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 Forum Members,
I have been looking through the forum lately for some information and have decided to join and post a discussion. Thank you to anyone who is willing to read along and provide their experience and opinion.
I am considering the purchase of a new wireless speaker. I like what I see about the A9 (except the price) though I have yet to hear one in person. I have tried to read all the reviews I can find and also have checked the video reviews on youtube.com. Honestly, I have not found enough serious reviews to satisfy my curiosity and concerns about the A9.
I am not a stranger to B&O and have bought and used their products before, but right now I only have my RX2 turntable still in use.
I have a large music collection of 16000 tracks mostly all are AAC Lossless files ripped from my CDs into iTunes on a Mac. I find that I don't utilize my music much now days at home because it's not convenient. I was thinking perhaps a nice wireless speaker system (A9 or JBL L16) and some type of easy to use media sever....something like the Beosound 5, maybe the Moment.
The problem (questions) for me right now are:
Is the A9 worth it? Is it reliable? MKII or MKI? The MKI has no bluetooth but what else is it missing?
Beosound 5 (used) or Moment....are these good options for making music convenient? They are really expensive.....so is there another brand that would allow me to access my music easily and not be so costly to buy?
I do not live anywhere near a B&O store these days, it is at least a 5 hour drive for me (one way) so it makes considering these devices very difficult.
Any and all advice or personal experience with the current B&O tech would be appreciated greatly.
Oh, and by the way.....isn't that Smoked Oak A9 MKII a stunner? I wonder if it sounds as good as it looks?
Thanks!
critter:Oh, and by the way.....isn't that Smoked Oak A9 MKII a stunner? I wonder if it sounds as good as it looks? Thanks!
critter:Any and all advice or personal experience with the current B&O tech would be appreciated greatly.
Shortly after the Moment was released I purchased a pair of Beolab 20 speakers and an Essense MkII. I went through a long process of pros / cons of the Moment, Essence MkII, even dated systems like Beosound 5, Beosound 9000 MkIII (with Beoport). My considerations were similar to yours. I have a rather large music collection, and I wanted easy access and control without too much fuss, and, at least for my purchase, cost was a consideration since the bulk of the outlay was the speakers.
At the time, the Moment had the hands on approach I wanted, and in a relatively attractive package, but it had bugs galore, and I wasn't satisfied with how slow it was -- too slow for my large music collection. I also enjoy picking what I listen to, so the MoodWheel wasn't important to me. At the time (I have to caveat the timeframe we're talking about), the Moment didn't seem fleshed out to me, so I considered....
The Essence, on the other hand afforded me with a cheaper alternative, no frills, using BeoMusic and Twonky (still without search), within a snappy interface. Twonky has the Artist Index functionality in BeoMusic which divides Artists up by ABC, DEF, etc and it is a quick, bare bones DLNA implementation which doesn't take up any software overhead, which, again makes things quick.
At the time the Essence didn't have any sound controls, but they were added later with a software update.
I also considered the Beosound 5, if it weren't for the fact that it is obsolete (concerns about the parts availaibilty and service issues), I would have considered it more seriously as it has everything I was looking for: Local storage of music (no fuss with servers or DLNA), hands on control in a quick visual interface which gives the user a high level of interaction and control, unique design, and general look and feel of a classic B&O product. Very few compromises for what I wanted.
I ended up choosing the Essence MkII. Am I happy? Well, in some respects, yes, and in others, no. I feel there are a lot of improvements that can be made to BeoMusic to make it more user friendly, and the choice that B&O made in preferring a particular DLNA / upnp server software (Twonky) makes how a user interacts within the constructs of BeoMusic limiting. I think if there was a way to have a full search functionality from within BeoMusic would be wonderful, but I know that's never going to happen.
Additionally B&O relying on third parties for their server component also takes some of the magic away from both devices (Moment and Essence), so I've for a while now been researching alternatives. I haven't pulled the trigger on the Auralic Aries Mini, though it has a pretty solid iOS app controller, and has space for an internal HDD as well for local storage of music. At under $600 it is also relatively inexpensive for what it is and does. Reviews have also been good. If I do end up moving away from the Essence, I'll be sure to post my experiences.
I guess I've just not been fully satisfied with the experience with this crop of B&O products than I have in the past. (ie. Beovision Avant (Lewis), Beosound 9000, Beosound 4000, era of products). I want control over my music library and a quick way to find, access and listen to the music I want to when I want to without a multitude of button presses, scrolling, waiting, etc. Maybe I have unreasonable requirements / standards. I wish B&O did have a solution for me; unfortunately I have had to compromise to live within the brand.
