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
Hello everyone, I am very new to B&O products. I want to buy a pair of beolab 9 for front and beolab 3 for rear a center speaker from another brand in order to set up a home cinema. The problem is I am not sure what is the best and efficient way to connect these speakers to a Non B&O dvd, blue ray, cd player, non B&O TV and a game console (PlayStation3 for example). From research through internet, I have found i need to have an' processor' and powerlink adapter. With the help of the'processor' ,I can connect between my speakers and other sources (such as TV media players). and the 'processor can also help to do surround sound. Is it how it works?
Through research, I have found there are 2 types of surround sound processor, one is with power Amplifier the other is without. As B&O speakers are active, is this mean i just need the basic surround sound processor without power Amplifier build in? Or, i need to buy a big processor with massive power Amplifier to match B&O speakers? Does anyone have any suggestion about any suitable surround sound processor can provide best sound and visual quality? something like something like a NAD M15 without power Amplifier can do the job perfectly?
details of nad m15:
http://nadelectronics.com/products/home-theatre-amplifiers/M15-HD2-AV-Surround-Sound-Preamplifier#heading-downloads
You say you want to connect a games console to the B&W unit ... except it appears to have no audio / video inputs !
The picture of the rear of the unit does not offer enough clarity to decipher how they intend to attach the optional accessory of the iPod connector.
Also the audio outputs for the speakers seem to be oriented to passive speakers:
Multichannel Power (one channel driven) 65 Watts per channel, 20Hz - 20 kHz @
BeoNut since '75
Thanks for your reply, Afer a bit research. I think I just need a surround sound processor to connect between my speakers and all other sources(such as TV dvd player, ipod..), is this correct? Also, from my understanding, as B&O speakers have their own Amplifier built in, so I do not need a processor with build in power Amplifier, right? something like a NAD M15 can do the job perfectly? Unsurprisingly, most surround sound processors and look similar and quite ugly. I know it is hard to suggest a good looking one, however, can you suggest a few good quality brands with reasonable prices?
Hi Mivsbai,
Yes, the NAD M15 is an ideal pre-amplifier/receiver for connecting Beolab speakers, as it has audio pre-out sockets fitted for direct connection of Beolab 9 and 3 speakers. I keep these cables in stock if you need them, so please click on my link at the foot of this page if you need any further help.
Basically, the M15 will take in all of your audio and video inputs (eg. games consoles, satellite receivers, CD players, etc) and then provide an HDMI output to your TV, plus control of the speakers.
I would normally suggest looking at the Denon AVR-4311, Yamaha RX-V667 or RX-V1067 or Onkyo TX-NR808 AV processors/receivers, all of which have audio pre-out sockets for easy connection of Beolab speakers for a Dolby surround sound setup. However, as the manufacturers seem to change their model numbers every few weeks, the best option is to ask your local TV store for an AV receiver with audio pre-out sockets on all channels.
If you need any help with cabling, please feel free to ask!
Kind regards, Steve.
Steve.
www.soundsheavenly.com
Founder of Sounds Heavenly Cables and Brand Ambassador for Bang & Olufsen
Sounds Heavenly are proud to sponsor BeoWorld!
Please check out my YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/soundsheavenlycables
thanks steve, your comments are very detailed and helpful. Can the Denon or Yamaha av receiver's produce quality sound? I have looked a few processors, the price range difference is huge, from 100 pound to 1000. Do they have that much difference in term of sound quality? Thx
Hi Steve, one more question is how can i adjust volume? from the av receiver? Does the B&O speakers have volume control?
The quality of most branded AV receivers is very good - the usual difference when you go up to the more expensive models is that the number of features increases. As you will be wanting to connect Beolab speakers, you will ideally need to choose one with audio pre-out sockets fitted on all of the 7.1 audio channels, which means that you will be usually looking at the top-half of the range from most manufacturers to get this feature. Expect to pay from £500 GBP upwards at current UK prices.
As Beolab speakers don't have their own volume control (except Beolab 5), you would be using the volume control in the AV receiver to control the speakers. This means that you will use the receiver remote control (and not your B&O remote) to control the speakers.
Thanks for your kindly reply again. It's very helpful. As i am very new to this home cinema system set up, I still have a few questions would like to ask.
1, As you have explained, I need a av receiver with audio pre-out socket to connect with B&O speakers. Most of receivers you have recommended already have surround sound or even 3d functions build in, do Ialso need a bluray/dvd player with surround sound and 3d function to match the receiver? Or the receiver has already done all the hard job, I can just go for a simple bluray/dvd player? Do you have any suggestion about any good media player can play all bluray/dvd/cd also with ipod/iphone connectivity?
