Which Essence version do i have? & how to improve sound quality?

How do i identify the Essence version i have? Mk 1 or Mk2? i know it could be done by release/ purchase date but I can't recall the exact time. Can you tell from the serial number or something?

Also, i listen to music (spotify mainly) and Samsung TV through Beolab 18s via the essence. No other amp/ speakers attached. For music i'm not 100% happy with the sound and can't decide what i need to do to improve this: buy a DAC, buy an stereo amp, buy an AV receiver (in my current location i would likely not add any other speakers but may consider Beolab17s but can't find a WISA amp), buy a sub woofer??

The problem with the music is it feels a bit flat and not very comfortable to listen to

Apologies - as you can see I am a total newbie! Thanks in advance

 

 

Hi,

Im a total newbie too is so far as I purchased a Mk2 yesterday for the office and I busy working through a learning curve as well.

First, the original story was to use a Playmaker feeding into an old BC9500 and out via Powerlink and BL3s. I got fed up with the casting bit.

Next, after setting up the Essence and getting TuneIn, I realised why I had not bought one earlier - duh! It does not support WMA Lossless which all my BS5 tunes are formatted to. all 30000 of them. so now I'm doing a long overdue conversion. 4 copies I think.

 

Back to your issues:-

The BeoSetup app allows some degree of customisation by selecting loudspeaker type and some basic tone/loudness setting.

Next the silver product sticker on the back of the Essence white box should clearly indicate BeoSound Essence or BeoSound Essence Mkii

As to the flatness of music, I guess that depends on the loudspeakers and source files fed into the essence. I do find with my ears tuned to the BL90, I have found all the old gear sounding  very muddy. I have upped the treble setting, reduced the bass and set speakers to corner mode to try and brighten things up. For the office, they are fine.

Hope that helps?

 

10

 

 

 

Using BeoTool app will also allow you ascertain the hardware version too.

Hi, I hope I'm not just pointing out the obvious, but did you set your premium Spotify account to stream the highest bit rate otherwise it will just stream mp3 which sounds terrible.

Cheers, Morten

Depending on what you've been listening to before, maybe it was overly bright or such. I've lost count of the number of people's systems back in the day when graphic equalizers were around that all had them set like a U. What you personally like may or may not be accurate, the BL18s may or may not be a more accurate speaker, hard to tell or immediately point at the music source. Maybe you just don't like the way the 18s sound? So many variables. Maybe it's the source, maybe you don't like the speakers really, maybe it's the room (that makes a huge difference), maybe you're used to something else and the speakers sound different, maybe some setting is off.

@10 - thanks for the reply. No mention of Mk2 in the Beo apps or on the sticker on the back of the white box so i guess i'm mk1. Which means it can't be used in the multi room setup?

@morten 58 - i was on auto streaming quality so i've used that to extreme!

I'm starting to think the problem is a lack of bass. So I think the solution could be a Transmitter 1 + Beolab 19?

 

 

 

 

 

What speakers were you using before? 

What speakers were you using before? 

What speakers were you using before? 

 

Nothing special - Sonos!

 

Love the detail and width of the sound but just feels it lacks a little oomph on some of the stuff i listen to Fleetwood Mac, High Flying Birds, 

 

If I add a dac/ amp / AV receiver will that do anything to improve sound or not necessary as these are active speakers?

The DAC inside the Essence is more than good enough, and a receiver wouldn't buy you much either. Given what you were listening too it's hard to imagine the BL18 not being a major improvement in every way. How do you have the position switches set? Free, corner, wall? Setting them to Free will give you the most bass out of the speakers. I am not sure what options there are for tone controls and such in the Essence, I use a Beosound 9000 so I can adjust bass, treble, and loudness from my listening position using the Beo4 remote, and see what the setting are on the display.

otpbeo:

I'm starting to think the problem is a lack of bass. So I think the solution could be a Transmitter 1 + Beolab 19?

From memory trying to use a Transmitter 1 gets tricky. It's all about letting the source know there's a subwoofer; or setting the filters properly. I think B&O missed a trick not installing a head of, daisy link capability, chain on the BL19 like they did on the BL11.

Here are some BL18 + BL 19 wiring charts from the BL19 manual. I suggest you download the manual and study it carefully before buying.

Also Geoff Martin's web site has (my fuzzy memory says) a blog post about the BL19.

The easiest way to find out if your Essence is MK I or II, is looking in your mobile or tablet on the Google Home app and see if it finds the Essence to cast.

If its not visual in this app, then you have the earlier MKI.

When you find out its the MKII version, you open Beosetup app, open the SOUND menu and point the Essence to the correct speakers you are using.

If you find it has a lack of bass, you can modify Bass, Treble and loudness also in this menu.

Still have not enough bass? Add a Beolab 19 to your 18s.

Thanks for taking the time to post this. Having done more research there do seem to be lots of issues with 18, 19 2.1 setup using the transmitter 1. So i'm back to getting an av receiver, probably a marantz 5010. Will see how that goes. Thanks all very much for your input, very helpful