Mu-so Gen 2

Naim’s Mu-so has established itself firmly as the standalone wireless speaker to beat. It has the style, it introduced the best knob in hi-fi, and it has so many ways to play — Naim’s own app including UPnP network streaming via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, also Apple’s AirPlay 2, Google’s Chromecast, and Bluetooth (SBC and AAC, no aptX), so providing multiple access to all the main music services, including Spotify, Tidal and internet radio. Roon users will find it Roon ready (three ways, in fact), and via Roon, USB or UPnP, the Mu-so can play high-res audio files up to 24bit/384kHz and DSD128, though for the higher of such formats, you’d be wise to give it a wired Ethernet network connection rather than Wi-Fi.

You can plug in additional sources as well — there is one minijack analogue input, one optical input and, new to the 2nd Generation, an HDMI socket which can receive sound from your TV via the Audio Return Channel if plugged into an ARC-equipped HDMI input of your TV. That gives the new Mu-so the potential to be used as a soundbar

As for sound, the Mu-so’s relaxed confidence is obvious from the first tunes. How realistic the glass smash in the intro of Blur’s Parklife; how punchy its bass. How smooth Coltrane’s My Favourite Things on a sunny afternoon. A massive rolling bass accompanies Beyonce’s Daddy Lessons, yea, even unto the bottom F. It’s pricey, of course, but it’s a quality unit.