Projection?

I've been thinking about a lot of the negative comments and feelings the "new" B&O, the direction they are taking now, have been getting here lately. It's gotten quite vehement at times, and in thinking about it I feel it boils down to two main areas/complaints.

One is design, many feel the new gear is stylistically inferior to older efforts. I have to admit I tend to fall into this camp myself. To me, things like the new Lab 12's just don't do it for me style wise. I love the Lab 8000, 6000, 4000, even the 3 and 5. 9, not so much. I do like the BS5 though. But styling comes and goes, and is subject to taste.

The other issue is, in my opinion, not so much a dissatisfaction with B&O but perhaps a dissatisfaction with the state of the home audio market in the world of the early 21st century, projected onto B&O because it's the brand we all are attached to here.

Like it or not, the entire consumer electronics market is being constantly roiled these days by an earthquake combination of new technology and new consumer attitudes and desires, driven mainly by the younger market. Gone for good are the days of hard wired audio systems, tape decks, CD players, receivers, etc. Pretty well gone for most people are stereos setup where you actually sit and listen to music in a sweet spot. In vogue, probably for the long term, are moveable systems, streaming, no media at all (no CDs), etc.

For those of us a bit older, and audionerds who like the traditional approach, and there is a large contingent of classic B&O aficionados here who love the 70's and 80's stuff, this is all approaching a heresy. We love the older media, LPs, CDs, tapes, receivers, the tactile feel of it all, the pride in ownership, the look. But we are a distinct minority alas. 

A small company like B&O has, IMO, a very difficult task if it's to weather this storm of change. It's nowhere large enough and rich enough to continue to make marginal items just because someone will want them, to play in all markets like say Sony or Pioneer, who still make conventional components. But since it is small, it can't afford too many huge mistakes, I doubt it has the cash and such to weather a serious downturn due to horrible product. It's been conservative in the past, not releasing things until they were sure the tech was stable (remember how long it took them to make a CD changer?), but that approach, which worked well when the pace of change was almost glacially slow, is the kiss of death now. But again, being the company it is, with emphasis on design and quality, it can't afford to sling a new product out every time there is a change that might not last, as it's not just another plastic box that is disposable.

I don't envy the B&O business or marketing teams right now. They all have a very hard job and there will undoubtedly be missteps, hopefully not so large that they kill the company.

So, I think that a lot of the slagging of B&O that goes on, if you really think about it, is a projection of our general dislike of the whole direction home audio is taking. Or not, this and 5 bucks will buy you a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

Good points. But what I think B&O is missing is that, despite the paradigmatic move from old hard media to soft/streaming, people will still be wowed/enjoy the old style motion/mechanical movements aspects of the gear we all revere: the 5000/6500/7000 and BS9000, etc. In a market ever more devoid of this element, primarily because it is not "needed", BnO should lead the way and show why paying more for gear that has it is worth it!

B

I agree absolutely with you Jeff. But also with Barry, in whom Bang&Olufsen should confront these complex times of changes without losing the keys of his identity: design, quality and "wow".

I agree absolutely with you Jeff. But also with Barry, in whom Bang&Olufsen should confront these complex times of changes without losing the keys of his identity: design, quality and "wow".

I can't see moving wheels for movements sake, though I understand the desire*. A lot of the audiophile discontent with CD over LP was, IMO, due to the lack of tactile and visible aspects of the new media. Shove a disc into a slot, it disappears. Note that a lot of the high end CD players have had top loading with clear covers so you could see the thing spin. Still, it's gilding the lily now to do such with streaming, though things like the BS5 could certainly use some kind of visualization on the screen, and linked with say a Beovision, to allow you to see something happening. iTunes has a very nice visualizer, and there are lots of other options for that.

More importantly to me is the need to preserve a strong design statement with visual pop. Personally I still think the Lab 8000 is one of if not the most beautiful speaker ever, thin, graceful, elegant. And the Lab 5, even though my wife calls them Daleks , I think they make a stunning visual statement. It does get more challenging to do visually stunning sources, which is why I was disappointed in how the PlayMaker looks, it seems like it should have been a bit more stylish and refined. Maybe the idea was for it to visually disappear, who knows. .

