Questions/Advice from Beolab 50 Owners

Mikipidia:

Michael:

Yes, and it is not. Especially as it differs so much between wide and narrow. And as I said sometimes the sound is even better from the tv speaker itself. Which is odd as the bass can simply wanish. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s a powerlink input issue or something else but an issue is somewhere and probably not in my config itself. I had the same experience before I replaced the old tv with an eclipse. Beolab 50, Beolab 8000 x 2, Beolab 4000 x 2, BeoSound Core, BeoSound 9000, BeoSound Century, BeoLit 15, BeoPlay A1, BeoPlay P2, BeoPlay H9 3rd Gen, BeoPlay H6, EarSet 3i, BeoVision Eclipse Gen 2 55", BeoPlay V1-40, BeoCom 6000 and so much else :)

So did you or did you not test it with the exact same media at your dealer? And if so, you’re saying his speakers behaved totally different?

Not saying they can’t have a fault, I of all people know that, but many things are very unclear.

First off, no I have not been to my dealer. I have no real focus on specific media but I trust my ears and I notice pretty clearly that the speakers have two very different sounds in narrow vs wide. Not just that but sometimes they seem to boot up and play in one way, and another time in another way. It is like they forgot to adapt the correct values to the bass speakers on some boots, and sometimes not. I can't really explain it as I can't see the logs or know anything about how they work - I can just hear. 

The way they sound have changed several times through the firmware versions and as far as I know there has not been any info included with the firmware on that has changed which makes it even harder to track and test.

I would prefer to be able to be more clinical and compare my speakers to other speakers but I don't think there is a mechanical fault at my end. I have two speakers and both sound the same, so I think the issues is software based.

Now, if the issues is in the speakers, the TV (Eclipse mk2) or somewhere else I do not know. Maybe the issues is worse over power link for example? I know that they use less processing over that link. I also find it somehow both ironic and stupid that B&O haven't found another way link their best speakers with their own TVs that probably stands for the main source in most cases.. 

Anyway, I have a core and I will try it with the speakers as soon as I get a quality toslink cable that is long enough. I wish B&O worked on the DLP solution so the core could speak with the speakers that way. But that seems no go. Also seems no go that the Core and BL50 could communicate volume in tandem - this is why I still haven't connected it, as it would require me to change the volume on the speakers themselves, via the app or an extra IR remote and eye. If the Core could just over usb or whatever send the volume data to the speakers all would be good but... nope.

I do like my speakers in the end, but not knowing if they will sound correct or not is a bit annoying. And that B&O is so extremely quiet about it is more annoying still. I have a good relationship with my dealer but they aren't experts in the software and I don't like talking with middle hands, so I prefer going straight for B&O but I find that the support staff rarely know much themselves either and they won't connect us customers with their developers.

Maybe I am the only one who has the issues and then so be it, but I really do not think so.

A small side note, I noticed after updating the firmware in my Eclipse mk2 that on surround sampling of stereo that there now is a small sound defect of some midrange sounds that seem to be chopped off strangely between the different speakers. If I change to stereo the sound "woup" disappears and sound is good again.

Its something else but a weird thing :D. Its not easy having perfect pitch.  

If you got the latest software 3.0.0.616. Tell your dealer to tell b&o to update your speaker again.

This version corrected the problems.

I envisioned buying BL50 from a forum member privately (used) but seeing these threads makes me think I may have to pay significantly more to buy from a dealer to ensure I get support if something funky happens to the speakers... eeeek...

Curly:

I envisioned buying BL50 from a forum member privately (used) but seeing these threads makes me think I may have to pay significantly more to buy from a dealer to ensure I get support if something funky happens to the speakers... eeeek...

Currently: BeoLab 17, BeoLab 18, BeoSound Core, BeoPlay S8 Connection Hub, Essence Remote

Previously: BeoSound 1 non-GVA

My dealer would help me even with things I bought second hand. It’s in his best interest if he like to keep my as a costumer.

Esax:

If you got the latest software 3.0.0.616. Tell your dealer to tell b&o to update your speaker again.

This version corrected the problems. Beovision 7-55 MK1 red, Beolab 10 red. Beolab 50, all black. Beolab 17 broken ice. Beolab transmitter. Apple tv4 and apple express 2.

I already have the latest version. I still notice differences in the sound, and there was issues with that before as well.

But there is still more weird issues such as the impossibility to disable WiFi. It’s really weird that it’s so badly programmed. Can’t be so hard to do it right.

Regarding the questionable solutions, here is that email:

Dear Michael,

Thank you for reaching back out to us, I can completely understand your frustration and I totally do understand your point of view.

I am sorry but the only information I am allowed to share with you is the following. Therefore, we still need you to contact a local retailer for further installation procedures. We are sorry for the inconvenience but our hands are tied.

