Beovision 9 – A state-of-the-art audio-video unit.
BeoVision 9’s digital sound processor is designed to drive the sound in up to 7.1 channels (the predominant format is still 5.1). You can connect up to 10 BeoLab speakers!
The “space ship” like form factor is driven by the Acoustic Lens Technology (ALT) that delivers a unique 180 degrees horizontal dispersion that maintain a constant tonal balance in all locations, both from direct and reflected sound. Another exclusive feature is the Adaptative Bass Control (ABC): at the press of a button the speaker measure the acoustic properties of the room and adapts its performance accordingly.
The BeoVision 9 is a complete home entertainment solution with a 50 inch HD plasma TV, a powerful center speaker (with ALT) and a built-in BeoMedia. It can be connected to other manufacturers set-top boxes, and has an integrated access to net radio, digital music, photos and the web. In addition, this intelligent device automatically adjusts the brightness and contrast to the ambient light using a dedicated sensor. You can navigate the TV guide, the music and photo files, control the sound volume, orient the display around its axis, all this from the Beo 4 remote control.
David Lewis, the designer, thinks that a TV is not an appealing object, so he succeeds in transforming it in a beautiful piece of furniture.
B&O’s long awaited answer to replacing the long running Beovision MX range of stand alone televisions which dated back to 1985, the Beovision 8 was released first as a 26″ model and was followed by the 32″ model later in the same year.
Sharply styled
The set was a marked change in direction in styling with the trademark contrast screen no longer fitted. Instead a radical new look with a prominent speaker box was seen and the same Sharp LCD screen as seen in the Beocenter 6 26″ was fitted. Resolution was set at 768p – completely acceptable for a screen of this size. Particular care had been taken with the speaker which had been optimised for speech reproduction. It utilised three drive units – a 50mm treble/midrange unit mounted at the two opposite ends and a central 100mm woofer. This was separately enclosed and unlike the midrange/tweeter was in a bass reflex box to enhance the output. In some ways this set up resembled that of the Beosound 1 thought that unit had separate midrange and tweeters rather than relying on a full range unit.
Connected to the future
Unlike the other LCD sets in the B&O range, an HDMI socket was fitted which allowed the connection of a digital source. The set also came as standard with two SCART sockets though one extra cost option was the so called System Module which provided a Masterlink socket, an RF modulator and a third SCART socket.
Dark smoothie
Soft touch plastics predominated with an aluminium grille for the speaker with the brand name prominently displayed. Only black with a silver grille was available at the launch. A range of stands were provided with options for storage of other source boxes or a minimalist black metal single leg.
Digitally challenged
However what attracted a fair bit of attention was not only the daring styling but also some omissions to the specification. With some countries actually starting to turn off the analogue transmitters, the absence of a DVB-T module for the Beovision 8 was a surprise. B&O’s argument that this was a set designed for use in a kitchen or small bedroom and would be likely to be attached to the main room digital tuner was reasonable if possibly a little mean. Full STB-C connections were fitted and, to be fair, offered considerable scope for upgrading, something that would be far more expensive should an internal tuner have been fitted.
Not easily surrounded
Of rather more concern to some was the absence of a surround sound option. A single Powerlink socket was fitted to allow the use of stereo Beolab speakers with the option of Centre Balance control, a feature seen on Beovision sets in the early nineties. However there was no Dolby or DTS surround, implying that this set was not designed to be part of a main room set up.
Remotely attractive?
And there was one more surprise! In the UK the set was supplied with no remote control – although it was not able to be operated without one. The rationale behind this was two fold. Firstly, much like the Beovision 3 28″,which was another of the models it replaced, the Beovision 8 offered a very low headline price to attract customers more used to buying other brands into the showroom. And secondly, the customer was then offered the choice between the Beo4 remote and the brand new and much more expensive Beo5.