 

* I still think about getting an autoreverse open reel, something like a Pioneer RT 707 or 909, stuffing a music server in it, and wiring it up to run the reels back and forth and make the meters move while the PC plays, just for the visual aspect, but then I'm an old fart.

Like your thoughts - thanks for taking the time to word them carefully.

Jeff:

Like it or not, the entire consumer electronics market is being constantly roiled these days by an earthquake combination of new technology and new consumer attitudes and desires, driven mainly by the younger market. Gone for good are the days of hard wired audio systems, tape decks, CD players, receivers, etc. Pretty well gone for most people are stereos setup where you actually sit and listen to music in a sweet spot. In vogue, probably for the long term, are moveable systems, streaming, no media at all (no CDs), etc.

I think here you have the nub of the challenge.  Digital media liberated the listener from needing to be located in the sweet spot - I still enjoy being there and having the sound roll over me, but I do not need to be there anymore, and with good headphones (NR or not) I can enjoy quality - maybe not the chest thumping visceral experience of BL5s, but many other aspects I can.  In many ways I prefer the sound stage I get from headphones.

So perhaps for now, the sweet spot is linked to our video experiences - where we do need to stop the world for an hour or so, immerse ourselves, and be taken to another place.

So perhaps B&O is on the right track: by announcing new head phones, and the about to be announce surround sound speakers ! 

Means: just get yourself a set of video glasses (http://www.vuzix.com/consumer/products_wrap_1200.html)

and some headphones....and you are good to go!

Adieu Bang & Olufsen.

Grrr! MM

elephant:

 

So perhaps for now, the sweet spot is linked to our video experiences - where we do need to stop the world for an hour or so, immerse ourselves, and be taken to another place.

One even wonders how long that will last, considering how people are embracing streaming video to tablets. I personally still like sitting and listening to music, and watching movies in surround sound on a large TV, but as I said I'm an old fart. And a small tablet held close subtends the same field of view as a larger monitor across the room. 

Its interesting that over here the one of the biggest sales times for big TVs is right before the Superbowl. Seems to point out a developing schism between what people use for entertainment in groups, such as big TVs for football parties, and personal consumption, more tablets. 

I honestly don't think anyone has that good an idea of what the market will be. Certainly it's been radically changed what with music players, smart phones, and tablets which were products that kind of came out of the blue and revolutionized how people use technology. What's next? Google glasses?

Severian:

Its interesting that over here the one of the biggest sales times for big TVs is right before the Superbowl. Seems to point out a developing schism between what people use for entertainment in groups, such as big TVs for football parties, and personal consumption, more tablets.

For such occasions/ occasional use, and I would include SingStar as a example of group/ collaborative entertainment, doesn't a projection (no pun on the thread title intended) system make more sense ? No cluttering of living space with BV7-85s !

I agree that would make sense, a kind of set it up when you need it thing, then return to normal. But I think several things limit that approach for the average person. One, at least over here, projectors are a fair amount more expensive than low end panels, even low end projectors. Plus many people don't have a spare wall, or one that can be adapted (too much furniture in the way, etc.), and want to watch the game with the lights on, or in daylight. To most over here, a big TV is 46 or 50 inch, and the cheaper LCDs can be had really cheaply in those sizes.

I seldom see a TV setup with a proper surround sound setup. Most won't bother with wiring or the hassle of positioning speakers, etc. which is why soundbars are getting a lot of play lately. Most don't seem to have the patience to setup a proper stereo listening position let alone a surround sound one. Plus, I know from a lot of friends and coworkers over the years, the wife rules the roost, and she damned well will not tolerate moving her precious furniture or living with speakers that she can actually see! Get those hideous boxes out of my Victorian or Early American living room you swine!

That's one thing though I think B&O did very well with the Beosystem 3, that it'll switch from panel to projector, and even reassign the speakers so that you can have the panel on one wall and the projector on another.