Good luck, I hope you don't have to compromise. With the prices we're willing to pay, compromises shouldn't be in the equation, especially when it comes to something seemingly as simple as playing MP3 files. LOL
Sal,
Thank you so much for your reply. You have verified some of my concerns about the current B&O music server / control solutions. To me for the price of the Moment there should be some local storage, 2Tb seems reasonable at that price point. I will explore other options like the Auralic you mention. For me ease of use, speed and design are important. I need for my equipment to be beautiful and functional.
I think I am going to act on the speaker side of things first though, so I will begin buying there. I am drawn toward the A9 but do have concerns there too. Being an all in one device the whole issue of failure with any particular component (amp, touch control, wifi card, etc) means the device becomes unusable or in need of repair. But then again there are the benefits that all that integration brings with it, and if is reliable and long lasting and sounds nearly as good as seperate components that is a huge deal.
Do you have experience with the A9? I don't find many user experiences to go on, and that is probably a good thing, meaning that users are likely happy.
I have a feeling that I may need to drive the five hours South to the B&O shop in Houston.....though I don't want to.
Critter
critter: Is the A9 worth it? Is it reliable? MKII or MKI? The MKI has no bluetooth but what else is it missing?
The A9 is very reliable - I've had mine for a few years now. I prefer the MK1 simply as I can use it with the Beo 4 remote.
The only issue is connecting via wifi, where you have to fix an IP to make it a smooth streaming process.
BeoNut since '75
your instincts are correct i think, the A9 has generally been very well received from what i can see......its not small, so doesnt suit all, but its sound is excellent for a single unit......i have a MK2, yes its expensive, but seems as good as a one box speaker can be......so many of the competing products claim to have room filling sound, but to me that claim is very untrue.....the A9 does get much much closer though....you surely have to listen to one though....some find the B&O Play speakers to be a bit bass heavy, although i personally don't.....
the question of easy access and control of a large digital selection is, unfortunately, not that straightforward.....popular options seem to be a NAS drive + media server combo....
My digital music library is more than 1TB in size and I think I need to move away from the Apple iTunes ecosystem into something more open, so I am not sure an iPad would suffice, though I may be wrong about that. Regarding streaming services like Spotify and Tidal I don't see myself doing a monthly fee service when I already own more than 16000 tracks. Part of my reasoning in making my music more accessable is to avoid nickel and diming myself with small fees that add up quickly. My vehicles have Sirius and I never subscribe because my ipods are full and in the glove box. The cars are the one place where I do have ready access to my music and It makes sense to me to make it just as accessable in the house.
I do like the look and the idea behind the A9, but I think I do need to hear one before spending so much on one device. So, from the speaker side of things my course appears clearer....go and listen and experience my options. Assuming I like the A9 experiece and get "spousal approval" that Smoked Oak Edition is a bit of a Siren luring me in. Of course about the time I would choose to purchase B&O will have it discontinued and replaced with the new "Florescent Orange Edition".....LOL. The nearly as lovely Copper edition was short lived so I suspect the same for the Smoked Edition.
The music management side of things is still quite confusing as there are so many considerations and there is likely no single best option at any price point. The Essence device is something that I do not understand, I look at that silver knob and don't yet see the complete control I envision. It too is something I probably need to see in action.
Sal: I wish B&O did have a solution for me; unfortunately I have had to compromise to live within the brand. Good luck, I hope you don't have to compromise. With the prices we're willing to pay, compromises shouldn't be in the equation, especially when it comes to something seemingly as simple as playing MP3 files. LOL
critter:The Essence device is something that I do not understand, I look at that silver knob and don't yet see the complete control I envision.
Elephant,
Thank you! My insomnia kept me awake last night and I got to research and study the Essence some, and now I see that it works with the Beo-Multi-room App. I found a video on youtube.com that gave me a better idea of how you are using it.....the knob is simply a add on!