Esax:

My dealer would help me even with things I bought second hand. It’s in his best interest if he like to keep my as a costumer. Beovision 7-55 MK1 red, Beolab 10 red. Beolab 50, all black. Beolab 17 broken ice. Beolab transmitter. Apple tv4 and apple express 2.

My dealer is not the problem. It’s B&O in this case.

I am also a happy customer and I just want them to try and change their behavior towards customers. Seriously, I didn’t even get a manual with my eclipse. Had to try and figure it all out myself.

Can’t really see how that is acceptable.

You say you think you're not the only one who has the issues, but I'm not seeing other 50s owners raising anything similar.

I'm not sure what makes you so confident of this?

My 50s receive music directly from a music source via RCA, and I also route the same source to the 50s through my BV i.e Powerlink.

I can hear a different tonal presentation between the two inputs - but thats more related to the DAC in the music source which sends an analogue signal to the 50s down the RCA.

No bass response or other issues, and both sound absolutely fine.

Personally speaking, if I really thought my speakers didn't sound right, I'd get my dealer involved so he can opine. You may get nowhere asking them technical questions they either dont understand, dont agree with, or are not in a position to answer. Its only by getting them to observe whatever unexpected behaviour you are sensitive to that they will help out.

As you say yourself, some of this is hard to describe, and as such B&O support lines will also likely not understand, and if pushed just refer it / you back to your dealer. To me, all roads lead back to your dealer - get them to experience the same issues on your set of speakers, otherwise I doubt you'll get any satisfaction.

 

Michael:

Mikipidia:

Michael:

Yes, and it is not. Especially as it differs so much between wide and narrow. And as I said sometimes the sound is even better from the tv speaker itself. Which is odd as the bass can simply wanish. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s a powerlink input issue or something else but an issue is somewhere and probably not in my config itself. I had the same experience before I replaced the old tv with an eclipse. Beolab 50, Beolab 8000 x 2, Beolab 4000 x 2, BeoSound Core, BeoSound 9000, BeoSound Century, BeoLit 15, BeoPlay A1, BeoPlay P2, BeoPlay H9 3rd Gen, BeoPlay H6, EarSet 3i, BeoVision Eclipse Gen 2 55", BeoPlay V1-40, BeoCom 6000 and so much else :)

So did you or did you not test it with the exact same media at your dealer? And if so, you’re saying his speakers behaved totally different?

Not saying they can’t have a fault, I of all people know that, but many things are very unclear.

First off, no I have not been to my dealer. I have no real focus on specific media but I trust my ears and I notice pretty clearly that the speakers have two very different sounds in narrow vs wide. Not just that but sometimes they seem to boot up and play in one way, and another time in another way. It is like they forgot to adapt the correct values to the bass speakers on some boots, and sometimes not. I can't really explain it as I can't see the logs or know anything about how they work - I can just hear. 

The way they sound have changed several times through the firmware versions and as far as I know there has not been any info included with the firmware on that has changed which makes it even harder to track and test.

I would prefer to be able to be more clinical and compare my speakers to other speakers but I don't think there is a mechanical fault at my end. I have two speakers and both sound the same, so I think the issues is software based.

Now, if the issues is in the speakers, the TV (Eclipse mk2) or somewhere else I do not know. Maybe the issues is worse over power link for example? I know that they use less processing over that link. I also find it somehow both ironic and stupid that B&O haven't found another way link their best speakers with their own TVs that probably stands for the main source in most cases.. 

Anyway, I have a core and I will try it with the speakers as soon as I get a quality toslink cable that is long enough. I wish B&O worked on the DLP solution so the core could speak with the speakers that way. But that seems no go. Also seems no go that the Core and BL50 could communicate volume in tandem - this is why I still haven't connected it, as it would require me to change the volume on the speakers themselves, via the app or an extra IR remote and eye. If the Core could just over usb or whatever send the volume data to the speakers all would be good but... nope.

I do like my speakers in the end, but not knowing if they will sound correct or not is a bit annoying. And that B&O is so extremely quiet about it is more annoying still. I have a good relationship with my dealer but they aren't experts in the software and I don't like talking with middle hands, so I prefer going straight for B&O but I find that the support staff rarely know much themselves either and they won't connect us customers with their developers.

Maybe I am the only one who has the issues and then so be it, but I really do not think so.

A small side note, I noticed after updating the firmware in my Eclipse mk2 that on surround sampling of stereo that there now is a small sound defect of some midrange sounds that seem to be chopped off strangely between the different speakers. If I change to stereo the sound "woup" disappears and sound is good again.

Its something else but a weird thing :D. Its not easy having perfect pitch.  

 

Sandyb:

You say you think you're not the only one who has the issues, but I'm not seeing other 50s owners raising anything similar.

I'm not sure what makes you so confident of this?

