Very nice lil BeoLit 12 review

My point I was was trying to get across, is that eventually MP3 or whatever it evolves into will naturally get much better as time goes by to eventually almost rival LP's etc. Just as digital cameras were originally written off.

Whatever it will be called I don't know, but the days of very high quality mass variety downloads are upon us.

Chris Townsend:

My point I was was trying to get across, is that eventually MP3 or whatever it evolves into will naturally get much better as time goes by to eventually almost rival LP's etc. Just as digital cameras were originally written off.

Digital cameras have gotten better because the technology improved - there is no requirement for digital media to 'improve' because the technology is already there - I have been delivering 96khz 24bit audio to clients online with no problems. It's just strange to me that most people think MP3s are great when there are other options out there delivering far higher quality material.

My point is that consumers aren't demanding better quality audio because frankly they've been sold a lie by the technology companies (Apple etc) that their MP3 downloads are 'high quality' - they aren't.

So why is Spotify doing so well?

There are lots of competitors doing much the same, but few offer to deliver "up to 320 mps" Not CD quality i admit, but a move in the right direction. You are obviously involved in this field, so where can i go to that delivers high quality music, but on the scale of iTunes? 

I think people do want better quality music, and they want it digitally. Just ask HMV and Virgin.

I'm from the time when vinyl was popular and sorry but I remember the MAJORITY of people in the olden days who bought vinyl didn't own B&O or Technics 1210 turntables or whatever, they had cheap music centres and radio grams with plasticky BSR or Garrard turntables in them. They were horrible.

To me, records are crackle crackle, distortion (oh I believe that is marketed as atmospheric). They are HUGE things, requiring cleaning, wearing out & fragile. Plus you have to sit in a house to listen to them. I don't want to sit down to listen to music. I'm not retired! I want to hear it whilst at the gym, mountain biking, running, travelling on holiday, driving my car.

And with MP3 i can share my new found track with friends anywhere in the world via Email or FaceBook. To me Music is Life. It's enjoying the song or the beat, it's soul enriching. It travels with me and allows me to share with best friends from University who live thousands of miles away and then we may have a discussion about it. 

With all have our own ideas and favourite mediums but for me, being able to buy an MP4 from any year or buy any album track instantly is wonderful. I've had years of disappointment where I couldn't find an album and now i'm happy to say I own EVERY song that i've spent the last 33 years wanting!!!

i'm with Chris on his arguement. And yep, B&O needs direction in terms of finding a new designer.

What do they say Paul, about audiophiles being more interested in the equipment they listen to music through, rather than the music through their equipment.

It's very very true Chris. For me, I get to listen to my music anywhere in the World. The other day, I was at the Barbers and the Foo Fighters - Learn to fly came into my head. Grabbing my iPhone, I was able to have the best walk home whilst 'moshing' to that truly awesome tune.

I've also enjoyed iTunes movies over Christmas. I downloaded New Years Eve in HD, popped it on my Iphone & took it to France with my Crowd and we watched it in glorious HD Christmas Eve after the after party  nice.

Happy New Year Chris.

Paul W:

I'm from the time when vinyl was popular and sorry but I remember the MAJORITY of people in the olden days who bought vinyl didn't own B&O or Technics 1210 turntables or whatever, they had cheap music centres and radio grams with plasticky BSR or Garrard turntables in them. They were horrible.

I have listened to a lot of these cheaper turntables - even the technics 1210s (which are very poor sounding decks, hence why anybody using one in the name of sound quality with good reason and ears would have heavily modified it, I know I used to own some), and to be honest with you even some of the cheaper options still sound better than MP3s playing off an iPod.

 

Paul W:

To me, records are crackle crackle, distortion (oh I believe that is marketed as atmospheric). They are HUGE things, requiring cleaning, wearing out & fragile. Plus you have to sit in a house to listen to them. I don't want to sit down to listen to music. I'm not retired! I want to hear it whilst at the gym, mountain biking, running, travelling on holiday, driving my car.

Yes, they are less convenient - but convenience does not make something better. Microwave meals are more convenient than a properly cooked meal, but that doesn't make the microwave meal better. Are microwave meals a step forwards over for example, a roast dinner?

Also, none of my records (except some of those which I have inherited) are crackle crackle distortion - it sounds as though the turntable has not been maintained correctly. I have iPods sat in the bottom of my computer desk drawers which don't make any sound at all after a few years, at least my old 1970s suitcase turntable makes sound.

