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
Hard to sell what you don't have on display....
StUrrock:Outstanding or not everything comes to an end or is updated eventually.Also the sales numbers will have a big say in how long they remain in the range.I visit dealers who don't even have 5s on display!
SHEFFIELD:The BeoLab 5 is still an outstanding speaker and there are no plans to discontinue the model. I sold a pair yesterday to a new customer that thought they represented great value against the opposition...
If I write: http://beolab90.com/ I get a blank - but online - site.
Here is the info, that I found about it:
http://quantroute.com/domain/beolab90.com
if you write: klang-design.net, you will be redirected to http://www.luxussound.com/
- which is one of the biggest Bang & Olufsen dealers in Germany.
For what is this domain registrated (on the 2015-09-02)?
And why not from Bang & Olufsen?
Do we see a clever businessman behind that or.....?
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
Technically, I am shooting myself in the foot by posting the following since I like to play with and resell the occasional 5. But then, I don't try to get $26,000.00 for them!...
So... the Lab 5 is a *fine* speaker, I'm listening to them right now, but technology marches on and if you consider that the B&W 800 Series was still ONLY in the NAUTILUS revision WAAAAAY back in 2003, this speaker has since been superceded in its technical abilities.You don't have to look too far to even see this. The Beolab 9 dealt a not insignificant blow to the 5's "necessity", then 'Lab 20 came along and put another kink in the armor. We've had some members here who have had little to no regret in their downgrade from 5s to 9s or 20s. That's efficiency. Further squeezing the 5 from outside directions, B&W's Diamond D3 is now out and it would be very hard to take seriously the opinion of anyone who doesn't think the 802 D3 would easily exceed the BL5 in resolution and imaging. In terms of dynamics, the BL5 probably still holds its own because of its enormous, almost hilariously so, bass driver and its massive built in amplification. If you want to argue design, OK THEN. But the new D3 makes a pretty damned impressive statement all its own, if not in a more traditional sense.
There's nothing exotic or special about the drivers in the BL5. The only interesting tidbit of this speaker anymore is the massive power reserve in its Class D amps, its 15 inch bass driver, and the fact that its mid and high range drivers shoot up into a curious contraption that spreads the sound out in a versatile pattern. From what I hear B&O have actually abandoned ALT in the new high end speaker so I will tell you exactly why the BeoLab 5 would stick around if it did... It's the "G Wagen" effect. Our G Wagen from 2005 is identical outside to a 2015 model and not far removed from the original 1979 debut, yet Mercedes still happily sells these for 130-200,000.00. Why the hell not? It's an icon and the tooling and development costs were paid off *DECADES* ago! So as long as they can keep the safety requirements met, it will continue to hold its position in the lineup with nothing other than cosmetics and engine/transmission changes. I think B&O use this same approach on BL5... The development and tooling costs have probably been covered by now, so keeping it alive, especially with the backstocks that probably exist in a warehouse somewhere, is no harm no foul. But don't make the mistake of believing the BL5 is kept around because it's better than something equivalently priced today. In fact, as much as I love the BL5, it really should have at *least* been updated with WISA (how hard could this possibly be?) and 32/192khz DACs now. The very top of the speaker with the little green LED also looks outdated now compared to the other ALT speakers in the lineup and the interesting placements they did with the power and standby LEDs on those. BL5 is desperately in need of a V2 and it can probably done without too much cost if the core of the speaker remains unchanged. Instead we are getting a 50, 90k ridiculous halo product few will even be able to afford... *sigh*.
Now... here's the interesting part. That does *NOT* mean that being old is necessarily a criteria for being "bad". In some ways, as I've stated here before, I think my Penta IIIs are a "funner" and "more involving" speaker than the BL5, even if not technically as accurate. The bass that those "little" towers can produce is absolutely unreal, even if not very accurate. But then... Penta IIIs were only 5k for the pair so technically at their given price the Penta III has probably held up better to time than the price range the BL5 attempts to play in. It's also curious to me that all of these renderings we are seeing for "Beolab 90" seem to be tall elongated shapes, like the old Pentas. I don't know how much accuracy there is to that, but I can see why B&O continues to return to that form factor time and again. Somehow, it works.
SHEFFIELD:Hard to sell what you don't have on display....
I know exactly what is coming and it isn't any fancy coloured Lab 5s 😀
Millemissen: Peter Pan: No way! MM
Peter Pan:
No way!
So show me Millmissen how BeoLab 90 will look like!
Nothing like it...
New teaser on B and O Facebook about them building a new sound cube just for it.
Beolab 28s Beolab 9s Beolab 12-3s Beolab 1s Beolab 6000s 2 pairs Beolab 4000s Beovision 7-55 Beovision 10-40 Beoplay V1 32 inch Beovision Avant 32 inch Beosound 1 (CD player) Beosound 3000 Beosound 5 Core Essence MKII Beoplay M5
The have a new look: where the BL 5 is sitting very firmly on the floor, the new BL is just touching the floor - the new BL is close being as tall as a person standing in front of you playing a guitar :) I do not recall the number of drivers, but the tweeter range consist of 8 or 9 elements. Power output is approx. 3x the BL 5. They combine aluminium (mid/top part) and wood (lower part).
Roger
It's out in the open (the "BeoLab90" speaker... no pictures though...) in the book "The Art of Impossible" that's going to be released for the 90th anniversary of B&O :-) Just Google it :-)
Wouldn't want to wait for that book to come :-)
kuyttendaele: It's out in the open (the "BeoLab90" speaker... no pictures though...) in the book "The Art of Impossible" that's going to be released for the 90th anniversary of B&O :-) Just Google it :-)
Possibly next February by the look f it though no definite publication date yet.
