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
Yeah it's that dealer. I don't think he was lying at all. It's just that the distributor and dealership in Taiwan is very lacking in terms of stock management etc...
He has agreed voluntarily to refund the full amount of my prepayment for the A9, and I then made a decision to get a playmaker from him.... otherwise all the trouble for nothing. I am getting the playmaker as a gift for my mom's more than a decade old Beosound lab6000s combo so she can playback music using her iPhone.
Anyway I just think the whole store in store concept where various lines of italian furnitures are sold alongside with Bang & Olufsen makes the whole sale infrastructure weak. He previously mentioned how the Lab6000s are not available for order anymore and still insist on it and now he said that all the dealership has left of the lab4000s are the showroom models and are not available for order too.
But it makes complete sense that the old range is going to be pulled off production due to production costs and lack of integration into the more modern range. I mean compare the aluminum cabinets of the old range versus the aluminum on the newer loudspeaker models. They are obviously very different in terms of construction and finish. The old versions have a hand polished feel about them where it is less shiny and the newer versions are more shiny, more molded and bent rather than cut and polished. And the Lab12s are already featuring new connection sockets that were not seen on any Beolabs. I think B&O might be doing an overhaul of the entire loudspeaker product range.
What I think they should really add is also a range of external discreet functional modules/boxes that act as wireless receivers or USB dacs for computers etc.... They don't have to stand out in terms of design because they are meant to be discreet serving more as supports for their loudspeakers. It will be great if those modules can operate individually as in one module per speaker so cabling and the hassle of controlling via a "head" unit can be minimized or eliminated. The similar look modules can be priced progressively according to their performances/ functions ( some with built-in automated DSPs with mic input for calibration by the technicians perhaps for extra money?) and there you go a low overhead highly lucrative line of add ons (plain jane boxes/modules) for their current loudspeakers. Why should all B&O loudspeakers share the same quality of sources when the loudspeakers are inherently different sound quality wise? B&O must have very strong in the software and internal componentry team to pull this off elegantly though. You want the different sets of loudspeakers to be able to talk to each other seamlessly without the extra sync cables, and the app / media player function must be just as strong.
On a lighter note I am awaiting delivery of the A9 from the store in NYC. I had to arrange for my own remote fedex pickup service. I hope it is going to be worth all the hassle. I have never been as excited or fussed about an electronic ever.
Or even better auto DSP correction done by B&O's computer media player and settings sent wirelessly to individual loudspeaker module combo - either done by technicians or tech savvy clients with their own calibrated microphones! No need for mic inputs in those modules! Somebody should pay me for this!
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bayerische:Wonderfulelectric, But who's telling you these are going out of production? A lying dealer in Taiwan??? No other sources?
Somebody should pay me for this!
MartinW: bayerische: Wonderfulelectric, But who's telling you these are going out of production? A lying dealer in Taiwan??? No other sources? One Taiwanese sub dealer versus all the other main dealers - i'm not buying the idea that they would be discontinued until i have seen something official. I could easily say that the iPhone is being discontinued and that I am the first person to hear it, that wouldn't make it true. I'm not saying it is out of the question that they will leave the range, but they still sell very well so having re-engineered the 6002/8002, i would certainly want more info than the world of a sub dealer.
bayerische: Wonderfulelectric, But who's telling you these are going out of production? A lying dealer in Taiwan??? No other sources?
Wonderfulelectric,
But who's telling you these are going out of production? A lying dealer in Taiwan???
No other sources?
One Taiwanese sub dealer versus all the other main dealers - i'm not buying the idea that they would be discontinued until i have seen something official. I could easily say that the iPhone is being discontinued and that I am the first person to hear it, that wouldn't make it true. I'm not saying it is out of the question that they will leave the range, but they still sell very well so having re-engineered the 6002/8002, i would certainly want more info than the world of a sub dealer.
The thing about a sub dealer is that since they operate for their own interest rather than the interest of B&O's. They might have more insight into what is really going on with B&O product rollout strategy. B&O might not want other dealers under their own umbrella to know about their plans to discontinue the models because maybe the their dealers still have a lot of those models in stock? I mean it is kinda implied in the beoworld description of the updated Beolab4000s that they are close to the end of production.
