in Search
Untitled Page

ARCHIVED FORUM -- April 2007 to March 2012
READ ONLY FORUM

This is the first Archived Forum which was active between 17th April 2007 and 1st March February 2012

 

Latest post 01-20-2010 8:55 AM by Flappo The Grate. 181 replies.
Page 4 of 8 (182 items) « First ... < Previous 2 3 4 5 6 Next > ... Last »
Sort Posts: Previous Next
  • 12-25-2008 12:39 PM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    Tim Jarman has written an interesting piece on Beocentral which suggests that the way for B&O to survive is to concentrate on quality and longevity. I agree completely. Use the best components and make the devices an engineering delight as well as beautiful. Read the Jarman book and look at the quality of materials used in the items photographed. And remember that many of the 60s and 70s products used parts which would never be seen in so called audiophile products. Compare the innards of a Beolab 5000 and a Quad amplifier of the same period both for design and materials - B&O need to find themselves again - for those who consider design and quality before price. 

  • 01-13-2010 9:34 AM In reply to

    • Marc
    • Top 500 Contributor
      Male
    • Joined on 11-12-2007
    • Munich, Germany
    • Posts 83
    • Bronze Member

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

     

    I think David Lewis is only the designer. He will not be the person who defines concepts. So him firing won't change anything

     

     

     

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

    Speakers: Beolab 5, Beolab 3, Beolab 10, Beolab 2, DeToma Subwoofer; CD Player: Beosound 9000; TV/Video: Beovision 4-65 inkl. Beosystem 3, Panasonic BlueRay Player, Technisat Digital Receiver; Home Integration: Beoport, BeoLink Wireless, Beo 4, Beo 5, Beotime, Apple TV

  • 01-13-2010 2:02 PM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    Actually yes and no: B&O is one of the very few companies in the world where the designer and the CEO are the only 2 persons who can stop or cancel a project.

    Reunion Island is greeting you!

  • 01-13-2010 2:15 PM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    This is the second old thread I've read!  How did you guys stumble on these?

  • 01-13-2010 4:18 PM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    trip was joking in his original post

    prob a tad subtle , but there ya go

    popgear is grate™

  • 01-14-2010 12:49 PM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    macjonny1:

    This is the second old thread I've read!  How did you guys stumble on these?

    Thanks for bringing this back. Excellent reading - specially as I've just been very frustrated with B&O about similar things. I hope somebody was reading... and actually is still reading this.

    My problems with B&O are pretty much around interoperability with other systems and that they seem to be falling back on technology. Besides, the design is getting at some points also a little old (BS9000, BS3200) and others are gaining. Just look at the latest TVs from LG (the borderless design with large glass in front of the panel) and I guess Sony and Samsung also have very nice looking TVs. Even though, other manufacturers are putting all kinds of features into the TVs (like skype - which is actually probably great), TV is still more and more just a display. For instance, in Finland, most people are watching digital TV with set-top boxes and while new TVs are having the right kind of tuners, the same will happen with HD TV again. It is a display. And not the center of everything.

    Actually, B&O was couple of years ago going into the right direction with the introduction of digital media. However, it is clear that they are not software experts. Unfortunately. Currently the industry has some great standards like DLNA, which is really ubiquitous. With UPnP, the players find the servers automagically. And what is on the servers? Music, pictures, videos. Does that sound familiar. Isn't that BeoMaster 5? Yes, except with proprietary protocols instead of easy to use industry standards. The standards would actually bring nice interoperability. You already have that 2Tb NAS for your computer. All your pictures, music and videos are there. Why duplicate the functionality with yet another really overpriced box. I would actually consider BeoSound 5 if it could read lossless FLAC encoded music from my DLNA/UPnP server. However, now the whole package just becomes too expensive and too cumbersome.

    FLAC, BTW is a free lossless encoding that is quickly gaining support from the industry. All new players support that and there are high end music stores (in internet) that sell music with very high quality FLAC encoding (even 24bit and 192kHz). Rather have this than less supported Apple Lossless. (BTW, I'm a mac user...)

    So, instead of BS5 + BM5 I'm thinking of having for example Mac Mini with front row. I guess you all know what front row is like. That connected to the screen (TV) and ... suddenly I need the AV-preamp for the B&O speakers that I love (got BL9 on order). Yes, there is BeoSystem 3, but again the price is too high. Well, I have to consider what does the BS3 bring me more than some other system. Design is nice, but let's face it - with all the connections and everything, I'd like to hide it - so I might as well hide something else too.

