The idea behind Beovox Red Line speakers was one of flexibility. A Red Line speaker was so flexible that it could be placed anywhere. On the ceiling, the wall, or on the floor.
You could hang them semi-permanently on the wall, and if you had a party you could place them on the floor and thereby add extra emphasis to the bass. The different ways of placing them accentuated different frequencies. You could also tilt them if you chose to hang them on the wall. This allowed you to adjust the sound image and direct the sound right at your listening position. However, Red Line was more than merely flexible. It was an impressive bass reflex speaker with a revolutionary new cabinet that ‘curved’ round the sound thereby eliminating irritating resonance because there were no parallel surfaces.
Music that never stands still
Red Line loudspeakers followed your music tastes right up the wall if you wanted! All models except the RL35 could be hung on the wall or be suspended from the ceiling; and, if your dancing feet wanted to make the most of the bass notes, then Red Line could be positioned on the floor, supported by the built-in floor stand. By using Red Line speakers, you weren’t plagued by cables that wrapped themselves around your feet like spaghetti either; Red Line’s flexible spiral cables provided the decorative and practical answer.
The shell was cast in a hard synthetic material and the shape that was devised for the range was characterised by the fact that it allowed for practically no resonance whatsoever.
The idea behind Beovox Red Line speakers was one of flexibility. A Red Line speaker was so flexible that it could be placed anywhere. On the ceiling, the wall, or on the floor.
You could hang them semi-permanently on the wall, and if you had a party you could place them on the floor and thereby add extra emphasis to the bass. The different ways of placing them accentuated different frequencies. You could also tilt them if you chose to hang them on the wall. This allowed you to adjust the sound image and direct the sound right at your listening position. However, Red Line was more than merely flexible. It was an impressive bass reflex speaker with a revolutionary new cabinet that ‘curved’ round the sound thereby eliminating irritating resonance because there were no parallel surfaces.
Music that never stands still
Red Line loudspeakers followed your music tastes right up the wall if you wanted! All models except the RL35 could be hung on the wall or be suspended from the ceiling; and, if your dancing feet wanted to make the most of the bass notes, then Red Line could be positioned on the floor, supported by the built-in floor stand. By using Red Line speakers, you weren’t plagued by cables that wrapped themselves around your feet like spaghetti either; Red Line’s flexible spiral cables provided the decorative and practical answer.
The shell was cast in a hard synthetic material and the shape that was devised for the range was characterised by the fact that it allowed for practically no resonance whatsoever.
Beocenter 2300 was dedicated to the CD enthusiast who, for example, like to store the titles of favourite CDs, or permanently skip unwanted tracks. It was known as Beosystem 2300 when connected to the BeoLab 2500 active speakers. It was eventually surpassed by BeoSound 3000 when it included more features and received a facelift in 2001.
Beocenter 2300 was developed from the idea of a flexible music system that could compete with the sound quality of heavy music systems. Thanks to the advent of active speakers, this was a possibility with both Beocenter 2300 and its similarly-equipped sibling (which also had cassette tape recording and playback) the Beocenter 2500. With active speakers, each of the powerful bass and treble units were equipped with their own separate amplifiers. In addition, the electronic cross-over network ensured full bass reproduction.
The loudspeakers were located on both sides of a centre console, where two clear glass covers automatically glided to the side when a hand was passed in front of them. Behind the glass covers there was access to the operating panel, receiver, CD player and a cassette recorder.
The receiver allowed the option of presetting 2 x 20 FM/AM radio stations. The cassette recorder featured Auto Reverse, Automatic Recording level, search function and Bang & Olufsen’s HX-PRO recording system, a system which ensures that the sensitive treble range is captured in recording. The memory in Beocenter 2300’s CD player allowed you to edit up to 100 CDs.
Both systems could be operated via their operating panel or a Beolink 1000 or Beolink 5000 remote control. There were sockets for headphones and connection to additional sound sources; extra loudspeakers can also be connected.
Beocenter 2300 was available with loudspeaker panels in cobalt grey, black, white, cerise or jade and could be made up to the Beosystem 2300 when incorporated with the BeoLab 2500 active loudspeakers.
Mounting Options
This classic design was reincarnated over a 21 year period with various mounts and stands. Floor stands were available with a pole stand or CD and tape storage, wall mount solutions allowed for the Hi-Fi only, or with BeoLab2500 speakers until these were discontinued
The final incarnation of the MCP style, this was a re-badged 5500 with no new features.
