Dear All:

If i was in your position, i would seriously consider the beolab 9, with possibly beolab 4, 6000's (or even your 8000's) as rear speakers. 

Hello,

 

Will you order you r BV7 with a BL 7.1/7.2? If yes, my advise would be to keep the nice BL8000.  If you order the BL7.4 with the BV7, the BL3 might upgrade the sound a little bit. If this is worth the money? hmmm...not sure.

But adding a BL2 is worth the money!

 
For the rears, it would be nice to have BL3. If money is not an issue, why not (I have 4 BL3 and will have a BL3 as center when my BS3 arrives). The BL4 do this job as well (I have a pair in my kitchen, I replaced the BL3 with the BL4). I only expirience a differnce on music, not watching movies.

So to sum this up, BL8000 front, BL 7.1/7.2 as center, BL4 as rears (nice ceiling mount kit availabel) and a BL2. 

 

Karsten 

 

try to trade in your 8000s, get the BV7 with BL7.4 and add a pair of BL9s. You can buy BL2 and rear speakers later, or now, if there is no budget. The BL7-4 BL9 combination is very good, I was listening to it at my dealer for some time.

Before you buy a grey BV-7 have a good look at a black one...i have one and it looks totally James Bond gorgeous! A friend of mines' dad has grey and he much much prefers mine. I almost bought the dark grey version but i am now glad that i didn't.

I have a Lab 7.1 which is a great centre speaker and fabulous for use as a stereo speaker when watching The News on tv or general documenteries or kids programs. Since i got the BV-7 last year i bought Lab 3 fronts which are totally brilliant for tv/videos/dvds and especially for music...and i quickly bought a Lab 2 because i thought that some dvds lost a bit of bass after i added the Lab 3s?

I bought a pair of Lab 4s for use as rear speakers a few months later which are more than adequate in my 5.1 set-up. I have not one complaint about them for watching 5.1 dvds. Infact i think that they sound great even if i sometimes play music at low or medium levels in Speaker 4 mode. Some people moan about the sound quality of the Lab 4s...but at under half the price of another pair of Lab 3s i am more than happy with them. If however you will play music a lot or loud in Speaker 4 mode then you should buy another pair of Lab 3s.

If you want a 5.1 set-up...and you are going for ALT front speakers...and perhaps ALT rear speakers too...then it would definitely be worth considering the 7.4 centre speaker. However, it is only mono and so you can't really use it on its' own...the 7.1 is what you need for that. We have young kids and the 7.1 is perfect for their many VHS videos and tv programs...and we find that some tv programs just don't sound right in Speaker 3 mode and much better in Speaker 1...especially old program replays. 

tom:

try to trade in your 8000s, get the BV7 with BL7.4 and add a pair of BL9s. You can buy BL2 and rear speakers later, or now, if there is no budget. The BL7-4 BL9 combination is very good, I was listening to it at my dealer for some time.

I thought that the Lab 9s already had a sub in them? Am i wrong?

joff135:

tom:

try to trade in your 8000s, get the BV7 with BL7.4 and add a pair of BL9s. You can buy BL2 and rear speakers later, or now, if there is no budget. The BL7-4 BL9 combination is very good, I was listening to it at my dealer for some time.

I thought that the Lab 9s already had a sub in them? Am i wrong?

you are not totally wrong, but the BL9 don't have a sub in them like the BL5 have. I heard the 9s at my dealer with and without BL2, and for movies it makes quite a difference. for music, the bass of the BL9 is more than enough.

Have a listen at your dealer. It sounds as if you like the sound of your 8000s - you should, they are excellent speakers! They are also the most beautiful speakers made. They go very well with the BV7 though I would have a Beolab 7.1 or 7.2 rather than a 7.4 with them.  I would simply get the TV first and use it with your front speakers. If it were me in your shoes, I would get a Beolab 2 next as this will add to film watching immensely and then consider some Beolab 4000s as rears if you want them. Like you, I am less convinced of the wisdom of spending a huge amount on rear speakers unless you have money to burn! Clearly 4 Beolab 5s will be the very best sound but life is about compromise!
 

I think the issue with getting BeoLab 5s as rears, is I can easily how after time you'd move them to another room where you didn't intend for them to be originally. They are completely wasted as rears. The absolute maximum I'd go for is a pair of BeoLab 3s, but as Peter says, the 'rotating' function of the BeoSystem 3 with speaker arrangements is very cool.

Alex:

..., the 'rotating' function of the BeoSystem 3 with speaker arrangements is very cool.

what is that? never heard of that function...

You can have more then 1 set of surround speakers connnected to the BS3. I,e, if you have a dedicated media room with screen in addition to the RV in the main room. Or if you have TV and screen in the same room but in different corners you can switch channels, i.e. the left rear and front may become the new left and right front speaker.

tom:

Alex:

..., the 'rotating' function of the BeoSystem 3 with speaker arrangements is very cool.

what is that? never heard of that function...

I have a small suspicion that Alex is reading two threads at the same time and has posted on the wrong one! Look at this thread and his post makes more sense! 

Are planning to keep your lab8000s - if so a BV7 with Lab7.1 or 7.2 will generally work with it best.

If you are thinking of moving to lab3s up front (or even better lab9s) then choosing a Lab7.4 will give truly awsome sound as a full acoustic lens technology (ALT) set-up - if you have the cash that would be my preference.

If you want an opinion on keeping your lab8000 vs trading to lab9s then I can definitely recommend having just my that upgrade myself. Whilst the lab8000s do look superb -  many here will say they are the best looking speaker B&O make, I would suggest:

• the sound improvement is incredible; and
  
• whatever people may say about their looks - especially when they first came out, having now lived with them in my lounge I certainly prefer them now to my lab8000s as giving a more refreshed, modern look.

Regarding rears - not so important, but if you do go for an ALT set-up up front, then Lab3s would be the most ideal.
 

Hummm... should the lad use beo 2 or the B&W PV1 ?

http://www.bwspeakers.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/products.models/Label/Model%20PV1

 

Peter:

I have a small suspicion that Alex is reading two threads at the same time and has posted on the wrong one! Look at this thread and his post makes more sense! 

Dear Karsten:

Thank you for your comments.  

Hi Dario,

 I run the test with 2 BL3 in the front and 2in the rear, as center  I checked out a BL 7.4, a BL4000 and a BL3.

 I started with the BL7.4, very nice sound stage! The Bl3 was nice, but as far as I recall not as good as the BL7.4. Last the BL4000, however, I run the BL4000 for just a couple of minutes, the gap to the BL3 and BL7.4 was just to big!

 Unfortuntaley with my current plans the BL7.4 is not an option as I have to place the center on a sideboard, the BL7.4 is just to high for that. so the BL3 is the most obvious option for me. Otherwise I would go for the Bl7.4 as you have to buy a pair BL3 for the same price anyway .

 Karsten