Naim Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation Review & Comments

[Ed Selley]

The smallest member of the Naim family gets the same round of updates as its bigger brother. Is this the most complete wireless speaker under £1,000?
Read the review.

Write your own review for Naim Mu-so QB Second Generation

 

[keithwiggins]

Great review of the QB thx sure it will sell by the truckload.

 

[psikey]

Is this the most complete wireless speaker under £1,000?

I'd still have my Kef LSX twin active wireless speakers over this but the original MuSo was my 2nd choice.

 

[Cribbster]

To be honest, I wasn't massively impressed with the first one when I saw them a couple of years ago at the Bristol Show. Even less impressed with the Muso which sounded really boxy and quite underwhelming for the price. I am sure there will be some of the new QB2s ( ) at this year's show so I will take a look at them and see what I think. Not cheap though, are they?!

 

[supermariojj]

Naim has never been cheap.

 

[Deleted member 11521]

Purchased the QB2 last month and thoroughly enjoy it. I use it in the front room (living room) and stream my Apple music (and my collected itunes music over the years) flawlessly. There is also a free 3 month trial of Tidal that comes with the purchase.

It is obviously beautifully made and looks sumptuous. The musicality of the QB2 always delights and I just find myself listening to things and hearing added detail and 'nuances' that I never knew existed (or never heard before) i.e Genesis and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway 'opens' up so much detail.

Downsides? If you want to 'rock out' to extreme levels it can become a little strained. But for me (and at the sound levels that I enjoy) it is a triumph.

The 'app' is adequate and does what it is meant to do. Overall I am seriously impressed with it.

 

[barnitto]

I have both an original Muso and QB and really like them, the level of bass is very impressive. Don’t believe it is worth upgrading though.

 

[pressure]

I still fancy some Naim goodness in my life, and I’d love one of these for the kitchen. I’d have to plug an Alexa into the 3.5mm socket though or there would be trouble from the family!

 

[daddy999]

Gulp......the kids will be all over this!

 

[indus]

I'll start of by saying I've never heard one of these but....can a single speaker ever sound 'right'?
I know it's in a much lower league but I tried a single Sonos One and having the sound come from a single point source just sounded odd. When I added a second speaker it sounded right/more realistic.

As I said, I haven't heard one but I can't understand how the sound quality from a single speaker can be worth close to £1000.

 

[daddy999]

I'll start of by saying I've never heard one of these but....can a single speaker ever sound 'right'?
I know it's in a much lower league but I tried a single Sonos One and having the sound come from a single point source just sounded odd. When I added a second speaker it sounded right/more realistic.

As I said, I haven't heard one but I can't understand how the sound quality from a single speaker can be worth close to £1000.

I’ve demo’d the old one, and, as much as not I’m really a fan of Naim, it did sound really impressive for a small, 1 box wonder. Whether it’s £1000 worth of “impressiveness“ is up to the individual I guess.......my kids both agree it‘s worth it though!

 

[Lovespuds]

I have the original speaker and I'm rather disappointed to hear this new model has not had a design improvement to try and resolve the fundamental issue with it I.e. the fact that the base totally overwhelms the mids and highs of music. It looks amazing and classy but it just absolutely murders mids and highs. It's a weird decision to add support for higher quality music when the type of subtlety your likely to get from that just could not be appreaciated unless the speaker had had a significant physical change to address its big fat elephantine base and if your going to put some lipstick on this by upgrading codec support then why no atpx Bluetooth in 2020 when virtually every phone these days supports it on such an expensive speaker.

 

[Mercurial]

Naim has never been cheap.

Yeah, just look at how much they sold for last year

 

[Peter55]

Howdy. Just joined

I bought one of these shortly after they were launched last year. There is no doubt it is a single box and that creates limitations by definition, but as a single box in our kitchen it does sound great. I ripped all my CDs to FLAC files and have them on a memory stick in the back of the Qb. Easy peasy listening to Cd quality albums.