    The problem with integrating everything to the TV is that today, the technology and industry is moving much much faster than 10 years ago. You are stuck with monolithic system where some parts get old, but you cannot replace that part. The first TV that I've been interested from B&O for long time is the new BeoVision 10. Tech at the last years level, when compared to other TVs, which is ok. Currently I still have MX6000, which I haven't upgraded because I haven's seen nice enough and affordable enough TVs until now. (Well, BV10 is still 2 times too expensive...). So, apart from the price, why not get BV10? Well, it contains the surround stuff inside, so it is not future proof as said above. Also, as it is all in one, I should be able to connect everything to that. But, there isn't nearly enough connectors (digi-TV box for recording, DVD/Blu-ray, Wii, Computer) so I still should buy another AV-amp - so much for the all in one. Besides, when I asked the dealer that how I could get Blu-ray to that TV, he recommended Sony ... as B&O doesn't have standalone Blu-ray player. So much for advantages from buying just B&O.

    Can I then suggest what B&O should do? Probably not really, however.... Smile Of course, from my point of view, I would love to have a controller like BS5 that would support standards like DLNA/UPnP, FLAC and even iTunes (not for me though) and it would therefore not need the B&O branded server. I would also love to see separation of the TVs and the other tech. So make TVs better and update them more often. And make BS3 similarly better to serve everybody (or make 2 versions) and again, update more often. Even though, DNLA/UPnP would enhance the networking capabilities of all B&O products, the whole linking system should be re-tought and implemented with current day computer technologies. Plug everything to the network and have small USB-stick size wireless as option. Include web-servers into the products for easy configuration. And lastly, create nice DACs to go with the speakers. It doesn't work in surround setups, but it would be nice addition to active speakers. Just connect SPDIF from laptop to BL4 to get much better sound quality (like in BL5).

    Final note, I've grown up with B&O, I'd like to buy those. But I cannot justify buying equipment that I know will not be future proof and not allow me to access and use my media in flexible manner. Not with these prices. That is why I started my new wave of B&O equipment with the speakers. Well, not really... it was more the design and sound quality of BL9 that was the key. Big Smile Now I can wait for B&O to recreate itself together with new exiting and surprising designs!

  • 01-14-2010 4:53 PM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    It's true some B&O designs (if not all) are in dire need of updating (or elimination). 

    Though I think it would be great to create a "legacy" collection. Older models used as a basis but with updated capacities and functionality.
    I still love the ouverture's design and would love to see a New Ouverture-type (with the glass doors action) with wireless connection to your network, better display, capable as hub for audio and video etc... 

    On the other hand it's also time to let go of the past as we don't use AV in the same way we did 10 years ago....

    Flac is just a codec so should be able to run on both Windows (BS 5) and itunes (It does on my mac). 

    I do use a mac mini as media center and I absolutely love it.  Never liked the frontrow interface so I use Plex which is really polished.
    Currently running plex with a B&O modded  'alaska' skin... very cool and some people are convinced it's an actual B&O product. ( the apple mini is hidden). It has  (in a matter of weeks) revolutionized the way we watch tv.....Almost 4TB is now instantly available at the touch of a button on my beo4

    I am all for a 'reduced' BS3... even I would buy one instantly if it became available.  Not everyone want to (sell a kidney and) buy a B&O tv.

    Having a simple surround processor makes life so much easier. As I am in North America, I use a (now 15yrs old!!!) AV7000 unit in order to give a basic surround. It's not the latest but has dolby prologic and satisfies my needs for now more than adequately. Ask my neighbours :).
    Maybe you can find a Beosystem1 and use it for it's audio capabilities and use a B&O remote controlled hdmi switcher to do the video part? 

    Talking about all-in-one. Toshiba showed the cell-TV on the latest CES show. A hight quality 4k capable thin monitor panel connected to a box that holds the tuner, image processors, Hard drive recorder and multimedia and internet hub and has 3d blu-ray built-in. The panel and the 'cell' unit are connected wirelessly and can stream all contents to other wireless devices. 
    Great concept but ask in 2 years how fast it will be outdated.... 