Anyway now that the Beoplay range had become so strong in performance terms, will it still make sense to produce pricier items in the core product range that are easily outperformed acoustically by their mass produced sub brand offerings? From my perspective B&O might have learned quite a few things from selling the Beoplay range in the Apple store and have decided to head towards a different direction instead. The competition is high and that young affluent customers are becoming more tech savvy than ever. B&O no longer has the edge in terms of the design of their products but it has definitely the edge of having a network of highly trained technicians and sales network.
If B&O plays its cards right it might become a major player in the audiophile market. Audiophiles are actually usually quite affluent and very willing to fork out for good sound. It will make a lot of sense that B&O shifts focus away from the old undiscerning lifestyle hifi target group to people who are willing to pay premiums for good service and sound. The extreme hifi market is thriving and the margins are a lot higher so....
wonderfulelectric:Anyway now that the Beoplay range had become so strong in performance terms...................
I wasn't aware that the Beoplay speaker systems were "strong in performance terms" - Yes they are better than other iPod docks, portable speakers etc but as a proper "listening system" (for want of a better phrase) they don't really make the grade and are acknowledged to have a "smiley" EQ response to please the Boom-Tsshh brigade of younger listeners. I would choose the 4000's or even the 6000(2)'s every time over an A8 or A9 as a speaker set.
Ban boring signatures!
Beosound Stage, Beovision 8-40, Beolit 20, Beosound Explore.
As I am not a big fan of the beoplay range in general,I do have a a8 which I love.I hated the design of the a9, as I like old school b&o column speakers better,but have to admit, after having a long demo today ,I was amazed by the performance of the a9 wall mounted.
Throughout the sound spectrum, it sounded very good,lab 6000 would have to have been connected to a subwoofer to compete,and that makes the lab 6000 route double the price.The only downside I could see from a listening pont of view was the stereo sepa,ration,which is obvious.
The best of it is a guy I know who has highend linn and B&o systems,just traded in his lab 9s for a a9 to be connected to his £13k linn klimax ds,I could not believe it,but he told me and the dealer after a home demo,in the dining room,he preferred the a9.This is coming from a guy with lab 5s and a £70k linn system.
His old speakers are for sale in the shop for £4k,so its right enough.
Getting onto the lab 6002 and 4000s being discontinued,yes I have been told they are,but not for another couple of months,I was told b&o dont feel that their column speakers dont stand out anymore due to age, and all the other manufacturers copying them now,you just need to walk into comet and you see cheap home cinema systems with speakers very much like beolab 6000s.
The lab 4000 I dont know ,as they still look good to me,and are abit quirky design wise.I was told b&o are focusing on having less ranges but more choice within the range ie different sizes.for same model of tv,or different sizes for same model of speaker ie bv11 and bl12.were as in the past you had a single speaker within the range like lab 2500,4000,6000,8000,bl1,bl3,bl8.bl9 mx,bv1,bv3,avant,bv5,bv9,bv7,bv4 the list goes on,but in my eyes thats what made them unique.
I look on the b&o website now and its very limited in choice and individuality compared with the old days,fine if you want gigigantic tvs.like bv 4 or 12,but for us mere mortals the only tv chice is either a bv11,bv7 or a v1.
butch1: The best of it is a guy I know who has highend linn and B&o systems,just traded in his lab 9s for a a9 to be connected to his £13k linn klimax ds,I could not believe it,but he told me and the dealer after a home demo,in the dining room,he preferred the a9.This is coming from a guy with lab 5s and a £70k linn system.
I will update you guys on how I truly feel about the performance of the A9 after I get my hands on it next week. I think it is just being shipped out now.
Regarding the smiley response, the A8 has less of that than say the lab 6000s or 8000s actually. A little more accurate in tonal response in the midrange too btw. It doesn't have in any way the comparable scale or transparency of course but it is definitely more accurately balanced.
Regarding the A9s performing better than a full linn system?! I hope that will not be the case. I am still awaiting my factory fresh Klimax 350As to go with my exotic handmade built to order balanced Totaldac. Unfortunately I don't think I will be able to plug that dac into the A9s since they will be in separate countries. I am supposed to have the Linn system setup a couple years back but life got in the way..... long story... well at least now I get to pick a different colored veneer.
