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
I'm actually going against the trend here a bit. I'm picking up a like new BV9 ACM today. Couldn't be happier. It's a heck of a TV, albeit a bit older technology in it.
What I wanted the BV9 for is it's size, and foremost the plasma screen and mono speaker. It's going to be great for surround. My BL5's will also go nicely with it, since the same kind of "rubber" surface is used on both, so is the aluminum finished to the same kind of finish.
My current BV10 is nice, but I always felt like it wasn't really "my TV".
Too long to list....
The development in the TV-business the last few years have been very slow when considering pure picture performance. Sure improvements have been made, but in most cases the average consumer won't notice them, and to really appreciate it you need a calibration of the picture.
This is B&O lucky break. With the V1 and especially the BV11, B&O is up there with the best when it comes to pure picture performance. And you can be sure that it won’t become obsolete before the OLED technology is ready for the mass consumer market. The same can't be said for older B&O models.
What you get with V1 and BV11 is the seamless integration with other products. They might lack some features, but the features they do have are almost always better or just works compared to other brands. The problem with Samsung, Panasonic etc. is that they stuff so many unfinished features into the TV that you eventually want to kill yourself because of the frustration. The few features that the V1 has it do really well, and I can connect any B&O speaker directly to the TV with a very easy setup which insures the perfect distribution of sound based on the speaker connected. Furthermore I only need one remote as all my other units can be controlled by the B&O remote. By selection a Panasonic you will need an A/V receiver to distribute the sound from the TV, and a universal remote to control all your units. There is no doubt which setup is the most elegant ;)
Whether the V1 can act as your main living room TV depends on your living room. I use my V1 as my main TV, and it fits perfectly in with the rest of my interior decoration.
Sure the V1 isn’t the most beautiful TV B&O has produced, but it has its own charm. If you want a true B&O product which isn’t obsolete or won’t feel like it anytime soon, then go to the BV11. If you don’t care about technology and just loves the design go for any B&O.
You are absolutely right; a GT50 might beat the V1 on picture alone, but the V1 is much more than picture. You can’t compare the two like that, unless you don’t care about the features that make the V1 stand apart :)
Beovision Eclipse gen2 (GX) w/ floorstand, Beolab 14.2, 4 speaker Shape and ATV4/Chromecast.
Beoplay A9mk4 GVA, Beosound 1 GVA, H2, H3, H8, E6, Beoplay EQ
.
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.
"I can not see how a Bv8 can better a Bv9"
Who the h*** said that?
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
Millemissen: "....I have always bought B&O for design purposes." That explains quite a lot! Not that you couldn't (or shouldn't) buy B&O for that reason, but you surely don't NEED a company like Bang & Olufsen for that reason. Bang & Olufsen (and the subbrand B&O BeoPlay) is a lot more than 'design', and that is the difference! Greetings Millemissen
"....I have always bought B&O for design purposes."
That explains quite a lot!
Not that you couldn't (or shouldn't) buy B&O for that reason, but you surely don't NEED a company like Bang & Olufsen for that reason.
Bang & Olufsen (and the subbrand B&O BeoPlay) is a lot more than 'design', and that is the difference!
Greetings Millemissen
haha! None of us NEED to buy Bang & Olufsen, but we do
To the_beonic_man, buy with your heart and not with your head. I find that whenever I buy with my heart, I look at that item and smile. Whenever I buy with my head, I tire of that item quickly
x:________________________
seethroughyou... thanks for your comments, can I just point out that I was making reference to the BeoPlay V1 and not the BV8, in terms of being better than any other model in the B&O range apart from the BV11. This is the feedback that most people seem to be saying.
Jonathan... Great advice about heart and head etc, but sadly I am terrible at doing that, so I am either going to end up with a V1 if I stick with B&O or a Panasonic Viera TX-P50GT50 (last years award wining plasma that you can now find for half price around £700) if I decide not too!
It's a difficult decision for me because I had a lot of B&O equipment in 2006 which I bought new, (BV7-40, BS9000, Speakers, Phones etc - not to mention all the fitting over a few days) only to then sell it off just 2 years later. Call me barmy, and you'd be right, but I guess I got bored really and wanted to change things around again.
I am currently battling with thoughts in my mind ranging from, "Well, on the one hand Simon, you know you love B&O and miss everything you sold, so buy it all back again!" and on the other hand, "OMG! What on earth are you thinking? There was obviously a reason you sold it all to begin with! Don't even think about dragging all this up again!"
Don't know if anyone else can relate to this mad behaviour but I suspect I am not alone!
All the best,Simon.