    The way and speed that technology is moving today, it just does not make sense to have an 'all-in-one' system. A 2 year old first gen blu-ray player will be obsolute next year as it will not have internet connection and can't stream youtube and does not have 3d Capability... (just to give you an example)

    I hope B&O is smart and looks into the new tablet pc's coming this year as a source (and inspiration) to make a full wireless BS5 type system that communicates with your main computer system or NAS which will serve the music wireless to a custom USB audio card with the necessary masterlink and powerlink (and whatever new system) connectors) 

    Enjoy your BL9 speakers ... they're absolutely fantastic !

  • 01-14-2010 5:19 PM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    Also, I really don't like the beo5.

    I hope they come with a new, easy to use (beo4 format) remote.
    Preferably still a mix of regular buttons and a touchscreen (easy programmable and customizable)  
    And off course easy programming for your non B&O gear (like pronto or logitech) 

    Samsung will release  remote like that with its UNC9000 range of LED screens ... you can even stream a video feed to it (like an iphone)

    How cool is that ?

     

  • 01-14-2010 8:42 PM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    cooldude:
    Samsung will release  remote like that with its UNC9000 range of LED screens ... you can even stream a video feed to it (like an iphone)

    How cool is that ?

     

    Not cool at all. Utterly pointless and an example of how new technology has to be "digested" before it becomes genuinely useful and not just a gimmick.

    There is scarcely anything in this world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little more cheaply. The person who buys on price alone is this man's lawful prey. - John Ruskin

  • 01-15-2010 3:28 AM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    What I would do.  It's not pretty.

    1. Build it in China to spec.  Keep them under the thumb to produce the stuff B&O designs up to B&O standard.  The Chinese have terrible designs (Huawei routers, Great Wall cars) but given instruction they produce great product (Apple, the shoes I'm wearing).  In other words, they're modern slave labor and are happy to do it for pennies.  Win-win.

    2. Drop prices to reflect savings by having production in China.

    3. Expand product line to include something for everyone.  And by everyone I mean the common man.  People like me.  One subwoofer that's overkill for people in apartments and looks like my dragon killing 6-sided die from when I was 12?  Impractical.  Computer speakers for $1000?  I don't care if they spit out gold coins randomly, no computer speakers will ever be worth $1000.  Not even the B&W MM-1 will cost $1000.  If you have a high end well made product like B&O that lasts umpteen years before you need to replace it, then you have no repeat business.  You all already have the stuff.  You probably don't need much more of it.  B&O thus needs some else to go into the shop and buy something.  And the world is running out of rich people who still need a stereo.

    Before you cry about the masses and exclusivity, look what happened when BMW made the 1 series, when Apple made the Mini, when Paul Reed Smith started making the SE guitar line (in Korea).  The average shlub could buy their product and feel good about themselves for half the price of the "good" versions.  All of these companies are better off for it.

    4. Bring back sales in shops that aren't B&O stores.  Have the nice clean, sterile B&O shops, sure.  But sell the stuff in Macy's and online from J&R.  Have a website that'll let people who live 1000 miles from a shop buy something online.

    5. Make the TVs upgradable.  What's my motivation to buy a BV7-32 that's already obsolete? The TVs were fine in the CRT days when CRT hit the ceiling as far as you could go with it.  These days there's some big new thing every 6 months.  Bigger!  Faster! 100hz!  200hz!  LED!  In three years when I replace my brand new Samsung, the technology advancements in LCD TVs will make me laugh that I ever thought the thing was cool.

    6. Advertise better.  You know who knows about B&O outside of us?  No one.  Look at Bose.  They make speakers out of plastic and paper.  And they're laughing all the way to the bank.  That is marketing genius in action.

    7. Sell the company to Apple.

  • 01-15-2010 4:01 AM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    number 7 is a definite good idea

    doubt apple would be interested though

    they already have brilliant designers ( jony ive ) , make e products and unlike bno make massive profits on expensive gear

    it's because apple supply the whole 'experience' 

    until bno hire some half decent software guys they don't stand a chance

    popgear is grate™

  • 01-15-2010 5:04 AM In reply to

    • TWG
    • Top 75 Contributor
    • Joined on 04-17-2007
    • Germany
    • Posts 950
    • Gold Member

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    Produce ALL of the stuff in Denmark like in the good old days!  

    B&O is a traditional company and there's absolutely NO excuse to move production to Czech, including the loss of building- and finishquality!
    Don't tell me it's to expensive: They did it nearly 80 years without any problems!