I have no idea why there are so many haters regarding the design of the A9. It looks as cheerful as the way it is priced. And there's a certain nonchalance about it that I like and that fibonacci pattern on the grill is very avant-garde and arty, it might even remind some of Damien Hirst's polka dot paintings too. I think the iF design award is well deserved. Not sure about the CES win but I will report back on the acoustic performance of the system. And also somehow I feel the amplification modules used in the A9 might share plenty in resemblance to the ones used in the lab 12 range. Notice the same 80 watts &160 watts power configurations?
PS. Neither the 6000s nor the 8000s are remotely accurate tonally. There you have very pleasant smiley responses. B&O's speakers always somehow favor that kind of response. Especially with the ALT lenses? A tilt towards the treble is inevitable.
Hi-fi doesn't always have to be low distortion or neutral etc.... a comparison between B&O speakers with ATC or studio monitors is totally irrelevant. I think B&O might not want their speakers to perform or sound that way for now at least.
However I must stress for the hundredth time that I feel B&O has yet to milk the most performances out of their loudspeakers. BMR and LAT.....!!!! Okay BMR technology doesn't need any saving but LAT subwoofer technology is way too promising a technology for the market to eliminate just because it will upset the whole balance of high end hifi. Think Wilson Benesch's Torus subwoofer without the price tag, footprint and expensive enclosure. It basically features the same balanced dual motor design in the torus coupled with the brand's isobaric technology. In Bang& Olufsen terms it would be a super high speed, compact and low distortion version of Beolab 11 with a size and design that can be cramped into any of the column loudspeakers in the range. If you have that technology included the Lab8000s, you may very well be able to get the bass quantity of the Lab9s but with way better quality than the Lab5s. It's that major! I just feel B&O is the only company that can bring this technology back from the dead without upsetting too many manufacturers.
wonderfulelectric:I just feel B&O is the only company that can bring this technology back from the dead without upsetting too many manufacturers.
What's your opinion on why the many manufacturers have dropped your favoured technologies?
I honestly think my a8 with the right recording sounds better than 6000/6002,with a richer fuller sound and better bass,without the good imaging and stereo seperation of the 6000.
I am using my a8 and beosound 8 more than any other system in the house, for some reason.My dealer thinks that a a9 is as good as one beolab9,which costs double the price,strange anology,but I would love to hear to seperate a9s working as stereo speakers to compare.
If B&o made a stereo pair of speakers for the price of 2 a9s ie £3400 with the sound quality it produces just now they would be onto a winner,fr a speaker between lab3 and lab 9.
butch1:My dealer thinks that a a9 is as good as one beolab9,which costs double the price,strange anology,but I would love to hear to seperate a9s working as stereo speakers to compare.
so would I .... and I am sure there must be a way to achieve this test !!
BeoNut since '75
elephant: butch1:My dealer thinks that a a9 is as good as one beolab9,which costs double the price,strange anology,but I would love to hear to seperate a9s working as stereo speakers to compare. so would I .... and I am sure there must be a way to achieve this test !!
I am sure Beoplay would soon come out with their own version of active floor standers or even bookshelf speakers. By then I think the Lab9s will be phased out. I really liked the concept of the Lab9s but somehow they never really managed to convince me to make the purchase. They are cute but for the price I think they can do better than just a metal domed top with a fabric covered plastic enclosure. I would much prefer if B&O goes to classier route by making a no compromise bookshelf or slim floor stander instead. Mark my words soon ALT technology will be nothing than mere gimmick and if Icepower do not start tidying up its act it too will just be a marketing gimmick. But Icepower was really revolutionary and started something special. There have always been similar acoustic lenses, I think they were not make to disperse 180 degrees for a reason.
Puncher: wonderfulelectric:I just feel B&O is the only company that can bring this technology back from the dead without upsetting too many manufacturers. What's your opinion on why the many manufacturers have dropped your favoured technologies?