As with all the MCP panels, the LED display was greedy for power, and the D batteries did not last long if used regularly. The replacement, the Beolink 7000, made the move to rechargeable batteries as well as a far more advanced specification.
Beocord 7000 was a high-quality cassette recorder used specifically with Beosystem 7000. When playing cassettes, the order of the tracks could also be changed and the recorder could also find a specific track on a tape. Other functions included Auto Reverse, Auto Record levels, Dolby B and C as well as Bang & Olufsen’s recording system HX-Pro, which ensured that the sensitive treble range is captured in recording.
Beocord 7000’s features were supplemented by an abundance of special features. Space available precludes a more full description of elements such as the design of the peak programme meter, locally operated functions such as microphone recording, memo set/go, adjustment of the maximum record level and so on.
Main features:
Auto record level
Auto track search/auto reverse
HX Pro
Auto Dolby B-C
Auto tape switch
All operation available from Beolink 7000, with full display readout of track bar, counter, record level, Dolby NR, auto reverse functions, sequence programming etc.
Recording with Beosystem 7000 was a system feature, with benefits such as automatic signal routing, record lock, etc. Beocord 7000 contributed a lot to the convenience of the system and the unique auto record level was the feature that made remote controlled recording a real possibility – without compromising the quality of the recording. To further ensure a high and consistent sound quality level Beocord 7000 was equipped with HX Pro.
Auto record level
Auto record level is a unique Bang & Olufsen feature and ensures a uniform and optimal recording level from all sources, from tape to tape, without overload. Major benefits of auto record level are:
all tapes recorded with auto record level have the same optimum level, without overload and therefore without distortion
a recording can be started immediately and directly, without any pre-adjustments
you do not have to supervise a recording to adjust record level and the system recording even stops the recording when the source runs out, or stops the source when the tape runs out
if auto record level interferes and adjusts the recording it is done in such a way that it is not noticeable in playback. The dynamic range of the recording will not be impaired and the adjustments are carried out so early that overload is precluded.
The assets of auto record level are obvious when a comparison is made between those carried out on a standard recorder without auto record level and those with.
Recording on a standard recorder requires you to supervise the recording in order to step in if the manually set input level is too high. In this case you would have to adjust the record level down when a signal with a high dynamic content is to be recorded. If this is not carried out the tape will be overloaded and the music distorted. Without auto record level, copying is in real-time, which means that you will have to pay attention all the time you are recording (or risk a distorted recording). And when a very wide dynamic signal threatens to overload the tape being recorded, the record level must be lowered quickly, which will often be audible in subsequent playback, either as a suddenly lowered output volume or as a distorted signal because the record level was lowered too late.
Auto record level is an efficient remedy to this problem, without both disadvantages mentioned above. Primitive solutions reduce the record level when powerful signals are recorded and increase the record level when weak or no signals are recorded. The result can be a fluctuating dynamic range with, for example, pauses between tracks causing the recording level to rise dramatically and the noise level with it.
The Bang & Olufsen solution
The auto record level in Beocord 7000 was monitored by the microcomputer interacting with the peak programme meter indicator on the front of the cassette deck. Auto Record Level only reduces the record level and only if the signals exceed the set value for a certain period. In this way brief noise pulses, such as the ones resulting from scratches on a record, do not lower the record level. When a signal of more than +2 dB above the set value is encountered, the microcomputer lowers the record level with 2 dB. The recording continues at the lowered level unless even louder signals appear and trigger new reductions.
Other advantages of auto record level are:
it is applied to all sources, even if you record sound from a video source
the preset values can be changed, e.g. if you use special tape formulas
auto record level can be overridden while you are recording, or you can make a recording with manual adjustment of the record level
You did not have to pre-adjust Beocord 7000 before you started a recording. Another feature was the auto tape switch, i.e. an automatic adjustment to the three tape types, metal, chrome and ferro, by means of three electronic sensors located in the cassette holder. Auto-reverse was the default mode both in recording and playback, i.e. Beocord 7000 automatically continued the recording (and playback) on side two, when side one ran out. The turning time from side one to two was very short, because an optic sensor registered the lead-in tape and executed the 180 degree turning of the tape head immediately. Auto reverse could be cut out manually to protect side two from being recorded. This had to be done prior to record start.
