BS Shape in stereo - how many speakers are used?

Is this the behavior of a BeoSound Shape?

When put in *stereo mode* by the app, does the Shape:

a) route left channel signal to the single left-most speaker in the Shape config, while

b) routing right channel signal to the single right-most speaker in the config?

If that’s true, then there’s no good reason (while in stereo mode) to have more than 2 speakers in a configuration. All others speakers are unused in stereo mode. UNLESS:

c) low frequencies (‘bass’) are routed to all remaining speakers?

That would change the game. Increasing the number of speakers, not on the extremities of the configuration, should produce a louder/stronger bass, all things being equal.

Does anyone know?

Hi,

Assuming that you have a Shape configuration with more than 2 loudspeaker tiles, then all speakers in the array are playing *something* in each of the three modes when you have a two-channel input to the system - and that *something* is full-band in all instances.

This therefore means that it's not only that the woofers are all collaborating on playing the low-frequency bands. So, in "stereo" mode, there's more going on than just a simple 2.1 setup with lots of woofers taking care of the .1 signal.

I don't know if I'd be allowed to reveal more detailed information than this. However, this much would be easy to verify if you're standing close to a Shape by listening closely to each tile in the system.

Cheers

- geoff

Indeed interesting. The more I see and read about the Shape the more I like it.

It does unfortunately not fit into our house - right now at least which my wife probably is happy about - but I really like it.

 I really like the shape too and it's growing on me for consideration to use as rear speakers with a Beovision.

I like that, when you keep the core connected to it that you can use it as a stereo / hi fi system and also in a set up with a BV as rear speakers and it switches between them automatically.

Perfect.  

In this situation I wouldn't need to buy 28s (sell 18s), i could keep my 18s as fronts, sell my 3's and use the shape instead of going for the 28s.

Geoff Martin:

This therefore means that it's not only that the woofers are all collaborating on playing the low-frequency bands. So, in "stereo" mode, there's more going on than just a simple 2.1 setup with lots of woofers taking care of the .1 signal.

[T]his much would be easy to verify if you're standing close to a Shape by listening closely to each tile in the system.

Well, I responded to this last night, but my post was eaten.

Thank, Geoff, for the intriguing reply. As luck would have it, I suddenly found myself just yesterday in LA, where there are several company stores. (For the last 1.5 years, I’ve been 600 miles from my nearest store. I must rely on the expertise on Beoworld and FB more than most folks understand.)

So I had a chance to listen to a large-ish Shape configuration…perhaps eight speakers… in stereo mode. And yes, I can confirm that all of the speakers seemed to be something, even in stereo mode. Bass was impressive, and the soundstage, which should have been smeary, wasn’t.

So a little mystery in life may be a good thing.

Aussie Michael:

I like that, when you keep the core connected to it that you can use it as a stereo / hi fi system and also in a set up with a BV as rear speakers and it switches between them automatically.

As a non-expert, the Shape seems to me to be far-and-away the most flexible system that B&O sells.

BeoFrederic:

Aussie Michael:

 

I like that, when you keep the core connected to it that you can use it as a stereo / hi fi system and also in a set up with a BV as rear speakers and it switches between them automatically.

 

 

As a non-expert, the Shape seems to me to be far-and-away the most flexible system that B&O sells.

For those who are not familiar with this way of using the Beosound Shape please have a look at this video:

https://youtu.be/7xV8RyZAzuM

 

By the way - this article gives a very good introduction to the BS Shape…..should you be interested:

https://medium.com/the-collaborative-edge/the-insider-story-behind-the-beosound-shape-what-it-takes-to-make-a-ground-breaking-product-d4c4d522de81

MM

BeoFrederic:

So I had a chance to listen to a large-ish Shape configuration…perhaps eight speakers… in stereo mode. And yes, I can confirm that all of the speakers seemed to be something, even in stereo mode. Bass was impressive, and the soundstage, which should have been smeary, wasn’t.

Hi,

If the imaging / soundstage were "smeary", then the "something" that we're doing to distribute the sound to all of the loudspeaker tiles wouldn't be working properly. :-)

Cheers
-geoff