Mounting Options & Stands
This model was supplied with adjustable tilt feet designed to allow the screen angle to decline when placed on furniture. The original Bang & Olufsen Floor Stand did not allow rotation or screen adjustment and was soon replaced by a three position, open front cabinet, supplied with wheels. The wall bracket allowed limited rotation to the left or right and screen tilt adjustment.
B&O’s long awaited answer to replacing the long running Beovision MX range of stand alone televisions which dated back to 1985, the Beovision 8 was released first as a 26″ model and was followed by the 32″ model later in the same year.
Sharply styled
The set was a marked change in direction in styling with the trademark contrast screen no longer fitted. Instead a radical new look with a prominent speaker box was seen and the same Sharp LCD screen as seen in the Beocenter 6 26″ was fitted. Resolution was set at 768p – completely acceptable for a screen of this size. Particular care had been taken with the speaker which had been optimised for speech reproduction. It utilised three drive units – a 50mm treble/midrange unit mounted at the two opposite ends and a central 100mm woofer. This was separately enclosed and unlike the midrange/tweeter was in a bass reflex box to enhance the output. In some ways this set up resembled that of the Beosound 1 thought that unit had separate midrange and tweeters rather than relying on a full range unit.
Connected to the future
Unlike the other LCD sets in the B&O range, a HDMI socket was fitted which allowed the connection of a digital source. The set also came as standard with two SCART sockets though one extra cost option was the so called System Module which provided a Masterlink socket, an RF modulator and a third SCART socket.
Dark or light smoothie
Soft touch plastics predominated with an aluminium grille for the speaker with the brand name prominently displayed. Only black with a silver grille was available at the launch.
Currently, Beovision 8 is also available in white.
A range of stands were provided with options for storage of other source boxes or a minimalist black or white metal single leg.
Digitally challenged
However what attracted a fair bit of attention was not only the daring styling but also some omissions to the specification. With some countries actually starting to turn off the analogue transmitters, the absence of a DVB-T module for the Beovision 8 was a surprise. B&O’s argument that this was a set designed for use in a kitchen or small bedroom and would be likely to be attached to the main room digital tuner was reasonable if possibly a little mean. Full STB-C connections were fitted and, to be fair, offered considerable scope for upgrading, something that would be far more expensive should an internal tuner have been fitted.
Not easily surrounded
Of rather more concern to some was the absence of a surround sound option. A single Powerlink socket was fitted to allow the use of stereo Beolab speakers with the option of Centre Balance control, a feature seen on Beovision sets in the early nineties. However there was no Dolby or DTS surround, implying that this set was not designed to be part of a main room set up.
Remotely attractive?
And there was one more surprise! In the UK the set was supplied with no remote control – although it was not able to be operated without one. The rationale behind this was two fold. Firstly, much like the Beovision 3 28″, which was another of the models it replaced, the Beovision 8 offered a very low headline price to attract customers more used to buying other brands into the showroom. And secondly, the customer was then offered the choice between the Beo4 remote and the brand new and much more expensive Beo5.
Mounting Options & Stands
This model was supplied with adjustable tilt feet designed to allow the screen angle to decline when placed on furniture. The original Bang & Olufsen stand did not allow rotation or screen adjustment and was replaced by a three position, open front cabinet, supplied with wheels. The wall bracket allowed limited rotation to the left or right and screen tilt adjustment.
B&O goes nano
The new addition the B&O MP3 range, the Beosound 6 strikes out in a different direction for the company and embraces the prevailing trend for flash memory and a colour screen. Planned for launch in the summer, the Beosound 6 will come with a leather case and A8 earphones.
Unlike the Beosound 2, the Beosound 6 does not use SD cards but relies on an internal memory of 4Gb. This is addressed through a port at the base which attaches to the USB port on the computer.
It would appear that the Beosound 6 is based upon the Samsung YP-Z5 MP3 player and shares that players control interface. This moves away from the accustomed Beo4 type control and, if the Samsung is anything to go by, is not as user friendly.