Also on Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/89860955042036780/
Just for MM, you can see one page of it here:
http://issuu.com/thamesandhudson/docs/aut2015_catalogue_rgb_lr/54
Dave.
Found that one too - but it does not 'help' in this case.
Millemissen: Found that one too - but it does not 'help' in this case. MM
Everyone seems to be really impatient about seeing these speakers. I can't afford them so I'm not that bothered. Same reason I don't look at Aston Martin cars.
Roger:The new BL is close being as tall as a person standing in front of you playing a guitar :) Roger
Yes, I am guilty of getting very excited but I have to confess that after finding out how much they approximately cost, my excitement has flagged considerably and I now realise they wont for me be a replacement/successor to the BL5 I used to own 2 years ago. I am a bit stuck as to where to go from here with building a new hi fi system for myself...
Nonetheless, I am keen to see what they come up with and if the opportunity arises I'd love to hear them in London when they do arrive.
.
Present: BL90, Core, BL6000, CD7000, Beogram 7000, Essence Remote.
Past: BL1, BL2, BL8000, BS9000, BL5, BC2, BS5, BV5, BV4-50, Beosystem 3, BL3, DVD1, Beoremote 4, Moment.
Roger: The have a new look: where the BL 5 is sitting very firmly on the floor, the new BL is just touching the floor - the new BL is close being as tall as a person standing in front of you playing a guitar :) I do not recall the number of drivers, but the tweeter range consist of 8 or 9 elements. Power output is approx. 3x the BL 5. They combine aluminium (mid/top part) and wood (lower part). Roger
Is a person playing guitar taller or shorter than a person playing a violin?
Graham
Beosound Stage, Beovision 8-40, Beolit 20, Beosound Explore.
Dave Farr: Millemissen: Found that one too - but it does not 'help' in this case. MM Everyone seems to be really impatient about seeing these speakers. I can't afford them so I'm not that bothered. Same reason I don't look at Aston Martin cars. Dave.
I certainly can't afford them either.
What interests me, is the technology, that (so I understand it) is used in these speaker.
Geoff Martin did not write the article on 'Beam With Control' a while ago for fun, I suppose.
I am quite sure, that the way these work/the technology used for it, will influence future BeoLabs.
BeoLabs, that some of us might be able to buy.....
And from an overall point of view - I am eager to learn what the guys in Struer actually have to show to the world!
Millemissen: I certainly can't afford them either. What interests me, is the technology, that (so I understand it) is used in these speaker. Geoff Martin did not write the article on 'Beam With Control' a while ago for fun, I suppose. I am quite sure, that the way these work/the technology used for it, will influence future BeoLabs. BeoLabs, that some of us might be able to buy..... And from an overall point of view - I am eager to learn what the guys in Struer actually have to show to the world!
Yes, that is very true and I agree, the tech etc would be interesting and Geoff possibly did give a strong hint with his blogs. It's not going to come until B&O decide to let us mere mortals know - unless a dealer lets something slip so we have to just wait and see. In another thread we discussed replacement or revision of the BL5's and this actually leads on from that I suspect.
Chris Townsend:There are lots of things I can't afford, but it still makes me happy that companies make these items and that people have been successful enough to afford. Can't wait to see them Beovision 7-55 Mk2, Beovision 8-32, Avant RF 28, Beolab 9, Beolit 15, Beoplay A2, Beocom 2, Beotime, H6, Form 2.
Dave Farr: unless a dealer lets something slip so we have to just wait and see. Dave.
unless a dealer lets something slip so we have to just wait and see.
That won't help much either - I guess we have to listen to the beast to understand.
Come on Struer! We need a picture!
Too long to list....
bayerische: Come on Struer! We need a picture!
I need a 'sneak-listen' ;-)
Playdrv4me: It's the "G Wagen" effect. Our G Wagen from 2005 is identical outside to a 2015 model and not far removed from the original 1979 debut, yet Mercedes still happily sells these for 130-200,000.00. Why the hell not? It's an icon and the tooling and development costs were paid off *DECADES* ago! So as long as they can keep the safety requirements met, it will continue to hold its position in the lineup with nothing other than cosmetics and engine/transmission changes.
It's the "G Wagen" effect. Our G Wagen from 2005 is identical outside to a 2015 model and not far removed from the original 1979 debut, yet Mercedes still happily sells these for 130-200,000.00. Why the hell not? It's an icon and the tooling and development costs were paid off *DECADES* ago! So as long as they can keep the safety requirements met, it will continue to hold its position in the lineup with nothing other than cosmetics and engine/transmission changes.
Little Off topic, but great to read that there are some other G drivers amonst Bang olufsen owners. My G and my beosystem 7000 (and my Rolex GMT 16710 pepsi) are the couple of things where the phrase "over my dead body" comes to mind :-)
Plus you need to be a little crazy to love them and accept that they are not and never will be perfect
Frederic: Little Off topic, but great to read that there are some other G drivers amonst Bang olufsen owners. My G and my beosystem 7000 (and my Rolex GMT 16710 pepsi) are the couple of things where the phrase "over my dead body" comes to mind :-) Plus you need to be a little crazy to love them and accept that they are not and never will be perfect
What? I thought G Wagens WERE supposed to be perfect - they're made by Mercedes after all!
Adam (Range Rover driver!)