Hi All,

I am in the process of getting new speakers for my bv7 with bl7-4. I was thinking about the beolab 9.

When i comes to aethetics, am I the only person that think that they are 'not as pretty' aka arguably ugly?

Could people cast their votes?

My Vote: ten-pinter, on a good day 5
Reason: Looks like quasimodo's pet penguin

P.S. No offence if youve got one already

I really like them (sound and looks!)

Only downsides are: Will children embrace them with their hands etc. No PIN code protection. Beolab’s 9  have to stand free. They are not that tall that they stretch over our sofa. That is the main reason I did not buy Beolab 9 yet.

I personally love the design - it's one of the most unique on the market. Sonically, they're head and shoulders above other BeoLabs with the exception of the BeoLab 5s from my experience.

I personally think they look best in black too...

timhanna:

Hi All,

I am in the process of getting new speakers for my bv7 with bl7-4. I was thinking about the beolab 9.

When i comes to aethetics, am I the only person that think that they are 'not as pretty' aka arguably ugly?

Could people cast their votes?

My Vote: ten-pinter, on a good day 5
Reason: Looks like quasimodo's pet penguin

P.S. No offence if youve got one already

well I have to admit they dont look as graceful as say lab 8000 but B&O need to start making serious audio now- with speaker drivers that are bigger  and higher quality than the ones in your clock radio, with amplifiers that dont have harmonic distortion that an entry level brand find unnacceptable and so one has to make the choice!

So for sound- I think they are  agreat speaker- in fact one of the few good things about B&O is they have made a good effort to malke this product outstanding.

Speakers are very personal- in the end I made up my mind to get rid of B&O speakers that look pretty but dont deliver- the BL9 delivers for sound!

You'll not regret buying BeoLab 9.. Sonically they are way superior to the 8000, and you'll get used to the looks i promise.

Remember everyone laughing about the 'jelly mould' Ford Sierra in 1982, saying that shape would never catch on? Well, we all got used to it - and then started to think it was nice!!

Lee

hi

i had 2 sierra's - never happy with them - am currently changing one into a 1930's alfa 2300 clone - it looks much better now than before (photos can be made available)

tony

Hi,

They've actually grown on me, from when i first saw them in at my local dealer. I currently have Harmon Kardon on these big bulky looking stands so the BL9's are definitely more aesthetically pleasing in my living room....due to arrive on Thurs, i can't wait!!

 Ash.

I have purchased a pair as well. I will use them as rear speakers, think they will match my BL 5 perfectly both in appearence and sound. I also ordered a pair of ekstra red cloth-covers so that i can change from their original black from time to time. Gorgeous speakers! Expecting mine on thursday as well.... and I cant wait either:-) !

I like the Lab 9's (and looking back at some of the more "classic" designs; I'm pretty happy with the direction B&O / D. Lewis has taken of late). The designs are fresh and organic. B&O has always stayed away from the ugly black boxes (save for the Beomedia and the DVD1, and a few others), but the Lab9's seem to have a personality of their own, as do all the speakers with an acoustic lens.

Let the metaphors begin: The Lab3's are the little bulldogs, cute and stout, but step back as they can pack a punch. The Lab 9's are like monks, wise and unobtrusive, but since their sound is so superior to anything else, you have to listen. The Lab5's are the emperors of the soundstage. They not only look imposing, they also back it up by bringing beauty and clarity, and sonic vigor when necessary. The 7-4 serves it's purpose well, like the functional workhorse it is. It does what it says and says what it does.

The only acoustic lens speaker I have somewhat of a dislike for (design wise) is the Beolab 10. It seems too gimmicky. Maybe that's because I never liked the design for the AV9000.

-Sal

hahaha, love the metaphors!!!! lol ^^

I still don't like their design! The sound makes up for it though, and if you get the coloured ones that match your interior, then they are ace, but i'm a huge fan of the aluminium designs and the BL9 don't look like $12000 dollar speakers. I'm afraid i'm a sucker for aesthetics at the end of the day so it's all in your priorities.