Because that LAT technology virtually threatens all expensive subwoofer technologies. You can no longer have a case for selling overbuilt cabinets or extreme bass drivers drivers anymore. For the short time it was out on the market. Critics loved it and the common people thought they couldn't get the BOOM they wanted. The subwoofer sounded odd to the DIYers because they could feel it and not hear it like they like bass to be.But really in hifi terms it would mean that the bass is accurate and clean without the usual distortion associated with cheap reproduction. The only manufacturer that started producing the subwoofer, Alpine, makes speakers for aftermarket car audio and you know how that crowd is like - not exactly the arbiters of good sound. And the way LAT was marketed towards the mass multimedia applications just couldn't work because you know how the masses think about bass right? Bass = Boom power lol...
It is basically a very high-end technology marketed wrong, targeted at the wrong crowd and priced the wrong way. $250 for a drive unit that has the surface area of two 10 inch woofers that only occupies the base area of 5 inch and performs way faster with way lesser distortion? It is doomed from the get go.
I mean the LAT 'subwoofers' can go all the way up to over 1khz with absolute ease. Imagine that kind of speed! The subwoofers technology create limitation towards the "throw" of the woofer cones meaning they are low excursion, high surface area vs the usual low surface area, high excursion. Meaning speed and accuracy is on par with the best of conventional non-subwoofer woofers but because of how the motors are balanced facing each other with multiple small cones acting in tandem to cancel each others bad vibrations out. There's no need for expensive enclosures!
So in a sense it is basically a Wilson Benesch Torus subwoofer without the associated 19k price tag. in fact when Wilson Benesch launched the Torus they claimed that theirs was a non-subwoofer. Most people who bought this subwoofer do not use it for home theater but mainly for high end music reproduction like mating it with a pair of 30k Magico mini bookshelf speakers or even more frequently with electrostatics.
I think only Bang & Olufsen can bring it back from the dead because the technology will not pose a threat to B&O a single bit. B&O has never really favored giant boxes for big bass or used uber expensive drive units. B&O likes to use suitable drivers right for the application most of the time of course. Cheap drivers are of course B&O's favorite! I mean who needs expensive drive units when you have active amplification to go along with it and especially when you are targeting at a more non-discerning group of clientele?
BTW when I saw the magnet on the subwoofer built into the A9. I knew B&O meant business. It really looked like a genuine subwoofer. I certainly didn't expect that. Actually once I saw that I knew I have to get the A9. It looked like it was quite a marked departure from usual B&O practices.
wonderfulelectric:Actually once I saw that I knew I have to get the A9.
I would never purchase a speaker based upon the size of a driver magnet - that's nonsense.
Chris Townsend:I listened to the Beolab 12-1 again today for the benefit of Mrs Chris, and got a brief chance to compare them to some new Beolab 4000's. In every way my amateur ears could perceive, the 12-1 was better. Much more vocal clarity and a punchy bass. The 4000's sounded almost muffled in comparison.
In every way my amateur ears could perceive, the 12-1 was better. Much more vocal clarity and a punchy bass. The 4000's sounded almost muffled in comparison.
Well that's good to know but I definitely cannot get over the appearance of the 12-1. The clarity of the 12-1 is predictably more clear first of all because it is sealed box instead of ported plus of course there is the obvious technological advancements made throughout the years. But if only they put all of those improvements into a form akin to the lab4000s....
Puncher: wonderfulelectric:Actually once I saw that I knew I have to get the A9. I would never purchase a speaker based upon the size of a driver magnet - that's nonsense.
Well it certainly impressed me quite a bit that B&O was so serious about not compromising the woofer section of the A9. I certainly didn't expect that.
And puncher do you not like the A9? And why? It was love at first sight for me. It looks like painting tripod except a lot more circular. When the rumors were out that the A9 is going to look like an enlarged version of a single A8 speaker I thought I was going to hate it but once I saw the finished product I had to get it. The fibonacci patterned grill sealed the deal. PS. Why do I find that it is only me who is impressed by the grill design?
And BTW not to give the wrong impression I do enjoy the design of the Beolab 12 range but just not overly much. However, for the 12-1 not remotely my kind of speaker design at all!
