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Almando surround module

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This post has 11 Replies | 3 Followers

Mikipidia
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Mikipidia Posted: Thu, Aug 31 2017 4:49 PM
Does anybody on the forum have any experience with the almando surround box when using a non B&O tv? If so, how is it working for you? And what are your experiences with it? Iam asking because i want a new tv, but what ever that will be, i want to keep my b&o speakers.

Thanks in advance

M

New: Beovision Harmony, Beolab 50's, Beolab 28's, Beolab 18's, Beolab 17's, Beosound Stage & LG, Beosound 2, Beoplay M3, Beoplay A1, Beoplay Portal, Beoplay H4 gen 2, Beoplay E8 3.0

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Old: Beosound 9000 mk3, Beolab 3's, Beovision Eclipse, Beolab 1's, Beolab 2, Beovision 10-46, Overture 2300, beolab 8000's, Beolab 4000's, Beovision avant 32" etc. etc.

Norwin
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Norwin replied on Sun, Dec 17 2017 8:44 PM

Hi Mikipedia,

Got one delivered last week.

1) Connected Almando using HDMI ARC to my Samsung JU6540

2) Connected Almando to my Beosound Moment using CAT7 cable.

3) BL18 (front), BL19 (sub), BL12-1 (rears) and BL4000 (using these as center) all connected using CAT7 cable (except BL4000 that's a special converter cable from Sounds Heavily)

4) 'Scandinavian' 60m2 living room so difficult for good acoustics.

Cables connected, downloaded app on Android, connected with BT to the new Almando device found on the mobile (which worked) and tried to connect with the app which did not work at first tries. Only after waiting a while it did. Somewhat buggy I would say.

Sitting in the middle of my room I measured all distances to speakers etc. and put them in the app (both in the HDMI ARC and DIN B&O Powerlink sections) . Then started to fiddle around with downmix (2/0, 3/0, 2/2 and 3/2), speaker volume per speaker, bass and treble settings using some of my favorite songs. Ended up with some challenges as I could not get bass out of my sub. Had to switch on LP filter on my BL19 (which is now at 70) and put gain higher. Then bass worked fine. So after getting my music settings done (DIN B&O Powerlink section) I started to look at my television, did similar testing, changing settings (HDMI ARC section) and now my TV is connected as well. Limitation is that I cannot create a 7.1 or higher setup but I'm happy with 5.1.

Sound coming out of my speakers is as crisp as it was when connected directly to the Beosound Moment and I do not notice any differences. The advantage of adding the Almando (besides getting my TV connected and no lip sync delays anymore) in-between is the possibility to finetune sound coming out of the speakers which is now so much better than it was before in my living room with bad acoustics. It will off course not replace an acoustic room treatment but the difference I notice is night and day especially with the bass.

Hope that helps.

 

 

Regards,

Norwin

Beosound Halo, Beosound Core 2x, Beosound 1, Beosound M3 3x, Beolab 18, 19, 12-1, 4000, Beoplay H7, A1, Almando Multiplay Surround Switch

 

StUrrock
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StUrrock replied on Sun, Dec 17 2017 8:53 PM

Cant speak for the Surround model, but have installed loads of these;

 

https://almando.com/index.php/almando-multiplay-stereo.html

 

customers very happy!

Mikipidia
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Mikipidia replied on Sun, Dec 17 2017 11:14 PM
Thanks for the info! In the end because i don’t have an option for the almando app(no android device) and wasn’t yet willing to be one of the first to take the dive i ended up going with the eclipse for now. Sometimes iam still wondering if i made the right choice, because it’s not fault free operation nore are the bl50’s...

So maybe my next upgrade i’ll go that route.

New: Beovision Harmony, Beolab 50's, Beolab 28's, Beolab 18's, Beolab 17's, Beosound Stage & LG, Beosound 2, Beoplay M3, Beoplay A1, Beoplay Portal, Beoplay H4 gen 2, Beoplay E8 3.0

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Old: Beosound 9000 mk3, Beolab 3's, Beovision Eclipse, Beolab 1's, Beolab 2, Beovision 10-46, Overture 2300, beolab 8000's, Beolab 4000's, Beovision avant 32" etc. etc.

elephant
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elephant replied on Mon, Dec 18 2017 12:25 AM
Norwin:

Hi Mikipedia,

Got one delivered last week.

