Hello all I've now got my hot little hands on the Beolab 5s! They've replaced a very well regarded Canadian hi-fi speakers of similar price and a valve-based OTL amplifiers. The BL5s were purchased for aesthetic reasons but I'm really surprised they don't just look better but sound better. Bass control is amazing. Ability to keep up with dynamic changes. Detail resolution. Imaging... A little drier than the previous in the vocal range particularly but I think that's more accurate to the source. There is stil a little vestige of audiophile nervosa - those skanky coax cables that came with the BL5s need replacing with something like Belden 1694A. Cheers Adrian

If B&O have done anything amazing over the last 7 years, the BeoLab 5 is one of their crowning moments.  Enjoy!

I spoke to a cable expert a few weeks ago, who too was 'unimpressed' with the cables they give out as standard with such world class speakers.

Lee

The cables supplied with the BeoLab 5s are digital coax. Any 75 ohm digital coaxial cable will provide far more than the 50% data-transfer required for a perfect digital signal.

So I only need 50pct of the data transfered to get a perfect digital signal?

There must be a new niche then for a coax cable production facility in China!

I share your joy. Not sure on your setup but I was also advised to move my BL5's out from the wall as far as possible. I moved them about half a meter out and the increase in bass is fantastic.

 

Also the speaker I have in the corner never calibrates properly due to the sound bouncing back off the walls. I even had B&O out to check it out. They can't do anything about it but just goes to show how important position is for sound.