If the comparison was between 9's and 8000's the choice would be easy... 9's just sound brilliant, but to be honest when we are talking about this kind of money, i see it as a much wiser descision to go for the BL5's. Period.

 

Dave:

I still don't like their design! The sound makes up for it though, and if you get the coloured ones that match your interior, then they are ace, but i'm a huge fan of the aluminium designs and the BL9 don't look like $12000 dollar speakers. I'm afraid i'm a sucker for aesthetics at the end of the day so it's all in your priorities.

If the comparison was between 9's and 8000's the choice would be easy... 9's just sound brilliant, but to be honest when we are talking about this kind of money, i see it as a much wiser descision to go for the BL5's. Period.

 

Exactly the same experience here, show the Beolab9 to some non beo knowers. Nobody would expect them over 1000$ .

I bought them for their sound but now I'm really pleased with their looks. I fully agree the 5's are just much better but they cost twice as much as well.

I can tell you that BL9's design will grow on you while sound satisfaction is guaranteed from the first minute. No doubt about it.

Really good speakers, but:

- the acoustic lens is lower than my sofa, thus the concept would be wasted in my room (the tweeter of my BL8000 is much better positionned); and

- in my opinion they look cheap compared to aluminium speakers and I am not sure about the penguin design.

Regards, Jean-Sebastien

I am a hardcore design fanatic. You are correct in guessing that I really love the shape and wonderful aluminium of the Beolab 8000's. I can still remember my jaw dropping when I first saw them.

More recent B&O products don't have this effect on me. They have to grow on me. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Usually I have my made up about design the first time I see it in the flesh and then my opinion doesn't change. I guess recent designs B&O designs are so different that I just can't make up my mind. It takes time. For instance, I hated the Beovision 8 when I first saw it and then it started to grow on me. Now really like it. Same thing happened with the Beolab 3, 5 and 9. Initially I didn't like the design but after a while I thought they were pretty cool.

Apart from being a design fanatic I also happen to have excellent ears. And I can only confirm what other Beoworlders have posted before. Sonically the Beolab 3, 5 and 9 are much better than any other Beolab in the range.

I dislike the growing feeling. I want love at first sight!

Ugly. Still after all this time, I think they are funny ugly.

Dave:

I dislike the growing feeling. I want love at first sight!

This growing phenomena is in the nature of humankind, with time everything grow on us , even the worst design would grow on us with time.

So mixed reactions i guess? is there a way to make a poll, mods?

I had a BV7 with 7.2 and recently moved up to the 7.4 + BL9's. Superb. Massive difference in audio quality, particularly for movies and PS3 games. I had a mate over the other day and we were on Burnout Paradise - last played in February with the 7.2 - and the audio difference was astonishing. We both noticed sounds we simply didn't hear before.

The BL9's (with their alt's) really complement the 7.4.

timhanna:

So mixed reactions i guess? is there a way to make a poll, mods?

It's unanimous that they sound fantastic, it's the design which people seem split over.

I'd make up your own mind over them, it's your choice, not ours.

sure, i was just curious what peoples reactions are... nw

I think people's opinions are always split. The day B&O designs a product which nobody hates is the day they become brand-X, where they're 'appealing to the masses'.

Hi everyone, firstly I wanted to say what a fantastic, informative website this is. I've skulked around it for years. 

This thread made me laugh because having bought a pair of 9 mainly on sound quality but also on looks, I wanted to raise  them out of reach of my (nearly) one year old son, my main fear being that the pretty red/green lights next to the tweeter domes would prove far too enticing to young fingers. So I had these stands made for them. They're made of granite with marble columns and once they speakers were mounted I found that the top notes sounded much clearer as they're now less swamped by furniture. I also like the fact that they are more in line with the BV7 too. They do look quite different to floor standing but I like them now and think that if they were back on the floors they might look too stubby.

I've attached a couple of photos for your amusement.

andyf, thanks for the picture(s). For some reason it deesnt look like we can upload more than 1 photo at a time, so many if u could post a pic on a new post?

Pretty cleve, i must admit, to be honest, hehe, i actually didnt laught initially, my mind was just thinking why??? but your description summed it up ;) clever!

(ill laught now, a little ;))