And regarding the 4000s and 6000s I think they might really be going out soon. My dealer extended the offer of a free playmaker along with the lab4000s till feb and further discounts for the showroom model too in a color that I very much like it in ,Gold. So if the rumors are true that the Lab 12 range perform miles better than the old range. It just doesn't make sense to keep old range in production. However, there will definitely be a big missing gap in the product range to be filled. Chiefly,a normal non-wallmount active loudspeaker range. I just don't see how some will buy the lab 12 range without putting them up against the boundaries. The back of the speakers don't look so hot. Plus not all of us are into home theater installations that much. I am confident that B&O will be able to create designs better than the old 6000s,4000s,or 8000s or at least extensively revised versions of them but the questions is whether the ALT lenses will still be the focal point like all the recent beolab releases.
BTW I also think the whole lab 3, lab5 and lab9 range might be going out in a couple of years time. I don't think they would fuse very well with the new design direction that B&O is taking.
I would really like to see a way shorter but much thicker circular version of the lab 12-3 as replacements to the lab 3. They will look outstanding beside computer monitors tvs etc... In fact they should be circular in the first place. It will make them look more like hyper futuristic oriental lamps instead. Maybe design them as reference computer speakers with digital inputs for the pro group? Again make it modular where internal upgrades can be easily done with the in house technicians. No other audio companies can boast as wide or as big a service network as B&O so why not milk it?
wonderfulelectric:The fibonacci patterned grill sealed the deal. PS. Why do I find that it is only me who is impressed by the grill design?
Not true - I like it too - especially the B&O disc in the centre - I just think they could have hidden the screws so it was less "industrial".
wonderfulelectric: It was love at first sight for me. It looks like painting tripod except a lot more circular.
I like the look, and I would like to see some colourful design options
wonderfulelectric:And regarding the 4000s and 6000s I think they might really be going out soon. My dealer extended the offer of a free playmaker along with the lab4000s till feb and further discounts for the showroom model too in a color that I very much like it in ,Gold. So if the rumors are true that the Lab 12 range perform miles better than the old range.
I have seen many many 4000s in restaurants around the world - the BL 12 range will not compete there .... but in many ways B&O ceeded that market to bose and others ... a great pity as I can still tell when I enter a restaurant whether it has quality speakers or simply Bose
wonderfulelectric:And regarding the 4000s and 6000s I think they might really be going out soon.
From a WAF perspective the Beolab 6000s seem to win every time
elephant:I have seen many many 4000s in restaurants around the world - the BL 12 range will not compete there .... but in many ways B&O ceeded that market to bose and others ... a great pity as I can still tell when I enter a restaurant whether it has quality speakers or simply Bose
Totally. Bang & Olufsen isn't marketing their speakers as well as Bose but then again Bose is a lot cheaper and B&O doesn't have a pro sector which I think is a problem that should be addressed! If B&O have monitor loudspeakers in the core range and added a pro division. It would do amazing things for the brand! There's already Icepower so why not just go all the way and do a pro sub brand? Stylish big monitors for studios etc... ALT lenses sure didn't work as they expected I think. Way back a decade ago I think B&O was planning to launch monitor speakers I have no idea what happened to that plan.
Well regarding the BL12 range for restaurants I think the loudspeakers might work very well first they will be most likely wall mounted and the ALT lenses will work far better for crowded restaurants and public areas more than they will work for domestic environment I think. Plus the BL12 -2 or 12-3 excluding the BL12-1 look pretty posh on walls, way better than the Beolab 8000s ,6000s or the 4000s individually on walls IMHO. I have seen the 8000s on the walls in a restaurant at the Essex house on by Central park and I must say they looked both flashy and horrible at the same time! Oh this gives me an idea- ALT lenses should be made for speakers that are intended are large spaces only and should just be an accessory to the brand's arsenal of unique technologies and not be given as much focus as they are given now.
BMR and LAT everyone. That's where B&O's vision of minimally invasive maximally performing speakers future would be.
Whilst researching further into LAT "subwoofer" technology I found out that it was a major joint undertaking done by three International divisions of Tymphany! They were planning to revolutionize how bass is going to be reproduced but I guess the manufacturers weren't ready for high end bass on the cheap or decrease the market's dependance on separate subwoofers.
However it turns out Tymphany is still having their hopes up by grouping BMR & LAT woofer technologies as of their "Unconventional" OEM only options.