1) Connected Almando using HDMI ARC to my Samsung JU6540

2) Connected Almando to my Beosound Moment using CAT7 cable.

3) BL18 (front), BL19 (sub), BL12-1 (rears) and BL4000 (using these as center) all connected using CAT7 cable (except BL4000 that's a special converter cable from Sounds Heavily)

4) 'Scandinavian' 60m2 living room so difficult for good acoustics.

Cables connected, downloaded app on Android, connected with BT to the new Almando device found on the mobile (which worked) and tried to connect with the app which did not work at first tries. Only after waiting a while it did. Somewhat buggy I would say.

Sitting in the middle of my room I measured all distances to speakers etc. and put them in the app (both in the HDMI ARC and DIN B&O Powerlink sections) . Then started to fiddle around with downmix (2/0, 3/0, 2/2 and 3/2), speaker volume per speaker, bass and treble settings using some of my favorite songs. Ended up with some challenges as I could not get bass out of my sub. Had to switch on LP filter on my BL19 (which is now at 70) and put gain higher. Then bass worked fine. So after getting my music settings done ( DIN B&O Powerlink section) I started to look at my television, did similar testing, changing settings ( HDMI ARC section) and now my TV is connected as well. Limitation is that I cannot create a 7.1 or higher setup but I'm happy with 5.1.

Sound coming out of my speakers is as crisp as it was when connected directly to the Beosound Moment and I do not notice any differences. The advantage of adding the Almando (besides getting my TV connected and no lip sync delays anymore) in-between is the possibility to finetune sound coming out of the speakers which is now so much better than it was before in my living room with bad acoustics. It will off course not replace an acoustic room treatment but the difference I notice is night and day especially with the bass.

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Norwin

Beosound Moment & 1, Beolab 18, 19, 12-1, 4000, Beoplay H7, A1

Norwin - thanks for a wonderful informative report !

Congratulations !!

You are a great pioneer - much perseverance !

More than I might have Sad

So I might end up following Miki Unsure

BeoNut since '75

Norwin
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Norwin replied on Mon, Dec 18 2017 8:26 AM

Guess I could have used Transmitter 1 as well or any other receiver but liked the simplicity of setting up the Almando box (HDMI ARC and 6 connections for connecting speakers using CAT7) and the Android app. 

B&Os Transmitter 1 instruction manual kept me from buying as the complexity scared me and not sure on B&O's capabilities with regards to configuration capabilities in the Bang & Olufsen App (if at all possible) and I did not want appointments with dealers to help me setup something which should be simple to do.

Using another 3rd party receiver was not an option as I found this somewhat overkill as I am not looking at 7.1 or higher setups anyhow and did not want to have an additional remote in the house. I still have one only and want to keep it like that.

Anyhow - I am happy with what I have now and I am sure others have the same with their setups. If they are not happy my experiences might help making a choice.

Regards,
Norwin

 

Regards,

Norwin

Beosound Halo, Beosound Core 2x, Beosound 1, Beosound M3 3x, Beolab 18, 19, 12-1, 4000, Beoplay H7, A1, Almando Multiplay Surround Switch

 

svinaik
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svinaik replied on Mon, Dec 18 2017 1:04 PM

Folks

On a similar topic, I had also started a discussion and now I have a succful integration of BL 50 with Loewe TV.

http://archivedforum2.beoworld.org/forums/t/28501.aspx

 

Raffaele Sgherri
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Thanks for the great post,

I'm looking to buy one myself as well, and I'm puzzled by the volume setup... are you adjusting volume through your TV remote (mute/high/low), and it works as expected?

