104 OCTOBER 2019
TECH
Square
Deal
Can an audio system the size of an
alarm clock deliver truly impressive
sound? The buzzer says yes.
british hi-fi manufacturer Naim Audio
(naimaudio.com) shook things up with their Mu-so
series of wireless music systems back in 2014, and
the latest notches up the sound, features and styling
of the originals. The new Mu-so 2nd Generation’s
smaller sibling is the Qb (cube, get it?), which packs
a serious sonic wallop from a box scarcely the size of
a stack of paperbacks. The Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation
is a true multitasker in the world of digital audio,
using Naim’s proprietary high-res streaming
platform to play network-based files, Internet radio
or music-streaming services, like Tidal, Spotify
Connect and AirPlay 2, wirelessly through Bluetooth
or a hard-wired Ethernet connection.
Control is easy, via a dial with a proximity sensor
that lights up when approached, the Naim app or a
new remote-control handset. Inside the box, things
get interesting. A multicore Digital Signal Processor
delivers more than 13 times the performance ofcommon single-core processors, rendering music
more accurately through the new complement of
speakers. Developed in partnership with
French loudspeaker manufacturer Focal, these mid-
range and bass transducers produce a three-
dimensional soundstage with effortless dynamic
range and authoritative bass that couldn’t possibly
be coming from such a small container. Except that
it does. The Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation is especially
suited for small spaces like kitchens and bedrooms,
where performance can be optimized for placement
near a wall, in a corner or in free space with no wall
boundaries in proximity. And the Qb even does duty
as an alarm clock, enabled through a settings menu
in the app.
Just less than 8.5 inches square, but weighing
in at a chunky 12 pounds, the $899 Qb is as solid as
the powerful bass that belies its diminutive form.
Its thoughtful industrial design merits special
mention, with anodized aluminum casework and
CNC-milled, bead-blasted aluminum heatsinks
uncommon in gear at this price point. And a choice
of fabric grilles in black, olive, peacock or terracotta
ensures the Qb can rub shoulders with the most
sophisticated interiors. Robert RossBehind the Qb’s fabric
grille lies a multicore Digital
Signal Processor and host
of new speakers.G2G_Oct_DM_T_Naim.indd 104 9/13/19 9:49 AM104 OCTOBER 2019
TECH
Square
Deal
Can an audio system the size of an
alarm clock deliver truly impressive
sound? The buzzer says yes.
british hi-fi manufacturer Naim Audio
(naimaudio.com) shook things up with their Mu-so
series of wireless music systems back in 2014, and
the latest notches up the sound, features and styling
of the originals. The new Mu-so 2nd Generation’s
smaller sibling is the Qb (cube, get it?), which packs
a serious sonic wallop from a box scarcely the size of
a stack of paperbacks. The Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation
is a true multitasker in the world of digital audio,
using Naim’s proprietary high-res streaming
platform to play network-based files, Internet radio
or music-streaming services, like Tidal, Spotify
Connect and AirPlay 2, wirelessly through Bluetooth
or a hard-wired Ethernet connection.
Control is easy, via a dial with a proximity sensor
that lights up when approached, the Naim app or a
new remote-control handset. Inside the box, things
get interesting. A multicore Digital Signal Processor
delivers more than 13 times the performance ofcommon single-core processors, rendering music
more accurately through the new complement of
speakers. Developed in partnership with
French loudspeaker manufacturer Focal, these mid-
range and bass transducers produce a three-
dimensional soundstage with effortless dynamic
range and authoritative bass that couldn’t possibly
be coming from such a small container. Except that
it does. The Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation is especially
suited for small spaces like kitchens and bedrooms,
where performance can be optimized for placement
near a wall, in a corner or in free space with no wall
boundaries in proximity. And the Qb even does duty
as an alarm clock, enabled through a settings menu
in the app.
Just less than 8.5 inches square, but weighing
in at a chunky 12 pounds, the $899 Qb is as solid as
the powerful bass that belies its diminutive form.
Its thoughtful industrial design merits special
mention, with anodized aluminum casework and
CNC-milled, bead-blasted aluminum heatsinks
uncommon in gear at this price point. And a choice
of fabric grilles in black, olive, peacock or terracotta
ensures the Qb can rub shoulders with the most
sophisticated interiors. Robert RossBehind the Qb’s fabric
grille lies a multicore Digital
Signal Processor and host
of new speakers.