I have a pair of BeoLab 5 in a surround setup together with 4* BL3 and 1* BL10 together with BeoSysten 3 (BV4-50") but i would like a new plasma proberly the new Pioneer 60" but then i would not have a surround processor. I know that its i possible to connect all my BL3 and BL10 to a non B&O surround processor, but what about BL5. They have there own pre-amp, is it in any way posible to torn that off? 

No need to turn it off - and actually not possible. All signals that enter the BL5 are processed similarly, once upscaled to 24/96.

But don't get confused by that.Get a surround processor of the type that measures in-room acoustics and adjusts accordingly, you can just send the appropriate signals to your various speakers. Make sure the processor makes it possible to send the LFE signal to the BL5s. Some processors output a processed digital signal, you might want to send that to the BL5s. Otherwise, just go with the line-out from the processor to the line-in on the BL5s, and reserve the digital s/pdif in for your two-channel music. (I'm doing that, works a treat.)

What brand of processor do you use Soundproof.

Can't you simply replace the BV4 plasma display with the Pioneer plasma but still keep the BeoSystem 3 processor?  I'm pretty sure the BS3 can work with Pioneer displays, including the on/off signal via infrared.  

 -- Paul 

Yes, although it depends on the model. I would personally keep the BeoSystem 3 - it's a very good processor!

One of the reasons to selle my BV4 + BS3 is to get a bigger screen but also to get at better surround processor. So its is not in my interest to keep the BS3 and selle the BV4 monitor. Because if it was just a bigger screen i wanted i would just buy a projector

I don't suppose you've read about the new sound processor in the BeoSystem 3? It hasn't yet officially been unveiled, but it looks very interesting!

Which processor is that?  Are you referring to a 'new' BS 3? What about the one inside the BV 7 mk III?  How's the processor in that one?

Dario 

Not much information is available at the moment, but it will be soon. My advice would be to hold off on your decision!

You are talking about a new BS3 - but my BS3 is still the "old" one

And if B&O have done a big modd. on the BS3 its proberly not just a softwear opgrade but a complet new BS3 i would have tog get the new opgrade 

The BeoSystem 3 is modular so there is a possibility that you could upgrade, but it's then also possible you won't be able to! I'd wait and see, your dealer may always offer a part exchange too...

Hi,

Interesting to read the above article.

I recently bought a BS3 and was delivered and installed 3 weeks ago (I believe it is the latest model, serial number 213... and software version AP is 5.08) and the set up is as follows:

Screen: Pioneer KRP600A (with a separate media box) - the screen is only 64mm thick and the picture quality is just phenomenal with in-built eye, just like B&O’s.

Front speakers: BL5s

Surround speakers: BL3s

Centre speakers: BL3s (paired)

DVD: Pioneer LX91 BluRay

Sony: S350 BluRay

 

The set up is as follows: BS3 being the centre processor unit and the video output is via BS3 DVI-D out into the KRP600 media box’s HDMI input.

 

Everything else work as expected, no issue with TV, DTV and DVD connected via scart.  However, when I connected the Pioneer LX91 or the Sony S350 via the BS3 HDMI input socket and when the DVD is playing, I do not get sound put picture.  Not only that, I lost control of the BS3 via Beo4.  I could not change from say DVD to DTV or TV and back.  The eye on the BS3 just went dead and there was no light as normally one sees a green light when the remote is activated.  It seems the BS3 just frozen on DVD under these circumstances.  After lengthy process of elimination (3 visits by the dealer’s techie guy) with various set up combinations through the Connection menu on the BS3 with different HDMI socket just to ensure I did not hit a doggy HDMI input on the BS3, it eventually transpired that there is an incompatibility issue here between the Pioneer KRP600A and the BS3.  This only applies to HDMI and I suspect it is something to do with CEC (consumer electronic control), which controls the remote.  The Pioneer is HDMI 1.3a whereas I think BS3 is still at 1.1.

 

I am now thinking of using the latest Pioneer SC-LX81 Av as my processor as this processor handles both Dolby and DTS and it is also THX certified. I would like to retain the BL5 and BL3 – I love both the design and the sound quality. I was informed that I can feed the BL5 with the line input, per Soundproof’s comment– the SC-LX81 has pre-out, which is good as this way, the volume can be controlled via the SC-LX81 rather than separately via Beo4.

