Has B&O found its Mojo?

Not Beoworld this time...! 

Has the latest range of B&O products put the company 'Back in the Groove?' ( as they said two generations of Beograms  ago....)

Has its store rationalisation policy helped things?

Will the trend towards lower prices make you more likely to buy?

Graham

1: to me B&O has never 'lost a bit' - but the changes are encouraging.

2: it is too early to give an answer to that - they are working on it still.

3: probably not - but it will make it 'easier' to buy, what I want/need.

MM

I have been please by the specs of the last range of products, namely wireless speakers and TV.

The audio system range is still a mess. Let's wait for the "Moment" or "Emotion" or whatever will be called, and I think things will fall back into place.

PhilLondon:

I have been please by the specs of the last range of products, namely wireless speakers and TV.

The audio system range is still a mess. Let's wait for the "Moment" or "Emotion" or whatever will be called, and I think things will fall back into place.

Phil quite right and well said!

 

I have been impressed lately with the overall direction B&O is moving in, improved speakers, wireless, new TVs at more reasonable prices, etc.  I note the comments about lack of a sexy audio master, but whether that will come or not I don't know. Whether we like it or not the world has moved away from needing or even wanting a central audio system, with the reliance on streaming. These are not the halcyon days of our youth when big impressive receivers and the like were prevalent and necessary. So far B&O is concentrating on what seems more relevant, portable audio systems, streaming systems, speakers, and TVs that act as a central control systems for video and audio streaming.

Given the world economic condition and their place as a niche company, it's hard to predict the future but I think, for the modern world we have now, they have plenty of mojo. Whether it's enough to do well? Like I say, time will tell, and it's hard to predict, even Apple lays an egg now and then.

Some of the classic legacy products have either gone for good, or like the Beolab 9 had a nice make over. What concerns me though is that virtually all my recent purchases have either already been phased out, or dumped as junk on auction sites. The H6 I purchased £329, is now 12 months later £179. Same goes for the Beolit 12 and the A9. Thank god I didn't pay full whack for an A3

Surely this new design direction and it's subsequent failures must be telling then something? I tried promoting the Beolit 12 to a bunch of hairdressers at a recent get together. None of them liked it as it didn't look like a B&O product. I tried explaining the Beoplay bit, but their view was that it still came with a B&O price tag, but without the traditional cosmetics, something they all wanted. I turned my iPad off as the V1 was next. They all loved the ridiculousness of the 7-55!

If I walked into a shop today there isn't much I'd want to be honest, apart from the recent Beolabs. Even then I wouldn't buy in store, as I see I could get a complimentary Essence system thrown in on an online B&O shop, again saving me £900. If this is a new worldwide promotion then it's brilliant, if not it makes it hard work to support your local store, something I believe in.

I'm sure the Beolab 5's will either get replaced or updated, but what's really needed is a killer sound system to utilise them with. I must spend 2 hours a day listening to my A9 with Spotify and Qobuz. As most of us have tablets and probably adequate internet, it must be hard finding a way to surpass the technology we already have enough to get us to spend good money on.

Chris Townsend:

Same goes for the Beolit 12 and the A9

The A9 hasn't be re-priced in the UK. Still £1699.

 

I think B&O is on the mend from a decade of mis-management and poor product leadership during the Noughties. When you look at the core platforms of TV based on the Beosystem 4, Wireless Sound in the Beolabs and the consumer products - especially the iconic designs like the A9, you can see they have wrestled with what it takes to deliver a B&O experience in a very different media consumption landscape. They don't have all the answers, but even the big guys like Sony and Samsung are struggling to work out what is next. And I'm not sure we can expect that from B&O with their technical resources.

Look back several years and you have mistake after mistake; Beosound 5 on an embedded Windows platform, Mobile Phones that were outdated the moment they launched. Even the Beosystem 3 was a bit eclectic, but essentially a transitionary product that cost tons of resources. The speakers never really went off track.

