APPLE CHOICE Mac/iOS hardware
T
he Mu-so 2nd Generation might
seem, at a glance, like a minor
evolution of the all-conquering
(in the £900 wireless speaker market)
original Mu-so. But it actually beats its
predecessor to a pulp in terms of audio quality,
while adding new connectivity options.
The first Naim Mu-so pretty much
redefined the wireless speaker market. This
new model upgrades it in every way, but the
price tag’s gone up too. It looks a lot like the
first Mu-so – if it ain’t broke, why fix it?
However, enough has changed with the colour
of the metal, the design of the over-sized
volume/control dial and the remote control to
make it discernible from its sibling. The top
dial now boasts 15 touch-sensitive buttons,
more striking illumination, and a proximity
sensor that wakes it as you approach.
The metal is now in a more ‘burnished’
finish, and the speaker grille, while visually
similar is actually wholly redesigned. The
speaker comes with a black grille but you can
replace it with one in a Terracotta, Olive or
Peacock. They cost a further £50 each but they
are attractive and Naim is at pains to point out
that they’re also truly acoustically transparent.
The speaker is beautiful but wide. You’d
find it hard to fit in a small room but if you’re in
the market for a £1,300 wireless speaker, you
may well have the room to accommodate it.
The first Mu-so was forceful, engaging and
precise. The 2nd Generation is really forceful,An awesome,
thumping wall of
sound and reliable,
versatile connectivity.++++++
Great sound
Stable, easy to use app
Comprehensive
streaming support
Very wideVERDICT
hugely engaging and precise. The sound stage
is wider – an HDMI ARC input has been added
so it can happily double as a stereo soundbar –
the bass response improved and the sheer
presence of it is just that much more massive.
It goes very loud. Without distortion.
That’s not to say it is built only to rock. Play
something stripped back to human voice or
piano, or minimalist electronic music and
it sends shivers down the spine.Sound optionss
Tidal is built in and there’s native support
for Spotify Connect. Tidal, Spotify and every
other mobile-based streaming service can also
be sent over AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast or
even Bluetooth. The speaker sucks every bit
of detail out of Spotify streams and AAC and
MP3 rips, and performs well when you go to
the opposite extreme and stream 32bit/384kHz
files in FLAC, WAV and DSD.
Multiroom is possible via AirPlay 2 or
Chromecast, or Naim’s own system via the
app, remote or on-body controls. The app is
comprehensive and convenient, and also
boasts Naim’s excellent radio mini app.
The app is also frequently updated.
The processor in the 2nd Generation has
far more oomph. It’s a ‘multicore’ chip, capable
of 2,000 million instructions per second
(MIPS), compared to the original Mu-so’s
single-core, which could manage 150 MIPS.
As a result, Mu-so 2 should be able to support
any service or streaming system to launch in
the forseeable future, and a version with mics
added could also support voice control, if and
when Naim feels like adding it.
That increase in processing power also
explains why the digital signal processing is
improved so greatly. Naim’s upgraded speaker
drivers, developed jointly with Focal’s R&D
department, clearly help in this respect as well.
£1,299 may turn out to be a cost bridge too
far and the 2nd Generation will be less of a
smash hit than the first one. If your budget
can handle it, though, this is a stunningly
good wireless speaker that justifies its asking
price in spades. DUNCAN BELLThe top dial
now boasts 15touch-sensitive
buttons anda proximity
sensor78 | MACFORMAT | SEPTEMBER 2019
Naim Mu-so 2nd Generation
Naim takes the impressive Mu-so and makes it even better
£1,299 FROM Naim, naimaudio.com FEATURES Multiroom, comprehensive audio format and streaming supportmacformat.com @macformatAs well as the optical, 3.5mm analogue, Ethernet and
HDMI ARC connectors on the underside of the Mu-so
2nd Generation, there’s a USB port on the side.