    And hire realy good software engineers! 

  • 01-15-2010 5:05 AM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    dilznik:

    What I would do.  It's not pretty.

    1. Build it in China to spec.  Keep them under the thumb to produce the stuff B&O designs up to B&O standard.  The Chinese have terrible designs (Huawei routers, Great Wall cars) but given instruction they produce great product (Apple, the shoes I'm wearing).  In other words, they're modern slave labor and are happy to do it for pennies.  Win-win.

    2. Drop prices to reflect savings by having production in China.

    3. Expand product line to include something for everyone.  And by everyone I mean the common man.  People like me.  One subwoofer that's overkill for people in apartments and looks like my dragon killing 6-sided die from when I was 12?  Impractical.  Computer speakers for $1000?  I don't care if they spit out gold coins randomly, no computer speakers will ever be worth $1000.  Not even the B&W MM-1 will cost $1000.  If you have a high end well made product like B&O that lasts umpteen years before you need to replace it, then you have no repeat business.  You all already have the stuff.  You probably don't need much more of it.  B&O thus needs some else to go into the shop and buy something.  And the world is running out of rich people who still need a stereo.

    Before you cry about the masses and exclusivity, look what happened when BMW made the 1 series, when Apple made the Mini, when Paul Reed Smith started making the SE guitar line (in Korea).  The average shlub could buy their product and feel good about themselves for half the price of the "good" versions.  All of these companies are better off for it.

    4. Bring back sales in shops that aren't B&O stores.  Have the nice clean, sterile B&O shops, sure.  But sell the stuff in Macy's and online from J&R.  Have a website that'll let people who live 1000 miles from a shop buy something online.

    5. Make the TVs upgradable.  What's my motivation to buy a BV7-32 that's already obsolete? The TVs were fine in the CRT days when CRT hit the ceiling as far as you could go with it.  These days there's some big new thing every 6 months.  Bigger!  Faster! 100hz!  200hz!  LED!  In three years when I replace my brand new Samsung, the technology advancements in LCD TVs will make me laugh that I ever thought the thing was cool.

    6. Advertise better.  You know who knows about B&O outside of us?  No one.  Look at Bose.  They make speakers out of plastic and paper.  And they're laughing all the way to the bank.  That is marketing genius in action.

    7. Sell the company to Apple.

     

    This proves that you are not B&O fan and do not know anything about B&O.. All idea is stupid... I am sorry for saying that, but all your idea will kill B&O faster and faster. 

    Because:

    1&2: this is "fake" product , althought price is cheaper. Evenmore, the quality is standard, but customer will think in his mind that "quality is  more and more reduced"

    3: Just like Japanese company. B&O will become Sony, Panasonic...Hihi

    4: Why B&O have to do this, while all firm wish to have a distribution system like B&O?

    5: Do you dare to buy biggest TV of BO?

    6: Why to advertise when BO is already famous and No.1 brandname?

    7: How you can compare Apple with B&O? I suggest that BO should by Apple . Because they can, but Apple can not.

     

     

    I have only 1 ideal: "When B&O can make No.1 best Speaker and System for MUSIC in the world?" It is not for home theatre, for film, for radio... Let's see the world outside for music: Kharma, Dyn, Accapela, MBL, Busmester, YG.... they always have their best speaker at top range, and only for MUSIC. 

    I have so good memory of Penta speaker with system 7000 and it sound perfect for music... That is the feeling that I've never had with present B&O systems.

  • 01-15-2010 6:05 AM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    Why is point 1 & 2 fake?

    Beolab 4 made in Japan.....

    Beotime made in Czech. Rep....

    Now you pay for Danisch quality and they make it in low-cost countries, that's fake!

  • 01-15-2010 6:15 AM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    Giang Nguyen:
     

    This proves that you are not B&O fan and do not know anything about B&O.. All idea is stupid... I am sorry for saying that, but all your idea will kill B&O faster and faster. 

    Because:

    1&2: this is "fake" product , althought price is cheaper. Evenmore, the quality is standard, but customer will think in his mind that "quality is  more and more reduced"

    3: Just like Japanese company. B&O will become Sony, Panasonic...Hihi

    4: Why B&O have to do this, while all firm wish to have a distribution system like B&O?

    5: Do you dare to buy biggest TV of BO?

