Mu-so Utopia is Naim’s new flagship home audio system

Mu-so Utopia by Naim

(Image credit: Naim Audio)

Naim’s newest all-in-one system is the Mu-so Utopia, a new flagship wireless audio system from the Wiltshire-based manufacturer. Utopia upgrades the Mu-so line with more power than ever before, packing the latest amplification, streaming and immersive audio technologies into a slender table-top device that’s designed to fill an entire room.

The Mu-so Utopia has a total power output of 720 watts, with a total of 15 speaker drivers contained within its brushed anodised 1m-long rectagular aluminium casing (11.8cm high and 29.5cm deep). Fully Dolby Atmos compatible, the Utopia is aimed at those who want a comprehensive one-box solution, doing away with wiring tangles and the complexity of pairing and matching different components and speakers.

To achieve its room-filling sound, the company has developed its own Naim Pulse Platform, with speakers utilising technology from parent company Focal, and bespoke streaming and audio processing algorithms. The result is a broad and well-defined soundstage, one that goes far beyond the physical size of the unit. High-definition streaming is also on board, as is an adaptive set-up process that tailors the various audio reproduction systems to the room.

A full suite of connectivity to the key lossless music providers (Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify and more), as well as direct connection to streaming devices via AirPlay and Google Cast, etc., is all controlled via the Focal & Naim app for phones as well as Android Wear and Apple Watches.

There’s also a Multiroom function that enables the Mu-so Utopia to tap into a larger Focal and Naim ecosystem, should you already be a fan, and admirers of digital assistants will be pleased to know they can instruct Siri and Google Home via the device.

With the addition of Dolby Atmos, the Mu-so Utopia can also serve as the centrepiece for a home cinema system; HDMI eARC and Toslink optical connections enable it to be connected to a TV, console or other digital sources. Speaker placement has been considered to maximise the sense of spatial audio, with 7 located at the front, including the bass woofers, 2 on each side and 4 on top.

Audio Modes can be changed depending on the media (podcasts, movies, music, games, etc.), via a special set of ‘Sphere’ modes developed by Focal and Naim that uses the position of the speakers to reflect sound off surrounding walls and ceiling. The case is finished in deep black brushed anodised aluminium alloy, with a special red trim to demarcate the flagship device.

Mu-so Utopia by Naim Audio, €5,000 / £4,499 / $5,500, NaimAudio.com, @NaimAudio

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Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House, and co-edits the long-running things magazine weblog.