B&O products are V1-32, BS2, H95, E8 and an Essence remote.11-46 now replaced with Sony A90J 65”, Sony HT-A9, Sony UBP-X800M2 and Sony SRS-NS7.
Dear Simon,
Apologies for the mix-up on my part earlier.
As for your dilema I can relate completely. Earlier this year, I sold off my Bs5 (because i never fell in love with it and started to hate it more and more), BL5 (i wanted 24 bit and 192 KHz compatibility and felt on listening to its competitors that its sound could be better; i am reliably informed that B&O are working on a new flagship speaker so i await eagerly for this) and I sold my Bv4+System3 as I wanted smart functionality, dual tuners, TV recording functionality and DLNA in one package and also because after seeing the Bv11 i preferred its image quality to the plasma image (my taste not everyone agrees).
Just because you bought B&O in the past and sold it that doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't right for you at the time. It could just mean that you grew out of it and needed newer functionality, image quality or sound that the past gear could no longer deliver which had done so in the past. Alternatively, you could be averse to buying again as you subconsciously feel/believe that you can get better value for money from a 3rd party and don't want to lose so much money again even if you do make a 'wrong decision' again. A possible solution is waiting for the Bv11 to start to appear on the used or ex-demo scene and haggle a little to make the purchase a little less anxiety-provoking. I am in the same position and as much i love the Bv11 and it's functionality and image quality hit the mark but i'm not sure about dropping nearly £11,000 on a TV knowing how many holidays or other conflicting demands I could pay for. On the other hand if i go out and buy a Sony, Panasonic, etc... will i for many years to feel let down/unsatisfied by the poor integration, multiple remotes, aesthetically 'inferior' presence in my living room and poor sound... I think the best compromise between heart and mind is waiting a little longer and buying a used B&O TV of your choice. If you do want to buy new the best advice i can give you is to go into the dealer every week and watch the TV of your choice from B&O and if after a few visits you still uncomfortable hold off. Perhaps do the same at your local Panasonic dealer and see which feels right and makes most sense in your mind out of the two options.
Are you also worried that a small purchase could spiral into a 2nd phase of addiction to B&O purchases..?
Hi seethrough,
Yes, I am absolutely worried that if I bought 1 product from B&O it will all kick off again. I would get surround sound speakers, top tv, sound system and all the rest of it, and that is something I don't want to do for the reasons you state in your earlier words about yourself and your own similar journey.
There's no way I am spending large amounts of money again on a tv which just a few years later will be worth next to nothing. Ludicrous and I 'must' learn for my earlier mistakes. I just need to realise its my ego, nothing more, and get a grip to be honest!
I like what you have written and relate a lot. If I did take the plunge (but I don't think I will) my decision comes down to two products now, either a V1 from B&O or an up to date Panny, either this year's model or last years. Even the top of the range VT model for this year will still be half the price of the V1 if I wait just a few more months until it drops, as they always do just before Christmas, and then again substantially early new year after the Las Vegas event. Its this route I am going to take I am quite sure. I like B&O, I am a fan, but I was much more of a fan in the late 80s and 90s. The products seemed worth the expense then but something is missing for me now, and as I write these posts and read other people's I am realising this even more.
Its good to have popped back to the forum after several years and seen some familiar usernames but I can't see me jumping back on the B&O bandwagon to spend £2,600 (plus more for an stb table stand, then a Blu Ray player, then an Apple TV, then a table stand) for a V1 tv that performs no better than a mainstream set half its price. I might change my mind in months to come, you never know, but for the moment.. ttfn!
Take care,Simon.
I finally got to see the V1 at a B&O store over the weekend. Have to say I did not find the picture impressive at all. Quite a let down considering I had heard from various dealers over the phone that it was so good. Not sure where they get that idea from. Saw a lot of motion problems as well as generally a very dull looking picture to my eyes. Tested on all types of input including HD, SD, DVD and Blu Ray. Anyway, at least it has made my decision much easier. The BV11 was slightly better, but only because of the glossy look to the screen really. The picture quality on the BV12 impressed me the most but at 65" its far too big for my requirements. The 7-55 was also impressive but again, too big. I will continue to use my Avant for the next few years until a television with a comparable or better picture comes out at between 32" and 46" and with a built in Blu Ray player. I have also abandoned the idea of buying Panasonic or another brand as on reflection the Avant meets all my needs perfectly, and I can't find anything better at this time. Too much effort messing around with sound bars, blu ray players, other external speakers, wires etc. The Avant is the perfect all in one solution with a fantastic picture and great sound. Amazing to say this considering its age but testament to a great product from B&O all those years ago. Here's waiting for there next one, whenever that might be.