B&O buys most of their speaker parts from Tymphany so I don't see why not.....
B&O is all about big sound from compact stylish enclosures.
wonderfulelectric: There's already Icepower so why not just go all the way and do a pro sub brand?
I've raised this before.
B&O should be requiring all manufacturers using Icepower based amps to carry a logo, just like Intel on PC's, "Powered by B&O Icepower."
Graham
A BMR LAT free reply, thank god
Chris Townsend: A BMR LAT free reply, thank god
LOL... I am just really hoping that someone would bring LAT back from limbo. I think the only manufacturer out there right now that might be willing to do that will be B&O.
vikinger: wonderfulelectric: There's already Icepower so why not just go all the way and do a pro sub brand? I've raised this before. B&O should be requiring all manufacturers using Icepower based amps to carry a logo, just like Intel on PC's, "Powered by B&O Icepower." Graham
Go further still. Diversify the whole Icepower line into different ranges of varying quality.Employing Icepower used to mean premium amplification technology now it is just a norm or just mean basic digital switching amplification. It used to be able to command premium for Icepower but now you can basically get 1000W monoblocks for $1000 each or less which is dirt cheap in power terms. Most Icepowered amplification or products do have the Icepower logos printed on the chassis but diversifying the the technology itself is essential for branding. i.e.... Intel ivy bridge vs intel xeon. Totally different animal altogether.
I bet wondefulelectric,would be good company on a longhail flight,just dont mention LAT technology lol
I used to have a golfing fanatic Captain who would spend all flight, and every flight going about his latest putter etc
All the way there....and all the way back.
I'd volunteer to get the weather just to listen to something else, and then 10 minutes later supply an exotic list of current weathers at aerodromes we couldn't even land at, just to bulk out my time away!
I listen to a hi-fi,if I think it sounds good,I buy it.
If I demo something else,and I think it sounds better,I upgrade.
Sit back play music and enjoy,end off,I am not interested what amps or drivers or anything
was used to get the sound.If it looks good,sounds good and I think the price is right,thats enough for me.
Thats, one thing, that bores me about audiophiles ,is the boring talk and tinkering,which .they do more than listening to. and enjoying the tracks,thats why we buy the equipment in the first place.
I adore music,and have myself ,in my eyes a high-end system which reproduces music the way I like it,Yes it is seperates,but from the same company,It has been setup once,and never tinkered with,I just sit and listen.instead of listening for faults like most audiophiles.
My b&o the same press play and leave it alone.Talking about golf,I know were your coming from,I myself am a +2 handicap and have used the same driver for 6 years and putter for longer,you see all the drivers with the latest technology,designed by lamborghini etc and I dont hit them any better,same as sound systems try before you buy,dont buy into technology because you are told its better marketing crap as usual
Erm... This is a the thing about me I enjoy B&O practicality and design but not the sound so much.
I don't tinker with my hifi system. That's why I prefer active speakers. Better yet if there exist a no compromise truly modular practical digital active loudspeakers I will get them. If you read in my previous posts you will see me advocating the eradication of subwoofers and even sources altogether. I believe that technology should work for men and not to serve just the bottom line of manufacturers.
And yes DACs and cables do sound different to my ears.I am just born that way but I really dislike all the anxiety that comes with being an audiophile - whether the system can be improved or not...I was actually truly shocked when I heard a huge improvement in simply changing the 3m long stock cables on my Sennheiser HD800 to a cheaper looking DIY shorter 1.5m version.
That's why I suggest B&O to milk their extensive network of dealership and technicians to upgrade the systems of their clients with minimum fuss. Create loudspeakers that are truly modular and yet integrated, not hard considering the enclosures of most B&O loudspeakers are metal! See how I suggested discreet unassuming wireless receiving DAC/DSP boxes that look the same but perform at different levels? I am not really into the chasing the adrenaline rush of better technology or should I say the idea of owning something better. It's not the components that I am into. It's the accurate reproduction of music and of course the aesthetic value that lies in it.
B&O's house sound is definitely tinkered with BTW to cater to a certain clientele.
