Naim Mu-so 2nd Generation Wireless Speaker

INTRODUCING THE NEW NAIM IN MUSIC STREAMING: MU-SO 2ND GENERATION

Naim Audio, the British hi-fi specialist with 45 years of audio expertise, has launched the 2nd Generation of its multi award-winning Mu-so wireless music system. Mu-so 2nd Generation evolves the iconic styling of its predecessor, but under its luxury aluminium casing are game-changing performance, feature and functionality upgrades. From high-resolution streaming to multiroom music to TV sound; you've never heard it so good from an all-in-one wireless system.

At the heart of Mu-so 2nd Generation is Naim's music-streaming platform, developed by 25 engineers over 3 years to offer the very best performance whether playing your own digital music collection, a world of Internet radio, or music streaming services such as TIDAL and Spotify. This acclaimed innovation is uniquely found in Naim music-streaming products, such as its Uniti range and dedicated network players, including the £20,000 flagship ND 555.

Continuing its high-performance credentials, Mu-so 2nd Generation's 450 Watts of music power are joined by all-new speaker drivers – optimised in conjunction with Focal, the acoustic specialist celebrating its 40^th anniversary, and Naim's Vervent Audio associate; more than 10 times more processing power for even greater musical accuracy, and a re-engineered cabinet design to further enhance bass delivery.

Stream your music in high-resolution quality (up to 32bit/384kHz) via UPnP^TM, or browse millions of songs through AirPlay 2 (including Apple Music), Spotify® Connect, TIDAL, Chromecast built-in and Internet radio. Upgraded Wi-Fi connectivity promises a slicker streaming experience, while Ethernet remains an option if you prefer things hard-wired. You can also connect devices wirelessly via Bluetooth®. Mu-so 2nd Generation's USB input, meanwhile, supports music playback from USB drives.

Other Mu-so 2nd Generation enhancements include the addition of HDMI ARC, so you can easily connect your TV and experience audiophile sound quality from your favourite television programmes, films and games.

"In its 45 years, Naim has both created and recreated product categories - all in our founding quest for the most authentic musical experience. Mu-so was the first truly high-quality wireless music speaker; five years on we've re-engineered 95% of it to develop Mu-so 2nd Generation, and redefined what's possible from a one-box system", says Naim Audio MD, Charlie Henderson.

Luxury Design

Mu-so 2nd Generation evolves the iconic styling of its predecessor, adding a compelling new touch control panel ringed by an illuminated dial with a proximity sensor: it lights up in welcome as your hand approaches it. Easily access key playback controls, your favourite playlists and radio stations, Spotify resume, multiroom functionality and more from this tactile new interface.

The system has a premium aluminium casing, in a new burnished grey finish, fronted by a new style of speaker grille - supplied in black as standard, but also available in Terracotta, Olive or Peacock colourways.

Multiroom and App Control

Mu-so 2nd Generation works brilliantly on its own or as part of a multiroom music set-up. There are three easy ways to make it multiroom: combine it with other networked Naim products (including 1^st Generation Mu-so and Mu-so Qb) via the updated Naim app; with other AirPlay 2-compatible wireless speakers via the Apple Home app; or with other Chromecast devices via groups controlled by the Google Home app.

Available for iOS and Android devices, the updated Naim app allows you to browse by artist, genre, album and more, complete with artwork and extended music information. You can also control volume, light settings, room modes and create playlists.  As a further option, Mu-so 2nd Generation is Roon Ready, too.