Paul W:

And with MP3 i can share my new found track with friends anywhere in the world via Email or FaceBook. To me Music is Life. It's enjoying the song or the beat, it's soul enriching. It travels with me and allows me to share with best friends from University who live thousands of miles away and then we may have a discussion about it.

Well as somebody who is trying to earn their living off the music industry, it's hard for me to have a discussion about sharing MP3s online! I'll leave that one where it is!

 

Paul W:

With all have our own ideas and favourite mediums but for me, being able to buy an MP4 from any year or buy any album track instantly is wonderful. I've had years of disappointment where I couldn't find an album and now i'm happy to say I own EVERY song that i've spent the last 33 years wanting!!!

i'm with Chris on his arguement. And yep, B&O needs direction in terms of finding a new designer.

I'll make it clear that if people were willing to adopt a digital medium which is at least as good in fidelity as the medium it is replacing (in this case CD), then I wouldn't really mind so much, but I just find it troublesome that listeners are willing to take what I see as quite a significant step back in sound quality in the name of convenience, when I would like the people at the 'receiving' end of the artist's output to be experiencing it in the best light possible - isn't that the main reason why we're all so interested in buying expensive sound systems from Bang & Olufsen and other manufacturers?

Perhaps once we have an entire generation that has grown up on MP3s the music industry will rediscover quality and start the next replenishment cycle

 

yes, I am a grumpy old cynic 

Paul W:

i'm with Chris on his arguement. And yep, B&O needs direction in terms of finding a new designer.

Agree!!! B&O needs to find a new 'head of design' like once Jacob Jensen and David Lewis.
A 'main' designer to show the way - instead of just 'fumbling around in the dark' using a lot of different new people who each has their own ideas about design.

Totally agree Steffen a brand can't have many designers all with different angles, dreams and objectives. There is no consistency although thankfully they mostly do feel like B&O products. Then again, look how B&O speakers have evolved from the CX50 in the 80s to the BL8000 in the 90s to todays BL9 or 5? All recognisable as BANG&OLUFSEN in their own way i guess.

Have to say I agree with Paul W on this one - the modern technology has probably made me listen to more music now than ever before and made it far more accessible - it's more now, for me anyway, about the music than the medium.

Neither one is right or wrong, it's down to an individuals preference - I haven't played a CD for years, however I still love getting my old Hacker Record Player out of retirement and playing vinyl on it after a few glasses of wine - the joy that brings is irreplacable in a digital format - but probably more to do with conneting with the past than listening to the actual vinyl.

I bought a BeoLit 12 together with a Bowers and Wilkins A7 last week and have now had time to set them both up today - first thoughts:

- sound on the BeoLit 12 is excellent for it's size and had that warm rounded, natural sound that I have enjoyed for the 15 years from B&O starting with the excellent BL4000s - all in all, much more to my tastes that the B&W A7

- B&W A7 setup on Airplay 10mins and totally stable for the the last 10 hours of my testing. Beolit 12 took about 20min to set up but has been totally unstable for the same 10 hours - dropping out of my network randomly but about 15 times per hour and refusing to rejoin my network

- so the first B&O product I have ever bought that is not fit for purpose - I live in central London with many competing networks but the B&W works perfectly in exactly the same room on same wireless network that the B&O really struggles with

- I have spent the whole day trying the get the B&O working (inc updating its software and installing a new router and extenders) given the sound and my loyality but it is simply not fit for purpose - that is it for me for airplay B&O products until it is stable enough to deal with city living - what a shame - so much potential but has left a very bitter taste. 

 

 

Steffen:

Paul W:

i'm with Chris on his arguement. And yep, B&O needs direction in terms of finding a new designer.

 

Agree!!! B&O needs to find a new 'head of design' like once Jacob Jensen and David Lewis.
A 'main' designer to show the way - instead of just 'fumbling around in the dark' using a lot of different new people who each has their own ideas about design.

You mean like a creative director/ an idea person? I think so too. I think B&O products are too driven by commercial demands now. What's worse is the simply good is enough approach to making their core line. Very odd indeed! Not very luxurious at all. 

Pushkin - I recently bought a BeoLit and had the same experience but have discovered something very odd - if i stream Spotify from my iPhone 4s which has the latest iOS software 6.0.1 then my BeoLit loses its airplay all the time. But if I stream from my iPad 1 using iOS 5.0.1, then the airplay works 100% and there has never ever been a dropout? If you google iOS 6.0.1 airplay problems then a lot of people using non B&O equipment are talking about these issues too. It is very annoying, but i'm not sure what the actual issue is. The BeoLit is absolutely fantastic with my iPad!