NAIM Mu-so Qb Compact Wireless Music System NEW

In 2014, Naim took some time out from producing more traditional hi-fi kit to have a punt at the wireless speaker market, and not only gained a legion of new fans, but also proved it could bring hi-fi sound quality to a one-box design, albeit at a price.

Now Naim is taking this a step further, by taking everything that we love about the original Mu-so and squeezing it into a more affordable, more compact design.

The result is the Mu-so Qb, a stylish speaker with a small footprint but a big personality. And with a performance this good, we’re only too happy to stand back and let it work its magic.

If you've seen the Mu-so, the Qb’s design will look familiar, except instead of a long, rectangular outline, the Qb is – as its name alludes to – a compact cube shape. It’s a striking yet minimalist design, with an illuminated acrylic base that makes it look as though it’s hovering; its otherwise crisp outlines softened by the characteristic ripple of the Qb’s three grilles.

As with the Mu-so, these grilles can be switched up from a dramatic black to more playful choices of blue, red or orange, while the back edge of the cube is given up to the same distinctive aluminium heat sink that kept things cool on the original.

Plenty of design similarities then, but while the original Mu-so needs a considerable amount of space, the Qb’s more flexible design means it can fit on your bedside table, on the kitchen worktop or in the corner of a room.

It’s impeccably made – heavier than it you might expect, and topped with the same gorgeous touchscreen dial that we loved on the original Mu-so. As well as adjusting the volume, the aluminium dial also doubles as the control panel for the Qb, allowing you to tap illuminated icons to select inputs and manage playback.

It’s a stylish and sophisticated system that works wonderfully well, while also looking the part. Considering the design has been borrowed from Naim’s £100,000 flagship Statement pre/power amp, we’re not surprised.

Read more at http://www.whathifi.com/naim/mu-so-qb/review#0H6QJD4vfYEWlfu4.99

When British audio brand Naim turned its attentions from pricey, high-end setups to wireless speakers in 2014, it showed us what was possible when hi-fi smarts meet top-notch design – albeit with a premium price tag to match.

Fast-forward two years and the team behind the original Mu-so are hoping to follow its success with a smaller, more affordable speaker that boasts the same functionality as its bigger brother. Colour us very interested indeed.

The result is the Mu-so Qb – a compact speaker with a big personality and plenty to say for itself. And with sound like this, we are only too happy to listen.

It doesn’t take a genius to work out the Qb takes its name from its striking design – a minimalist cube-shaped speaker that appears to hover in mid air thanks to its illuminated acrylic base. It’s superbly made, heavier than it you might expect, and topped with the same gorgeous aluminium touchscreen dial that we loved on the original Mu-so.

This works as the control panel for the Qb, allowing you to tap illuminated icons to select inputs and manage playback, as well as twist to change volume. It’s a stylish and sophisticated control system that works wonderfully while really looking the part. The Qb is a speaker that’s fit for any yuppie’s living room, or yours if you can scrape together the cash to own one.

Elsewhere, black grilles cover three of the Qb’s four sides, with its big brother’s distinctive aluminium heat sink making up the back panel to keep things on this inside nice and cool.

There’s a slight ripple in the grilles that gives the Qb’s otherwise crisp outline a hint of softness, and there’s a choice of coloured grilles – namely blue, orange or red – should black prove a little too dramatic for you.

Read more at http://www.stuff.tv/naim/mu-so-qb/review#zrhpdZTC7wrsG7pj.99

The Mu-So Qb is an evolution of the Mu-So all in one system. Naim has taken the core functionality of the Mu-So and reduced it in size and price. While this sounds simple, it has involved some significant revisions to the way it is designed and built. It pitches into a keenly contested sector of the market where excellent products like the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air and the Geneva AeroSphère already make a very strong showing.

The Qb has some wider aspirations resting on it too. Prior to the Mu-So being launched, Naim calculated that they added between 3 and 4,000 new customers a year. Mu-So has added to this exponentially, with nearer 20,000 new Naim customers as a result. Natually, only a small percentage of these people will augment their Mu-So with Naim range equipment but even so, it represents a significant growing of the business. By hitting a new price increment, Naim hopes to improve these numbers still further.

Of course, if this was easy, everyone would be doing it. The Mu-So Qb needs to appeal to new customers, compete against well thought out rivals and still sound and behave in a way that leaves people wanting to listen to more members of the Naim family and hopefully consider buying more of the company's equipment in the future. This is a fairly hefty set of challenges for a little square box and the Qb needs to deliver- can it meet expectations?

Read the rest of the review at https://www.avforums.com/review/naim-mu-so-qb-review.12327