Also just as not to give the wrong impression I am giving all these inputs because I truly rather spend my High End Hifi money on B&O instead. B&O just doesn't stand up too well against the big players. I can get why B&O chose to go to the 'designer' hifi route in the past but now that times have changed and the beoplay range is out I don't see why B&O is still unwilling to elevate the core audio range to true audiophile standards. Like who wants an overpriced active ATCs if I can get equally performing B&Os instead?
LAT technology is dropped off for the simple reason because it will shake up the entire industry. It is truly a technological breakthrough unlike good for marketing improvements like bigger voice coils or magnets or overbuilt cabinets.
Being honest, Bang & Olufsen was never bought by true hifi enthusiasts - it was a lifestyle brand of very expensive products with Philips internals in the 70s, 80s and 90s. It was bought by both the very rich or the person wanting something that looked great. Listening to them over the years, the B&O sound is warm, it's middle aged a bit boring - it's Radio 2 style and sounds great with this kind of music.
It definitely has an identity crisis, it's tried to be cool but really has failed. It reminds me of Prince Charles. Classy and elegant and ever so well mannered but just not exciting or vibrant. The brand is dull. If it was a colour it would be brown or green!
Paul W: Being honest, Bang & Olufsen was never bought by true hifi enthusiasts - it was a lifestyle brand of very expensive products with Philips internals in the 70s, 80s and 90s. It was bought by both the very rich or the person wanting something that looked great. Listening to them over the years, the B&O sound is warm, it's middle aged a bit boring - it's Radio 2 style and sounds great with this kind of music. It definitely has an identity crisis, it's tried to be cool but really has failed. It reminds me of Prince Charles. Classy and elegant and ever so well mannered but just not exciting or vibrant. The brand is dull. If it was a colour it would be brown or green!
No Philips internals in my 70's equipment, and I bought for looks and performance. Japanese amps were coming out at that time with very low distortion claims but poor speakers with > 5% distortion. Overall the B&O complete system specs were far superior to most of the competition. There's a bit of misconception about that has come from people like Jeremy Clarkson (who is apparently a B&O fan) that stems from Philips and Panasonic TV screens being used in the past by B&O ....... Like all TV manufacturers they have to buy screens from the few world screen manufacturers still in production.
clarkson is a total berk , i wouldn't take any notice on what he says about cars let alone b&o gear
not everyone wants to do 175mph tailspins on a racetrack on the way to waitrose
Flappo: clarkson is a total berk , i wouldn't take any notice on what he says about cars let alone b&o gear not everyone wants to do 175mph tailspins on a racetrack on the way to waitrose
Sigh... So I have no choice but to totally open up a designer centric high end hifi label myself after the series of art exhibitions I am working on. Way more avant-garde in design, technological and in terms of quality, and with this added unexpected twist that I am going to keep it secret for now. It will distill the essence of what true luxury should be. I don't think B&O will ever be a true hifi label with a lifestyle edge I am looking for.I think many other hifi label brands are going to beat B&O to the punch line very soon. Actually B&O isn't all that practical when you look into it. Where's the compatibility with other electronic equipments aside for the often inferior RCA inputs? I mean I am more willing to spend more on clothes every month than B&O electronics for a reason. I am a design and fashion victim but not much about B&O embodies true luxury than pure lifestyle/mass marketing nowadays. It often takes me a longtime to actually want a B&O product.
I think there have been some standout real hi fi pieces by bno over the years , the beogram 4000 , the beosystem 8000 , the beocord 9002 , beossytem 5500 , the beolab 5 etc , but they are few and far between
then again most real' hifi is pretty boring looking - eg; naim and linn stuiff is horrible in design imo'
then again meridian , krell and other high end companies shows you can be classy looking and sound amazing at the same time - shame they cost an arm and a leg
I agree,some of the best sounding gear is also not the best in looks or design,there is always a compromise.
I am biased but I love the looks of my linn klimax components,milled from a solid block of aluminium,with no fancy buttons,also my black gloss laquer speakers with aluminuim 3k arrays,very classy looking, meridian dsp speakers looks good aswell.not a fan of naim though.You can buy one linn ds player connected to linn activ speakers very classy and simple setup,proper hi-fi doesnt have to be loads of clutter and cables everywere to sound sublime.