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
Sorry a little of topic, but I guess Bang & Olufsen tricks us in the attached picture.
Who placed that deer???
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Here's a close up of the bottom of the speaker... Sorry for the poor quality, but you get the idea.
The BL17 to my eyes does not look right with that circular fret in the rectangular front. What it needs is the BL18 wood treatment with wood fins disguising the whole front. It would then have also made a better pairing with the BL18 in surround systems.
A wood fin cover would be an easy add-on, surely.
Graham
vikinger: The BL17 to my eyes does not look right with that circular fret in the rectangular front.
The BL17 to my eyes does not look right with that circular fret in the rectangular front.
I'm less keen on the BL17's - they really do look a tad dated to me. Even slightly Blake 7. Like a poor BBC sci-fi prop.
Much more keen on the wooden BL18's. I can see what B&O has attempted to do, that is design some speakers that look more like your furniture, than the previous shiny chrome-finished surface. I'm mostly interested in speakers which blend in, rather than stand out like a chrome beacon.
I'm also keen on the new sub. Looks like a beast and will hide behind my BV11. Ideal.
If B&O is planning on bringing out a transmitter for their other speakers, I'll just stick with BL3s as rears. Can't go wrong with BL3s.
Good review, thanks for that!
Regarding connections on the new speakers... toslink is for optical digital, does that mean they have built in D/A converters in each speaker? maybe that is necessary anyway to receive and convert the wireless signal(?)
Nice to have anyway, and the BL18s are growing on me
BeoLignage: Good review, thanks for that! Regarding connections on the new speakers... toslink is for optical digital, does that mean they have built in D/A converters in each speaker? maybe that is necessary anyway to receive and convert the wireless signal(?) Nice to have anyway, and the BL18s are growing on me
Yes I would thing there is a D/A in every loudspeaker. It's the future. Plus now all you have to do is to plus an airplay compatible digital player or any source with a Digital output to get it working. It's fabulous.
Again I like the new 18 except for the lens staring in my face. I like the new base though, it seems cheaper to make and more environmental conscious.
Lars: Sorry a little of topic, but I guess Bang & Olufsen tricks us in the attached picture. Who placed that deer???
The deer is asking itself "Where have the power leads been hidden for those 'Wireless' speakers scattered around the floor?"
vikinguk:The deer is asking itself "Where have the power leads been hidden for those 'Wireless' speakers scattered around the floor?" Graham
Good to see that there are new product being introduced, but.... I saw a picture of the speakers thinking this must be some kind of Aprils fools joke. I could not imagine that this design is serious. The beautiful, balanced BL8000 being mimicked in such an ugly way... Unbelievable! As for the subwoofer.. No words for that either, how ugly.
I think if you trawl the internet, you'll find not many companies do catalogue shots with wires in... If they do put them in, they soft focus the background - and the cables.
Lee
vikinger: The deer is asking itself "Where have the power leads been hidden for those 'Wireless' speakers scattered around the floor?" Graham
If the deer has any concept of AV it'll be wondering why seven speakers are configured in such a crazy way.
However... this is just to demonstrate the various placement positions, nothing more or less than that. You see beautiful girls draped over the dynamic, handsome, well dressed driver of the new Bentley Mulsanne whatever - but in reality he's usually a balding, overweight middle aged man with a wife that looks like her face caught fire and it was put out with a shovel..
Not many lounges look like that but it's stylish**, minimalist - and clearly expensive as it's in the country and not a rough council estate in Bradford*
Sell the dream. Everyone does. It's marketing! Let's get back to the products though - this is what the thread is about. What do you think of them??
* I was brought up on a rough council estate in Bradford.
** However, that picture in the middle looks like something my daughter used to proudly present to me after a messy afternoon with the paint set at nursery..
9 LEE: I think if you trawl the internet, you'll find not many companies do catalogue shots with wires in... If they do put them in, they soft focus the background - and the cables. Lee
Agreed Lee. But for those not aware of just what 'Wireless' means for these new speakers, there could be some confusion.
Maybe a future underfloor induction type of power system could bring about really 'Wireless' speakers!
And let's face it, the old Beovox systems are much nearer to being 'Wireless' when it comes to hiding what is akin to bell wire as opposed to mains flex.
