ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
I saw the updated BeoLab 20 today, instead of a green light in the treble speaker it now features a BANG&OLUFSEN logo that is illuminated. Looks quite nice actually.
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Interesting, would love to see that in the flesh. I still can't get over the "neckline" of the speakers, and their "skirt" which matches the neckline.
I need to get with the times and welcome change -- especially because I really like the green / red placement of their offerings, especially in the Beolab 12 acoustic lens, and the hairline under the lens of the BL18s.
Sal... get with the program!
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I´m also a bit confused about the design. The upper part is better than BL9 (which I have a pair of). I would be happy to modify my BL9´s because the green/red light can be a little distracting. I prefer having lights out of the way so it won't distract from the movie experience. One thing I don't like about my BL9´s is the bright annoying noise that can be heard from the treble and midrange speakers. Unfortunately I hear this on BL20 also. Strangely enough I don't hear this sound from the Avant 55´s built in speakers. At least not as noticable, very big difference.
Michael, can you elaborate on the noise you're hearing on your BL9 speakers? I'm contemplating a BL9 purchase (demo from a dealer) soon (yeah, the virus has bitten), but if this is a common issue with those speakers, I might have to reconsider.
I absolutely love the design (and sound) of the BL9, and having a pair would also negate the need for a sub.
Sal: Michael, can you elaborate on the noise you're hearing on your BL9 speakers? I'm contemplating a BL9 purchase (demo from a dealer) soon (yeah, the virus has bitten), but if this is a common issue with those speakers, I might have to reconsider. I absolutely love the design (and sound) of the BL9, and having a pair would also negate the need for a sub.
I think you can hear this sound from most active speakers since the amp is running on a fixed volume (I think so at least). But it is much less obvious from the Avant 55 internal speakers. I guess the lens makes it more obvious or it might be a cable issue, not really sure but it disturbs me. I hear the same kind of noise from my rear BL8000´s also (I have another pair of BL8000 that I have written about that makes -much- more noise but that is something else).I should add that my hearing is very good and I hear most annoying sounds everywhere :D. And the BL9 sounds really good when in use, but when it is silent, then I get annoyed by the slight noise.
Michael: I saw the updated BeoLab 20 today, instead of a green light in the treble speaker it now features a BANG&OLUFSEN logo that is illuminated. Looks quite nice actually.
To be illuminated does it mean this part is now plastic with a lazer etched silver finish for the B&O logo ?
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Simonbeo: To be illuminated does it mean this part is now plastic with a lazer etched silver finish for the B&O logo ?
..or B&O could have used what Apple have done with their laptop power indicators: Aluminum perforation to allow light to penetrate through metal.
Simonbeo:To be illuminated does it mean this part is now plastic with a lazer etched silver finish for the B&O logo ?
Powerful laser technology, precision milling and a specially developed composite make the Bang & Olufsen logo shine through the aluminium.
The logo glows pleasantly at night when BeoLab 20 is turned on and stands proud as always when the product is turned off, ensuring that this beacon of quality is always visible.
I would believe it is the same technology Apple has used/use on their computers to show sleep/power/camera light through aluminium.
On paper (never seen it in the flesh), I see it as more distracting when using BL20's in a cinema setup than the old red/green circle...
diisign.com
They describe how it's done on their website.
mbee: On paper (never seen it in the flesh), I see it as more distracting when using BL20's in a cinema setup than the old red/green circle...
I would prefer having the light at the bottom, as on BL8000 etc. Out of the way. It would be best if the light could be turned off completely.
Michael:I saw the updated BeoLab 20 today, instead of a green light in the treble speaker it now features a BANG&OLUFSEN logo that is illuminated. Looks quite nice actually.
How was it before, any picture of that?
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I kind of have mixed emotions about some of the new speakers. I don't find them as attractive as the ones they replaced, nor as expensively constructed, but they offer improved audio performance. I suppose they're still far more attractive than another square wooden box.
Jeff
I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus.
Razlaw:Thanks for posting this. Have been considering a pair of 20s. Would definitely want the new version.
*bump*
I have an offer of an "old" BL20 - what is the main difference(s) in an audio/quality sense between the Mark I and the Mark II ?
TIA!
BeoNut since '75
elephant: I have an offer of an "old" BL20 - what is the main difference(s) in an audio/quality sense between the Mark I and the Mark II ?
None.
Cheers
-g
Geoff, by the way, is there also no sound quality difference between the initial and the new slightly redesigned H6?
