Why does my mu-so sound so bad?

Hello, first time posting here but I could use some help
I just purchased a new Mu-So unit with much anticipation. However, much to my horror, it sounds terrible. Not to mention the remote is worthless past 10 to 15 ft away and the blue tooth drops not much past that. I am incredibly disappointed with this as I was really expecting more by the Naim hype and reviews. Am I missing something? Thank you.

I went to buy one, heard it and had much the same view, massively disappointed, so I bought an Atom instead. I thought it sounded like listening to music through a letter box. Did you listen to it before you bought it?

Lots of people on here like it, so maybe in the right room, etc., it might be better.

Sorry can’t be much more help.

Mine sounded good out of the box from memory. Is it bad on radio and streaming? What is it sitting on and how far away from a solid wall is it?
Gary

It is sitting on an antique piece of furniture about 12 inches off of the wall. I tried it on blue tooth streaming, wifi, and naim radio. They all sounded weak. I even did a side by side test with my UE megaboom sitting on top of the mu so to make sure it wasn’t me. The megaboom sounded better. And the more I increased the volume the worse it sounded. I am so disappointed, I really was looking for high quality, and don’t think I will find it with the mu so.

No, I didn’t listen to it first. I live in a very rural area of the Blue Ridge Mountains and so I bought into the hype and online reviews and purchased it through Amazon. I’m sending it back tomorrow.

If it’s that bad, it sounds like it might be faulty/broken. I’d give your dealer a call and get them to take a listen. Maybe ask them to replace it temporarily with their demo unit?

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I heard one in a hifi shop once, and thought it was very good indeed …for a boom-box, because that is what it is (my interpretation/opinion). But not hifi by long chalk, and in no way a substitute for hifi, to my ears. If I was in the market for a boom-box and had that much to burn I might well go for one, but the cost makes that unlikely in reality.

Ok have you got the Naim app running in your phone? You should turn loudness to off and in Room Position set it to greater than 25 Cm from a wall. If you don’t know how to do that, say so here and someone will guide you through it. I have expensive Naim HiFi and a muso Qb and the sound quality of the muso Qb is remarkable. The muso is better than the Qb. It’s not a “boom box” in any sense and if you want one of those then you have bought the wrong thing.

Best

David

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Have never yet heard a Muso sound musical in a shop but my 14 year old has a Muso QB and it’s very good for what it is so I expect the Muso would be better. If it isn’t then it probably is broken.

It certainly isn’t a ‘Boom Box’. Within the limits of it’s size and price it does a superb job, in my view.

I didn’t suggest otherwise - but to me, with speakers built into a single box 2 feet long, it is a boombox, albeit a grown up one. I did say that when I heard it I thought it was very good indeed, but that is in the context of the small box it is, and does not provide a sound with which I would be happy in lieu of a full system. I appreciate others have different views, but if the OP was in any way led to think it was anything like a hifi system, perhaps that is why he is disappointed.

A friend of mine has just bought one at a very good price from a local dealer and he thinks it’s absolutely awesome and he can be a very critical person with most things, so something definitely seems a miss here…

As in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia?

My experience with the original Muso is that although it may be thought of as a ‘lifestyle’ product, it definitely does benefit from care and experimentation with placement.

As @davidhendon has suggested, I’d definitely second making sure loudness is off. I actually prefer the ‘close to the wall’ setting even if it more than 25cm away from the wall as I find it less boomy but you can experiment.

I think it also helps if it is not too close to side walls and if it is not sitting too low. It sounds better to me the closer it is to ear level. When I had it on a wooden cabinet, I also thought it was better if the shelves below were not left empty. It sounded better when I ensured they were full of books.

Just my experience and this is with the old not the new Muso but definitely worth experimenting as the difference is not small.

Also good advice though to get it checked out by the dealer in case there is a fault.

Yes. Meadows of Dan to be exact. And yes, that is the town’s name. :blush:

Well, to be honest I thought it would be " hifi" quality and superb given Naim was on the box. After trying different placements and scenario’s I have come to the conclusion this is not going to work for me. Also, as mentioned before, the remote leaves a lot to be desired. Not sure what product I should look at next.

I think you should first rule out the possibility that you have a defective unit. Maybe talk to the seller, and see if you can try a replacement.
If that doesn’t work out, hopefully you can return it for a refund. The next question is: do you really want a single box, or are you prepared to look at a streamer/amp plus a pair of speakers?

If I only had that amount of money available and wanted a hifi system, I personally would be looking secondhand to maximise buying power.

My first gen still sounds good, people are always impressed by its sound.

I have a Qb and notwithstanding the odd BBC Radio drop-out it’s excellent. I certainly recognise none of the characteristics the OP mentions. Further a visitor the other week said that it was light years ahead of his Sonos configuration. Compared with my multi-box main system it is very far from being the poor relative.

Regards,

Lindsay