Yes, they launched Beolab Transmitter 1 a small box you can add to any of your BeoVisions or BeoSounds via Power Link get wireless performance with the new speakers. The box has 4 Power Link sockets, 1 Toslink input, 2 RCA inputs.
does not photograph well - go and see them when in the shop - they look awsome
yes, they all have power link connectors, toslink and 2 x RCA
They do not photograph well in black - you should go see them when they are in your local store. They look great!
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vikinger: Lars: Sorry a little of topic, but I guess Bang & Olufsen tricks us in the attached picture. Who placed that deer??? The deer is asking itself "Where have the power leads been hidden for those 'Wireless' speakers scattered around the floor?" Graham
Even with the hint I really had to zoom in to find that blasted deer!
Why, we all know if you are rich enough for B&O you can have the electricians custom wire up outlets right where you want the speakers! Dig up that travertine floor!
Actually, I suspect for most people it's easier to find a nearby outlet than to string wire from the TV/processor to all points in the room. But, with no wires, will we now see people selling custom, audiophile air (called ether) to allow for better transmission of the sound from the transmitter to the speaker? Air that provides more, well, air around the instruments? That provides solid bass without being thick?
Jeff
I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus.
So obvious that we are talking about marketing material.
I assume no one will ever think that the placement is a realistic one?! Anyways, just get the cables running under the floor.
Lars: Wow, Lee, thanks a lot for sharing the information. I am impressed by the design. Especially the wood, alu combination. Is there anyone in need of my current speakers ;-)
Wow,
Lee, thanks a lot for sharing the information.
I am impressed by the design. Especially the wood, alu combination.
Is there anyone in need of my current speakers ;-)
Do you have a cheap pair of Beolab 5 or 9?
SCNR
Peter the Biker: Ich komme auch bei Dir vorbei, um sie abzuholen, allerdings nicht mit diesem Verkehrsmittel ...
hehe, selbst die BeoLab3 mit Füßen werden auch schwer mit dem Rad zu transportieren ;-)
Many thanks Lee for taking the time to write up your review - it's exciting times indeed for B&O!
Just to be contrary to some, I like all three of the new speakers aesthetically a great deal, but the new 18 in the wood in particular, just looks sublime to my eyes.
Wonderful design, and there is literally nothing else out there in the market place that looks so unique IMHO - modern, very, very stylish, and yet classic and timeless all at the same time
Well done B&O!
John...
John: Many thanks Lee for taking the time to write up your review - it's exciting times indeed for B&O! Just to be contrary to some, I like all three of the new speakers aesthetically a great deal, but the new 18 in the wood in particular, just looks sublime to my eyes. Wonderful design, and there is literally nothing else out there in the market place that looks so unique IMHO - modern, very, very stylish, and yet classic and timeless all at the same time Well done B&O! John...
Oh John, you always have such a nice positive attitude. Is there ever a cloudy day in your part of Australia?
symmes: Oh John, you always have such a nice positive attitude. Is there ever a cloudy day in your part of Australia?
Off topic, both go hand-in-hand. I was over in Cyprus the other week, mid-October, and it was about 28c each day, crystal clear blue skies, like the height of a British summer. Got back here, raining every day, Christmas trees in shops...
And the rest of the world wonders why Brits can be so dour :)
Being positive and fair on B&O, they've done a superb job releasing top quality wireless speakers. Now, if only I hadn't committed to a new little sports car... ;)
9 LEE:Just thought you guys would be interested to see it. There's a gap between the top of the sculpted 'cone' and the bottom of the main speaker driver and amplifier housing which I was told was bass porting..
Sorry, Lee. Your arrow is pointing a little low... but you're close.
The arrow is actually aimed at the connector panel where you'll find the PowerLink, RCA phono and TOSLINK connectors, as well as the switches.
Cheers
-geoff
9 LEE: Apparently the lamellas were a challenge as opposed to an acoustic improvement, what with wood not being acoustically transparent and all that... I suppose the bass not relying on being directional was a help, plus popping the acoustic lens on the top out of the way helped too. I'm sure Geoff will confirm or deny, but I was told it wasn't done to help the sound - it was a design thing. One thing I did forget to mention though was the speakers sounded sharper when I was stood up listening to them - and when I crouched down they lost a little of that in my opinion. I'd be interested to hear Geoff's views on that.
Apparently the lamellas were a challenge as opposed to an acoustic improvement, what with wood not being acoustically transparent and all that...
