NAIM AUDIO
Using much of the componentry
of the bigger Mu-so, this cube-
like speaker is significantly
smaller and more affordable.
31
Son of Mu-so
NAIM HAS DELIVERED an exciting
new addition to the Mu-so family –
the compact Mu-so Qb. Using much of
the componentry of the bigger Mu-so,
this cube-like speaker is significantly
smaller and more affordable, making
it ideal for places where bench space is
at more of a premium such as kitchen,
bedrooms or smaller apartments.
It carries over much of the design
language of its bigger sibling, including
the touchscreen round control dial
for selecting functions and controlling
volume, plus stylish detail touches such as
gorgeous aluminium metalwork, including
the heat-sink detailing and the oh-
so-subtle speaker grille ripple.
If you want to get
personalised, the speaker
grille is interchangeable
with three other bold
colour options.
Although the design
is a stand-out, the real
story here is the sound.
A few bars of a favourite
at volume is all it took before
it had us wondering how they get
this power out of such a small device.
The secret is in Naim’s careful spec and
placement of hardware. The set-up
combines angled dome tweeters and mid-
range drivers, as well as a single woofer
supported by two passive radiators. It runs
the 32-bit DSP from the bigger Mu-so too.
The result? A no-nonsense 300 watts
that serves up vocals that are focused
and clear with a natural high-end which
stays open and composed even when
you really push it up.
Being a modern wireless
speaker means there’s
a host of connectivity
options on offer even
on this smaller model.
You can pair to the
Qb via Bluetooth, but
you’ll get the most
from it (and unlock full
functionality) by hooking
t into to your home network via
Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Then you’ll discover
support for virtually every music file
format all the way up to 24-bit/192kHz
hi-res tracks in WAV, FLAC and AIFF.
With its quality build, thoughtful
functionality and impressively stylish
good looks, this is one you’ll love to
own for years to come.
hooking it into to
your home network
via Wi-Fi or Ethernet,
you’ll discover support
for virtually every
music file format
all the way up to
24-bit/192kHz...