Anyone tried a Naim Muso?

[AC43]

Just trying to work out the a/v options for the next place.

I have enough kit for a 5.1 set up in the living room. So that's sorted.

Then there's an open plan kitchen/dining room in which I'd like to have a music system. Again I have a load of kit inc speakers, sub & amp.

Then there's a second reception off the kitchen/dining room. I was planning to use a 3rd amp + a 2.1 set up but it just occurred to me that I could use a Muso in there. At the end of the day it's just for watching TV/playing some music.

If I did that I'd save the space I'd otherwise need for an amp & sub and could therefore stash the kitchen/diner amp & sub in there, driving them off Spotify via a Chromecast Audio.

So the question is has anyone tried a Naim Muso? I had one demo'd in Richer Sounds and was impressed but had anyone tried one in anger?

[Tony1963]

My take on them is that for the price, and for what they are the Muso is very, very good. However, it will have its limitations, so don't expect to be able to play complex prog rock at full volume. It'll just get confused. If you can possibly borrow one from a proper hifi shop, try it. Only you can decide whether it suits your needs.

[AC43]

Tony1963 said:

My take on them is that for the price, and for what they are the Muso is very, very good. However, it will have its limitations, so don't expect to be able to play complex prog rock at full volume. It'll just get confused. If you can possibly borrow one from a proper hifi shop, try it. Only you can decide whether it suits your needs.

Well I know I can have a full surround sound system in the front room (Yamaha RX-V683 + Monitor Audio Radius speakers + sub).

And I'm planning to have a dedicated audio system in the open plan kitchen/diner (CA Azur 640R or Yamaha RX-V581 + Monitor Audio Golds + sub).

Which leaves a secondary TV room which sits at right angles to the kitchen/diner . There are no doors or walls between the two areas - it's really just an L shaped space). However I'm struggling to work out where to put a third chunky amp in there. At the moment (I'm in a rental) I am happy enough with a Panasonic SBX 700 sound bar + sub which obviously improves the TV sound no end and is better than a Bose Soundlink for music (again, obviously).

Got me thinking that maybe in that secondary TV room I just stick with the SBX or get something a bit better (such as the Muso) on the basis that if I want a "proper" cinema experience I could use the front room and if I wanted "proper" tunes I'd just crank up the audio system which is effectively in the same room.

Maybe I'll try living with the SBX for the secondary TV to start with and see how I go.

Edited by AC43 on Tuesday 6th February 16:35

[Cpt Stirling]

I bought one a couple of weeks ago, together with it's smaller sibling the Qb. The former in the kitchen and the latter in a sitting room. Can be used separately or as multi room. Easy to set up and use with Spotify. As one box speakers they work well but don't compete with a half decent separates system. I'm not keen on cables and bits here and there so suits my needs. It may be me but I prefer the sound out of the Qb, or it could be positioning; although I'm not that enthusiastic to be overly bothered. I'd describe it as balanced. So summary; good but not blow your mind good. Look good though.

[Alucidnation]

As pointed out, they are a brilliant one box solution, however, careful setting up is required.

Once you have done that, it is astonishing at what it can do.

I have a Muso as a sound bar in the lounge, and a Qb in the kitchen/diner.

See if you can get a home demo, or pick one up from JL online as their returns policy is good.

[AC43]

Cpt Stirling said:

I bought one a couple of weeks ago, together with it's smaller sibling the Qb. The former in the kitchen and the latter in a sitting room. Can be used separately or as multi room. Easy to set up and use with Spotify. As one box speakers they work well but don't compete with a half decent separates system. I'm not keen on cables and bits here and there so suits my needs. It may be me but I prefer the sound out of the Qb, or it could be positioning; although I'm not that enthusiastic to be overly bothered. I'd describe it as balanced. So summary; good but not blow your mind good. Look good though.

Thanks.

[AC43]

Alucidnation said:

As pointed out, they are a brilliant one box solution, however, careful setting up is required.

Once you have done that, it is astonishing at what it can do.

I have a Muso as a sound bar in the lounge, and a Qb in the kitchen/diner.

See if you can get a home demo, or pick one up from JL online as their returns policy is good.

Good points. The one I heard in a random demo in Richer Sounds Norwich sounded astonishing.

The one I listened to today in London sounded much less impressive (where was the bass?)

[Tony1963]

AC43 said:

The one I listened to today in London sounded much less impressive (where was the bass?)

The room decides the overall sound, so maybe think about how the two rooms were different.

[Cpt Stirling]

Exactly what I thought. I concluded it was very much track dependent. That's why I described it as balanced. Not too sure what 'careful set up required' a phase often associated with the Mu-so really means; there is minimal in app adjustment choices, Loudness and distance to wall being about it.

[hyphen]

Alternatively

With the new Uniti Range out, you may be be able to pick up the older range cheap(er) and then add speakers to suit.

As you can control it by app, it doesn't necessarily need to be on show.

[matjk]

I was an early adopter of the muso, beautiful looking thing but I had to return 2 in as many years , same problem each time , one of the racetrack drivers started to distort got it from JL so they where really good! I ended up getting a pair of Sonos Play 5’s as a straight swap . I really like the Sonos kit , got a second hand £150 play3 for the bedroom and some play1 for the garden/kitchen and the sub for the living room ! For a single box solution the naim is great but I think the play5’s as a stereo pair sound better

[AC43]

Tony1963 said:

AC43 said:

The one I listened to today in London sounded much less impressive (where was the bass?)

The room decides the overall sound, so maybe think about how the two rooms were different.

I had this with my Panasonic sound bar in the last place. Initially it was in a "normal" room and I thought it sounded great. Then I knocked through to create a pretty vast open plan area and it sounded really weedy. I recently set it up in a relatively small space in the current rental and to my surprise it again sounds pretty good for both TV and music.

In terms of the Muso maybe it was affected by what it was sitting on. It was sitting on a solid shelf in RS Norwich but on a hollow sideboard in RS City.

I notice that Naim sell a dedicated steel and glass shelving unit for it - maybe it needs to be sitting on something solid to be able to produce proper bass.

[AC43]

matjk said:

I was an early adopter of the muso, beautiful looking thing but I had to return 2 in as many years , same problem each time , one of the racetrack drivers started to distort got it from JL so they where really good! I ended up getting a pair of Sonos Play 5’s as a straight swap . I really like the Sonos kit , got a second hand £150 play3 for the bedroom and some play1 for the garden/kitchen and the sub for the living room ! For a single box solution the naim is great but I think the play5’s as a stereo pair sound better

Thanks