Muso in John lewis

The Muso Qb blurb hints at this but I can't find confirmation  either way.  The standard Muso is still described as needing a Naim streamer to operate in Multiroom mode.

Mattnbarns posted:

The Muso Qb blurb hints at this but I can't find confirmation  either way.  The standard Muso is still described as needing a Naim streamer to operate in Multiroom mode.

The press release says:

'Mu-so Qb can be used between five rooms in the home, creating a system
that is truly integrated and offers synchonised music in each room or
individual music in each room, all controlled by a dedicated Naim app for
iOS and Android. Mu-so Qb is also fully compatible with Naim streaming
products, including Naim Uniti Series.'

My understanding of that is that multiple Qbs can be used to create a multiroom system, without the need for an ND- or Uniti product as the 'master' from which they are 'slaved'. Maybe there's another Mu-so firmware update on the way to enable this before Qb goes on sale...

Sounds promising.  Any hint as to the streaming rate between them?

I have to agree with NIGELB's very clear piece on this. I've worked with JLP as a supplier for many years, as well as other general retailers, and it requires a quite different approach to working with specialists.

Firstly, the supplier has to merchandise the product. JLP will price it and stock it, but they do very little merchandising. The supplier should basically assume JLP will do nothing and the staff know nothing.

Secondly, the supplier has to train the store staff. Over and over again. Even JLP has staff turnover, and movement between departments, and the department manager won't let them go off and be trained for long anyway, so constant, in-person, on-the-floor repetition is the only way. There are agencies that can do that if you don't want to hire staff.

Thirdly, retail alone is never enough. As NIGELB's experience suggests, it's not just the customers who've heard of Sonos, it's the store staff too. They sell what's easy, what they know. If they have a customer who once uses the word 'Sonos' or 'Multi-room' they head straight for the Sonos section. It's not rocket science - you have to advertise. Naim has done some of that on the tube, but it's not a clear enough message. Which brings me to the last point.

They need a single value proposition and shove it down the channels' throats. One thing. For Naim, that has to be sound quality. If you want style buy B&O, multi-room buy Sonos, etc. But the best sound is from Naim. That means Naim absolutely 100% must, in every JLP, have an instant SQ demo that sounds brilliant and the staff can easily do. If Naim can't or won't invest in that, they have no offer and should stick to the specialist channels.

The QB is at a lower price point so there's an opportunity to get some volume - but not if they do it how they did the Muso. 

Happy to provide some consulting on this for Naim - my rates are even more reasonable: a day's work for a NAC272?

Mattnbarns posted:

Sounds promising.  Any hint as to the streaming rate between them?

I assume it'll be the same 320kbps as with the current multiroom capabilities.

Solid Air posted:

I have to agree with NIGELB's very clear piece on this. I've worked with JLP as a supplier for many years, as well as other general retailers, and it requires a quite different approach to working with specialists.

Firstly, the supplier has to merchandise the product. JLP will price it and stock it, but they do very little merchandising. The supplier should basically assume JLP will do nothing and the staff know nothing.

Secondly, the supplier has to train the store staff. Over and over again. Even JLP has staff turnover, and movement between departments, and the department manager won't let them go off and be trained for long anyway, so constant, in-person, on-the-floor repetition is the only way. There are agencies that can do that if you don't want to hire staff.

Thirdly, retail alone is never enough. As NIGELB's experience suggests, it's not just the customers who've heard of Sonos, it's the store staff too. They sell what's easy, what they know. If they have a customer who once uses the word 'Sonos' or 'Multi-room' they head straight for the Sonos section. It's not rocket science - you have to advertise. Naim has done some of that on the tube, but it's not a clear enough message. Which brings me to the last point.

They need a single value proposition and shove it down the channels' throats. One thing. For Naim, that has to be sound quality. If you want style buy B&O, multi-room buy Sonos, etc. But the best sound is from Naim. That means Naim absolutely 100% must, in every JLP, have an instant SQ demo that sounds brilliant and the staff can easily do. If Naim can't or won't invest in that, they have no offer and should stick to the specialist channels.

The QB is at a lower price point so there's an opportunity to get some volume - but not if they do it how they did the Muso. 

Happy to provide some consulting on this for Naim - my rates are even more reasonable: a day's work for a NAC272?