Have a BL8000, BL4000, BS2 and BL7,1 to drive, plus a BS3000 and possibly a Sonos Connect. On paper, as I'm looking for a non B&O TV, feels like the best fit on paper.

pauliander
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pauliander replied on Fri, Oct 12 2018 11:48 AM

The same here. I am currently watching to a 75 inch Sony TV, linked to a Beocenter 2 with Beolab 5s and a Sonos Connect. It may seem a detail to some but the fact that I each time have to use 2 remote controls to fire up and down the TV and the speakers is very burdensome. Also the volume of the TV is seperated from the speakers which may seem useful but is not practical. 

I have been looking for a system which allows a seemless integration of all these components without too much hassle. After about 10 years my wife doesn’t really understand the Beo 4 for example. I believe that this would change with the Almando surround module allowing for a 1 button operation to fire everything up and down. 

This would also work for music listening via Sonos Connect. I would not have to fire up and down the Beolab 5s anymore seperately. I would connect Sonos digitally to the Beolab 5 while Almando would take care of the rest via a seperate powerlink connection. I intend to do more or less what Stephan explained in this tread: 

https://archivedforum2.beoworld.org/forums/t/21176.aspx?PageIndex=2

Not to forget, it would allow me to add a center speakers and perhaps surrounds to my set.

I would be interested in reading more experiences with Almando.

RichardIII
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StUrrock:

Cant speak for the Surround model, but have installed loads of these;

 

https://almando.com/index.php/almando-multiplay-stereo.html

 

customers very happy!

 

Hello StUrrock,

I found this thread and your answer, maybe you can answer this question for me?

At the moment I have a pair of Beolab 8000's connected to my Lyngdorf TDAI-2170 amp (which works as a pre amp in this way). Works great. When I start playing music through my Lyngdorf amp, the Beolabs turn on and I can control the volume trough the Lyngdorf.

Now my mind is set on Beolab 5's as a replacement for the Beolab 8000. From what I read, they don't behave the same way as the 8000's. You either need a remote, or maybe the almando box?

I have this on my mind:

When I connect the Beolab 5's like this, will they turn on when I start playing music through my Lyngdorf amp and will the volume control of the Lyngdorf be able to put them louder or not?

Hope you can help.

Cheers,

Richard

 

------------------------------

Edit: I myself can confirm this works now. I've tested it personally. With the Almando powerlink switch box connected to a non-B&O (pre)amp, the Beolab 5's switch on when there is a signal and switch of again a minute after the signal is gone. No Beo4 remote needed (perhaps only for the pincodes if you've activated them). I used mk2 cables.

RichardIII
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Sorry, posted twice, but can't delete it?

perjar
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perjar replied on Fri, Feb 4 2022 1:07 PM
Hi,
I have the WISA model but have no wireless speakers at the moment.
The product has many benefits, for sure, but also one major problem that I am still struggling with.
It pertains to the sound quality and volume level of the center channel, in particular for human voices. 
The volume level of the center channel fluctuates. This is mostly noticeble when watching for instance a newscast when people talk and they switch back and forth beween interviews for instance. The sound level changes as different people talk and sometimes becomes muffled. As an example: the sound is crisp and clear then the person to the left in the studio is talking, but becomes lower and muffled when the person to the right starts to talk.
I have two TV-sets, so I have been able to compare them and can conclude that the source/broadcast is not the problem, the audio is perfect on my non-surround TV ( a Beovision 10).
I have brand new Samsung 8K set, the QE75QN800A model, and it is a very capable TV in many ways.
A potential source to the problem could have been be Samsung's "Intelligent mode" , which includes features like Active and Adaptive sound which affects how voice audio is handled and pushed to the speakers. It rebalances the channels if the Samsung "intelligence" deems it is needed. However, these features are disabled  when using eARC. So, the audio should be more or less pass-through in eARC mode.
If I disable eARC on the Samsung, and run the audio through the onboard speakers in the TV instead, then the audio works fine. With and without the added Samsung "Intelligence"
This leads me to believe that the issue must be related to sound processing in the Almando box somehow, that the decoding and balancing of the channels don't work as they should. Perhaps the Almando box too has some sort of  "intelligence" that messes up the audio.
In any case, it does disrupt the viewing experience and is a source of irritation among members of the family.
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