I suppose the bass not relying on being directional was a help, plus popping the acoustic lens on the top out of the way helped too. I'm sure Geoff will confirm or deny, but I was told it wasn't done to help the sound - it was a design thing.
One thing I did forget to mention though was the speakers sounded sharper when I was stood up listening to them - and when I crouched down they lost a little of that in my opinion. I'd be interested to hear Geoff's views on that.
I don't have anything to contradict what you were told, Lee.
However, I would add a couple of things:
The Lamellae
We did the final sound design of the BeoLab 18's with the final assembly - so the engineers measured the acoustic performance with and without lamellae (so we knew the resulting effect). We did the final listening and tuning with the lamellae in place, so, although they have an effect, both with respect to overall magnitude response and directivity, that effect is considered in the tuning.
Tweeter placement
We can see in the measurements that there is a "shadowing" effect in the high frequency bands as you drop to a listening position lower than the tweeter + lens on the top of the loudspeaker. However, this, too was taken into effect during the tuning process. The high frequency balance was set at a listening position of 3 m from the loudspeakers and a height of about 1.1 m (that's the distance from the floor to my ear when I'm sitting in the listening room - and since everyone in the acoustics department is the same height, I can use me as a "standard"). So, if your sofa is the same height as ours, and the distance between your back pockets and your ears is the same as mine (when seated), then you are getting the tuning that we hear in the listening room.
However, as I said (and as you heard), there is a shadow effect - this means that if you stand in front of the speaker, bending a little so that your ear is level with the tweeter, you'll hear a brighter response than when you're sitting. Stand up a little more and you'll probably hear a shadowing effect again. So, the punchline of this story is that - yes, the lens is "aimed" above your head - but we increase the high's a little to get the balance we wanted when you're sitting down. You might get lucky when you're standing up - but that depends on how far away your ears are from your shoes instead of your back pockets - and also how far away you are from the loudspeaker itself.
I would point out, however, that this shadowing effect is present (to varying extents) in all loudspeakers. Try standing and sitting whilst listening to whatever you have and you'll probably notice things changing. The closer you stand while you're doing this, the more the effect, since (partly) you are causing a larger change in the vertical angle to your ear from the tweeter. This is also a good way to get exercise.
cheers
Thanks for this interesting review, Lee
Beovision 10-46, Beocenter 1, Beo 4, Beocom 4, Beolit 12, Beosound 4, Beosound Essence, Beolab 6000
Very comprehensive and true to the word Sir Lee.
Couldn't ask for a better review.
Well written Lee
Next time No paul mcCartney but Sir Lee...hahaaha
Jeff: vikinger: Lars: Sorry a little of topic, but I guess Bang & Olufsen tricks us in the attached picture. Who placed that deer??? The deer is asking itself "Where have the power leads been hidden for those 'Wireless' speakers scattered around the floor?" Graham Even with the hint I really had to zoom in to find that blasted deer! Why, we all know if you are rich enough for B&O you can have the electricians custom wire up outlets right where you want the speakers! Dig up that travertine floor! Actually, I suspect for most people it's easier to find a nearby outlet than to string wire from the TV/processor to all points in the room. But, with no wires, will we now see people selling custom, audiophile air (called ether) to allow for better transmission of the sound from the transmitter to the speaker? Air that provides more, well, air around the instruments? That provides solid bass without being thick?
I can see it now: special air additives that come in a aerosol can to take off the "digital edge" of a wireless transmission system like this. The beauty of it (for the suppliers) is that you'll need to spray a can in the room every time you listen to the speakers as the additives dissipate over time.
D
Been away for a bit but back now!!
Lamella is a strange word, maybe a translation thing but lamella means plates or flakes, rather than slats - maybe they use the less familiar word to make them sound more techy or exotic....... nevermind!!
Slightly disappointed (but not surprised) that the lamella have had to be accounted for in the speaker voicing, it means there is no possibility of a plain cloth fretted version - I still think the slats are design fluff and nonsense!!
Also the fact that the tweeter/ALT combination is running "bright" on axis so that it sounds OK when sat down below line of sight, - it's disappointing that the "style" of sticking it on top seems to have somewhat compromised the speaker in that the lens wasn't positioned at maybe it's optimum height.
Does it sound like I still don't like the BL18?? That'll be it, then!!
Ban boring signatures!