The Beosound 6 could be seen as a me too type device and with little of the usual B&O flair, but B&O are clearly aiming at those people in the Apple iPod Nano market who want something a little different. The screen interface would seem to have been modified gently to resemble the B&O style. One would hope that the sound quality would be of the same standard as the Beosound 2 and the provision of the A8 earphones can only help this.
BeoVox 1 provides an elegant and discrete in-wall or in-ceiling two-way passive loudspeaker solution with excellent sound performance and numerous placement options in one solution.
In the construction are selected high-quality loudspeaker units (one 16.5 cm woofer and one 2.5 cm tweeter) and applied a carefully designed cross-over network to improve its acoustic performance so the sound dispersion in the treble area is optimised.
Most in-wall loudspeakers are either round or square, but Bang & Olufsen has chosen the elegant, discrete, oval design for BeoVox 1 applying typical Bang & Olufsen craftsmanship. It will be available with either a white or black grille but at launch only the white version is available to order.
Many loudspeakers designed for installation in a wet environment may show an IP rating. This applies to products which can be dangerous to touch when water is in the vicinity because it may splash through the product surface and into the electronics. However, BeoVox1 is a product which is not directly connected to mains electricity so it may be installed directly over a bath or in a wet environment without the need to quote an IP rating.
“BeoVision 7 is more than just a TV; it’s a complete entertainment system specially created to offer a sound and picture experience far beyond expectations. With its 81cm LCD screen, built-in DVD player and powerful active loudspeaker system, BeoVision 7 offers all the benefits of flat-screen viewing, but with exceptional sound performance as well.”
BeoVision 7 combines both an 81cm LCD monitor with an integrated DVD Player, DSS surround sound module and a dedicated loudspeaker in BeoLab 7-1. The concept emphasises the separation of picture and sound together with a good number of placement options. With BeoLab 7-1 the very highest level of acoustic performance is delivered. BeoVision 7 has a higher display resolution than that of BeoVision 6 – 26: 1366 x 768 (WXGA) pixels against 1280 x 768 pixels of BeoVision 6.
BeoVision 7 may be used as either a stand-alone television set or as a large-screen monitor within a domestic surround-sound system. There are five different stand placement options available to the user:
Mounting Options & Stands
Original Bang & Olufsen stands available at launch included: Fixed position Table Stand, motorised Table Stand, motorised Table Stand, moveable Wall Bracket for TV and Loudspeaker (close or extended versions) and a motorised Floor Stand. A fixed Wall Bracket for BeoVision 7 32 was added to the stand portfolio after launch.
Each of the above options hold both the monitor and the BeoLab 7-1 active speaker; with the exception of the Table Stand, each has the vertical tilt feature.
BeoVision 7 offers the following as standard:
Dolby Digital/DTS Surround Sound
MasterLink Module
Set-Top Box Controller
RF Modulator
Anti-Reflex Coated Contrast Screen
DVI PC input
Part Numbers:
BeoVision 7 – 1816089
Table Stand – 1409766
Wall Bracket – Fixed – 1409511
Motorised Floor Stand – 1409111
Wall Bracket – Moveable – 1409611
Motorised Table Stand – 1409211
The Beo5 is expected to become an important part of the new B&O range. It is designed to work with all of the range but is particularly suited to use with the TV range when partnered with the BeoMedia devices.
A backlit screen, which is able to be configured via a USB connection on the docking/charging station, sits on top of a very tactile metal control sphere. The interface is a modification of the well known Beo4 layout but with the addition of a click wheel and ring of control buttons. A numeric keyboard can be activated on the touch sensitive screen by pressing TEXT. Different set ups of screen can be customised by the user though this has to be set up by the dealer. Configuration is a dealer task.
One Way Traffic
The remote is not the hoped for return to two way remote control but does allow the screen to be customised to suit a user’s system. In particular it is thought that program logos could be able to be imported onto the screen. It would appear that these are B&O defined so may be somewhat limited.