I still think I would need to see it in person too but it is making much more sense to me than the Moment, as it is much less expensive and would offer similar features.
critter: Elephant, Thank you! My insomnia kept me awake last night and I got to research and study the Essence some, and now I see that it works with the Beo-Multi-room App. I found a video on youtube.com that gave me a better idea of how you are using it.....the knob is simply a add on! I still think I would need to see it in person too but it is making much more sense to me than the Moment, as it is much less expensive and would offer similar features. Critter
For what it's worth here's how I generally use my Essence, I sit down and have an idea of the song(s) I want to listen to, fire up BeoMusic on my iPhone, navigate to the song and hit play. Then, as the first song plays, I browse my library and begin to add tracks to the play queue in BeoMusic. Bu the time I'm done, the first song is over and I have a lot of music sitting there ready to be heard. I put the iPhone down, and use the Wheely remote to control the volume or navigate tracks, play/pause. It is much easier to do it with a dedicated remote than to wake up the phone.
FYI, my listening chair is a black Poang Leather Armchair with the matching ottoman, from IKEA. A few others on this forum also have it, it is inexpensive and comfortable, and the arms are flat and wide enough to have the iPhone resting flat on one arm, and the Essence tabletop remote resting comfortably on the other arm. Sort of like a Musical Cockpit! Or Kirk's Captain Chair!
Also, a callback to an earlier post: my library is close to 1TB as well, so even though Twonky gives me the ABC, DEF artists index, which is nice, it isn't nearly as convenient as having a search functionality. I think even the Moment doesn't have a full search functionality (I believe it is still limited to first letters only) which is insane to me. B&O should realize that in this day and age, people have massive libraries. Not implementing a useful and effective way to navigate the library is a miss on every level.
The general excuse I've heard is that the server software / DLNA software should have it implemented, well, even if it does, BeoMusic's search is limited to the iTunes library on your phone. Get with the program B&O. Argh! B&O should have full control of the experience, buy Twonky! Improve BeoMusic, integrate the two if you have to. Search isn't negotiable anymore.
Thank you for that added information. I agree completely that searching functions should be fully functional with detailed indexing. This is especially true with the B&O pricing and certainly for their reputation as a leader in ease of use and design.
The take away that I now have from this added information is that all 16000+ tracks on my Mac computer won't be available to the Essence or Moment....just what I load on to my iphone/android....correct? Also the files that get transferred to my phone and ipods are not lossless as my itunes is configured to put lower resolution files on my portable devices for space saving reasons. I really just use the ipods and phones for listening when I'm on the road so lossless there is not as important to me. However, at home I want to hear my music as lossless.
If that is the case I think I will definitely need another music streamer device......maybe a Bluesound, or the Auralic previously mentioned, or something similar.
I am really thinking that I should find a device that has its own storage and that also streams across airplay, DLNA, etc.
Thanks again!
critter: Sal, Thank you for that added information. I agree completely that searching functions should be fully functional with detailed indexing. This is especially true with the B&O pricing and certainly for their reputation as a leader in ease of use and design. The take away that I now have from this added information is that all 16000+ tracks on my Mac computer won't be available to the Essence or Moment....just what I load on to my iphone/android....correct? Also the files that get transferred to my phone and ipods are not lossless as my itunes is configured to put lower resolution files on my portable devices for space saving reasons. I really just use the ipods and phones for listening when I'm on the road so lossless there is not as important to me. However, at home I want to hear my music as lossless. If that is the case I think I will definitely need another music streamer device......maybe a Bluesound, or the Auralic previously mentioned, or something similar. I am really thinking that I should find a device that has its own storage and that also streams across airplay, DLNA, etc. Thanks again!
Critter, all tracks will be available to both the Essence or the Moment as long as you have a server with DLNA functionality which makes them available to the BeoMusic App. This is separate to the tracks you have on your iPhone Library which are available through a separate Source line listing in the BeoMusic App. The DLNA server is another source you can select.
If you run Twonky on your Mac, and point it to your iTunes' Music folder, as long as your Mac is on (itunes does not have to be running), your tracks are available. As for how they are streamed -- I'm not an expert on that. My ears can't really tell the differences between lossless and other formats / qualities.
elephant: Based on snippets about ChromeCast in various threads I am considering playing around with attaching Google technology to the Essence.
Based on snippets about ChromeCast in various threads I am considering playing around with attaching Google technology to the Essence.
If you have a MkII Essence, I believe it already has all the features of a Chromecast (at least the Chromecast audio).
I have a Chromecast audio connected to my BS9000 so I can get whole house Spotify (Essence can't send Spotify to the ML system, but ML AUX can be sent into the NL - at least this is how it started.... now with the Essence supporting "group cast", I group cast to the Essence and BS9000 and leave the BLC (and it's audio delay) out of it), and I haven't seen any features on the Chromecast that aren't supported by the Essence (at least since the last software release). Granted, I don't use it for much more than Spotify.
