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
Hi guys,
You used to help me out perfectly choosing the right combo for my set up.I currently own the following:- Beocenter 2300 (used as CD player only)- Emotiva UMC-1 (surround processor)- BL 8000 + BL2
I really like this system for the smooth warm sound of the beolab 8000's with the roomshaking bass of the beolab 2. Listening to music is like dreaming away with the artist like she / he is in my own livingroom. And with movies, the BL2 turns your room in a real cinema, so watching actions movies is a big party.Nevertheless, to extend the party I would like to go to a real 5.1 surround system with B&O louspeakers, but I'm not sure what to choose.
For the center speaker I would like to add a single beolab 4000.But for the rears I'm not sure. I can go the easy way and add a pair of beolab 6000's, buut for only 1000 euro's more I can buy a pair of beolab 1's. I want to buy preowned, so the pricedifference is not that big.Buying the beloab 1 means I'm going to use the beolab 8000 as rears.
Questions I've got:
- Should I start adding a centerspeaker or rears? What will give the most benefit to my system?
- Is it worth the extra 1000 for the beolab 1's? And is the combo BL1 - BL8000 really much better than the combo BL8000-BL6000?
I can't speak about a surround sound setup, but (IMO) the BeoLab1s are great speakers and definitely worth the extra 1000. I upgraded my BL8000 MK1 + BL2 last summary to 2nd hand BL1 and I am very happy. With 1s, I can hear individual instruments whereas now the 8000s sound like the music is all mixed together. Also, the 1s can go louder before they "scream"... not that I listen at high volumes that much, but it is nice when necessary . The only caution is that I've heard they may not sound so great in a small room.
Stan
I would go for the Beolab 1's instead of the 6000's.
Steffen:I would go for the Beolab 1's instead of the 6000's.
I too changed my 8000's for lab1's and find them much more detailed. Have you considered 4000's for rere's? I have 4 4000's and an avant with a bl2 and have no plans to change it.
So I think it's going to be the lab 1's.
Are these speakers sensible for damages on the foams?
@valve1: if I'd go for the BL1's then I'm going to use my 8000's as rears.
I think these will better match the BL1's as the 4000's will do.
I use my set about 50/50 for music and movies, but the sound quality of music is much more important for me than the sound. Quality of movies.
Movies are already awesome with the emotiva UMC-1 and the beolab 2. I wouldn't miss it.
This is the reason for me to go with the lab1's in combination with a BL2, instead of a lab 9.
How much better is the beolab 9 or 5 compared with the BL1 + 2 combo?
You will not be disappointed with the lab1's they have a more detailed sound than the 8000's to my ears. No idea on foam or how lab1's sound against 9'sor 5's . Let us know how you get on.
My lab1s were built in 2000 so they are 12 yrs old. At this point, to my untrained eye, the speaker membranes look brand new. I don't see any foam surrounds, and as they were b&o's "flagship" model for many years, I doubt they have weak rubber surrounds like the 6000s.
My set were also shipped cross country (from CA to IL) in less than ideal packaging, and dropped from the back of the shipper's truck on to my driveway (I saw the truck pull up, I walked out to meet him and heard "THWAAK! THWAAK!". To my horrified expression, he said "those are tarps, right?" - what else is long and skinny and weights 70lbs?!?) with no ill effects. They appear to be a very robust speaker.
I listened to the BL9s for a rather extended period at the dealer prior to my BL1 purchase. To my ears, the BL9s do sound better (the ALT sound is a little less "clinical", and it also had somewhat better bass, but the BL2 fills this in nicely, IMHO - with the BL2's BL1 setting, it is very subtle), but not significantly better... and they are significantly more expensive... If money is no object, I'd go for the BL9 or 5, but I'm not in that position today (or tomorrow ). From a value perspective, I paid less for my (used) BL1s than I did for my (new) BL8000s (even in 2002 $s), and they are definitely a very nice upgrade.
I'm actually afraid to listen to the BL5s... If I don't listen, I will not fall in love and buy something I really cannot afford at this point in my life.