Ok, so the Beosound 5 has reached many (UK) dealers....so what do people think? Has your opinion changed since you've used the device - you're now more keen or less keen to purchase?

moxxey:

Ok, so the Beosound 5 has reached many (UK) dealers....so what do people think? Has your opinion changed since you've used the device - you're now more keen or less keen to purchase?

Well, i was at the VIP arrangement yesterday i Denmark, i a am in 2 minds about this product.

1. It is a totally awesome product in terms of design/quality and general look and feel.

2. It sounds great.

3. It is a very very very expensive MP3 player.

4. It has so much potential if just B&O would take it there. (lack of 2-way, what about linkrooms)

5. It wan't to bee a jukebox, but then again wan't to select the songs for us (MOTS)

 6. I don't think i wan't one.

 It is a cool product, but what am i getting that my Vista MCE with Beo5 control on the 50" BV4 Plasma doesn't have ? I get a larger screen, i still control it with the Beo5, i have all my cd's/DVD's/Mp3's/HD movies on the MediaCenter.

The only thing i can think of that would make me buy one, is the girlfriend factor, i can turn on the PC, i can start MediaCenter, and i can control it with the Beo5. My girlfriend is just getting the hang of it, but it is not as intuitive as the BS5.

Hmmm, what to do ? When i saw the BS9000, i bought it right away, when the BC2 came, i exchanged the BS9000 right away. This is the first B&O in a very long time where i am thinking.... "What does it give me". I am more inclined to get a BC2 og BS9000 again, if i ever want a "full on" audiosystem again.

The problem here is that "more wan'ts more", now B&O has created this cool and awesome gadget with tons of potential, but why is it so limited then ? I don't get it. The first thing i noticed was the lack of a search feature, i mean if you have 10000 songs, and need to find the one where you think the name was something like "..when i saw..." but don't remember the artist, or how the cover looked liked. The you have NO way og quickley searching, and find songs with that text in the title. It would have been so easy for B&O to make a "search" item besides "album/artists" and so on, but still they haven't done it.

Since this i a SW product, they made a lot of fuss about the update which will happen every night at 3am. I think i will wait and se how often the product get's a new SW and if it's only bugfixes, or they actually intents to continue develop features for the product.

Just my 2 cents. 

 

/Weebyx

Weebyx:

1. It is a totally awesome product in terms of design/quality and general look and feel.

I can vouch for that. My dealer (Bath) has one in, but it's still not on display. I had a look at the unit though and it's smaller/neater than I had expected.

It's going to be set up on Saturday so I'll go in and take a look and spend some time arguing with talking to Ali.

I'll have to memorize the official marketing boomf sometime before saturday then!

Seen it! Yeah! It is available at most dealers in the UK now I believe. It was on display at Selfridges. 

Very elegant, very B&O, looks nice near a BV7 and other B&O kit. Looks better than on the pictures.

The smooth way the wheel are turning and the way the real wheel enters the screen give you that immediate sensation that you have a B&O product under your eyes. 

Random customer is the department store were immediately attracted to it. Lady said to hubby: That's what we need, So it had got the WAF!  

Some of the critics are about the lack of video. BS5 does not display video, but BM5 does. I hope it does it better than the BM1. I could not test that.

Absence of CD and Radio is not a problem in my case as Radio reception is very bad and I can pop the odd CD in the BV7. DVB-T tuner in BV7 also give me access to UK radios.

Let's not forget that it can be added to your existing system that contains already a Beosound with CD and Radio. It could be in a different room, if you do not want to transorm your living room in Beomuseum or a control tower. 

Very seducing product, that I loved at first sight, like the BC2 and the Beocenter2500. It will be a success.

Price without stand: 3500 GBP.

Some reserve: Usage with a remote not as nice as close up operation. Blind usage by calling N.MUSIC or N.RADIO, but you can also bring the Beomaster (Similar to Beomedia) on the TV in the main or link rooms. It is a shame they have not made a nicer interface when displayed in that way as well.

Had a play last night at the Maidstone dealer and I really liked it. Most of the technical jargon was beyond me, but it looked good, sounded superb (lab9 speakers) and a good deal was offered - 5 year warranty, free Serenata and they will load your CD collection on it before delivery if you order before 31st December - tempting, but I'm sticking with my Beosound 9000 for the time being. I think it will be agreat success and it's one for the future

beowhit:

................ a good deal was offered - 5 year warranty, free Serenata and they will load your CD collection on it before delivery if you order before 31st December........................

It's late, I've had a glass of wine or two, but does this sound like a product that is going to fly of the shelves or something they are going to have to  try desperately hard to sell??

Sounds more like they are trying to get rid of Serenatas!

Subject to a bit of red tape, I think I'm going to dive in the deep end on this.

The BS5 will substiute my BC2 which is used only as a CD player (cant understand the radio) and will enable me to put my CD collection back into storage.

My dealer has offered me a unit for delivery on the 21st January.

 

10%

21st of Jan? I was told it wouldn't be available to buy/ship until March and that was from a B&O UK guy who was at my local dealer this week.

I received a mailing from B&O this morning that says we can get a free Seranta when we order the BS5. Look at the small print and it's only after spending £5000. So you need to buy the BS5 and speakers, I guess.

Find another dealer. Free Serenata on any B&O products over £2500 till 31st December at my local dealer.