    6: Why to advertise when BO is already famous and No.1 brandname?

    7: How you can compare Apple with B&O? I suggest that BO should by Apple . Because they can, but Apple can not.

     

     

    I have only 1 ideal: "When B&O can make No.1 best Speaker and System for MUSIC in the world?" It is not for home theatre, for film, for radio... Let's see the world outside for music: Kharma, Dyn, Accapela, MBL, Busmester, YG.... they always have their best speaker at top range, and only for MUSIC. 

    I have so good memory of Penta speaker with system 7000 and it sound perfect for music... That is the feeling that I've never had with present B&O systems.

    +1

    Please B&O stay as a European company. I don`t like to see the label: made in PRC or Apple.

    Regards Alen

    BS 1, BeoCom 2, 2x LC 2, Form 2,  BS 2, BS 3, 2x Beo 4, BS 5, BM 5, BL 5,Beo 6, BS 6, 2x A8, BV 8-40, BL 8000, 3x A9 Keyring, Serenata, BeoTime, BeoTalk 400

  • 01-15-2010 6:32 AM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    With regard to Apple and B&O... Except (some) design they have nothing in common.

    Both appeal to completely different markets. No matter how you turn it.. Apple's intention is to sell to a broad market; a market much larger then B&O can handle. If Apple would take over B&O then the core values of B&O are completely lost! B&O is a niche player... where Apple is at this point becomming the 5th largest computer manufacturer.  B&O is exclusive.. Apple is not. Before you all start flaming... Look on the street. How many iPhones? How many iPods?... Look at press conferences.. How many Apple MacBooks? Nothing exclusive about it.

    The race for quality has no finish line- so technically, it's more like a death march.

  • 01-15-2010 7:21 AM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

     

    dilznik:

    What I would do.  It's not pretty.

    1. Build it in China to spec.  Keep them under the thumb to produce the stuff B&O designs up to B&O standard.  The Chinese have terrible designs (Huawei routers, Great Wall cars) but given instruction they produce great product (Apple, the shoes I'm wearing).  In other words, they're modern slave labor and are happy to do it for pennies.  Win-win.

    2. Drop prices to reflect savings by having production in China.

    3. Expand product line to include something for everyone.  And by everyone I mean the common man.  People like me.  One subwoofer that's overkill for people in apartments and looks like my dragon killing 6-sided die from when I was 12?  Impractical.  Computer speakers for $1000?  I don't care if they spit out gold coins randomly, no computer speakers will ever be worth $1000.  Not even the B&W MM-1 will cost $1000.  If you have a high end well made product like B&O that lasts umpteen years before you need to replace it, then you have no repeat business.  You all already have the stuff.  You probably don't need much more of it.  B&O thus needs some else to go into the shop and buy something.  And the world is running out of rich people who still need a stereo.

    Before you cry about the masses and exclusivity, look what happened when BMW made the 1 series, when Apple made the Mini, when Paul Reed Smith started making the SE guitar line (in Korea).  The average shlub could buy their product and feel good about themselves for half the price of the "good" versions.  All of these companies are better off for it.

    4. Bring back sales in shops that aren't B&O stores.  Have the nice clean, sterile B&O shops, sure.  But sell the stuff in Macy's and online from J&R.  Have a website that'll let people who live 1000 miles from a shop buy something online.

    5. Make the TVs upgradable.  What's my motivation to buy a BV7-32 that's already obsolete? The TVs were fine in the CRT days when CRT hit the ceiling as far as you could go with it.  These days there's some big new thing every 6 months.  Bigger!  Faster! 100hz!  200hz!  LED!  In three years when I replace my brand new Samsung, the technology advancements in LCD TVs will make me laugh that I ever thought the thing was cool.

    6. Advertise better.  You know who knows about B&O outside of us?  No one.  Look at Bose.  They make speakers out of plastic and paper.  And they're laughing all the way to the bank.  That is marketing genius in action.

    7. Sell the company to Apple.

    As said before, you can´t really appreciate B&O and it´s products, coming with suggestions as above. 

    Two quick points.

    5. This is like comparing Porsche to a Kia. No in 2 years a 2010 Kia won´t be cool, in 50 years the Porsche still will. 

    I still think BeoVision 5 and the Avant is supercool sets, a B&O television is NEVER obsolete. The focus point should be just that, you don´t have to upgrade your TV every 2 years, a 10 year old B&O is still great. That is a point worth nurturing in a world that should focus on sustainability. 