Sorry about the thread diversion...
Stan
critter: I really just use the ipods and phones for listening when I'm on the road so lossless there is not as important to me. However, at home I want to hear my music as lossless.
I really just use the ipods and phones for listening when I'm on the road so lossless there is not as important to me. However, at home I want to hear my music as lossless.
When playing content organized with a DLNA server on a DLNA renderer (the Essence is also a DLNA renenderer) you don't play from your iDevice.
The iDevice (= the Beomusic app) is merely the control point -the place where you look up your music and decide from where it must be played.
If the server isn't set to do any reencoding, the music/the files will arrive at the Essence/the speakers just as it was on the Mac.....lossless.
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
Sandyb: your instincts are correct i think, the A9 has generally been very well received from what i can see......
your instincts are correct i think, the A9 has generally been very well received from what i can see......
I've had just about every B&O/BeoPlay speaker (bar the BL90) and the A9, on balance, is the best I've bought for the price. Blows everything else away, too.
Stan:If you have a MkII Essence, I believe it already has all the features of a Chromecast (at least the Chromecast audio). I have a Chromecast audio connected to my BS9000 so I can get whole house Spotify (Essence can't send Spotify to the ML system, but ML AUX can be sent into the NL - at least this is how it started.... now with the Essence supporting "group cast", I group cast to the Essence and BS9000 and leave the BLC (and it's audio delay) out of it), and I haven't seen any features on the Chromecast that aren't supported by the Essence (at least since the last software release). Granted, I don't use it for much more than Spotify. Sorry about the thread diversion... Stan
Thanks! If it is a thread hijack then it is a good one because I am trying to learn a lot of information fast. I really appreciate all of this. I have no easy access to B&O stores these days so this is all good for me and I am happy to read and learn.
I am particularly glad to hear that so many A9 owners are rating it so favorably.
Oops! Double post! LOL
Beoplay A9 is an iconic piece of design, in my view a soundsculpture. :)
Plus, you can customize the front so it can be blending in or standing out in your room as much as you like.
Sound is really great, and I even use it as a "TV speaker" streaming audio from AppleTV when I watch movies. I use Essence remote to control it and it works and looks great. Strongly recommending this product, make sure though you find enough space for it as it is not really small so it won't fit just anywhere.
i guess it's not too far off-topic to considerate about the Beosound 35, lol
Wohnzimmer: BeoVision Avant 55", BeoLab 11, 12-2 und 12-3 für 5.1-Sound + appleTV 4K und Philips BluRay-Player; BeoSound 2, BeoSound 3000 (fast nur noch Deko)////Schlafzimmer: BeoEssence MkII, BeoLab 4000 + Samsung 46"-TV////Büro: BLC NL/ML, BeoSound 35, Thorens TD320MkII, Samsung 32"-TV, WesternDigital 4TB-Server////Bad: BeoLab 2000; alles CAT7 verkabelt////Küche: M5 (drahtlos) plus diverse apple-Geräte (imac, macbook, ipads, iphones, timecapsule, watch)
Analog planet,
Thanks for your opinion and information it is greatly appreciated.
Egges,
I have seen pictures of the beosound 35 and always just sort of assumed it was meant as a front channel speaker. They are of similar price so I think I should consider it too. Thank you for pointing this out. I will read up on it and hopefully hear one in person when I visit the B&O store. Do you have one of these?
critter:Analog planet, Thanks for your opinion and information it is greatly appreciated. Egges, I have seen pictures of the beosound 35 and always just sort of assumed it was meant as a front channel speaker. They are of similar price so I think I should consider it too. Thank you for pointing this out. I will read up on it and hopefully hear one in person when I visit the B&O store. Do you have one of these? Critter
And why not as well consider the new Beosound2? It has impressive room filling sound and is aluminum made and quite less expensive ...
I plan to listen to those too however I am looking for a single unit type powered system. I could see possibly going with the A6 too....maybe several of those scattered about the house instead of just one device.
Once making a decision shold I consider some of the ebay based vendors who sell new B&O? I don't think I would buy a used speaker set up.
critter: I plan to listen to those too however I am looking for a single unit type powered system. I could see possibly going with the A6 too....maybe several of those scattered about the house instead of just one device.