BeoNut since '75
As an owner of the V1-40 in white - I thought I might give you some of my thoughts.
I love it. It's raw, edgy design profile is a Bauhaus dream. It creates a lot of interest at my place - sure its a little smaller than I would really like, but biy, so my guests love it. They hear things they usually miss and keep remarking on the depth of the picture.
But then some of my guests don't care for it - talking about the width of the chassis - the colour, the size compared to others on the market. But the reality is this. It's a B&O - albeit a Play - but you're always going to pay more for it. I find the picture superb. For the price, it's a steal - it wasn't long ago that a 40"LCD was $20k AUD.
But I also love the BV7 too.. I love it's design, iconic - somehow strong, but light. I also love the BV5. That's a great TV - but I decided to go for the latest tech, panel etc and I thought the picture and sound and design was so different, drawing parallels that i had to go for it. It's also a size that I can use in a bedroom if I ever wanted to.
Sure, I could have bought the latest Samsung / LG / Panasonic or something similar. But for the smiles I get and are given from friends and family - the element of surprise with the V1 - I reckon its value for money.
Well I will be visiting another shop in the same vicinity as the B&O store again next week Rob, so I could do this. The owner wasn't particularly accommodating with my requests beforehand so I am not sure just how helpful he will be this time round, we'll see.
I didn't talk about the design of the V1 in my previous post, which I was pleasantly surprised by. Judging from pictures I'd seen on the internet I didn't like it at all, much different in the flesh though, so to speak, and the metal bars on the side really aren't that bad although I'd still take them off and have it on a table stand instead. I did prefer the white to the black, the latter of which looked more dark grey to me than black anyway.
Played a DVD of early 90s comedy content to see how that looked as this would represent a lot of the type of programmes I would be watching at home; Only Fools and Horses, Fawlty Towers, One Foot in the Grave, Murder She Wrote, Quincy et al. None of them looked great as I thought might be the case. However, I was hoping they would look OK and watchable at least. My verdict was that they wouldn't, yet somehow on my Avant 32" they look crisp and clear. How is this possible with only a few inches different? Even on the 32" V1 they looked bad. Is this a flaw of LCD technology?
Looking at the way things are going I feel I will never buy another tv again, from any manufacturer, until OLED comes out at an affordable price. From what I read it seems this is the only technology likely to give me the kind of quality I am already used to or better. Flat screens only appear to be flat, and that is all.
All comments on the topic invited of course and my views are only my own.
The last time i demoed the v1 was at home and i have to say that i was more impressed with it at home than i was in the shop.
Maybe because i was able to set the correct output settings and resolution output from my bluray player. The picture really did come into it's own then and i was really shocked by the quality of the image.
I find that B&0 set the sharpness levels to high which leads to ringing and sometimes picture noise, reducing the sharpness a bit resulted in an even better image.
I also find that it looks better with some of the stands from stb especially the new 360 degree rotating one, if i was buying a v1 thats the table stand i would use with it.
My other issue was the size i needed at least 46'' as 40'' is a little small for me now.
I would be the first to admit to my hate for the design of this tv when i first saw the pictures but i find that with the different stands available it makes the v1 look better.
Beoplay A2
Dude 1 , you got a white V1 and matching Alfa Giulietta like your avatar?
ive got a red Giulietta but they don't offer a matching V1 . We got a white V1 and it certainly impresses in real life.
Beo Century ,Beoplay V1, Beocenter 6, Ex-Beolit 12, Beotime , A8. Beolit 15 , Form 2i , Beolab 2000, Beoplay A3.Beosound 1
The_Beonic_Man: Looking at the way things are going I feel I will never buy another tv again, from any manufacturer, until OLED comes out at an affordable price. From what I read it seems this is the only technology likely to give me the kind of quality I am already used to or better.
Looking at the way things are going I feel I will never buy another tv again, from any manufacturer, until OLED comes out at an affordable price. From what I read it seems this is the only technology likely to give me the kind of quality I am already used to or better.
Simon, OLED won't turn 80s poorly filmed TV programmes in to a watchable masterpiece. The reason why this looks so poor on an LCD, is due to an LCD displaying the picture at almost twice the height of the original. All the flaws from the original will be magnified on a 1080p panel. Even worse on a 4K panel. OLED 4K would make these programmes unwatchable.
It's not necessary a flaw of an LCD panel, it's the way technology as moved on from the original filming of these 80s programmes. Luckily old movies were filmed in such a high resolution, that they can still look great on a 1080p TV. All a modern TV will do is pick up on all the flaws of the original recording.
