)	Siri + Matter hub, deep Apple tie-in	Wi-Fi 5, closed garden	$299

* Estimated street prices as of May 2025.

Between HomePod and Era 100

 

No AirPlay 2 — Again

For the third launch in a row (after the Ultra and Amp Pro) Wiim has skipped Apple’s AirPlay 2 protocol. Company reps told Digital Trends that the omission stems from silicon/licensing limits, not a temporary firmware gap. iPhone owners must rely on Chromecast-capable apps or Bluetooth for Apple Music playback — a trade-off audiophiles may live with given AirPlay’s lossy compression.

Strategic Importance for Wiim

Until now, Wiim piggy-backed on partner brands like Sweden’s Audio Pro, which shipped A10/C10 Mk II “Wiim Edition” models earlier this year. By shipping an in-house speaker, Wiim can optimise latency, room correction and UI end-to-end, drawing a fuller circle around its ecosystem — much the way Sonos does.

Industry watchers expect Wiim to follow up with soundbars and portable speakers, pushing deeper into categories where Sonos — and increasingly Apple — dominate.

Launch Timeline & Availability

• Public reveal: 15 May 2025, Hall 2 G07, High End Munich.

• Retail launch: “Q3 2025” via Amazon and select dealers.

• Finishes: Black at launch; other colours unconfirmed.

• Price: Still under wraps but expected below the $300 Sonos band.

Outlook

If Wiim can hit a sub-$300 street price, keep its lauded app polish and deliver on the promised 100-W room-filling sound, Wiim Sound may be the first true Sonos Era 100 alternative — and a HomePod agitator to boot. Its biggest risk is the missing AirPlay badge, but the expanding universe of cast-capable apps could make that a tolerable compromise for budget-savvy audiophiles.

The High End Munich floor will offer the first real-world audition; we’ll update impressions and pricing as soon as we get ears-on. Stay tuned.