To be fair they've also had a few misses - not least the A3 which was a dumb product call. In the main, I think Tue is making many good calls to ramp up volumes, achieve critical mass and market relevance and more importantly is clearly having a much greater say in the product development lifecycle where the platform consistency means they are having more impact with the development resources and higher quality with the newer products.

 

 

Sold by B&O themselves on Amazon...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bang-Olufsen-BAO1200181-BeoPlay-Wireless-Black/dp/B00J06W6CU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409597405&sr=8-1&keywords=beoplay+a9

Chris Townsend:

Sold by B&O themselves on Amazon...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bang-Olufsen-BAO1200181-BeoPlay-Wireless-Black/dp/B00J06W6CU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409597405&sr=8-1&keywords=beoplay+a9

Beovision 7-55 Mk2, Beovision 8-32, Beovision 3-32, Avant RF 28, Beoplay A9, Beolit 12, Beocom 2, Beotime, H6, Form 2.

Tue, master of the "special edition".

Chris Townsend:

Sold by B&O themselves on Amazon...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bang-Olufsen-BAO1200181-BeoPlay-Wireless-Black/dp/B00J06W6CU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409597405&sr=8-1&keywords=beoplay+a9

Thats the Amazon price. As you can see the retail is still £1699. Amazon has always been cheaper, but this is £150 less than their previous price.

mawheele:

To be fair they've also had a few misses - not least the A3 which was a dumb product call. 

Don't agree on the A3, but you are not alone in your views.

Look at the discussion in the Beoworld/Mojo thread.

Graham

I'll stand on the ramparts and defend the A3 to the end!

When I first saw one I thought "Average"...

When I first handled one I thought "Average"...

When I first used one I thought "Not Bad"...

And, after about 2 years of daily use I can honestly say it's the piece of B&O I use the most - and if it broke and I couldn't find another one I'd be genuinely gutted.

It's not made of glamorous materials, it's for an iPad which is discontinued, it's bulky and cumbersome if you're trying to use it on anything but a hard and level surface - and it's a pain in the backside to keep charged up.

However - it sounds amazing for its size, it makes an iPad a small Television, it charges your iPad when you've been ditzy enough not to have put it on charge - and you can carry it from room to room with ease.

It's an unsung hero in my opinion. If you've owned one you'll agree... and if you haven't you'll call it a failure. 

Only my opinion, and we're all different.. but i'm right.

As for B&O getting their Mojo back?

I've always stood by Tue Mantoni. I've never slated the man and never will as I believe the approach he has is correct. Limited Editions, Special Editions and the like - it tickles the modern consumers fancy. We're a fickle bunch. We get bored easily.

New products regularly - fine. We like that. Consumerism was 'invented' in the 1950's and it's gathered pace from there on. We buy into it so we're as guilty as the next man. Why not buy a perfectly good car now and use it until it's lifespan ends in 10-15 years? If you're happy with the sound of a pair of BeoLab 9's, keep them for 20 years... If you're happy with the image quality of 1080p HD then keep the TV until it blows up in 2032..

However - No, we want the latest and newest because we just 'do'.  It's been instilled into out psyche that we must have the latest gadget, the latest format, the latest shape (curved TV screens.. I mean, come on...).  I'm the same, so I'm not pointing fingers - it's just the way we are these days.

I think Tue, with his limited resources, has done an amazing job. I've met him - and I cannot tell you how driven he is. After an hour having breakfast with him I felt like high-fiving a lamp post - so the staff around him must be equally as driven.  He's tapped into the psyche of the modern consumer - and although the marketing ploys targeted at the 70's, 80's and 90's consumer prevail on here (and naturally, we berate that) he's looking to the future. A bold move, but a necessary one.

I'm also acquainted with some of the people B&O have drafted in to modernise the whole B&O store experience - and I can tell you that if B&O let them have their way (and the staff buy into it and follow) then the way you shop in a dealership will be on a whole new level.  I'll wait and see what happens, but it could be a great thing. I'd say it's 50/50 at the moment, but fingers crossed..