(referring to http://archivedforum2.beoworld.org/forums/t/17958.aspx)
Thanks :-)
Geoff Martin: elephant: I have an offer of an "old" BL20 - what is the main difference(s) in an audio/quality sense between the Mark I and the Mark II ? None. Cheers -g
Thanks Geoff ... they are on their way for he middle of March
elephant:Thanks Geoff ... they are on their way for he middle of March
Congratulations! Please post pictures.
Sal: elephant:Thanks Geoff ... they are on their way for he middle of March Congratulations! Please post pictures.
Well Sal, in preparation of their arrival I have taken a "before" picture (see below) of my fortress of solitude
Over the years this corner has seen B&O systems and speakers arrive and then retire to other parts of the house, or the "museum" out the back.
The first new arrivals in the house were a Beomaster 5000 and Beocord 5000 and a pair of S55s in 1985 - and they were later joined by aBeogram CD50 - and then later by an MCL and a pair of CX100s.
The S55s sat in this corner until around 1997 when a loan pair of RL 60s arrived and stayed with us for five years while their owner was overseas.
Then in the mid 2000s the Bl 6000s you see arrived, and then some time later the BeoSound 4.
The BeoLab 11 arrived around 2010 but only moved into this position (augmenting the BL 6000s in a daisy chain) when its role as the BVs sub-woofer was taken over by the BL19 in 2015.
And as you now most recently the Essence arrived also arrived in the corner - the BL11 daisy chain connected to it and not the BeoSound 4.
Today's preparation was to lay the power cables and the modern era PL cables ready for the arrival of the ex-demo BeoLab 20s tomorrow.
elephant:
at least in my pc browser
Carolpa: typically a picture from Down under
typically a picture from Down under
Apologies
Carolpa: at least in my pc browser
Not you at all
I had forgotten about the browser upload issue
They have landed ... what are they ?
Baby Daleks ?
Escaped Quatermass experiments ?
I must admit I was expecting the ex-demo to arrive in a box ... not as escapees from the e-bay of Alcatraz !
Unpacking, unpacking !
CB: Unpacking, unpacking !
It would have been like a scene from "The Curse of the Mummy" where I ended up with more bubble wrap and tape around me that the speakers at the end of the process.
Now I need to find an Allen key
elephant: They have landed ... what are they ? Baby Daleks ? Escaped Quatermass experiments ? I must admit I was expecting the ex-demo to arrive in a box ... not as escapees from the e-bay of Alcatraz !
They're nuns in habits
Im sorry to see that there was no packaging considering they were demos
I have plenty of allen keys if you want; and or the special "key" they use for the BL18 if itst he same
Up and running
In the listening zone
Unlike Michael I shall spare you my big toe
Instead you get "knees up Mother Brown" from me ....
Very pleased (hence the minature rainbows on the wall ) with the audio results - some music sounds "harsh" others sound simply wonderful ... and on some recordings I am hearing parts and notes and tones I have never heard before !
I did try to set up an A/B test between the 6000s but I think I need to disable the A.OPT of the Essence to be able to flip flop between the Bl6000s attached to the BS4 and the BL20s attached to the Essence .... that will now have to wait until the weekend ...
Thanks MIchael for the key offer !
I only went as far as the miniature tool box in the kitchen draw ... I will go further afield (garden shed) on the weekend.
Unless you think its a special B&O only key
Congrats Elephant for your purchase. Beolab 20 are a dream for a lot of us.
Aussie Michael: I have plenty of allen keys if you want; and or the special "key" they use for the BL18 if itst he same
What is the special key for the BL18 Michael? I don't have one of those!!
Nice one elephant. There must be a huge difference between the BL20s and 6000s.
Enjoy!!
I am very, very curious of your experience with the BL20 compared to the BL6000+BL11, Elephant.
I'm currently running the same BL6000 (non-ICE) with BL11 and am in the process of deciding if I'll replace it with the BL20's or not. Yesterday I listened to the BL20's again at the dealer and compared it to a set of BL6000's which he also had in the shop.
I felt his BL6000's (with ICE) didn't sound nearly as good as my BL6000's with BL11. But I'm not sure if that is, because the BL20's sounded so much better and it was a direct comparison.
My own BL6000's + BL11 sound perfectly fine, but voices and other mid-range sounds seem kind of 'muffled'. Like the artist is singing with a handkerchief in front of his mouth.
The BL20's on the other hand sounded kind of sharp to me. Really open, wide open, but sharp.
I haven't decided on a clear winner yet. Or, better: I'm not sure the BL20 is worthy of spending another € 9k... I'm not sure it's THAT much better.
So: please, let us know your opinions in your own home!
I haven't run into too many people who remember Quartermass and the Pit. Those look similar to how my demo BL9s arrived except mine were wrapped in carpet!