10%, those of us in the US hate you just a little bit...you'll be in possession of your BS-5 before demo units have even appeared in our shops.

Good on ya!

 

Git....

 

Russ 

The US wont have demo units before middle of January. I talked to my dealer this week and he said middle to end of january. They do Europe first. I am not so eager to see it but like to learn about the big open question how content is managed.

 Is funny, they give us pictures and specs early and I am still not satisfied. I feel as uninformed as earlier, even though  saw the pictures. 

JK 

I was at the Stockholm VIP showing yesterday, with people from B&O Sweden present. I wasn't impressed; don't get me wrong - it's a beautiful piece of machinery with the B&O touch, but I just don't get the idea. I like my Beomedia 1 and this seems like a pricey (albeit very beautiful) replacement. I think I'd rather spend my money on a Beosound 9000.

I've seen the Beosound 5 and used it for 15 minutes or so. The hardware is fantastic, typical B&O product. Interface is decent enough, although 'could do better'. I want a visual representation when I'm changing the volume and more info about the track I'm playing (ie. how far I'm in to the track, when I look at the screen). This might be added before launch, as it's only software.

However, although I would like to have the product in my sitting room, for £3750 (UK price) I need to figure how it would justify the price. It's a shame it can't just pool my audio from my existing Mac Mini server. It's a shame WiFi isn't implemented so I can connect to the BM5 and use my PC/Mac to control the playback of a track etc etc.

If it was £2750, I'd have no hesitation. In all honesty, I don't understand why it's nearly £4K. It's a small computer and a basic interface that manages my audio.

moxxey:

 I want a visual representation when I'm changing the volume

There was on the one I used. There was a blue bar (on the screen) which moved around the outside of the wheel as you changed the volume.

 

Craig

Craig:

moxxey:

 I want a visual representation when I'm changing the volume

There was on the one I used. There was a blue bar (on the screen) which moved around the outside of the wheel as you changed the volume.

 

Yes, I know there was a blue bar, but that's simply poor. That wasn't even half good enough. Anyway, it's only an example of wanting more feedback and info from the interface.

moxxey:

Craig:

moxxey:

 I want a visual representation when I'm changing the volume

There was on the one I used. There was a blue bar (on the screen) which moved around the outside of the wheel as you changed the volume.

 

Yes, I know there was a blue bar, but that's simply poor. That wasn't even half good enough. Anyway, it's only an example of wanting more feedback and info from the interface.

I very much liked that detail, and I think it is brilliant for showing the volume.

Christian:

moxxey:

Craig:

moxxey:

 I want a visual representation when I'm changing the volume

There was on the one I used. There was a blue bar (on the screen) which moved around the outside of the wheel as you changed the volume.

 

Yes, I know there was a blue bar, but that's simply poor. That wasn't even half good enough. Anyway, it's only an example of wanting more feedback and info from the interface.

I very much liked that detail, and I think it is brilliant for showing the volume.

Me too, I thought it looked very good and in keeing with the design. Don't think the traditional B&O way of numbers on the display would look as good IMO.

 

Craig

Craig,

Firstly, being oner here in the US, I haven't laid hands on one yet.... 

I agree, especially since B&O have been arbitrary and inconsistent in the past as to the use of numbers to represent volume...some go to 90, some to 72 (?), none to 100.

Moxxey, I really can't imagine anything simpler or more intuitive than seeing the blue line build against the curve of the wheel...most people are pretty good at 'guesstimating' how far up the curve they are at a glance.  It is almost the same as in F1 cars (among others), the speedometer is fine as a digital display, because it is less important...but the tachometer has steadfastly resisted being displayed as a number, because the driver can glance at the graphic, and with almost no other information, tell where he is in the rev-range.  

So now I'm curious, what is it you're looking for in a volume display? 

 

I simply want more feedback from the interface. When you play a track, you get a static image of the CD artwork and name. I want to see some progress - ie. how far is playback on the current track, some basic stats or whatever.

The volume control is the least worrying part of my example. Yes, it's there, and it may suit some people's requirements, but the software could do with more feedback generally.

When you use it, you'll see what I mean - a basic CD image and trackname is rather boring.

moxxey:

I simply want more feedback from the interface. When you play a track, you get a static image of the CD artwork and name. I want to see some progress - ie. how far is playback on the current track, some basic stats or whatever.

The volume control is the least worrying part of my example. Yes, it's there, and it may suit some people's requirements, but the software could do with more feedback generally.

When you use it, you'll see what I mean - a basic CD image and trackname is rather boring.

Yes I do know what you mean about having a static display. That part could do with some improvement, even something as simple as the bar on Beoplayer\Beoport software.

 

Craig

OK...not to be an anorak, nor to imply that B&O have suddenly become 'purists' as such...but isn't the point of serious music listening to just sit and, without reasonable distraction, listen?  Is it possible that B&O are purposely eschewing a 'Las Vegas/Tokyo by Night' interface so as not to diminish the auditory experience?

Isn't 'essentiality' on of their intended core identifiers?  How much feedback does the vaunted BeoSound 9000 (and I love mine) offer in any of those regards?  Do you need a progress bar creeping along the bottom of the screen when watching a movie on the BR-2?  Or would an audible 'beep' at the chapter markers be more like it?