 

Do you fancy a joint proposal to Naim. You could train JL's staff to sell Mu-so/Mu-so Qb and I could check the implementation of that training via mystery shopping.

Only problem I can see is that it was suggested that I might be rewarded with a Statement but you seem happy with a 272 for a day's work. Maybe we could compromise and go for something from the 500 series!

What do you think?

My last on this. I may listen to a Qb in John Lewis but I will buy it from my local AudioT who are helpful, knowledgable and always give me some form of discount.

But existing Naim owners are only a tiny proportion of the market for Qb. They will not be stocked in JL to serve Naim owners.

If a non Naim owner gets a bad (or no) demo of a Qb in JL they won't think 'Oh I will go to Audio T instead' - most of them won't even know who the hell Audio T is. They will simply leave or buy a Sonos (or something else) instead. Naim have got to justify the relative high cost of their gear in stores like JL (or Richer Sounds for that matter) or they stand no chance. They will only sell to those who purposely go in to JL to buy a Qb which is pretty much all the sales that are getting now from JL for the Mu-so.

Simples.

Mattnbarns posted:

I believe a play5 will sound better fed with a full fat CD file size than a Muso playing 320kbps.  Source first and all that.   

I would disagree with that statement ... but the rest sounded reasonable!

Thanks for all your feed back, we are working with JL on new point of sale and on going training. We have a very good relationship with them and I am sure the quality of customer care is important to them as it is to Naim.

I've never seen a Mu-so in an Apple Store. Is it displayed in store or only online?

nigelb posted:

Solid Air posted:

I have to agree with NIGELB's very clear piece on this. I've worked with JLP as a supplier for many years, as well as other general retailers, and it requires a quite different approach to working with specialists.

Firstly, the supplier has to merchandise the product. JLP will price it and stock it, but they do very little merchandising. The supplier should basically assume JLP will do nothing and the staff know nothing.

Secondly, the supplier has to train the store staff. Over and over again. Even JLP has staff turnover, and movement between departments, and the department manager won't let them go off and be trained for long anyway, so constant, in-person, on-the-floor repetition is the only way. There are agencies that can do that if you don't want to hire staff.

Thirdly, retail alone is never enough. As NIGELB's experience suggests, it's not just the customers who've heard of Sonos, it's the store staff too. They sell what's easy, what they know. If they have a customer who once uses the word 'Sonos' or 'Multi-room' they head straight for the Sonos section. It's not rocket science - you have to advertise. Naim has done some of that on the tube, but it's not a clear enough message. Which brings me to the last point.

They need a single value proposition and shove it down the channels' throats. One thing. For Naim, that has to be sound quality. If you want style buy B&O, multi-room buy Sonos, etc. But the best sound is from Naim. That means Naim absolutely 100% must, in every JLP, have an instant SQ demo that sounds brilliant and the staff can easily do. If Naim can't or won't invest in that, they have no offer and should stick to the specialist channels.

The QB is at a lower price point so there's an opportunity to get some volume - but not if they do it how they did the Muso. 

Happy to provide some consulting on this for Naim - my rates are even more reasonable: a day's work for a NAC272?

 

Do you fancy a joint proposal to Naim. You could train JL's staff to sell Mu-so/Mu-so Qb and I could check the implementation of that training via mystery shopping.

Only problem I can see is that it was suggested that I might be rewarded with a Statement but you seem happy with a 272 for a day's work. Maybe we could compromise and go for something from the 500 series!

What do you think?

Paul Stevenson wrote: Thanks for all your feed back, we are working with JL on new point of sale and on going training. We have a very good relationship with them and I am sure the quality of customer care is important to them as it is Naim.

Solid Air - Looks like Naim aren't interested in our kind offer of help. Bang goes my 552DR!

Ho hum.

its the eye for detail that's needed! Stephenson with a ph not a v . just a small test

GregW posted:

I've never seen a Mu-so in an Apple Store. Is it displayed in store or only online?

I've never been in an Apple Retail Store, so would have no idea whether they're stocked instore. This is the link to the Mu-so on the AOS http://www.apple.com/uk/shop/a...audio-music?page=2#!

It did used to be listed under Mac > Accessories > Audio & Music, along with the like of the B&W A9/A7 and the B&O BeoPlay A9. It's been moved on the AOS now, so can be found under Music > Scroll to the bottom and "Shop Speakers". No sign of the aforementioned A5, A7 or A9 anymore. It now sits shoulder to shoulder with "Beats". 

