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
http://www.beoplay.com/products/beoplaya2
BeoVision Haermony 65"...BeoLab 28 Anthracite....BeoLab 17 as REAR....BV10-32....BC6-26....Beosound 9000....Beosound 1 New York edt....Beogram 4002....Beoplay Emerge....Beoplay M5....Beoplay M3....Beoremote Halo....BeoRemote One BT....Beo6....Beo4....Beo4 Cinema....BeoLink 7000....Serene....H95 Black LTD....H9i Rimowa....6 x H6....Form 1....U70...
I PRAY that B&O will find capable designers like David Lewis or Jacob Jensen again... those new Beoplay designs are so ugly to my eyes.
Engadget view on this :
http://www.engadget.com/2014/10/23/b-and-o-play-a2-bluetooth-speaker/?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000602&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews
diisign.com
Interesting write-up. Seems favourable with some proviso's.
It does seem big to me and not the most portable - in a 'Manbag' maybe but not in smaller handbags, unlike some competitors efforts.
I'll reserve judgement until I get to see and feel one.
Dave.
Beosound Stage, Beovision 8-40, Beolit 20, Beosound Explore.
Chris Townsend:So can we assume it has this new CD quality Bluetooth?
Seems like it. From the Engadget article: "With the advent of aptX, a Bluetooth standard that promises CD-quality audio, the company reconsidered its position, to the point where it's prepared to launch a high-end alternative to Jawbone's Big Jambox, the BeoPlay A2."
I dont dislike the design, nothing fancy. The size is quite good, nothing flimsy. I've expected wallet size. And for the 180watts of power, that should suffice in any park or location.
I like it!
Thank god. Well done Cecile Manz. I think she is a smart designer. I love the green.
B&O need new customers to expand their business, this is a step in the right direction.
A whole day on a charge. That sounds good. And the price... wait to see what it's like in Aussie dollars whether it's a good stocking filler.
I want one.
I love it....
but I really need to stop trying to find purposes for things I want to purchase.
edit: bugger it. I am getting the green one.
Where does it say "BANG & OLUFSEN" on it?
I've said it before and I'll say it again... 'first time buyers' will buy the smaller, cheaper items for the name - which should be prominently displayed! Once they're hooked - they'll save up and buy more. Their friends will see the name, people on the bus, train, park or college will see the name. People need to see the name. The company may not be dying, but the "brand" is.
I said this with the BeoLit 12 when it was in the final design stages (I signed an NDA in Struer) but I'll say it again. Make the name prominent - get it seen. It's almost as if B&O are embarrassed to let people know who made the product!
That aside, I like the product. Quirky, probably sounds amazing for the size - and will no doubt sell. I do hope they've made a quirky/cool wall bracket for it?
Lee
It says B&O (the logo), which is official for the Play products from Bang & Olufsen.
Not enough for you?
I'd rather like a table stand
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
I like the one in Burnished Gold color.
Still, would be spectacular if it had speakerphone function (thinking of concalls I have regularly in hotel rooms while travelling around).
All is answered....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a27zUXY3LcQ
I like it. Very good price, and good quality reception that is also very stable! Easy to setup and less cumbersome than the Beolit. Lets just hope they make enough of them, promote it well and keep the colours up to date.
What a beauty!! Hmmm... How can I convince my girlfriend that we need this even though we already have the BeoLit 12 and the Bose Sound Link Mini?
BeoVision Eclipse 55, BeoPlay S8 (sub+rears), BeoPlay A9 MKII (living room), BeoVision Avant 32 DVD (retro gaming, basement), BeoLab 4000 (entertainment room, basement), BeoSound 8 (workshop), 2x BeoPlay S3 (PC), BeoPlay A1, BeoPlay H2/H3 (on the go)
Before we all get too exited - at least some of us - we should not forget that iDevices don't support the aptX codecs.
That means that iPhone/iPad user will have to do with the good (read: bad) old A2DP transmission...
...or use the cable/plug solution if they use the A2.