We're not out of the tunnel yet - but there's a dot of light in the distance.  I just think that ditching TV's would be suicide for the company - but what do i know?!

Lee

It was originally meant to be a small television

I completely support Lee's arguments regarding the A3. I have one, i agree.

It is the most used device in our household. It is placed on top of the american fridge in the kitchen, delivering either easy access to internet and recipes, music streaming or TV. It is just a great device and a perfect "second use" for an outdated iPad ;-) And it was a bargain at only €99 :-)

Regarding the topic of the thread:

As long as people (in this case Lee in the second pat of his post) are posting such inspiring/interesting/meaningful messages in this forum i think neither B&O nor this forum has lost it's Mojo.

Excellent post Lee!

Great post(s), Lee. As always, hard to disagree.

I'll join the A3 fan club, aka The B&O Netflix Box. This is the most used device in our home as well. The sound is superb for its size, but the fact that it operates on battery for TV viewing takes it to another level of practicality IMHO. 

I was one of the early adopters of the PC direction of the company, and was very happy with the move from the BeoMedia 1 to BeoSound 5/BeoMaster 5. Back in 2012 I got another BS9k with speakers since I missed my CD's, but the fact is that this system have collected nothing but dust while the BS5/BM5 combo is in daily use. Looking back, the BS5 changed the way I listen to music and the inclusion of Spotify was a perfect fit for me. Very much looking forward to the Moment.

The new products do not require the same level of knowledge - I think. No fiddling with tiny MasterLink cables, audio-, link and video masters option settings, RF link amplifiers/modulators... And the questions asked on the Forum will of course reflect this.

I love that the best products on BeoWorld have always been those recently discontinued. BeoWorld still has its mojo - mainly thanks to the effort made by Lee and Peter.

Just replaced our 7-55 on a low floor stand (with BL7-6) with the Avant-55 this weekend, and as the telly will turn close to 90 deg to face the sofa the improvement was obvious. The stand can be placed 10 cm from the wall and still allow for the telly to turn close to 90 deg - magical. The on/off experience with the Avant is at the same magical level as my AV9000 back in 1992 (with its mechanical curtain motorized stand). And, somehow, the Avant manages to look half the size of the 7-55 with the same picture size. Amazing. And, yes, the sound of the Avant is an improvement - no doubt. Picture? With 1080p sources: yes - 720p or SD? Well... Awaiting the SW update coming Sept 3rd. :-)

BeoWorld - the more things change, the more they stay the same. The product launches the last 1.5 -2 years from B&O show that they are on to something.

Roger

Lee has given words to my thoughts in a way that I could never do myself

As I wrote in my first post: to me B&O never lost it's mojo.

Sure there has been/are up's and down's - but there is nothing out there to compare with what B&O as an overall solution can deliever.

Only thing I disagree is his estimate for the chances of succees for the 'new' B&O - they are far more than 50/50.

MM

9 LEE:

If you're happy with the image quality of 1080p HD then keep the TV until it blows up in 2032..

Sadly, I really doubt that a new product being made today (today including the last five years or so) can work properly for 10 years+.

The reason I bought a BV11 over a BV10 is that I wanted to be satisfied untill 2032, satisfied with a good picture and a good sound in a good package.

I get a good picture (overall better to my eyes than BV10 especially the dark scenes even if BV10 picture had a more natural feel), an extraordinary sound for movies and one of the best looking tv's ever made (and in Denmark !) but, there is of course a but, why oh why some crackling noises and dust under glass are appearing after a few months of timid use ?

From the (bad) experience I had with my previous tv I think it's just the beginning of troubles to come and I don't whant that twice on a modern tv (BV10 / BV11).

Of course my trusty dealer is here when there are problems but after what I lived with BV10 and spending an important amount of money on a new BV11 I now think my time should be better spent than installing cooling kits or whatever dust killers.

Better reliabillity rather than a technology race for me please.