My 50s receive music directly from a music source via RCA, and I also route the same source to the 50s through my BV i.e Powerlink.

I can hear a different tonal presentation between the two inputs - but thats more related to the DAC in the music source which sends an analogue signal to the 50s down the RCA.

No bass response or other issues, and both sound absolutely fine.

Personally speaking, if I really thought my speakers didn't sound right, I'd get my dealer involved so he can opine. You may get nowhere asking them technical questions they either dont understand, dont agree with, or are not in a position to answer. Its only by getting them to observe whatever unexpected behaviour you are sensitive to that they will help out.

As you say yourself, some of this is hard to describe, and as such B&O support lines will also likely not understand, and if pushed just refer it / you back to your dealer. To me, all roads lead back to your dealer - get them to experience the same issues on your set of speakers, otherwise I doubt you'll get any satisfaction.

No, I said I’m possibly the only one with the issues.

Thank you all for suggesting I talk to a dealer. I have already expressed the issues and the lack of info from B&O.

My dealer can’t so much more and as I’ve said I don’t think anything is wrong with my speakers.

Sorry everyone seem so upset about my questions about the sound. Won’t post more. Peace!

Not upset all, just puzzled.

Your long post said you suspect you're not the only one with these issues. Now you say you didn't.

If there is something wrong with them, only a dealer can help by experiencing the issue themselves.

That aside, if you're slightly unsatisfied by the sound, then asking for (I suspect) proprietary information from B&O will meet with no response.

Anyway, given you have written a whole series of dissatisfied posts about your speakers, its not clear to me if you'll ever be happy with them

Which would be a shame, as they are generally regarded as outstanding speakers.

 

Michael:

Sandyb:

 

You say you think you're not the only one who has the issues, but I'm not seeing other 50s owners raising anything similar.

 

I'm not sure what makes you so confident of this?

 

My 50s receive music directly from a music source via RCA, and I also route the same source to the 50s through my BV i.e Powerlink.

 

I can hear a different tonal presentation between the two inputs - but thats more related to the DAC in the music source which sends an analogue signal to the 50s down the RCA.

 

No bass response or other issues, and both sound absolutely fine.

 

Personally speaking, if I really thought my speakers didn't sound right, I'd get my dealer involved so he can opine. You may get nowhere asking them technical questions they either dont understand, dont agree with, or are not in a position to answer. Its only by getting them to observe whatever unexpected behaviour you are sensitive to that they will help out.

 

As you say yourself, some of this is hard to describe, and as such B&O support lines will also likely not understand, and if pushed just refer it / you back to your dealer. To me, all roads lead back to your dealer - get them to experience the same issues on your set of speakers, otherwise I doubt you'll get any satisfaction.

 

 

No, I said I’m possibly the only one with the issues.

 

 

Thank you all for suggesting I talk to a dealer. I have already expressed the issues and the lack of info from B&O.

 

 

My dealer can’t so much more and as I’ve said I don’t think anything is wrong with my speakers.

 

 

Sorry everyone seem so upset about my questions about the sound. Won’t post more. Peace!

 

Sandyb:

Not upset all, just puzzled.

Your long post said you suspect you're not the only one with these issues. Now you say you didn't.

If there is something wrong with them, only a dealer can help by experiencing the issue themselves.

That aside, if you're slightly unsatisfied by the sound, then asking for (I suspect) proprietary information from B&O will meet with no response.

Anyway, given you have written a whole series of dissatisfied posts about your speakers, its not clear to me if you'll ever be happy with them

Which would be a shame, as they are generally regarded as outstanding speakers.

I’ll clear it up:

1, I am happy with them, specifically when they work correctly.

2, there is no mechanical fault, it’s software based as can be seen by several people who has experienced some of the issues with other firmware.

3, the dealer can not resolve an issue in firmware.

4, I simply enjoy trying to find the cause and a solution. Not just blindly enjoy them when I notice issues - and I have informed B&O about them (both my dealer and B&O).

Sorry if you guys only read my posts as being unhappy/upset. That’s not the case. I’m in tech myself and I always try to investigate the cause and solution for issues.

I’m not sure the speakers work as they should yet, I think there still is issues with the firmware. B&O does not write information on their firmware releases (hardly proprietary info) and they don’t give out even a manual to these speakers (which was a side note.)

Anyway, I feel a bit like I’m ridiculed here so it feels just sad trying to write between friends and such.

I don't know if this official manual would be of any help:

https://d3boo0lmrw6bqz.cloudfront.net/documents/beolab50/beolab-50-technical-sound-guide.pdf

I am not a Beolab 50 owner (and probably will never be) but I love reading manuals

Andreas:

I don't know if this official manual would be of any help:

https://d3boo0lmrw6bqz.cloudfront.net/documents/beolab50/beolab-50-technical-sound-guide.pdf

I am not a Beolab 50 owner (and probably will never be) but I love reading manuals

Beomaster 1700, Beocord 8000, Beolab 3000 (passive flat panel), BeoPlay E8 (1st gen), Beoplay H7

Hehe thanks! It’s a very good manual and I have it but the guide for how to unbox and assemble them properly, including setting them up.