Mu-so 2nd Generation in detail:

• New intelligent Controls All-new intuitive interface has 15 touch sensitive buttons and a bold, illuminated volume dial. A proximity sensor wakes the display.
• Multiroom made easy 3 ways to go multiroom, via Naim, Apple or Google Apps.
• More music power New multicore Digital Signal Processor (DSP) drives higher performance, providing 2000 MIPS (Million Instructions Per Second) compared to original Mu-so's single-core, 150MIPS DSP.
• Upgraded speaker drivers A joint development project between Naim and Focal R&D departments has delivered improved and highly optimised drive units for Mu-so 2nd Generation. Focal has been creating benchmark acoustic equipment since 1979.
• Award-winning music streaming technology Featured in the Uniti range of all-in-one players, Naim's high-end network players and now Mu-so 2nd Generation, Naim's unique streaming platform is extremely powerful and adapts to new technologies.
• Improved Bass Performance Mu-so 2nd Generation has been re-engineered to have a 13% increase in cabinet volume, which enables bigger, better bass performance.
• HDMI ARC An all-new HDMI ARC input lets you easily connect your TV to experience a huge boost in sound quality; and allows audio control via the TV's remote handset.
• New Grille finish and colours Mu-so 2nd Generation's speaker grille has had a style update. The standard black grille can be easily swapped for one of 3 new colour options – Olive, Terracotta, and Peacock - to best suit your taste and décor.
• Chromecast built-in Google's streaming service allows you to seamlessly link to 100s of supported apps, including Deezer, Qobuz, Plex, TuneIn, SoundCloud and Pandora.
• AirPlay 2 Stream music from your iOS device or from iTunes and Apple Music and take advantage of Apple's new multiroom feature.
• Spotify Connect Native support of Spotify® Connect, a better way to listen at home. Listen to Spotify on your Mu-so 2^nd Generation, using the Spotify app as a remote.
• TIDAL The lossless streaming service is integrated into the system for an immersive, high-quality sound experience.
• Bluetooth® Pair with a Bluetooth device to instantly play your music.
• Internet Radio Access thousands of internet radio stations and save your favourite presets for easy access.
• UPnP^TM Streaming Stream music from your PC, Mac or network-attached storage in high-resolution quality. Mu-so 2nd Generation supports high-resolution WAV, FLAC and DSD files at resolutions up to 32bit/384kHz.
• Roon Ready Roon transforms the experience of browsing music. Beautifully laid-out metadata is located automatically, then interconnected by links to build a searchable digital magazine about your music collection.
• Room Compensation Choose from three different settings – Near Wall; Near Corner; No Compensation [In Free Space] - to tailor your listening experience to wherever the Mu-so 2nd Generation sits in the room.
• Additional connectivity As well as its new HDMI ARC connection, Mu-so 2nd Generation has a USB input, Optical Digital input and 3.5mm analogue input.
• All-new remote control Mu-so 2nd Generation's premium features and functionality are reflected in its new remote control handset.
• Alarm Clock Mu-so 2nd Generation features an alarm clock which can be enabled via the settings menu in the Naim app.

Mu-so 2nd Generation is available from a wide range of retailers now, RRP $2600.

www.naimaudio.com/mu-so

Review:

If you are looking for a 'premium wireless speaker' it's a great idea to do some research. While you might be tempted by look, in this price range you want to make sure you are getting what you pay for, and the Naim Mu-so 2 really delivers.  Beware the Naim Mu-so 2 is not for the faint hearted with it's thumping sound. Make sure you have a central space to really appreciate the crisp, clear, superior audio quality.

A step up from the previous model with more versatile sofware platform, this multi-room, wireless speaker is the bees knees of speakers and sound.  Sporting a sleeker design than the previous model the illumination is even more striking giving it a richness in appeal.  The proximit sensor wakes as you approach, and comes with a remote, which is handy, but I prefer to use the app which is available in iPhone and Android as it's more convenient, and let's face it who doesn't have their phone handy...

Naim Mu-so 2 comes in black, Terracotta, Olive or Peacock finish.

The Naim Mu-so 2 sound is precise, and will send shivers down you spine with paired back music like piano, guitar or voice.  I'm impressed by the sheer magnituted of volume, it's a beast, and the it clarity it delivers at it's highest level holds me in awe. Remarkable!

Note: A HDMI ARC input is available so you can double as a stereo soundbar.