    If upgrading your TV every year and having access to twitter in your remote is your thing, B&O probably isn´t for you. 

     

    7. Of course Apple will never buy B&O! What would be the point of that? It would gain neither of the companies, as mentioned above, since they have absolutely nothing in common. 

     

     

     

    Newbie! So far: BeoVision 7 40´ Mark V Blu-ray, BeoLab 7-4, BeoLab 9, BeoSound 5,  Beo4, Beo5,  BeoCom 2, BeoTime and A8 Earphones

     

  • 01-15-2010 8:10 AM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    Bayerische, you say:

    "Well if Apple was 5-10 times the cost of a PC, as Beovisions are to their competition, I wouldn't buy Macs. They're good, but not that good. Nothing is worth 5-10 times the competition. Apple is about 1,5 to 2 times more expensive than the PC equivalent. If Beovisions where the same, or even 3 times more expensive I wouldn't hesitate.

    But you use a Rolex avatar. Is that the exception that proves the rule?

    B&O pricing is high but not too high for the market it aims as long as it gets the product desirability right.

  • 01-15-2010 9:04 AM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    bno buy apple ?

     

    lol

     

    bno are minnows compared to apple

    apple could prob buy most of denmark if they wanted

    popgear is grate™

  • 01-15-2010 10:44 AM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    TripEnglish:

    cooldude:
    Samsung will release  remote like that with its UNC9000 range of LED screens ... you can even stream a video feed to it (like an iphone)

    How cool is that ?

     

    Not cool at all. Utterly pointless and an example of how new technology has to be "digested" before it becomes genuinely useful and not just a gimmick.

    TripEnglish, I am sorry but you're totally wrong on that one, IMO.

    Most logitech and philips universal remotes now have touch screens and easy programming for years... what's your problem with that ?
    All I want is a beo remote that basically is a beo 5 in a beo4 format that is user friendly and easy programmable.

    Even you will have to admit that the Beo5 is an utter disaster and needs continuous channel programming ? Ridiculous if you buy an 800$ remote that needs 200$ of programming every 6 months to bring it up to date ....

    And why not give it some extra capabilities like wifi communication ? The technology is cheap and available.
    I think in this tech world alot of possibilities can be created with it...even ones not thought of yet....would also attract a new (younger?) clients.

     

  • 01-15-2010 10:50 AM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    pentalex:

    Why is point 1 & 2 fake?

    Beolab 4 made in Japan.....

    Beotime made in Czech. Rep....

    Now you pay for Danisch quality and they make it in low-cost countries, that's fake!

    Absolutely agree !!!!

    For a Danish made premium product all assembly should be in Denmark!!! No exceptions.
    However I have no problem with most of the parts being made elsewhere as long as the design, final assembly and quality control is done in Denmark.

  • 01-15-2010 12:11 PM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    Wow, this blew up.  Let's get started here.

     

    Giang Nguyen:

    This proves that you are not B&O fan and do not know anything about B&O.. All idea is stupid... I am sorry for saying that, but all your idea will kill B&O faster and faster. 

    Because:

    1&2: this is "fake" product , althought price is cheaper. Evenmore, the quality is standard, but customer will think in his mind that "quality is  more and more reduced"

    Yes, because building it in Czech Republic is just like building it in Denmark whereas building it in China is not.  They could build it in Vietnam and not only make a great product cheaply, but it would save on shipping costs to you.

    3: Just like Japanese company. B&O will become Sony, Panasonic...Hihi

    Sony uses Samsung TV panels... like B&O.  And yet they don't fret about the direction of their company. I doubt Panasonic does either.

     

    4: Why B&O have to do this, while all firm wish to have a distribution system like B&O?

    Because people who live in cities that don't have B&O shops might want equipment too.  Because people might think that the guys who work the B&O shops in their towns are tools and they'd rather deal with someone else.  Because being in more places means being in front of more potential customers.

    5: Do you dare to buy biggest TV of BO?

    I'm not sure what you're implying here but I assume you mean the 103" plasma is the latest and greatest.  The 103" Panasonic that was released and mass marketed 3 years ago?  You do know that Panasonic's new 103" Plasma is 3-D right?  You lose.

     

    6: Why to advertise when BO is already famous and No.1 brandname?