Track Search
Beocord 7000 featured track search, based on pauses between individual tracks. You could also make a sequence programming, operated just like CD. Track search was available no matter if the track was on side one or two of the tape. Even if you executed a manual TURN function (i.e. change playback direction) the microcomputer registered the turning point and if you selected a track after the turning point the search for this track would be initiated at the turning point. Track numbers could be displayed on Beolink 7000.
Auto Dolby
Another convenience was the Auto Dolby function. All tapes recorded on a Beocord 7000 contained inaudible information as to whether the tape was recorded with Dolby B, Dolby C or no Dolby noise reduction. The registration of noise reduction type was dynamic and in case the circuit registered a change during playback the reduction was automatically changed. If no signal was registered, e.g. on a pre-recorded tape, the noise reduction last selected would remain active, until altered manually (see more below).
HX-Pro
Beocord 7000 was equipped with HX Pro, like all other ‘stackable’ Bang & Olufsen audio tape recorders. HX Pro is an acronym for Headroom Extension Professional and tapes recorded with HX Pro give a better reproduction quality on playback, no matter which tape deck they are played on. Both the dynamics and the the signal capability in the treble range is improved. The improvements are most noticeable in the reproduction of treble signals, but also the midrange will be influenced in a positive way. At 10KHz the signal loading capability is improved by approximately 8dB for chrome tape, 5dB for ferro tape and 3dB for metal tape formulas.
Beocord 7000 could ideally be used as part of Beosystem 7000.
For rooms where you didn’t need so much power, Beovox Penta was the little brother which suited you down to the ground. It didn’t have the built-in amplifier or the light display, but it was identical to BeoLab in all other respects.
These tall and elegant speakers were developed according to a totally new acoustic principle. They sounded just as magnificent as they looked. Because there were no parallel surfaces in the pentagonal cabinet, the design reduced the internal standing waves and reflection; it was a simple and beautifully effective way of eliminating distortion. The cabinet provided the ideal conditions for the loudspeakers. It was an acoustically ‘dead’ construction, with a moulded inner cabinet surrounded by a stainless steel exterior. Whatever the dimensions of your room, and regardless of the furnishings, BeoLab Penta always sounded wonderful. It also needed very little floor space; head room was all that’s required!
BeoLab Penta was the top-of-the-line speaker from Bang & Olufsen. It was around from the late ‘eighties to the mid-1990s and was upgraded several times. The last version of the active Penta was the Penta 3. In the late 1980’s – when the Penta range was introduced – there was also a passive version, Beovox Penta. But since Bang & Olufsen decided in the 1990s just to concentrate on active speakers, these and some other models, such as the Beovox 4500 and most of the RedLine speakers, were discontinued.
Did you know that the display in Penta I and Penta II was orange and and on Penta III it turned green?
Why build amplifiers into the loudspeakers instead of keeping them separate?
Because you can reduce the size of the cabinet volume to one-third of the size of a conventional loudspeaker with the same sound capacity.
The principle is called Active Loudspeakers, and what you get is a compact loudspeaker that can play at high volume without distortion or damage to its drive units. Furthermore, when amplifier, treble and bass units are paired for the same task, they can be tailored to compensate for each other’s shortcomings. What you hear is music that sounds exactly like the instrument it originally came from.
BeoLab Penta had nine individual loudspeaker units that were accurately positioned in a vertical line to produce a sound dispersion which was so precise that reflections from the floor and ceiling were eliminated. Consequently, Penta speakers could be placed almost anywhere in a room, irrespective of its size or furnishings. The operating panel at the base of BeoLab Penta allowed for the fine tuning of the bass reproduction at three levels.
The speaker’s cross section was a pentagon. The benefit of this design was that it cannot house standing waves which normally are a problem in speakers. The choice of using polished stainless steel was made to help the speaker blend into its surroundings by reflecting them. This gave the speaker the same colour as the surroundings which helped to make the speaker more of a subtle fixture,
Sound with as many facets as a diamond
The location of the speakers within the column was carefully planned to control the sound waves so that they weren’t reflected by the floor and ceiling. The resulting sound quality simply beggared description.