2, I saw many branded bluray player such as denon, harman kardon have sockets to connect with speakers. As B&O speakers are active, can I just connect B&O speakers directly to those players? I have noticed some of the players have built in amp in order to connect to passive speakers. I guess these media players with amp won't work with B&O speakers, but how about the ones without build in amp? Does the denon bluray player below can handle surround sound and work with B&O speakers directly? Denon player link:
http://www.denon.co.uk/UK/Product/Pages/Product-Detail.aspx?Catid=HomeTheatre&SubId=BlurayUniversalPlayer&ProductId=DBP2012UD
please suggest me If you know any other media player can be connect to B&O speakers directly. Is it possible to use the media player 'act' as a processor to connect to playstaion 3 through HDMI? It would save lots of money if such a thing exists.
Just one more question, Are all the receiver systems you have recommend intergrated amp? I am not sure about how the pre out function works? Is it the pre out function bypassing receiver's own power amp and send signals direct to B&O spkeaker? Why can't I just use purely preamp? Will purely preamp works better for B&O speakers?
mivsbai: Thanks for your kindly reply again. It's very helpful. As i am very new to this home cinema system set up, I still have a few questions would like to ask. 1, As you have explained, I need a av receiver with audio pre-out socket to connect with B&O speakers. Most of receivers you have recommended already have surround sound or even 3d functions build in, do Ialso need a bluray/dvd player with surround sound and 3d function to match the receiver? Or the receiver has already done all the hard job, I can just go for a simple bluray/dvd player? Do you have any suggestion about any good media player can play all bluray/dvd/cd also with ipod/iphone connectivity? 2, I saw many branded bluray player such as denon, harman kardon have sockets to connect with speakers. As B&O speakers are active, can I just connect B&O speakers directly to those players? I have noticed some of the players have built in amp in order to connect to passive speakers. I guess these media players with amp won't work with B&O speakers, but how about the ones without build in amp? Does the denon bluray player below can handle surround sound and work with B&O speakers directly? Denon player link: http://www.denon.co.uk/UK/Product/Pages/Product-Detail.aspx?Catid=HomeTheatre&SubId=BlurayUniversalPlayer&ProductId=DBP2012UD please suggest me If you know any other media player can be connect to B&O speakers directly. Is it possible to use the media player 'act' as a processor to connect to playstaion 3 through HDMI? It would save lots of money if such a thing exists.
Greetings
Some points that may assist...
In the B&O world, one gains an exceptionally capable and yet elegant solution to atypical AV separates clutter, by having a B&O TV as the centrepiece of the AV system, and that additionally plays the role of several other pieces of equipment in an aytpical 'generic' AV separates setup.
The excellent V1 is a case in point; it's not just a TV, i.e. a display panel and HD TV tuner, but also incorporates a state of the art surround sound processor, fully active speakers that can do double duty as the centre channel speaker in an surround sound role, and acts as the pre-amp when used with active B&O speakers connected to it.
If one is not using a B&O TV with those additional features onboard, then one will need for an AV role, either a dedicated surround sound processor, such as the Rotel, or the NAD you've mentioned, OR one of the mainstream AV receivers with surround sound processing on-board.
A dedicated surround sound processor will have inputs to which you connect your sources, and outputs to connect to your B&O speakers with the addition of suitable adaptor cables.
And AV receiver will have an onboard surround sound processor, usually up to 7 individual power amplifiers to drive passive loudspeakers, and an FM radio tuner. As you will be running active B&O speakers, you will need an AV receiver with pre-out facilities as Steve has mentioned.
This will allow you to use the AV receiver as a dedicated processor. In this scenario though, the 5 or 7 amplifiers will remain quiescent, and thus consuming some little amount of power, and of course giving off some heat which may be a consideration if you're considering placing it in a cabinet.
The advantage of the AV receiver route, is that the surround sound processing will be state of the art, and because of the volume of scale re manufacturing, will likely be a cheaper option to purchase in the initial instance compared to a dedicated surround sound processor.
With respect to the Bluray question - all current mainstream AV receivers will have full Dolby digital True HD and DTS HD Master audio decoding etc on board.
However, if one has an slightly older AV receiver, which may thus not have these latest audio codecs on board, this can be dealt with by purchasing a mid range Bluray player that will likely have the facility to decode these latest audio codecs on board, and output them either over HDMI or by a set of 7.1 channel analogue outputs. That way, one can utilise an older AV receiver, and 'update' it by purchasing a current Bluray player with all the latest audio and video codecs onboard.
