Naim muso v QB

[Schnuffsche]

So fully agree one the headphone option! I looked and I have not found anyone who did a respective mod for it.

[elverdiblanco]

@traveler

What I think is a shame is that Muso and QB2 do not have a headphone connection. As far as I’m concerned, a major design blunder…does someone have find a solution for that?

Do they really need one though? Muso and Qb are pretty much useless without a smartphone or tablet to control them so use native apps like Tidal, Qobuz etc with the headphones connected to the controller device.

[LindsayM]

@feeling_zen

Having both main systems and Qbs, and being very happy with the Qbs, I can honestly say that if used to separates, you will not do any serious listening on them. The Qb is basically a supercharged clock radio IMO. It does background music amazingly well and if I was doing a commercial installation like in bar or cafe with multiple rooms, I would absolutely choose them over any pro commercial installation. I’m trying to express that I really love my Qbs but even I don’t think it is worth it for less than a year unless you have a use for it afterward like in a kitchen or bedroom or something.

I have a completely different view to this. I think the QB gives a rich entertaining and surprisingly detailed sound. It’s better when hardwired as opposed to Wi-Fi, and also with local rips as opposed to streaming from the Internet. I listen to mine most days and for match of the day.

[castalla]

More recent streamers, such as the bluesound node & wiim streamers have Bluetooth output, allowing connection to headphones and speakers.

[elverdiblanco]

Sure, but what are you gaining by connecting Bluetooth headphones to the streamer rather than the phone or tablet used to control the streamer?

[feeling_zen]

One less app to use for playback from your phone is what you get. To me that’s a bonus. I have a few systems and none of them work off the same app. It’s getting silly.

[mikehughescq]

I do think some of the views on the original QB here are extraordinary and more than a little revisionist.

Ours is for the offspring and it’s been used incessantly since new. It’s just been taken to university where everyone has been very impressed with the quality in comparison to the cheap separates others have brought. It’s already been used for two parties and the music performance tutors have made numerous enquiries as to what it was etc.

Previously I’d concerns about hosting a party at home given the inability of relatives and friends to recognise that the hi-fi is not the best location for their red wine glasses etc. Decided to move the system out of the living room. Experimented with the QB and settled with one on the fireplace in the living room and one on the landing. Whole house filled with music. No sense it was underpowered or under anything really. It’s a terrific piece of kit.

[Innocent_Bystander]

@Willmac

what if it isso good it rivals my system?

Leaving aside the extreme unlikeliness of that, unless your system is no better than a decent boombox, on earth would on earth would it worry you? If it did turn out to be as good, surely you should be delighted as you could then sell your existing system for probably rather more than you paid for the Muso, and free up space as well: what’s not yo like?

[petermjames]

I have both. The Muso is far superior to the QB and well worth the extra £200. However, if you have space limitations the QB will fit in places where the Muso won’t.

[feeling_zen]

@mikehughescq

Ours is for the offspring

I bought both of mine for the kids’ rooms when they were 1 and 3 respectively. Now they are 9 and 7. But they like the nightlight and I can use multiroom to play the same book at bedtime in both rooms and set the alarm (when it works!) to get them out of bed. In winter it takes some pretty interesting thrash metal at an interesting volume to get them to open their eyes. When they are out of the house and I’m doing the cleaning upstairs I stick them on, always paired for multiroom.

It’s the relative size and the integration with my existing Naim stuff that is the real selling point. There’s better to be had for the same money but that’s really entry level separates.

If there is one gripe about the Qbs it’s the styling options. The Muso had some fantastic special editions, one sort of brass and bronze (the Dubai edition?) that I think of as the Dune edition. I’d have really loved the Qbs to have been available in some of those. A brass and copper one with tweed grille would be sooooo cool. Though only to me probably.

[robert_h]

@feeling_zen

Dune

Dune was the rebranded “Champagne” that received the cease and desist - cue lots of sticky labels on boxes and quick website changes. You would have thought someone in St Etienne would have known!

The smart one was the Bentley edition.

[PerF]

@robert_h

The smart one was the Bentley edition

I never got the idea that people would buy a Bentley edition unless it could be installed in their car

[feeling_zen]

The Bently Edition would have been lovely… if only it didn’t have that damned Bently logo on it

[S.C]

Exactly! I was after a second Mu-so and looked at the Bentley edition in store as they were being sold off – I really liked the sultry colour scheme and the styling on the dial etc, but just couldn’t bare the thought of the Bentley logo staring at me…! So saved even more and just got the ‘standard’ model…

Focal did the same with one of their headphone models, the Radiance I think – again, was being sold heavily discounted and I was tempted as it was a decent closed back model that sat underneath the Stelia, but really, did they have to have the Bentley logo plastered on either side of the headband…!
If I want a Bentley, I’ll go buy one…or more realistically, a T-shirt with their logo on it…Not!

I do like the wood finish model, though wasn’t too sure about the beige grille…Also wondered how the veneer would potentially discolour over time….

To the OP, I have both the Mu-so gen2 and the QB2 as well as a gen1 Mu-so (which I have to control mainly from iOS as the dial has ceased functioning some time ago)….IME, the Mu-so certainly has more body to it, just feels a fuller sound…Still a directional point of sound at the end of the day, but it can surprisingly push the sound out quite wide at times….I think the QB2 is great, considering it’s form factor etc and it’s brilliantly convenient and looks in place almost anywhere, the kitchen seems to be a favourite one with a lot of folk…! At times I find it slightly on the lean side (even with deliberately having the ‘close to wall’ setting turned off) , but then I guess it’s unfair to expect it to be ground shaking bass levels…I would rather have its timing, clarity and musicality anyway….

Both Mu-so models are great at the end of the day…Superb design, functionality and audio replay – I think there’s a lot of ‘Naim’ in them and they’re not just some off-spin of the brand….

SC

[robert_h]

A bit of black electrical tape and you’re done

[feeling_zen]

I think ot would be simpler to file ot off. Or just gouge it with a driver and send nack to Naim for a replacement with a standard plinth

[Thegreatroberto]

Bought the wood one ( got it at a good price 2 years ago) and swapped out the grill for a black one.