It's like digitally recording an old taped concert and wondering why you can hear a lot of hiss on your CD player.
Beovision 11-55, BeoPlay V1 40, Beosound 9000, Beolab 8000's and 3 Beocom 5's...
gennaro:I bought my wife a V1 40 in white for the kitchen as a Mother's Day gift.. Now, kids just love hanging around the kitchen just to see tv. Lol I love the image, but what blew me away is the sound that this thing produces.. When people come over, they think there is a sound system hidden somewhere. Lol They can't believe that it's coming from the TV set... Hahaha BeoPlay V1 40, Beosound 9000, Beolab 8000's and 3 Beocom 5's...
Jeff
I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus.
Jeff: Catalogue picture - simply beautiful!
My B&O products: Beosound 9000, Beosound 2300, Beosound Century, Beolab 8000, Beolab 6000, Beolab 4000 x2, Beolab 3500, Beolab 2000, Beolab 10, Beolink Active x2, Beotime, Beo5 x2, Beo4, A9 keyring x2, LC2 dimmer x6 and growing....
Rivenflush:Jeff: Catalogue picture - simply beautiful! My B&O products: Beosound 2300, Beosound Century, Beolab 8000, Beolab 6000, Beolab 4000 x2, Beolab 2000, Beolink Active x2, Beotime, Beo5 x3, Beo4, A9 keyring x2, LC2 dimmer x6 and growing....
""The V1 come out of any Samsung or Sony factory as far as looks go"
not really. It would be plastic .
moxxey: The_Beonic_Man: Looking at the way things are going I feel I will never buy another tv again, from any manufacturer, until OLED comes out at an affordable price. From what I read it seems this is the only technology likely to give me the kind of quality I am already used to or better. Simon, OLED won't turn 80s poorly filmed TV programmes in to a watchable masterpiece. The reason why this looks so poor on an LCD, is due to an LCD displaying the picture at almost twice the height of the original. All the flaws from the original will be magnified on a 1080p panel. Even worse on a 4K panel. OLED 4K would make these programmes unwatchable. It's not necessary a flaw of an LCD panel, it's the way technology as moved on from the original filming of these 80s programmes. Luckily old movies were filmed in such a high resolution, that they can still look great on a 1080p TV. All a modern TV will do is pick up on all the flaws of the original recording. It's like digitally recording an old taped concert and wondering why you can hear a lot of hiss on your CD player.
Chris, drove over to Cribbs last weekend to see the latest Samsung curved OLED offering in 55" and all I can say is WOW! If you haven't checked out OLED yet then I would, as soon as you have the opportunity. Blew me away. Have to tell you too that I took some DVDs with me, one was Columbo, one of the earlier episodes and the other was Season 1 of Only Fools and Horses. Both looked excellent on the screen. There was obviously some very good upscaling going on from the DVD player but the pictures looked very very good taking up the whole 55" screen. The set is £7,000 and I am rather tempted I must say. Brilliant speaker integration too which is built into the frame of the tv, very cool. Picture quality generally out of this world. I also saw a Sony 4K (or Ultra HD) model which also was amazing and blew me away again in terms of its picture quality. That set was around £4,000 but I was advised by a staff member demonstrating the set to wait for later models as this current one won't actually display 4K content properly as the technology is changing again (agreed international standards etc) and apparently the set can't ne updated. Seems strange to me that but just passing on what was told to me on the day. Anyway, get along there if you can, must sees... Very excited by OLED personally. Simon.
The HDMI 2.0 and UHD standards was first finalized after the current line of 4K models was released. Some sets can be upgraded, but upgrading a HDMI board can be costly. I've heard whispers about software upgrades, but frankly I wouldn't count on that with the reputation of the big manufacturers. They aren't exactly known for their great support of last years sets.
I would give you the same recommendation as your dealer; don't by the current line of 4K TVs.
I like my V1-40.. :)
I am going to replace my good old mx6000 to a flatscreen. As one option I have found a used beovision 8-40" to 1.100€. the other option is a new beoplay V1 for sale for 2.400 € at the local b&o-store.
. Wich one should I by? like the look of both so that is not an issue. I know the V10 is newer and maybe better bit how much? And is it worth the higher Price? Please guide me..
Silvertone:I am going to replace my good old mx6000 to a flatscreen. As one option I have found a used beovision 8-40" to 1.100€. the other option is a new beoplay V1 for sale for 2.400 € at the local b&o-store. . Wich one should I by? like the look of both so that is not an issue. I know the V10 is newer and maybe better bit how much? And is it worth the higher Price? Please guide me..