BeoLab 150: Controlled overdrive
At the base of BeoLab Penta was the BeoLab 150 amplifier with a power output of 175 watts DIN/IEC. This could give your music a tremendous boost, both to the quality and the actual power output. It was ideal if you love partying but had a relatively small music system. Big power needs careful control – so the amplifier was equipped with Dynamic Soft Clipping system. When there was any overloading, the system softly rounded off the sound; distortion becoming a thing of the past.
Speakers that more than measure up
Top quality music systems need the best speakers available – or you’re missing out. BeoLab Penta was the natural partner for Bang & Olufsen’s Beosystem 5000 and Beocenter 9000, with their built in CD players. The laser-pure quality of compact disc makes heavy demands on speakers, and both these systems had extremely fine amplifiers. Using BeoLab Penta with these systems and you’d enjoy some of the best sounds in the world. You’d also appreciate handy features such as the light display at the base of the column, which indicated which music source was being used. Of course this was even more useful if you installed Beolink® to give you music all over the house.
As easy on the eye as they are on the ear, BeoLab 8000 loudspeakers defy conventional thinking in delivering the maximum sound from the minimum of space.
There’s not much point in thinking about BeoLab 8000 in terms of watts, woofers or tweeters. There has never been loudspeakers that look like this – or so clear and rich a sound produced from such slender cabinets. BeoLab 8000 represents both the engineering skills as well as the design capabilities from Bang & Olufsen. Nobody has ever built a speaker with such little net volume, only 5,3 litres, with such an impressive sound.
As with all modern B&O speakers, the 8000s are active, meaning that each element has its own amplifier. In fact, each speaker holds two amplifier units. The biggest advantage in separating the amplifiers is that it enables the loudspeakers the ability to obtain maximum sound pressure from each element without distortion. The 8000s use the same reflective finish as the BeoLab Penta allowing them to blend well into their surroundings. By 2001 BeoLab 8000 became the most popular active speaker to date.
” When it comes to sound reproduction we believe there’s only one relevant parameter: How close can we come to the originally recorded sound. We feel an obligation not to disturb the intentions of the artist by adding unnatural elements to the acoustic image. Therefore all Bang & Olufsen loudspeakers share the same goal. They differ in size and shape and in terms of sound pressure level. But they are all developed to reproduce the natural, unaltered sound as closely as possible ” – Bang & Olufsen catalogue 2001 – 2002
There’s no great secret to creating good speakers – but they do (normally) have to be big. When it comes to speakers, one of the driving forces behind Bang & Olufsen’s product development is combining the most modern of technology with good aesthetics. The result is that the company avoids filling people’s houses with speakers the size of phone boxes; instead replacing them with elegant pillars or beautifully-designed wall-mounted units. Formed from a single piece of aluminium that eliminates the distortion problems of traditional speakers, BeoLab 8000 is mounted on a solid, cast iron base and will create the perfect effect wherever you choose to place it.
Placing the amplifiers directly into BeoLab 8000 not only improves its overall sound performance, it also makes it possible to reduce its size by up to a third. This active loudspeaker technology gives B&O the freedom to combine the purest of sounds with the simplest of shapes. A slim 132cm tall and just 10cm in diameter the graceful column of BeoLab 8000 will never dictate any furniture arrangements.
Why build amplifiers into the loudspeakers instead of keeping them separate?
Because you can reduce the size of the cabinet volume to one-third of the size of a conventional loudspeaker with the same sound capacity. The principle is called Active Loudspeakers, and what you get is a compact loudspeaker that can play at high volume without distortion or damage to its drive units.
Furthermore, when amplifier, treble and bass units are paired for the same task, they can be tailored to compensate for each other’s shortcomings. What you hear is music that sounds exactly like the instrument it originally came from (See active speakers).
Deep bass: how to make deep bass with a shallow cabinet
All loudspeakers, regardless of brand, size or construction, make sound by converting electric energy into acoustic energy. They push air in waves, which is what our ears pick up. To get high sound pressure, you need to move a lot of air.
You can use a very large diameter loudspeaker membrane, which moves a very short distance. Or (as Bang & Olufsen prefer), you can make the membrane “deeper”, in other words, make it move a greater distance with a smaller diameter. Imagine two balloons, one round and shaped like a ball, the other long and tubular. Both contain the same amount of air; it’s simply their shapes that are different. A side benefit to the deeper membrane is that it allows a smaller cabinet, with greater freedom as far as form and function are concerned. Since no two loudspeaker units have exactly the same physical characteristics, Bang & Olufsen calibrate them individually to make certain that the sound of each and every loudspeaker leaving our factory is identical.