Jeff, Duels and BeoGreg ...
Thanks guys :) I am really looking forward to the weekend
jjcox: I am very, very curious of your experience with the BL20 compared to the BL6000+BL11, Elephant. I'm currently running the same BL6000 (non-ICE) with BL11 and am in the process of deciding if I'll replace it with the BL20's or not. Yesterday I listened to the BL20's again at the dealer and compared it to a set of BL6000's which he also had in the shop. I felt his BL6000's (with ICE) didn't sound nearly as good as my BL6000's with BL11. But I'm not sure if that is, because the BL20's sounded so much better and it was a direct comparison. My own BL6000's + BL11 sound perfectly fine, but voices and other mid-range sounds seem kind of 'muffled'. Like the artist is singing with a handkerchief in front of his mouth. The BL20's on the other hand sounded kind of sharp to me. Really open, wide open, but sharp. I haven't decided on a clear winner yet. Or, better: I'm not sure the BL20 is worthy of spending another € 9k... I'm not sure it's THAT much better. So: please, let us know your opinions in your own home!
JJ - I think I know what you mean by "sharp" - its what my wife called harsh.
She still loves the 6000s ... maybe because she bought them as a present
Hence the need for an A/B test
So I will get that working on the weekend and report back the results of several ears to you !
Elephant, As a fellow owner of the 20 I'd love to hear on your thoughts further. The only A/B test I can perform compares them to the BL9 and I have to say I prefer the 20 to the 9 for strict music listening (which is my current setup paired with an Essence).
Sound is such a personal thing, one person's harsh is another person's heaven. Although I do enjoy my BL9 I find the 20 to be more engrossing for the kind of music I generally listen to -- Maybe because they're a bit more bass heavy than the BL9. But I don't find the heaviness to be overpowering because I find the bass to be very tight. I can also see why the 20 may sound "sharp." Whereas I have previously described the mids of the 9 to be more round and fluid, the 20 seem technical, again, I find I hear even more detail in the mids and highs of the 20 than the 9. The pair of 9 are connected as L and R to the BV11, and do a smashing all round job.
Using multiroom, though, listening to music on both the 9 and 20 is something else altogether. Especially since the floorplan is open, so both sets of speakers are in line of sight of each other, the entire space is just bathed in glorious sound.
Finally, do you have your 20 (or any other B&O equipment) connected to a power strip / surge protector / power conditioner? (I'm curious how you are going to have your set up -- and how other folks have their equipment connected to power). The reason I'm asking is because recently my pair when playing music would make an ungodly loud electronic / glitchy crackle and flash yellow (error), forcing me to unplug the entire system. After working closely with my dealer we traced the issue to the surge protector I was using leaking noise into the entire system. I currently have then plugged into the wall outlets.
Duels: Aussie Michael: I have plenty of allen keys if you want; and or the special "key" they use for the BL18 if itst he same What is the special key for the BL18 Michael? I don't have one of those!!
I can't upload it grrrr lol
Sal,
Interesting comments re 9 vs. 20. I would have expected your comments about the bass, as the 20 uses a different approach, dual voice coils and such, that would allow a fair amount of difference in how the bass alignment was implemented.
The brighter, that's more of a voicing decision, there are different ways and approaches to this and whether you like them or not depends on both hearing and personal preference, there's no "right" or "wrong" way per se. Back in the day, there were notable differences in sounds, referred to by the location of the maker usually. West Coast Sound for things like JBL out of California, New England sound out of companies like AR, British sound, and even German sound from the likes of Braun-a/d/s. The British and New England sounds were more "polite" and somewhat rolled off, the German sound was a bit more clinical and brighter, emphasizing detail. Oddly enough a UK company, B&W, now seems to be one of the major proponents of that kind of detail oriented sound.
When I got to hear the 20s at the nearest/only dealer in my state, they were out on the floor and I really couldn't tell anything about them, but while the increase in bass would be nice I think I prefer the more polite and laid back voicing of the 9s. To my ear, this makes them much more listenable for long periods of time, with more bright speakers I tend to get listener fatigue. What you like also often depends on your listening habits, more audiophile like in that you tend to listen for shorter periods of time very intently listening for higher levels of detail, or if you prefer to listen for very long periods of time somewhat more relaxed, at least in what I've observed in audio oriented friends and such over the years.
I've always tended to prefer a polite voicing, preferring UK sound to say German sound. Back then there were obvious schools of thought that were fairly rigidly adhered to by companies depending on where they hailed from, today it seems to be less associated with market/location of the maker. As I say, no right or wrong, at least as long as they voicing and response is within a certain window of acceptability, go too far off the rails and no one likes it except the designer!