However................. I have had massive problems getting it to pick up our wi-fi (for internet radio) reliably. I'm still looking into this but the Naim advice bashes on about checking all possible factors such as wi-fi extenders, for example! Well who doesn't have wi-fi extenders in their house! Surely the wi-fi design of the Qb should be capable of working round that issue?

Some days I come down first thing for my wheaty-bangs and it just refuses to connect. No matter how many times I re-start it. Then suddenly we try again mid-morning and it connects. Other days it connects straight away. I can't tell you have annoying this has become

Phones and laptops connect without any problems without fail. The wi-fi router is literally 2m directly above the Qb, through a wooden floor, so it cannot be a distance issue.

If anyone here has advice I would be eternally grateful.

Peter

 

[xmb]

I have just purchased a refurbished (but looks new to me) Mu-So Qb from Peter Tyson (£349). I have no issues with streaming internet radio or while using AirPlay 2 to stream to the Qb and other speakers at the same time. It is 100% stable and reliable. Is your (first generation) Qb updated to the latest 1.8 firmware?

What I can say is Wi-Fi extenders are generally a disaster and can make things worse rather than better! I use a Netgear Orbi MESH system and it is rock solid. I use it in the (default) router mode with a DSL modem. However, you can set it into access point mode and use an existing router, just remember to disable the Wi-Fi in the existing router.

Just a warning never connect two devices in router mode together or you will name double NAT and lots of problems!

 

[Peter55]

Hi xmb, thanks very much for the response. Actually it is the Qb 2nd gen.

I have been considering a mesh system, and might go down this route. I have to say the extenders seems to behave themselves for all the other stuff in the house, but I will admit they are bu$$ers to set up and I always have the feeling it's on the edge !

I seem to be in the minority . Thanks again.

 

[xmb]

Try using the reset button on the Qb and set it up again in the App.

 

[Peter55]

Hmmmm......... I can't tell you how many times I've been down that road

I think I'll have to bit the bullet and ditch the extenders and go for the Mesh route as you have .

 

[dazm41]

Hmmmm......... I can't tell you how many times I've been down that road

I think I'll have to bit the bullet and ditch the extenders and go for the Mesh route as you have .

hi morning , i dont have the naim mu-so ,but what i can say is definitely go the way of the mesh system. i have tp-link deco p9 and they've made such a difference to my wifi .

 

[Peter55]

hi morning , i dont have the naim mu-so ,but what i can say is definitely go the way of the mesh system. i have tp-link deco p9 and they've made such a difference to my wifi .

Thanks Daz. I'll look into that system. How many units were needed to cover your size of house?

Regards

Peter

 

[dazm41]

Thanks Daz. I'll look into that system. How many units were needed to cover your size of house?

Regards

Peter

with p9 you get three units I live in a semi with an extension and it copes easily were the kids with iPhones had constant drops outs before thats gone now

 

[Peter55]

with p9 you get three units I live in a semi with an extension and it copes easily were the kids with iPhones had constant drops outs before thats gone now

 

[Clark1983]

Muso 2 OR the QB 2 - Currently have a HomePod (it's ok...) but I want more from my music. My living room is 8.5m long and 3.8 in width, so not massive but slightly above average. I'm not sure whether the bigger brother is worth the investment - I'm a casual music listener, no music buff - I do love musicality sound though. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[keithwiggins]

There both really nice speakers, add to the list , Devialet, Dynaudio music 7, Kef Lsx. What i have found quite enjoyable is to use my stage along with a libratone zipp via airplay 2, which you can do easily with your home pod as an alternative option?

 

[Clark1983]

There both really nice speakers, add to the list , Devialet, Dynaudio music 7, Kef Lsx. What i have found quite enjoyable is to use my stage along with a libratone zipp via airplay 2, which you can do easily with your home pod as an alternative option?

I’ve heard the LSX but preferred the Muso all round. My beostage is my home cinema speaker and the homepod is sat centrally in the room -