Fully Compatible
As the Beo5 uses a derivative of the original Beolink 1000 codes, it is able to be used with many products dating right back to the eighties. It will replace the Beo4 in time and will be supplemented by a basic control for sets such as the Beovision 8.
BeoSound 4 is a new audio product offering a complete audio experience. It has a CD player, FM / DAB radio and built-in SD memory card reader / writer. The DAB module will be included as standard for the UK and Irish markets is actually a factory-fitted option for any other markets. The unit is a full Audio Master (N.Music and N.Radio compatible) and can therefore be used to distribute sound through users’ BeoLink systems.
The new feature introduced on BeoSound 4 is the SD memory card reader / writer. This function replaces that traditionally provided by the audio cassette tape. The user can copy music from a CD or the Radio directly onto the memory card which will be compressed at 128kbps. The card can then be used in other compatible products such as BeoSound 2 and BeoSound 3. As it is possible to copy music onto a memory card using only BeoSound 4, this now offers access to digital music to a much wider audience – even those who do not own a computer. However, music can also be copied from a computer directly onto the memory card, be removed and then played back on BeoSound 4.
Placement
BeoSound 4 can be placed on a table or shelf as it is a free-standing product. Alternatively it is possible to mount it on a Floor Stand or on a Wall Bracket.
Mounting Options
From launch, BeoSound 4 could be wall mounted or positioned on a floor stand. The floor stand featured a turned stainless steel column which could not hide the connection cables. This solution was not a popular choice.
BeoSound 4 – the new compact audio system, with a touch of magic
Bang & Olufsen continues to surprise and delight music lovers with the new BeoSound 4, a compact audio system that exploits digital music storage and portability while offering the quality performance and usability expected from a traditional Bang & Olufsen audio system. BeoSound 4 will be available from November/December 2005.
BeoSound 4 is an audio system with built-in CD player, FM radio, and SD (Secure Digital) card slot. DAB radio is also available as an option, factory fitted. It is possible to record from the radio or CD to the SD card and play back the recording on BeoSound 4, or on another portable or stationary system.
Use and place anywhere at home
Bang & Olufsen’s well-known BeoLink system ensures the total integration of all entertainment at home, and BeoSound 4 offers the additional advantage of being able to send music played back from the SD card to loudspeakers throughout the house. The SD card increases flexibility in other ways as well, allowing the user to listen to recorded music in the garden with the new BeoSound 3 portable audio system or away from home on the BeoSound 2 digital music player.
“BeoSound 4 represents a new way of living with recorded digital audio entertainment, and yet the simplicity of the system and ease of use will have that reassuring feel of familiarity for the user,” says Michael Jensen, Product Manager, Bang & Olufsen. “BeoSound 4 has that touch of magic that shows its pedigree, and at the same time offers the integration with digital music formats that is increasingly important for how we listen to music.”
BeoSound 4 can be placed almost anywhere on its floor, table or wall stand. Angled for convenient operation, the glass door half-opens at the wave of a hand, and the operation panel with SD card slot is presented to the user. Press ‘Load’, and the glass cover rises further for the CD loader. Connect BeoSound 4 to any BeoLab loudspeakers, and in particular with the new and equally compact and refined BeoLab 4 loudspeakers.
Big impact expected
With a price that lies under what is usually expected of a Bang & Olufsen product, Bang & Olufsen expects that BeoSound 4 will capture a lot of interest from first-time buyers in the market. The digital portability offered by the SD card built into BeoSound 4 is consistent with Bang & Olufsen’s strategy to ensure that wherever the company’s customers may be, they can have their entertainment choices with them.
“With BeoSound 4, we have succeeded in building an audio system that lives up to the very high standards expected from Bang & Olufsen, from the idea behind the concept and design to the choice of materials and craftsmanship – and not least the ease of use and performance,” concludes Michael Jensen, Product Manager, Bang & Olufsen.
