Qute loudness function

Yes there is no loudness "feature" on the Nova and Atom. And yes this is a return to the norm in Naimland. Give yourself a chance to get used to your Nova without it. I think you'll be OK

Naim put loudness control on their low end products (muso and Qb) but even there, I prefer the sound of my Qb with the loudness off. It's not about Naim philosophy in my mind, it just sounds better to me with it off.

I expect you will come to like your Nova sound more as it burns in.

best

David

Unfortuantely, both QB and Muso have too much bass (even with "loudness" off and the "im sat next to a wall" setting which also reduces the bass output). It is too easy for both products to end up bass heavy.

Been asking for there to be a third, more conservative, bass setting since the launch of Muso. Hasnt got anywhere tho with the factory. 

Yes I agree Jon. When I was on holiday in France this summer I took my Qb and my Core with an Airport router (there was no broadband) to connect them to my iPhone for control purposes. I stood the Qb on a kitchen high stool a metre from the wall, so it was kind of free space and the bass sounded reasonable like that, especially after a few glasses of the local wine. As you say loudness off and "I'm close to a wall" on.

best

David

I guess if Naim are ignoring a press "heavyweight" such as Jon, with his requests, then little ol' me stands no chance!

I mainly listen to dance music - house, old skool, garage etc, where a little more oomph is nice at lower volumes. I suspect a lot of users on here have far more refined tastes than me, and find the existing output just fine.

Nonetheless, it was nice to have a choice before.

jon honeyball posted:

Unfortuantely, both QB and Muso have too much bass (even with "loudness" off and the "im sat next to a wall" setting which also reduces the bass output). It is too easy for both products to end up bass heavy.

Been asking for there to be a third, more conservative, bass setting since the launch of Muso. Hasnt got anywhere tho with the factory. 

I've heard Muso and can't understand how you consider it has too much bass! It has such piddling little speakers it really does not go down much in the bass at all, though for a small box it did impress me.

The loudness on plus the 'not next to a wall' setting is ideal for llstening to to low-fi/mush recordings

It doesn't have any proper bass obviously. But if you switch on loudness and say that it's not close to a wall, you get a sort of muddy dominant low range that probably passes for bass for people who have never heard proper bass.

Anyway I'm sure Naim have researched their market and for a few hundred pounds, what do you expect anyway. I think the Qb is great for the money, but it's a lot better if it's not pretending to be a big boy.

best

David

I use the Qb in my office with loudness off + next to a wall. May be the position I have it,  or the room characteristics,  contribute to a  bassy sound and also not in vain we have different ears and tastes.

'Loudness' control is an interesting matter, and one on which  I have posted various things in the past.

i think that there is a place for 'loudness' compensation for when it is necessary to listen at low levels, but it needs to be accurately keyed to sound level, not just a crude on-off boost. I believe the Naim for Bentley system does include loudness compensation, but I have no idea if it is sufficiently sophisticated to be accurate. 

Erich posted:

I use the Qb in my office with loudness off + next to a wall. May be the position I have it,  or the room characteristics,  contribute to a  bassy sound and also not in vain we have different ears and tastes.

It is of course a matter of what any individual perceives as bass - there have been posts that praise the bass response of speakers that quite simply are incapable of anything near equitable output in the bass part of the spectrum, yet with people claiming they do bass. My impression is that some people either simply do not like bass, or have never heard proper bass...

Are people expecting miracles, you get the Naim sound without paying thousands!

Erich posted:

I use the Qb in my office with loudness off + next to a wall. May be the position I have it,  or the room characteristics,  contribute to a  bassy sound and also not in vain we have different ears and tastes.

It is of course a matter of what any individual perceives as bass - there have been posts that praise the bass response of speakers that quite simply are incapable of anything near equitable output in the bass part of the spectrum, yet with people claiming they do bass. My impression is that some people either simply do not like bass, or have never heard proper bass...

Innocent Bystander posted:

It is of course a matter of what any individual perceives as bass - there have been posts that praise the bass response of speakers that quite simply are incapable of anything near equitable output in the bass part of the spectrum, yet with people claiming they do bass. My impression is that some people either simply do not like bass, or have never heard proper bass...

Yeah, clearly I have no idea. I have 6 pack DBLs after all... 

Jeez...

Innocent Bystander posted:

Erich posted:

I use the Qb in my office with loudness off + next to a wall. May be the position I have it,  or the room characteristics,  contribute to a  bassy sound and also not in vain we have different ears and tastes.

It is of course a matter of what any individual perceives as bass - there have been posts that praise the bass response of speakers that quite simply are incapable of anything near equitable output in the bass part of the spectrum, yet with people claiming they do bass. My impression is that some people either simply do not like bass, or have never heard proper bass...

Obviously their are harmonics of, say, bass guitar notes up the frequency spectrum and indeed these higher frequencies are key to getting the leading edge shape that gives the punch in kick drums etc

JedT posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

Erich posted:

I use the Qb in my office with loudness off + next to a wall. May be the position I have it,  or the room characteristics,  contribute to a  bassy sound and also not in vain we have different ears and tastes.

It is of course a matter of what any individual perceives as bass - there have been posts that praise the bass response of speakers that quite simply are incapable of anything near equitable output in the bass part of the spectrum, yet with people claiming they do bass. My impression is that some people either simply do not like bass, or have never heard proper bass...

Obviously their are harmonics of, say, bass guitar notes up the frequency spectrum and indeed these higher frequencies are key to getting the leading edge shape that gives the punch in kick drums etc

Indeed, and that is what prople seem to consider to be bass when claiming that various micro speakers do do bass, and maybe indeed the Muso/Qube  emphasise this area - but it is scarcely bass in my book