However, the audio outputs will likely be fixed, not variable and thus of little use to you re making a direct connection between one of them and a set of B&O active speakers.
There may be Bluray players out there with variable audio outputs, but I am not aware of them - nor am I aware of any with full surround sound processing onboard to use in the manner you have described - some internet research will be needed.
On the other hand, if your TV is getting on a bit - the V1 represents superb value, is highly competitive with mainstream products on price, and would answer most of your technical needs whilst providing superior picture and sound, and of course the inimitable B&O elegance and style.
What you choose will be up to your budget and individual preferences, but I hope this is of some help in answering your questions.
Kind Regards
John...
Thanks for your very detailed and helpful comments. The V1 is good, and it is even more useful with the surround sound handling function build in. But the only problem is the V1 is a bit small for my living room. However, the V1 might be a good choice for my bedroom. I have been to a B&O dealer last weekend and saw the V1. The sound quality is superb.
From your explanation, I guess it is better to have a updated AV receiver with surround sound connecting to B&O speakers. And I can just buy a simple bluray player connect to the av receiver through HDMI. In this set up, the sound and video quality would be good enough. Am I right?
However, through research, I have found some of upscale bluray players have features such as: HD Surround Sound from Dolby® TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio™ Essentia. Does this mean the bluray player can process surround sound if they have these features? Then will bluray players with such features conflict to the surround sound function in AV receiver? Or, I got it all wrong, such bluray players just compatible to Dolby® TrueHD and so on, not actually decoding surround sound. Example of bluray player with such feature:
http://www.uk.onkyo.com/en/products/bd-sp809-57924.html
Many thanks,
Bai
You might want to take a look at the Loewe Mediavision 3D. It has the volume-controlled audio pre-out sockets, but you need an extra adapter cable connected to the audiolink . With a Steve’s cables you can connect these to your Beolabs.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/36715224/Loewe%20Individual%20TV%20with%20B%26O%20Speakers.pdf
This link is to connect Beolabs to a Loewe tv, that would also be a solution for you. But it’s also the same connector for this BR-player.
Hi DoubleU,
I've just developed an upgraded version of the Loewe Audiolink Breakout cable to allow Beolab speakers to be used with any Loewe TV that has the AC3 Dolby Digital module fitted. This means that you won't need to do any soldering! I don't have it listed on the website yet, but they will be available from Monday 11th June if they are of interest.
I'm on a similar boat!
I might have a pair of Beolab 9 coming in, and I want to use them as my front speakers, and connect to a pair of Bigpod speakers as surround. I've been told by the B&O store that I cannot do this, but others tell me I can, by getting something like a Onkyo TX-NR808, or in this post, Nad M15?
Can this be done without issues? Will I still need to get a center speaker and subwoofer? Or a pair of Beolab 9 in the front are sufficient?
Hi williamhotelie,
Please tell your B&O store that they need to get in touch with me! The superb Beolab 9 speakers can be used with ANY amplifier or receiver, as long as you have the right cables and converters. Your Onkyo or NAD receivers are ideal for Beolab speakers, as they both have pre-out sockets fitted so that they can be directly connected with these cables:-
http://soundsheavenly.com/powerlink-8-pin-din-connection/105-av-processor-pre-amp-sonos-to-beolab-using-powerlink-din-sockets.html (standard cables, for the best value)
http://soundsheavenly.com/powerlink-8-pin-din-connection/62--rca-7pd-super-.html (high-end cables, for the best performance)
Please set both speakers to "Line" mode using the small switch next to the input sockets. If you choose the “standard” cables, then you need one cable for a pair of speakers, if you choose the “high end” cables, you need two cables (one cable for each speaker).
A centre speaker is a very good idea for movies, as up to 40% of a typical 5.1 channel movies soundtrack is dialogue which is carried by the centre channel. If you can get a single Beolab 3 speaker, this would be a superb centre channel speaker alongside the Beolab 9 front speakers.
Beolab 9 have a deep and powerful bass, but adding a subwoofer depends on your preference and room size. Beolab 2 is good for movies, or REL make some superb subs which work really well with B&O speakers.
I'm not sure how your Pod speakers will perform alongside the Beolabs, you can certainly connect them but they may have quite a different tone. I will be interested to hear how you get on with these speakers.
Hallo mivsbaiYouTube - Click.
AV-advance Stereo phono og trigger kabel to B&O PowerLink - Click. Excuse the language is Danish/ Peter Pan