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
I was thinking this morning about why I'm less excited about B&O in recent times. Some of the products are still great (can't knock my BeoSound 8 and, although I'm less enthused than some owners, the BV11) and the stores haven't changed.
What has changed is the lack of a decent catalogue/magalogue. Hell, I'd even pay for a copy of they have figured that the cost of production can't be warranted. Quite a few companies charge for their catalogue, so why couldn't B&O? Indeed, B&O could charge the dealer a nominal amount, to cover costs, and the dealer could choose to pass this on to the customer (or not).
Why do I miss the magalogue? As you could refer to the stories, the product positioning and the aspirational devices, in your own time. You could read it whenever you felt you needed some inspiration, leave it on the coffee table to inspire other people and it was an ideal "offline" tool to bring new people to the brand.
It confuses me why B&O would pull the plug on this. It hasn't been updated since 2011, from what I remember? Indeed, my dealer still gives out the old 2011 magalogue, even though many of the products have long since been discontinued! Talk about giving out a bad impression.
So, come on B&O, create a new inspirational magalogue, charge a dealer 50p for buying it in bulk and let them charge us £2 to buy it. We would, others would. It's a no-brainer.
+1
Perhaps they will return when times and sales improve.
I used to like having one on the coffee table for guests to read and take. One neighbour commented how nice the finish quality was in the catalogue, looked and played around with our system, and went out and bought one himself. I'm quite certain B&O made a few new customers that way.
Someday, someday soon.
It would now be a pamphlet instead of a magalogue given the number of items they've discontinued.
MediaBobNY: It would now be a pamphlet instead of a magalogue given the number of items they've discontinued.
I hope you're right and they are coming back. Long before I actually got the financial wherewithal to buy a B&O setup, I used to get these and longingly look at them, all the B&O magalogs and literature. I kept the most current two in my magazine rack and would wistfully gaze at them, they were always also good for showing stylish, minimalist, modern houses and art.
Jeff
I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus.
Jeff: I hope you're right and they are coming back. Long before I actually got the financial wherewithal to buy a B&O setup, I used to get these and longingly look at them, all the B&O magalogs and literature. I kept the most current two in my magazine rack and would wistfully gaze at them, they were always also good for showing stylish, minimalist, modern houses and art.
Interesting Jeff ... I was much the same, as I first discovered B&O in the early eighties, and whilst I had no need of a new system at that time, I started to collect their catalogues..... and dream of one day...
Well that day has arrived, and I still have all the catalogues, and like others have expressed, miss the wonderful photos, interior design exposes and such, and really wish they would return.
As you say, it is something you tend to refer to and browse through a lot, and also show friends etc - I'm sure the catalogues were very instrumental in me building up a continuing awareness of B&O as both a product and a design icon, which in part lead to an eventual and very likely ongoing purchases.
Kind regards
John....
I love catalogs. Back in the '90s when Sony still had some really nice top notch audio and video equipment, I used to religiously obtain the SONY Style catalog whenever I could get my hands on one (back when it was more of a product catalog with some articles strewn throughout) along with the Service Merchandise and Radio Shack catalogs. I spent many a childhood night just admiring all of the cool tech I wanted to own some day. A B&O catalog would definitely be something I'd want to own today.
MartinW:Moxxey, I totally agree - fortunately I don't think I will be assasinated by the Danes for revealing that the official B&O Magazine is coming back in September and there will now be a new one twice a year.
That's good news. Like I said above, I think most of us would be happy to fork out a few pounds/dollars/euros for a well produced catalogue, with inspirational stories, great product placement photos and so on.
Some of the aspirational product placement photos from the early catalogues do encourage you to pick up some B&O products, as you want your home to look a little like the ones in their photos (which is the reason they produce the catalogue). Sadly for B&O, their showrooms do not offer the same aspirational experience. I've never walked in to a B&O store and thought "that product placement is how I can see the TV in my living room". The showrooms just look like a few products plonked in various places in the store. And it hasn't really changed for years. Our local dealer isn't really any different from how it was six years ago!