I was also been advised that the BL3 could be connected similarly except one needs to buy a MarkIII power link to phono/line adaptor?

 

Has anyone got any suggestions, both to the reasons/solutions to the BS3 to Pioneer connectivity via HDMI and the BL3 to a Pioneer AV amp?

 

Your feedbacks are much appreciated.

Is there any word on the new Beosystem 3 sound processor yet? I beleive there is an upgrade available for a digital HD receiver built in for our market but would like to know about the processor before upgrading the DTV module.

PierreR:

One of the reasons to selle my BV4 + BS3 is to get a bigger screen but also to get at better surround processor. So its is not in my interest to keep the BS3 and selle the BV4 monitor. Because if it was just a bigger screen i wanted i would just buy a projector

Do you not think the surround sound processor of the BS3 is very good?- I can't find any faults with it. 7.1 at home sounds amazing.

Why would you think another surround processor would work well with B&O speakers?

The BS3 does not currently support Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.  If you watch HD movies or or Blu-Ray DVDs, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio are the 2 home theater sound technologies that can deliver compressed lossless surround sound for these formats which provide the highest quality audio.

For more info, go to www.dts.com and download the DTS-HD Brochure.

I think this may be what Corvin referred to as the new BS3 sound processor. 

KCW:

The BS3 does not currently support Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.  If you watch HD movies or or Blu-Ray DVDs, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio are the 2 home theater sound technologies that can deliver compressed lossless surround sound for these formats which provide the highest quality audio.

For more info, go to www.dts.com and download the DTS-HD Brochure.

I think this may be what Corvin referred to as the new BS3 sound processor. 

- Interesting, so what is the result when a Blu-ray player eg PS3 decodes the signal (be it DTS-Master or whatever) and sends it to the BS3 ? Does the BS3 just see 7.1 channels of sound to direct to speakers and not have to worry about decoding the signal. Would it be better if the BS3 could decode DTS Master etc?

Also how on earth can you get a 3rd party sound processor to recognise the fact that lab5s are connected and therefore split the frequencies accordingly to the sub, mid etc - does the lab 5 itself do this?

Sorry for the simplicity of these questions, I don't know a great deal about this sort of thing.

Beodude

My understanding is the decoded format is sent to BS3 and if BS3 could not handle it, it will be downmix to the format compatible with BS3 supportable format, i.e may be 5.1 or stereo.

Your BS3 will then send the audio signal to the speakers according to the channel set up for each speaker per your surround sound format and the source (5.1, 6.1, 7.1 or whatever).  The frequencies split is maintained by the cross-over within each speaker design and this has nothing to do with Dolby or DTS format.

I have no detailed knowledge on BS3 architecture so cannot comment more on the inside working of BS3.

Hope this helps.

Beodude :

- I'm not sure there would be a audible difference between an HD Audio signal decoded by the bluray player and then sent to the Bs3 vs a bitstream (ie non decoded) signal from the player decoded by the BS3. Maybe yes, but surely a very subtle difference (the main difference would be if the D>>A conversion was made by the player, but with a separated PCM 7.1 signal the BS3 still has to do the D>>A conversion). So maybe there is no difference, but thats better for your mind to know that the signal is totally processed by B&O gear and not Sony ;-)

- The Lab5 does everything : just send them a digital signal via the digital connexion, and they will do all the processing. It's the same with an analogic signal, they convert it first to digital, process it, and then send it to each speaker.

mbee is correct. The way the signal is decoded has no real effect on the sound quality, as the codecs are all standardised. Where the quality of the decoder will have an effect is in the pre-amps, and here the BeoSystem 3 is very good.

Alex:

I don't suppose you've read about the new sound processor in the BeoSystem 3? It hasn't yet officially been unveiled, but it looks very interesting!

Hi Alex,

Have you any details about this new sound processor? Can i upgrade my BS3? I have not been able to find the details of a new processor and wht changes have been made.

Has anyone any information on the new sound processor mentioned in this thread?