By employing an active electronic crossover network with equalization, we’re able to adjust frequencies before they’re amplified. The signal from the sound source is shaped before distribution to the separate power amplifiers for bass and treble. In this way, the performance of the various components is “fine-tuned”, until they produce an ideal, harmonised output, which will be the same, no matter which BeoLab loudspeaker you feast your eyes upon.
The custom made driver units of a BeoLab loudspeaker feature extra-heavy membranes with longer movement, which help produce a deeper bass.
Adaptive Bass Linearisation
Adaptive Bass Linearisation (ABL) is a process patented by B&O and is incorporated in BeoLab loudspeakers. The idea is to use the surplus capacity in amplifiers and driver units, arising by normal listening levels, for a bass extension – a sound reproduction with more bass, than the loudspeaker otherwise would be able to produce.
The function is adaptive. This means that the loudspeaker adapts to the signal it receives. Loudspeaker drivers are therefore fully exploited, without suffering mechanical or electronic abuse, and the built in amplifiers are not subjected to signals would otherwise create an overload situation.
ABL gives stunning bass reproduction considering the size of the loudspeaker in which it is incorporated, under normal listening levels.
BeoLab 8000: active loudspeaker, 2 power amplifier modules, adaptive bass linearisation, aluminium cabinet and solid iron (11kg) base.
News: From January 2003, BeoLab 8000 was obtainable with new driver units giving extra bass at low levels. While not delivering as much as a BeoLab 2 (dedicated sub-woofer) the bass drivers with the newer BeoLab 8000 have a marked improvement over their predecessors. The upgrade involved new frequency equalization and improved ABL system. These improvements are mostly apparent at high volume levels. The changes are implemented form serial 16992475 onwards.
As easy on the eye as they are on the ear, BeoLab 6000 loudspeakers – designed by David Lewis – defy conventional thinking in delivering the maximum sound from the minimum of space.
There’s not much point in thinking about BeoLab 6000 in terms of watts, woofers or tweeters. There has never been loudspeakers that look like this – or so clear and rich a sound produced from such slender cabinets. BeoLab 6000 represents both the engineering skills as well as the design capabilities from Bang & Olufsen.
BeoLab 6000 is probably one of the most famous speakers around today being a part of the standard exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York along with some other Bang & Olufsen equipment, namely the Beovox Cona (a subwoofer) and the Beocord VX5000, which by the way looks almost exactly as the VX7000 does. BeoLab 6000 is a smaller version of the BeoLab 8000 with the same active construction but with even smaller net volume: 3 litres.
A great advantage with the BeoLab 6000 is the fact that it has two PowerLink connections giving the possibility to loop-through the signal to the second speaker directly. This speaker is used very often as the second pair in a Dolby Pro-Logic setup for example in the AV9000 system.
” When it comes to sound reproduction we believe there’s only one relevant parameter: How close can we come to the originally recorded sound. We feel an obligation not to disturb the intentions of the artist by adding unnatural elements to the acoustic image. Therefore all Bang & Olufsen loudspeakers share the same goal. They differ in size and shape and in terms of sound pressure level. But they are all developed to reproduce the natural, unaltered sound as closely as possible ” – Bang & Olufsen catalogue 2001 – 2002
Features:
BeoLab 6000 fills the room with sound
The choice is simple – you can fill your home with big black boxes, or you can make a stand with BeoLab 6000 and fill it with beautiful sound and beautiful looks.
Aluminium
Formed from a single piece of aluminium, BeoLab 6000 is shaped to stand out from its surroundings, but coloured to match any Bang & Olufsen audio or video setup.
Active loudspeaker benefits
How does B&O reduce the overall size of a loudspeaker, but improve its sound performance? It can only be done by placing the amplifiers directly into the loudspeaker cabinet. It’s called ‘Active Loudspeaker Technology’ and is used to combine the purest of sounds with the smallest and simplest of shapes.
Fits any room
With a height of just 110cm and a depth of 10cm, finding space for a pair of BeoLab 6000 speakers is never going to be a problem. Its superior sound capabilities ensure that its performance will never dictate your placement options. The polished aluminium cabinet is available in a range of colours – black, blue, green, red and natural – that will match any Bang & Olufsen audio or video setup.
