Hi,
I'm thinkink of investing in a new pair or B&O speakers, but dithering between the old (the 8000) and the new (the BeoLab3).

Has anyone any opinions on these speakers? I've listened to them in a store many times, but just can't make my mind up.

Ta

J

the 8000 sounds much better but the 3 has a little more bass

They sound different! Both have strengths and weaknesses. In an AV set up with a BL2, I think the 3s are the ones to have. If you are listening to music and you like it loud, I would probably get the 8000s. I have dithered in exactly the same way myself and bought the 3s due to where they were going. I also dithered between Pentas (when new) and 8000s and took the Pentas as they had a better bottom end. The 8000s were the sweeter sounding at the top end.

It is down to personal preference. I suppose from a sound point of view, I favour the 3s and from looks, the 8000s. But I don't play music loud on my 3s!

Hi!

Speakers are always a very personal matter.... so I can only give you my personal opinon:

I would choose the Lab8000 any time over the Lab3. It is true, Lab3 is more detailed in the high/middle section an the ALT (accoustic lens technology) gives them a very wide soundstage . But at higher volumes they tend to sound stressed an personaly I prefer the "warmer" sound of the Lab8000. Contrary to Beobird I find that the Lab8000 have more bass then the Lab3.

You should have another listening session at your dealer with pieces that you know realy good, this should help you to find out which speakers suits your listening habits better.

If you know for sure that you will get one of the speakers you could ask you dealer for a home demonstration (as the spakers migth sound different at home than in the store) and then keep the pair that you prefer. I don't know if your dealer offers this service, mine does.

Cheers

Foxtrott

I have both (8000s in the living room and 3s in the bedroom) and each time I swap between them them I think I prefer the other one. But if I was buying today and I could only buy one I would go for the 3s. The reason is the fantastic way they pick out the detail (in electronic music especially)

3 Months ago i changed from Beolab 8000 to Beolab 3 = fanatastic and detailed sound!

I use the 3's in combination with the Beolab 2

 

 

3 months ago, I was in the same situation. Soundwise, the 3s are more impressive, but I found that the 8000s were better balanced. It really is a question of taste IMO, as their preformances are quite simalar. Due to placement options, I bought a pair of 8000s witch look better next to my BV7 and combined with a pair of 6000s as rears.

Ask your dealer to bring along the 2 speakers, I'm sure your decision will be much easyer after you heard and saw them at your home. 

Beobird:

the 8000 sounds much better but the 3 has a little more bass

My opinion is the opposite to what Beobird said. I think the BL8000s have better bass, and the BL3s are beautifully accurate, but struggle a little at high volume or with lots of bass.

Design wise I think the BL3s are better nowadays. Although the BL8000s are very attractive speakers, they aren't quite up to date with the stylish look of the BL3s in my opinion.

This is a very common question, especially when the BL3s were first released. However, due to my particular taste in music, the BL3s have always seemed better to me. A little extra cash will get you a BL2 if you need it and then I guess you'd have the best of everything (within that price range). Take a listen to the BL9s if your budget can push that far, they are very good value for money I think.

However, as already mentioned. Try whichever speakers you're interested in with a CD that you know very well, and better still ask for a home demo, you should have a preferred speaker then.

The BeoLab 3s at low to normal volume levels will give you deeper bass than the 8000s. At higher volumes though, the 8000s will take over. I personally prefer the 3s to the 8000s, although that's just opinion. The BeoLab 3s definitely are more revealing and 'forward' to listen to (they seem the play the music at you, rather than into the room which is how the 8000s feel). If electronic music is your thing, and not classical, I suspect you'll probably prefer the 3s! Faster/punchier speakers. Plus as Peter says, they really shine with a BeoLab 2 which takes some of the strain off them at higher volumes.

Personaly, I really prefer the sound from the bl3 at a decent volume (less thant 65 on my beocenter 2300), and at high volumes you will need a beolab 2.
The sound of the 3's is incredibly accurate and precise, with a great soundstage, it's very close to reality wher the 8000's sound like speakers.

For those who can read french, we have managed to make people of a french audiophile forum enter a B&O shop and listen to some speakers : the 3's have won their hearth at the point that some are almost ready to buy a pair, and say they are not really exepensive compared to similar sounding "audiophile" systems!! I think that's the first time that an audiophile forum appreciate a pair of B&O speakers!!! (They didn't like the Bl5, but they will try again : the setup didn't seem quite ok, they also didn't like the bl9, but again they will retry as the 9's were not enough run... For the 4000's, we can follow them : it's not a good pair of speaker from an audiophile point of view!)
http://forum.beoworld.org/forums/thread/6506.aspx

I have both BL8000 (part of the 5.1 set-up in the living room) and BL3 (as a stereo set-up in my home office). I use BL3 mainly to listen to the radio or electronic music CDs, at quite low volume and at the distance of around 3 meters from myself, and they produce a superb sound under these conditions. The sound is very clear and balanced, especially with the old CDs recorded in the AAD technology (based on the analogue recording).

I listen to BL8000 under very different conditions (higher volumes, larger room, supported by BL2) and am very much satisfied with them too. Although I must admit that my choice for BL8000 for the surround set-up was mainly influenced by the beautiful design, bigger size than BL3 and the wife-test passed.

We have 4 lab 8000s at home, bought about 4-5 years ago for a surround setup with lab 2 bought 1 year later. They really are fantastic as all round speakers, which look unbelieveably beautiful for loudspeakers. We have enjoyed listening to them during both watching movies, and also in stereo 3.1 and enhanced stereo - all 4 speakers for music and they sound great at all volumes, and in any speaker mode, with or without BL2. Although we have moved on to lab5s we still retain 2 8000s in our surround setup and they easilt fulfil the task of rear speakers. The other 2 lab 8000s are connected to an overture, and sound almost as good as our lab 5s as they are in a room that is accoustically very good ie no windows, mainly wood pannel.

I can't recommend the lab 8000s enough. However you should definitely try the lab 3s out aswell anyway. which for their size sound pretty decent. If you take your wife to the store, then she may make the decision much easier for you as in beodim's case   

beodude:

... If you take your wife to the store, then she may make the decision much easier for you as in beodim's case   

I would not recommand to take your wife to the dealer, she could see the BL6000 and want them instead of BL8000 or BL3...

tom:

beodude:

... If you take your wife to the store, then she may make the decision much easier for you as in beodim's case   

I would not recommand to take your wife to the dealer, she could see the BL6000 and want them instead of BL8000 or BL3...

My mom want's a pair of Beolab 5s, since she doesn't like the look of the Beolab 9. So it could very well work out the other way too...
 

well all, thanks for this. I popped into my local dealer and the BL3 took it for me they were the more natural sounding, then again I came away thinking that a BL2 would be a nice addition to offset the slight lack of bass punch.....

Cheers all and thanks for the replies....

 

BL3 with a BL2 equates to a really good sound.  I cannot recommend the BL2 highly enough, and even though i now have BL9's i still refuse to let go of mine! It just adds an extra 'dimension' to the whole soundstage.

Lee

 

jembeo:

well all, thanks for this. I popped into my local dealer and the BL3 took it for me they were the more natural sounding, then again I came away thinking that a BL2 would be a nice addition to offset the slight lack of bass punch.....

Cheers all and thanks for the replies....

 

 If you are thinking this, go for BL9, without doubt. You will be happier.