    Right.

    7: How you can compare Apple with B&O? I suggest that BO should by Apple . Because they can, but Apple can not.

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

    *inhale*

    HAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

  • 01-15-2010 12:19 PM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    alenvprekrsku:

    Please B&O stay as a European company. I don`t like to see the label: made in PRC or Apple

    Well, you know... if they are Danish owned and built the boards and plastic in China or Korea or where ever... they'd still be a European company right?  You know... Apple is still an American company, right?  Every 3 series BMW in North America is made in America and every X5 and Z4 in the world is made in America, too, yet BMW is still a German company, right? 

  • 01-15-2010 12:19 PM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    Hardwriter:

    B&O pricing is high but not too high for the market it aims as long as it gets the product desirability right.

    Quite true. For me, the desirability of the product is not anymore right. And therefore, the price is too much.

    B&O for me is about design, sound quality, picture quality, usability and interoperability. Design is there even though some are getting old. Sound quality is ok, even though not high-end (BL5 being exception). Video picture quality is great, but this is specially area where progress is being made at very fast pace. B&O doesn't seem to be able to keep up with the sharpest offering out there.

    But the the usability and interoperability are really in danger: as outlined in this thread (and elsewhere within these forums), B&O has different logics on different systems and isn't working with any other makes as it doesn't use industry standards. Seems that many users here are comfortable with stereo and analog sounds... I would say that the protocols that are used in the networks are the cables and plugs/connectors/jacks of today. It is like not using RCA or DIN connectors but something else that isn't available anywhere else.

    And, good grief, if what you wrote about Beo5 is true! That is being advertised as one of the most significant designs coming out from B&O. The design itself is fine, but if you really have to go to the store to get it programmed!?! I don't have Logitech, but AFAIK, you just connect it to the PC and use some browser based software to download codes for any device. Even the touch makes me suspicious.. it's being marketed as using designs from Nasa and to be honest, it sounds like it would not be that good in practice so it needs some backing up: "Yes, it really is very good because Nasa blah blah blah". It's unfortunate that B&O isn't using touch more. My dad still has the 9300 (CD is broken as it seems to be the case with many of those) and that had touch sensitive glass with context sensitive menus years before Apple had anything. I also like the touch on BeoCenter 2. But UI wise, it is still the same as on 9300. And now the Beo5 seems not to be that exiting at all. I don't want to stream videos to my remote, and I don't think B&O should create a remote that looks like iPod Touch, but it really is lacking something (in addition to the programmability). What? I'm not sure. It has surprising design, but maybe it's lacking magic.

    B&O is also about magic: the red glowing context sensitive touch buttons on the 9300, sliding doors when the hand comes close, the opening of BC2, dimming lights, etc. Where is the magic on current designs? Beo5 - maybe Apple has commoditized magic on touch devices. So I guess that in that sense B&O should continue to pursue the magic from hardware. BS5 doesn't have magic in that sense, but it has magical design!

    BTW, I have to comment about the desired market ... when I was young, the B&O catalogs featured architects and design. Now they seem to feature doctors with chalets and Astons. I feel that the direction is away from being a maker of quality products with great design to being a maker for the hugely rich. The direction in pricing reflects this. This isn't necessarily contradicting good design... but I think the values are changing.

  • 01-15-2010 12:25 PM In reply to

    Re: How to save Bang & Olufsen

    Karel Uyttendaele:

    With regard to Apple and B&O... Except (some) design they have nothing in common.

    That wasn't my point.  My point was if Apple bought it, they'd cut the fluff, keep the good, use the core technology to make good products, market it so well you'd think they could sell ice to eskimos, and probably make the company oodles of cash.

     

    I'm going to take time out from my reply-fest here to point something out.  If the company is in business, they will make products you like.  If they make cheaper stuff to sell to the common man and those things sell well, the company will have money and stay in business.  If the company is in business, they will make products you like.  Do you not understand this?  Are you so wrapped up in having something awesome that no one else has that you would rather the company goes under than to have some jerk with $100 for a pair of headphones or $300 for computer speakers to have a product with the same badge as yours?

    If so buy a MacIntosh tube amp.  Then I will be impressed by your exclusivity.  Well, no I won't but you'll be more exclusive anyway.

Page 4 of 8 (182 items) « First ... < Previous 2 3 4 5 6 Next > ... Last »