Our quick take

Naim Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation - 5.0 / 5

So what’s new for mark II?

  • Apple HomeKit for Siri and Google Home for Google Assistant control Grille colours: Black (included) / Peacock, Terracotta, Olive (£50ea) Naim’s Hi-Res multi-room streaming platform New DSP (digital signal processor) AirPlay 2, built-in Chromecast Remote control in the box New Command Dial New drivers

Design & Features

  • Connections: 3.5mm in, USB-A (2.0), optical S/PDIF (up to 96khz), Ethernet (to 100Mbps), Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac) Streaming: AirPlay 2, Chromecast, UPnPTM, Spotify Connect, Tidal, Roon Ready, Bluetooth, Internet Radio Dimensions: 210mm x 218 mm x 212mm / Weight: 5.6kgs AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal, Google Cast Anodised aluminium case

Sound Quality

  • New DSP (digital signal processor) capable of running at 2000 MIPS (instructions per second) 4x 50W, 1x 100W for 300Watts of power Up to 24-bit 384kHz native bit rates Multi-room functionality

To recap

Far classier than the glut of current smart speakers, more audio adept than the Sonos line-up, the second-gen Qb might have a silly name, but its silly-good sound quality sells it. The deft Command Dial control and heaps of connectivity options form the perfect melting pot between audiophile quality and ease-of-use for the modern generation. Only problem is it’s expensive.