You can of course just type "naim" into the search field too. 

I've done retail training for the Co-operative movement, Charity sector and also Motor industry. I'd be very happy to do freelance Muso training for Naim at a local level (Lincolnshire and surrounding counties). 

Paul Stephenson posted:

its the eye for detail that's needed! Stephenson with a ph not a v . just a small test

Are you saying if I got the spelling of your name correct, you would have taken me up on my offer?

Damn, you are a hard man.

I was wavering

Paul Stephenson posted:

I was wavering

While I have got you on, please can you ask someone to get the wretched Mu-so in JL at High Wycombe working properly so they can give a proper in-store demo and while they are there, possibly bin the Richer Sounds spec sheet.

Think of all those lost Mu-so sales!

I realise there must be far more pressing things to deal with but this did my head in when I visited.

Aw darn it. One spelling error and you've cost me a NAC272. 

Solid Air posted:

Aw darn it. One spelling error and you've cost me a NAC272. 

That's it, blame me why don't you. It was that flipping' spelling autocorrect that done it, honest gov.

Anyway it is that picky so and so Paul StePHenson who has blocked a perfectly good plan to boost sales of Mu-so and Mu-so Qb!

You keep mentioning a NAC272, we really should be setting our sights higher (552?).

What can I say - I'm cheap. And I'm not sure my NAP200 would really do justice to a 552. Now, if we could get a complete 500 system . . .

Paul Stephenson posted:

Thanks for all your feed back, we are working with JL on new point of sale and on going training. We have a very good relationship with them and I am sure the quality of customer care is important to them as it is to Naim.

Seriously Paul, that's good to hear. It's your mainstream portal to brand Naim and essential to set the right tone. 

G

Well, on a reare trip taking me to a place of significant populace, I found Manchester centre doesn't have a John Lewis, so I couldn't go and play... However I saw SuperFi had one, and had a look at it (first time I've seen in the flesh), and salesman wasn't slow in coming and telling me it was good, offering to demo - asking my taste in music.

Visually I was a bit taken aback by the white light and 'wobbly' grille, but it actually doesn't sound bad at all for its size. Sufficiently so that it is tempting to get as a player whatever room my other half would like to be able to listen to the radio, with the option of playing music from the server, sounding phenomenally better than the little 'tranny' in normal use - however it's a bit heavy to be considered portable, so would need to be static, and it's a tad expensive even at SuperFi's sale price - at half the price I wouldn't hesitate, but I'm not sure the cost would be appreciated...

I went to Richer Sounds to buy a Monitor Airstream S200 for the kitchen (better than a Play 1 in my opinion, and I'm not interested in multi-room) and came away with the Monitor - plus a Mu-so. It wasn't attractively displayed (being Richer Sounds) but on a whim I asked for a listen as I'd been enviously aware of the Naim brand for many years but had never owned one of their wonderful products. The staff were enthusiastic about the Mu-so and nothing was too much trouble when it came to plonking one in the demo room and going through its musical talents, even though it was the Saturday after New Year and the shop was mega-busy. After much umming and ah-ing on my part, the deal was sealed - for a tidy £800 (plus £200 for the Airstream)! A little retailer knowledge goes a long way...

Supernuts posted:

I went to Richer Sounds to buy a Monitor Airstream S200 for the kitchen (better than a Play 1 in my opinion, and I'm not interested in multi-room) and came away with the Monitor - plus a Mu-so. It wasn't attractively displayed (being Richer Sounds) but on a whim I asked for a listen as I'd been enviously aware of the Naim brand for many years but had never owned one of their wonderful products. The staff were enthusiastic about the Mu-so and nothing was too much trouble when it came to plonking one in the demo room and going through its musical talents, even though it was the Saturday after New Year and the shop was mega-busy. After much umming and ah-ing on my part, the deal was sealed - for a tidy £800 (plus £200 for the Airstream)! A little retailer knowledge goes a long way...

See what happens when there is a decent in-store demo of the Mu-so. Just need to get John Lewis stores to do likewise which is where I would imagine considerable sales potential for Mu-so and Muso Qb resides.

Paul - my offer is still open and my price has now dropped to a Mu-so. That's my final offer.