The aptX codecs is regarded as the best solution as of today, but still it means transmission in a lossy quality.
Nothing near CD/RedBook-quality - even if the makers claims to.
I guess that aptX will be 'perfect' for streaming Spotify etc - but then again only from non-iDevices!
If you care for lossless music files/streaming - and especially if you are an iDevicer - best take a 'minijack to minijack cable' with you, when you visit the B&O shop in a couple of days. Otherweise you probably won't be able to unlock the full potential of this tiny speakers box.
P.S. I had hoped for Apple to release support for 'peer-to-peer AirPlay' solutions in mobile devices by now - still hoping!
A2-MK2
Frederik Beoberg: What a beauty!! Hmmm... How can I convince my girlfriend that we need this even though we already have the BeoLit 12 and the Bose Sound Link Mini?
It's always easier to ask forgiveness rather than permission. *click click, purchase* oops-
9 LEE:I've said it before and I'll say it again... 'first time buyers' will buy the smaller, cheaper items for the name - which should be prominently displayed! Once they're hooked - they'll save up and buy more. Their friends will see the name, people on the bus, train, park or college will see the name. People need to see the name. The company may not be dying, but the "brand" is.
I do understand what you mean about some people purchasing for the brand name... however I feel that with this piece, the fantastic danish design speaks for itself. It looks fantastic, a real blend of fashion and technology.
There is a move away from over branding. Large branding is considered quite chavvy.
BeoBoy68: BeoPlay A2 lack of class and bass. Just my taste and point of view.
BeoPlay A2 lack of class and bass.
Just my taste and point of view.
'lack of class' - I guess it is a matter of taste. Your choice then.
'lack of bass' - have you already heard it?
I rather like it and also will have to dispose of my Bose Soundlink Mini..
But I feel I might not be the right demographic as I do not own a large beard, tattoo's and always wear socks with shoes ......
WANTED good home for my Bose Soundlink and not so understanding wife, all offers considered ......
we tend to forget there is more to design than designing.
BeoBoy68:@millemissen Yeah ! BeoPlay A2 is just 2 pieces of plastic with a mini aluminium frame. The product is too slim to reproduce deeper bass. BeoLit 12 sounds better. Too expensive product. The right price should be € 250.- ( half price of the BeoLit 12 )
Yeah !
BeoPlay A2 is just 2 pieces of plastic with a mini aluminium frame.
The product is too slim to reproduce deeper bass. BeoLit 12 sounds better.
Too expensive product.
The right price should be € 250.- ( half price of the BeoLit 12 )
Lucky you having heard it already so that you can form an opinion on the price and sound. I don't think I would have been able to keep it a secret.
Luke: It's always easier to ask forgiveness rather than permission. *click click, purchase* oops-
I think I already have reached my limit
I think the beoplay a2 is great. It's a mix of vintage and post modern product. It's a hypster/stylish stuff. I love it.
The Bang & Olufsen design is totally another point of view, Beoplay created a strong new point of view on what is the new "basic" style. They are making a great work.
As usual, every Beoplay or Bang & Olufsen product must be viewed in flesh... I'm sure this will be a best seller!
" just 2 pieces of plastic with a mini aluminium frame"
I don't know what you have seen?
The description on the website is this:
"The core of BeoPlay A2 is made out of extruded aluminium..."
Does the "Yeah !" mean that you have heard it.
It seems that you are describing, that you don't like it, and that you find it too expensive - which is OK.
But you really said nothing about what you had heard!
It looks better in the pictures than it did as a pencil drawing (that made it look like a router).
Hopefully they will bring out a white version!
Mark:But I feel I might not be the right demographic as I do not own a large beard, tattoo's and always wear socks with shoes ......
B&O should supply complimentary tatts and I am sure Lee could do a line of white socks with a Beoworld logo
BeoNut since '75
I think it's pretty cool! I want one. More portable than the Beolit 12, which for my uses would be a plus.
I've heard from someone who's heard one, they say it's amazing.