All that is available in another guide that is only given to staff and I find that super weird. It’s like selling a car but not telling anyone how to drive it.

When I had those problems, I contacted my dealer. He in turn contacted B&o. This is what we got in response:

 

Here is an answer:

 

1. Which driver is playing and how depends on different things like volume, frequency, latency mode and beam setting etc. Here is some technical explanation: 

In low latency mode, only tweeter, one midrange, front woofer is working + both rear woofers below 80 Hz.

In high latency mode, all drivers are working

In low latency, narrow mode, all drivers are working

however ..

- the amount that each driver working is different from mode to mode

- depending on the mode, different drivers will be working in different bandwidths - so (for example) if you play a sine wave at some frequency, one or more drivers will not do anything - but they will at a different frequency

- the relationship of signals from the drivers does not change with volume. They all go up and down together - even though they’re different from each other.

 

 

2. Distortion is not something we can figure out from logs, there might be a defective amp or speaker driver (likely on one of the speakers), it is possible to exactly determine this by test sound option within Service Tool.

Otherwise the issue might also be coming from the source or source material etc, the technician must be able to determine this on site.

 

 

Sincerely, / Best regards,

Jørgen Bak Christensen | Product Supporter

This is the problem I hade.

 

Our customer called us today, and he have noticed that his BL 50 speakers playing vety low volume and that 3 out of the 7 drivers is playing in each speaker.  The tweeter works, the middle midrange and the front woofer is working, but not the side woofers and not the 2 other front midrange drivers, they are dead on both speakers. It is like the speakers is in limpmode in some way ?  The customer have try reset them , pull the mains for a couple of minutes but no luck.

And are they ok now? I do not think so even though they sound good.

Narrow in high latancy and wide in low.

When I play via analog RCA or spdif from bluesound node 2i, it's like this.

Narrow mode plays with all speakers.

Wide mode plays with everyone except the two lower middle registers.

When I play through powerlink with sound mode 2 or airport express high latancy through optical.

Narrow mode plays with everyone except the two lower middle registers.

Wide mode plays with all speakers.

It doesn't make any sence!

Esax:

And are they ok now? I do not think so even though they sound good.

Narrow in high latancy and wide in low.

When I play via analog RCA or spdif from bluesound node 2i, it's like this.

Narrow mode plays with all speakers.

Wide mode plays with everyone except the two lower middle registers.

When I play through powerlink with sound mode 2 or airport express high latancy through optical.

Narrow mode plays with everyone except the two lower middle registers.

Wide mode plays with all speakers.

It doesn't make any sence! Beovision 7-55 MK1 red, Beolab 10 red. Beolab 50, all black. Beolab 17 broken ice. Beolab transmitter. Apple tv4 and apple express 2.

Nope, it’s hard to know what works and not. And B&O isn’t saying anything. So as a customer with 35 000 euro speakers in a bit confused but I’m trying to realize that we aren’t supposed to care :).

Mine sounds good sometimes, and sometimes not. It seems like they maybe fail to choose the right latency mode, or whatever. I can just speculate as I simply don’t know more than I hear.

As far as I know there isn’t even a recommended cable to use.

And a way to see that the amps is working, that should be a test feature available even in the web interface. There are so many amps inside so a simple way to check if they sound one by one, wouldn’t that be extremely helpful for everyone?

Having to send out a tech isn’t very environmentally friendly and it would save a lot of time to make that a possibility.

I think all programmers who work at bang & olufsen have alshaimers.

They sounds harsh played from bluesound node 2i with spdif supra cable. More detail and a lot more punch but much more harshly.

If you are going to insult people at least spell it correctly.

And btw, if one of your family members suffered from it like mine I am sure you would not find it funny.

Esax:

I think all programmers who work at bang & olufsen have alshaimers. Beovision 7-55 MK1 red, Beolab 10 red. Beolab 50, all black. Beolab 17 broken ice. Beolab transmitter. Apple tv4 and apple express 2.

Hi All, I started this forum post to solicit input from current Beolab 50 owners about how the speakers might work best (or not) in my particular setup.

I've gotten great insights both from current owners, as well as trusted and experienced employees of B&O, and it has helped me feel confident in moving forward with my investment. I'm appreciative of the advice, and I'm excited to add the 50s to my setup--and to my ever-growing collection of B&O equipment.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I'm sorry to hear about some issues some folks here have with their speakers, but I'd appreciate it if complaints--and especially insults--were taken to another forum.

I for one never intended to be rude so if I was I apologize.