Naim Announce Mu-so Qb at CES 2016

Naim Audio introduced the new Mu-so Qb wireless music system yesterday at CES 2016, which follows in the footsteps of the original Mu-so, but in a smaller, cubed form factor. At £595, the Mu-so Qb shares the same design DNA as Mu-so, all intuitively crafted into a compact cabinet, combined with 300 watts of power.

DESIGN

Naim claims one of the biggest design challenges with the Mu-so Qb wireless system was to configure the individual speakers within the smaller cabinet. To achieve the distinctive Naim sound in a compact unit, Naim engineers had to experiment with every component and adjust speaker angles by the smallest of fractions. It presents an arrangement of 5 drivers, offset and angled perfectly to create a left-right dispersion discrepancy. Mu-so Qb uses tweeters with microfibre domes, while its mid-range drivers have rare earth magnets and copper-capped poles for even greater accuracy.

Mu-so Qb has another surprising design feature with regard to low frequencies. Unlike the original Mu-so, there isn’t the space for an expansive bass port. Instead, two pistonic bass radiators work alongside a custom-made woofer, driven by a 100W amplifier to create a depth of sound that most would never expect from a system this size. The touchscreen interface on the top of the unit is a solid aluminium ring, illuminated to float above the core structure and complement the seamless volume dial movement.

FEATURES

Connect the Mu-so Qb to a home Wi-Fi network to open up a world of music. Wirelessly stream downloaded music in hi-res via UPnP or browse and play millions of songs through Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Internet Radio or Airplay, ideal for Apple Music.

Mu-so Qb also features high quality Bluetooth (aptX) connectivity, a USB input for charging and playback of smartphones, tablets and MP3 players, a 3.5mm analog input and a digital input for TVs, CD players, turntables set-top boxes and games consoles. Mu-so Qb can be used between 5 rooms in the home, creating a system that is truly integrated and offers beat perfect music in each room or individual music in each room, all controlled by a dedicated Naim app for iOS and Android. Mu-so Qb is also fully compatible with Naim streaming products, including Naim’s Uniti Series.

SOUND

At the heart of Mu-so Qb is a 32-bit digital signal processor – the same high-spec component used in the original Mu-so system. The DSP controls the flow of music information to each individual speaker and, with intricate computer analytics, was finely tuned to perform perfectly within the smaller cabinet space. The end result is a refined audio experience with no distortion; increased speaker accuracy and an expansive sound at home in any room, large or small; from office to lounge, bedroom or kitchen.

The material chosen for the main cabinet is a 20% glass-reinforced polymer chosen for its extra stiffness and dampening properties. Elsewhere, an anodised aluminium lid and heatsink is used, as well as the acrylic base, both of which dampen unwanted vibration and strengthen the structure of Mu-so Qb even further.

SPECIFICATION