Planning a 17-Zone WiiM Setup – Looking for Advice

[dannyh]

I’m moving into a new home and planning a WiiM-based whole-home audio system with no in-wall volume controls and mostly Wi-Fi-based connectivity (no Ethernet for most zones). I’d appreciate advice on optimizing my setup.

Planned Setup:

3 TV Zones – 3x WiiM Ultras + 3x Fosi V3

6 Kid Bedrooms/Playrooms – 6x WiiM Minis + 6x Fosi V3

8 Downstairs/Outdoor Zones (Kitchen, Bedroom, etc.) – Undecided 8x (Mini, Plus, or Ultra) + 8x Fosi V3


The downstairs/outdoor zones are music-only, while TV zones will need HDMI ARC.


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Questions:

1. Mini vs. Plus vs. Ultra for Music-Only Zones

What benefits would WiiM Pro Plus or Ultra provide over Mini for my 8 music zones (given that Ethernet is not an option)?

Is sound quality noticeably different between Mini vs. Plus vs. Ultra in this setup? low volume, background music.

Would there be any latency issues using WiiM Minis in multi-room mode with other WiiM devices?


2. Independent Amps vs. WiiM Amp/Pro

I’m choosing separate amplifiers (Fosi V3) instead of WiiM Amps to future-proof and for cost savings.

Are there any major downsides to this approach compared to using WiiM Amps other than tons of cables?

3. Other Considerations

Are there any other trade-offs I should consider in a system this size?

How many WiiMs can sync together reliably over Wi-Fi?


Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

[Burnside]

I’m moving into a new home and planning a WiiM-based whole-home audio system with no in-wall volume controls and mostly Wi-Fi-based connectivity (no Ethernet for most zones). I’d appreciate advice on optimizing my setup.

Planned Setup:

3 TV Zones – 3x WiiM Ultras + 3x Fosi V3

6 Kid Bedrooms/Playrooms – 6x WiiM Minis + 6x Fosi V3

8 Downstairs/Outdoor Zones (Kitchen, Bedroom, etc.) – Undecided 8x (Mini, Plus, or Ultra) + 8x Fosi V3


The downstairs/outdoor zones are music-only, while TV zones will need HDMI ARC.


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Questions:

1. Mini vs. Plus vs. Ultra for Music-Only Zones

What benefits would WiiM Pro Plus or Ultra provide over Mini for my 8 music zones (given that Ethernet is not an option)?

Tbh and since you mentioned future-proofness, I wouldn’t start with the Mini for a new buyer/ project, but go for the Pro Plus. They already miss out on new features due to only having a quarter of the ram and half the number of cpu cores - for example, the mini is unlikely to sport the upcoming Qobuz Connect feature. You may not plan to use that, I only give it as an example of a feature the Mini won’t get. Plus I’d say the form factor of the Pro Plus, particularly if you need to place more than one together, is better than the Mini.

The Plus also supports Chromecast which would allow you to create a Chromecast group and cast to that. The Mini can’t be is such a group as it doesn’t support Chromecast. Or use Airplay 2 for a similar group that the Mini does support.

Is sound quality noticeably different between Mini vs. Plus vs. Ultra in this setup? low volume, background music.

Probably not a great deal, but again I’d postulate the Plus has the best price/performance of the three for this setup.

Would there be any latency issues using WiiM Minis in multi-room mode with other WiiM devices?

It’s not been mentioned by those who do have a similar number of devices that I recall.

2. Independent Amps vs. WiiM Amp/Pro

I’m choosing separate amplifiers (Fosi V3) instead of WiiM Amps to future-proof and for cost savings.

Are there any major downsides to this approach compared to using WiiM Amps other than tons of cables?

Depending on your timescales, WiiM may soon have something in that space - see their 2024 recap/2025 look forward post where they say “The folks in the lab are hard at work on new products including a perfect companion to the WiiM Ultra and any passive speakers”, although there’s no indication of what that device actually might be or its cost, but we can guess…

3. Other Considerations

Are there any other trade-offs I should consider in a system this size?

How many WiiMs can sync together reliably over Wi-Fi?

To a degree I’d say that might depend more on your network and router, but again would come back to the Pro Plus/ Ultra being better bets than the Mini - who knows, the additional grunt might be needed to facilitate better sync.