Focal & Naim

This app is hands down the most terrible I’ve ever had to use. I’ve had numerous connectivity problems when trying to configure my MuSo Qb2 in the past but today’s experience beat them all. I had to connect the MuSo to a new wifi network so had to reconfigure using the app. Whatever I tried, the app on my iPad could not find the MuSo. Eventually the app on my iPhone did. Once reconfigured i.e. connected to the new wifi, neither the app on my iPhone nor iPad could find the MuSo. I rebooted both devices. I reinstalled the app on both devices. Eventually, my iPad showed my MuSo. But when I clicked it to start configuring radio stations, the configuration screen briefly shows but then the network configuration immediately took over. And keeps doing so. No way to get to the MuSo’s actual app. My iPhone app still didn’t find the MuSo. I powered the MuSo off/on and eventually the app did see the MuSo. But when selecting it to configure radio stations, the same thing happens as with the iPad app: the wifi configuration immediately takes over. And so here I am, with an expensive hi-tech audio device that can only play stations that Naïm selected for me because the app doesn’t allow me to change those settings.

App works fine for the most part, although it is a little slow to load into each setting.The biggest issues is that any settings you have saved on the app do not work unless you’re using Bluetooth. So if you want to use the Focal Bathys while in DAC mode or with the 3.5mm cable, your EQ profile does not work and more importantly, the LED lights will be in the brightest setting and cannot be turned off. So if you’re on a plane or dimly lit environment, you will annoy everyone around you. Focal states the settings are stored on the headphones, but they do not specify that this is only in Bluetooth mode.Another issue is while using Bluetooth, if you have auto standby on (a good feature to save some battery) the headphones, while playing audio, will randomly go into standby mode and then immediately switch back. This wouldn’t usually be much of an issue, however, this seems to cause the headphones to “forget” your settings and revert to the default settings (Noise cancelling on high, EQ off, LEDs on high) and the app will NOT reflect this change. I obliviously went almost 2 hours on a late night flight without realizing, and when it’s dark, those LEDs will come off very bright.Aside from these issues, and pretty big oversights in my opinion, the app works relatively well and I’ve had no issues automatically connecting to my headphones. Focal please release an update to fix these issues, it can make traveling quite inconvenient (especially when you want to take a nap…)

I ordered a Naim because of the brand’s reputation. Like other reviewers have stated, it simply will not connect to the internet. I have tried using the program to set it up on an iPhone 12 Max, a Samsung 20 Ultra, an iMac Pro and and a new MacBook Pro. The program will go so far, and finally says “Unexpected Error”. I even have 2 networks and have tried it with both. Same thing. I get so far on the app and then nothing. My WiFi is Google Fiber and is extremely fast, so pretty sure it’s not the WiFi. I have now spent almost a day on it. I am so frustrated that I am returning it for a refund. A simple WiFi connection has to be this convoluted? I have never in 30 years had this issue with any other program or product. How tough can this be? A lot of other companies have this down to a science. The WiFi is fine. It worked flawlessly on the Devialet unit it was replacing and every thing else that is connected it it, except the Naim. I am on Goodge Fiber and Orbit WiFi 6, which is backwards compatible to 2.4. The same errors are received on a PC laptop and Apple laptop. You will find several examples of the same issues with a Google search.