” BeoSound 3 is a new compact music system comprising FM radio and SD card player for e.g.. music recorded on BeoSound 4. The products represents a genuine portable solution with integrated, rechargeable battery, soft-touch operation, clock-radio function, and a high quality loudspeaker. BeoSound 3 is scheduled for the second quarter of the financial year ” – taken from Bang & Olufsen’s Financial Report, August 2005
Although conceptually based on the classical transistor radio concept, BeoSound 3 is a product with modern functionality. The unit features built-in FM radio with the ability to store up to 99 pre-set frequencies. When the radio is switched on the antenna rises automatically and elegantly, similar to BeoSound 1.
With the memory card functionality the user may listen to favourite digitally-stored music on the BeoSound 3. Whereas BeoSound 2 is for the individual, BeoSound 3 can be for the whole family to enjoy. Bang & Olufsen can now offer the user a complete solution for digital music entertainment. Recorded from BeoSound 4 or transferred directly from the computer to the memory card, users can choose to take the music with them – either on BeoSound 2 or on BeoSound 3.
With the built-in wake-up timer functionality, BeoSound 3 may be used as a clock radio to wake up to in the morning.
Flexibility in placement
BeoSound 3 can be placed upright or hung on a dedicated wall bracket supplied with the unit.
Rechargeable battery
As it is supplied with a rechargeable battery, the unit is entirely free of power cables and can easily be moved from one place to another without having to plug and unplug. BeoSound 3 is a truly portable “place-and-play” product.
BeoSound 3 delivers portable and personal sound with style
In appearance, the new BeoSound 3 portable audio system from Bang & Olufsen echoes past traditions, while on the inside the technology looks to the future. BeoSound 3 is available from November/December 2005.
BeoSound 3 has an FM radio, SD (Secure Digital) card reader and clock-timer elegantly packaged together with a rechargeable battery in the robust, anodised aluminium cabinet. The full-range mono loudspeaker’s performance belies the small size of BeoSound 3, and provides clear rendition of music and vocal broadcasts.
Truly ‘place and play’
The distinctive appearance makes BeoSound 3 stand out from the conventional or ‘retro’ portable music systems available on the market today. “BeoSound 3 is truly a portable concept, built for robustness and with an acoustic design that facilitates sound clarity,” says Brian Stilling Laursen, Product Manager, Bang & Olufsen. “The form appears quite extraordinary at first, and yet in use BeoSound 3 proves remarkably effective with what we call ‘classic transistor radio’ use.”
In addition to the FM radio, the ability to play music and radio recorded on the new BeoSound 4 audio system offers the ease of listening to, for example, CD quality music away from home played on the very robust flash memory SD card. The SD card can also be used when on the move with the BeoSound 2 digital music player.
The large, black handle is immediately apparent to the user. The handle clicks into one of five positions at rest, ensuring no ‘clatter’ against the aluminium cabinet. In addition to the obvious placement standing on its base pretty much anywhere, BeoSound 3 is supplied with a wall bracket that fits tightly around the handle. This enables fixed placement beside the bed, for example, if the user wishes to use the clock, wake-up timer, and stop-timer functionality built in to BeoSound 3.
An experience for now – and the future
All operation of the BeoSound 3 happens on the soft-touch top panel. Soft-touch operation on aluminium was pioneered by Bang & Olufsen on the BeoCenter 2 audio and DVD system, and the absence of protruding buttons and knobs only increases the ease and convenience of carrying and placing BeoSound 3. The motorised antenna rises automatically when the radio is switched on.
Bang & Olufsen aims to be wherever the company’s customers are, with entertainment solutions that do not compromise the quality of the listening experience. “Considering the appeal of the ‘traditional’ transistor radio concept and the addition of the future-secure SD card functionality, we fully expect BeoSound 3 to be a huge hit among both existing and new Bang & Olufsen customers,” concludes Brian Stilling Laursen, Product Manager, Bang & Olufsen.