I have an A6 an A9 and the A6 doesn't get close. A few people said it was the A9's little brother, but to my ears, the A9 is a different beast. A6 is a lot cheaper, granted, but it's also cheaper for a reason!
i do agree with the BS2 comment above - was impressed by the sound and it's very movable!
moxxey:I have an A6 an A9 and the A6 doesn't get close. A few people said it was the A9's little brother, but to my ears, the A9 is a different beast. A6 is a lot cheaper, granted, but it's also cheaper for a reason! i do agree with the BS2 comment above - was impressed by the sound and it's very movable!
hmmm... or creating a nice, little multiroom-setup with an A6 and a BS1 instead of getting one A9? endless possibilities, lol
egges: hmmm... or creating a nice, little multiroom-setup with an A6 and a BS1 instead of getting one A9? endless possibilities, lol
Love that ideal, make your money go further with the wide array of options from B&O. That being said, an A9 as the sonic and visual centerpiece of a room is stunning!
If you like the A9, get a MK2.
You can use that as an airplay receiver for your files and you would have a line-in connection (with autosence) for your turntable as well.
If that is all you'd need, a MK1 would do the job.
With the MK2 you gain the possibility of having TuneIn and streaming services integrated (and bluetooth and Google Cast) and - for (your) future use - the multiroom/NL option.
By rhe way - AAC is a lossy format! How are your CD actuallty ripped?
Hello,
I have decided that if I do buy an A9 it will be MKII for sure. I have spotted some good deals on MKI but I think for the sake of long term ownership the MKII is my safer option. Plus the multiroom features are important to me. Also, the Smoked Oak Edition would be likely be my choice too, if available.
My CD collection was all ripped into iTunes with Apple Lossless format. I do have a small percentage of mp3 but 95%+ are lossles apple format.
Thanks again!!
Keep us posted, Critter, and please do post pictures when you have your setup running. Many times I wish I had more rooms for B&O. The A9 will be one of B&O's all time icons.
Millemissen: With the MK2 you gain the possibility of having TuneIn and streaming services integrated (and bluetooth and Google Cast) and - for (your) future use - the multiroom/NL option.
But the MK1 allows you to use the old remote etc etc. I don't really need any of the integrated features - just stream from either the computer or iPad.
I've seen the odd MK1 appear for £1200 here and there, which is cheaper than a BeoSound 1 in the UK. On balance though, I think I'd probably plump for a BeoSound 2. It has all the above internal features, is fairly portable, looks good, cheaper than the A9 and sounds better than the A6 for sure.
Hello again,
I don't own one of the older remotes so being able to use one of those isn't too big of a deal for me. Also, the added blue tooth and integrated multi-room functionality are kind of important to me though.
Also my house is pretty large and filling it is my desire. I will either go with one unit that can do that or with several smaller units that can be spread about. My living room alone is 24 feet X 24 feet and has vaulted 18 foot ceilings....it's a big space.....too big really.
I plan to listen to the A9, BS1 and BS2 and A6 models when I visit the store in the near future. Aesthetically I prefer the look of the A9 and A6 to the BS 1 and 2 models but certainly all are very attractive devices to me. I tend to listen to pop, jazz (love me some Diana Krall), rock and folk music predominantly so it will be interesting to see how my listening preferences sound on those four speaker systems.
I hate the thought of a ten hour round trip to just listen to the speakers, sometimes I think I should just go to the website and order an A9, but in the end it's probably worth the journey to listen before spending such an amount on speakers.
On the other hand - listening to these would be best in your own location.
The listening room at the dealer will probably be very different from your own room.
How about ordering the A9 online....for a start - since this seems to be tour favourite.
Or get the dealer to lend you one ;-)
Yes I would love to have a dealer loan me some speakers for an in home test, testing in my home would be the best scenario. The biggest problem for me is getting to and from the dealer to see the speakers or pick them up and then return them after the loan is over.
There used to be a B&O store in the Dallas Texas area and I wish that there was a dealer there because that would be only 1 1/2 hours away from my home instead of 5 hours to Houston, TX. Does anyone know of a store in the Dallas, TX area that sells the line of B&O speakers?
If I were to purchase an A9 online from B&O and was not happy with it in my home do they allow for easy returns?
Thank you for your help Millemissen!
critter:Also my house is pretty large and filling it is my desire. I will either go with one unit that can do that or with several smaller units that can be spread about. My living room alone is 24 feet X 24 feet and has vaulted 18 foot ceilings....it's a big space.....too big really