Jeff
I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus.
Similar?
http://beocentral.com/beolitteena609am
BeoGreg: Have to see the black A2 in the flesh and ear the 180 watts (!!) more than the beolit 12.
Have to see the black A2 in the flesh and ear the 180 watts (!!) more than the beolit 12.
As far as I have read, the A2 has two 30W class D amplifiers, the Beolit 12 has a 120W class D amplifier. They advertise a 180W peak power for the A2, while the Beolit 12 has a peak power of 480W (according to this document: http://www.bang-olufsen.com/~/media/4EFFCF94FC274F2F92591416C6EE2F71.ashx)
I would not expect the A2 to outperform the (impressive) Beolit12.
Beolit 12 - Beolab 4 pc (dead now) - Beoplay H5 - Beolab 9 - BeoRemote One BT - Beoplay M3
I'd be very surprised if its possible to match the bass of the Beolit 12 without the size from what I read from the Tonnmeister on the subject . Interesting move from AirPlay considering my lack of success with it on our Beolit.
Beo Century ,Beoplay V1, Beocenter 6, Ex-Beolit 12, Beotime , A8. Beolit 15 , Form 2i , Beolab 2000, Beoplay A3.Beosound 1
This is not a 'move from AirPlay'!
It is the consequense of launching a mobile device.
'On the go' there is no wifi/ethernet - therefore no possibility for using AirPlay.
Bluetooth is the only possible solution for a device like the A2.
---
Why do people continue to compare the A2 and the Beolit 12 - those are two different devices.
Simonbeo: I'd be very surprised if its possible to match the bass of the Beolit 12 without the size from what I read from the Tonnmeister on the subject . Interesting move from AirPlay considering my lack of success with it on our Beolit.
Remember the old rule of speaker design, deep bass, high efficiency/high output, small size, pick any two. B&O manage to bend these rules as much as possible with ABL and such, but ultimately you can't fool Mother Nature.
I don't think they are that different at all, both are made to be used anywhere. The Beolit, unfortunately, is from a time when bluetooth was not reliable enough to stream high-quality music, and therefore only allows airplay, or cable connections, which makes it not so practical on the go. In a sense, it misses its own point a bit.
Nevertheless, it's a great speaker, I haven't heard anything portable produce a sound as good as the Beolit.
I have even used my Beolit 12 on the go, setting up a wifi hotspot on the iPhone, playing through airplay. It's doable, but the problem is the iPhone's battery is gone long before the Beolit's. A short USB cable makes both last (a lot) longer. Not as neat as it could have been, had it been designed today.
Has the Beolit not been discontinued? The BeoPlay store mentions 'as long as stock lasts'. I'd argue that the A2 is its replacement, cheaper, more portable, longer lasting battery, smaller, but probably also a bit less performant. I'd think that if they would continue producing the Beolit12, they would include bluetooth as well today.
Anyway, the A2 will probably still blow many of its competitors away. I like the looks of it and would be in doubt whether I'd buy a Beolit12 or an A2, if I was currently in the market for a portable speaker.
"The Beolit, unfortunately, is from a time when bluetooth was not reliable enough to stream high-quality music,"
And - unfortunately - it is still so, if you use an iDevice.
The aptX codecs, that is now supported by the A2, is not used in iDevices.
On the Gadget show (a British TV show) they were testing Bluetooth speakers (did not include the A2 as obviously recorded before the release). The tests included design, distance could be used before dropout and sound quality. I must say that most of them were just boxes with a few exceptions like the beats pill! But none of the range tested had any outstanding design qualities.
So hopefully the A2 will stand out on design (I know everyone has different tastes) and sound and get the customers in.
crossbytje:They advertise a 180W peak power for the A2, while the Beolit 12 has a peak power of 480W (according to this document: http://www.bang-olufsen.com/~/media/4EFFCF94FC274F2F92591416C6EE2F71.ashx) I would not expect the A2 to outperform the (impressive) Beolit12.