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 have a very good local retailer who was kind enough to change out one Essence Mk2 and its Bluetooth controller completely, again however with the same result after a couple of weeks: the Bluetooth device proving to be useless.
My local retailer has been told by his Service Support that, ‘There is a known issue where the Bluetooth connection between box and remote is unstable in certain environments’!
Why then, can B&O sell these products with known problems?
A B&O Technician has been around to witness these factors with exactly the same result; in fact the Bluetooth device wouldn’t even ‘pair’ with its respective Essence Mk2 when he was here.
The IR solution that I was offered is not a solution at all, due to the aesthetics of an IR Receiver stuck on the wall.
Coupled with this, my Essence Mk1’s cannot now be found online by the BeoMusic App, so I cannot stream to them any more. BeoSetup sees them perfectly on my network however: the problem is evidently an upgrade of BeoMusic App since these were installed?
I have fed all this information back to B&O’s Customer Services in Denmark but I’ve been told that the Product Manager cannot give any deadlines for a solution to these problems; how long is a piece of string.......
So my question is, why on earth are B&O selling something that is patently not functioning as advertised, or of a marketable quality: reverting back to my opening statement, I empathise, but come on…. what is going on with their abysmal software research programs?
Hence, at the end of this rather long narrative I would advise anyone looking to install a B&O Essence to think again, or use another manufacturer’s product, one that actually does what it says on the tin, until B&O get a ‘fix’? for these known issues?
Several BeoWorlders with Essences have experienced the BT dropouts. This was discussed in another thread, and the solution is to perform a factory reset of the Essence. The thread is linked here:
http://archivedforum2.beoworld.org/forums/t/21805.aspx?PageIndex=1
For me, it has happened only a few times since last October. I had owned my Essence MkII for about a year without issue.
Sal: For me, it has happened only a few times since last October. I had owned my Essence MkII for about a year without issue.
Which is a few times too much. It's a B&O product and I don't undertstand why people accept such hiccups in this segments. Maybe it has to do with Bluetooth technology which is not B&Os strength (if you have a look at their headphone range...) and they should have used Zigbee-Standard!?
remember: i've even got the IR-eye for free due to my bluetooth issues with the wheelie. from then on everything's fine
Wohnzimmer: BeoVision Avant 55", BeoLab 11, 12-2 und 12-3 für 5.1-Sound + appleTV 4K und Philips BluRay-Player; BeoSound 2, BeoSound 3000 (fast nur noch Deko)////Schlafzimmer: BeoEssence MkII, BeoLab 4000 + Samsung 46"-TV////Büro: BLC NL/ML, BeoSound 35, Thorens TD320MkII, Samsung 32"-TV, WesternDigital 4TB-Server////Bad: BeoLab 2000; alles CAT7 verkabelt////Küche: M5 (drahtlos) plus diverse apple-Geräte (imac, macbook, ipads, iphones, timecapsule, watch)
Many thanks Sal, TWG, in my case the Factory Reset on the Essence Mk2 provides temporary respite only: they may function for a few hours or a few days, then back to square one: basically the technology is unstable and very unsatisfactory. Oddly, I have never had this problem with my two Essence Mk1's; neither of them has dropped out of their respective Bluetooth device. I am left with two problems: 1) the Essence Mk2s are so unstable with their Bluetooth devices that in my opinion they should have a product recall, they are not up to the standards that one expects from B&O. 2) My Essence Mk1's work fine with their Bluetooth devices, but now the BeoMusic App doesn't connect with them!
TWG: Sal: For me, it has happened only a few times since last October. I had owned my Essence MkII for about a year without issue. Which is a few times too much. It's a B&O product and I don't undertstand why people accept such hiccups in this segments. Maybe it has to do with Bluetooth technology which is not B&Os strength (if you have a look at their headphone range...) and they should have used Zigbee-Standard!?
Yes, I was offered an IR device too, but one IR-eye next to a completely different looking and different diameter BT wheelie doesn't do it for me aesthetically I'm afraid? Basically B&O should produce a product that does what it says on the tin, end of.........
TWG: Sal: For me, it has happened only a few times since last October. I had owned my Essence MkII for about a year without issue. Which is a few times too much. It's a B&O product and I don't undertstand why people accept such hiccups in this segments.
Which is a few times too much. It's a B&O product and I don't undertstand why people accept such hiccups in this segments.
TWG, I completely agree with you about these issues (not just Essence) being unacceptable, but what can the end users do? Those who have had multiple and frequent BT issues with the Essence have received the answer as an IR receiver, which is, to me, a workaround rather than solving the actual problem. Folks who have had the Moment from Day 1, as well as those with the BV14, and even Avant from the first days have had to just wait until their issues have been resolved -- in the case of the Moment, a very, very LONG time. And the BL20 concerns (from me and other folks), well, a repair has apparently solved the issues.
The only recourse if people want to not stand for B&O's shortcomings is to stop buying their products, but then our beloved brand, which might already be on the brink, will surely cease to exist.
All that being said, though, B&O have really got to get their software fundamental act together: the basics like Bluetooth should not be something which is hit and miss. I do feel, though that if B&O can't be open with their customers about known issues and a path to fix with a timeline, they shouldn't release a product until it is truly ready for release. As mentioned in other threads: at the price points we're paying, there is no room for compromise, especially in the US where a B&O dealer / service centers are become few and far between.
I could not agree with you more, the IR answer to the BT problem with the Essence Mk2 is (in my humble opinion), merely a workaround to get what amounts to a very expensive (BT) paperweight functioning? Loyal B&O customer such as ourselves are getting short shrift with these items that actually shouldn't not have been released to market in this state: this is not what we expect from such a prestigious (thereby expensive), brand.