Materials and finish
The deliberate choice of material, and the final surface treatment of the products’ finish, are characteristic of Bang & Olufsen and one of their true core competences. B&O’s designers know that people use several of their senses in experiencing a product. They therefore derive great pleasure from tactile experiences, whether they are touching a cold or a warm surface, or one that is smooth or textured. The span of materials used for Bang & Olufsen products is wider than that of any other company within the trade, and they are carefully selected for their high quality and their ability to fit naturally into a home environment. The finish is then refined to perfection and created to provide a tangible experience that supports the visual impression.
Why build amplifiers into the loudspeakers instead of keeping them separate?
Because you can reduce the size of the cabinet volume to one-third of the size of a conventional loudspeaker with the same sound capacity. The principle is called Active Loudspeakers, and what you get is a compact loudspeaker that can play at high volume without distortion or damage to its drive units.
Furthermore, when amplifier, treble and bass units are paired for the same task, they can be tailored to compensate for each other’s shortcomings. What you hear is music that sounds exactly like the instrument it originally came from (See active speakers)
Deep bass: how to make deep bass with a shallow cabinet
All loudspeakers, regardless of brand, size or construction, make sound by converting electric energy into acoustic energy. They push air in waves, which is what our ears pick up. To get high sound pressure, you need to move a lot of air.
You can use a very large diameter loudspeaker membrane, which moves a very short distance. Or (as Bang & Olufsen prefer), you can make the membrane “deeper”, in other words, make it move a greater distance with a smaller diameter. Imagine two balloons, one round and shaped like a ball, the other long and tubular. Both contain the same amount of air; it’s simply their shapes that are different.
A side benefit to the deeper membrane is that it allows a smaller cabinet, with greater freedom as far as form and function are concerned.
Since no two loudspeaker units have exactly the same physical characteristics, Bang & Olufsen calibrate them individually to make certain that the sound of each and every loudspeaker leaving our factory is identical. By employing an active electronic crossover network with equalization, we’re able to adjust frequencies before they’re amplified. The signal from the sound source is shaped before distribution to the separate power amplifiers for bass and treble.
In this way, the performance of the various components is “fine-tuned”, until they produce an ideal, harmonised output, which will be the same, no matter which BeoLab loudspeaker you feast your eyes upon. The custom made driver units of a BeoLab loudspeaker feature extra-heavy membranes with longer movement, which help produce a deeper bass.
Adaptive Bass Linearisation
Adaptive Bass Linearisation (ABL) is a process patented by B&O and is incorporated in BeoLab loudspeakers. The idea is to use the surplus capacity in amplifiers and driver units, arising by normal listening levels, for a bass extension – a sound reproduction with more bass, than the loudspeaker otherwise would be able to produce.
The function is adaptive. This means that the loudspeaker adapts to the signal it receives. Loudspeaker drivers are therefore fully exploited, without suffering mechanical or electronic abuse, and the built in amplifiers are not subjected to signals would otherwise create an overload situation.
ABL gives stunning bass reproduction considering the size of the loudspeaker in which it is incorporated, under normal listening levels.
BeoLab 6000: active loudspeaker, 2 power amplifier modules, adaptive bass linearisation and aluminium cabinet.
BeoLab 4500 was a wall speaker which was no more than 8cm deep. It had a built-in (active) amplifier and extended bass reproduction, which used the wall as a reflector. The display told you which source that BeoLab 4500 was reproducing at any one time.
There were two versions of this panel loudspeaker. The pure Beovox 4500 loudspeaker (shown here) and BeoLab 4500 with built-in amplifier and Dynamic Bass Equaliser (shown in main picture above), which automatically compensated for the inability of the human ear to perceive deep bass tones at low volume
The design of BeoLab 4500 and Beovox 4500 was based an acoustic principle that allowed the loudspeaker to use the wall to enhance the bass level. The cabinet let the sound waves reflect off the wall and out into the room without delay. This made it possible to reduce the depth of the cabinet to just 8cm, so the loudspeaker becomes a natural part of the wall décor.
BeoLab 4500 had a display which indicated sound source, volume and which track on CD or tape that you were listening to. In looks, it was similar to the BeoLab 5000 active speaker, but smaller. The display too was in a green-coloured LED as opposed to BeoLab 5000’s orange. Both loudspeakers were available with blue or grey fabric.