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

 

Latest post 12-05-2010 1:21 AM by clifft. 130 replies.
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  • 11-17-2010 11:47 AM In reply to

    • js
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    • Joined on 09-07-2007
    • Brussels
    • Posts 208
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    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    9 LEE:

    The little remote, 'face on' - an exact replica of the controls on the unit itself...

    When operating a full fledged audio system (Beomaster/Beocenter/Beosound), it could be useful to have a couple of these small remotes at practical places in a large living room, in order to be able to change volume and skip tracks when the Beo5/Beo4 is not at hands' reach or when more complex operations are not required.

    Thus the questions is: does it use the same IR codes as the Beo5/Beo4/Beolink1000 remotes? And is it available separately?

    js  Smile

  • 11-17-2010 12:13 PM In reply to

    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    I'm very interested in taking a listen to the product and I'm trying not to go in with a pre-conceived notion of what I'm going to hear.  Of course, for anyone that likes to test listen to lots of different speakers, it's hard to walk in with a completely blank slate.  My gut feeling is that the system will be physically larger in person than previously imagined, will have good bass output for a system of its size and especially for a dock, but will not produce a great soundstage due to the physical speaker separation limitation.  That last piece has proven to be a hard limitation for me to overcome as I find myself so drawn to a well produced soundstage.  

    Admittedly, I'm a separate L/R speaker guy who really values soundstage but I repeatedly find myself interested in speaker docks even though I have this listening preference.  I think the whole all in one box thing draws me in.  Though to be fair, so do small systems that also have L/R speakers that you can adjust as needed (love the look and sound of McIntosh's MXA60, but hate the lack of any digital inputs).  Of course, you can't put yourself in the prime listening position all the time and music in the background while working, etc is tremendously enjoyable, so solutions like these are indeed useful.  Though really, you can accomplish that with any speaker solution.  Smile

    Still want to take a listen and hear for myself though...

    Jeff

  • 11-17-2010 3:11 PM In reply to

    • Dude1
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    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    Agreed, but I don't think it has been designed to be a 'be all and end all' - just a ipod dock.

  • 11-17-2010 3:22 PM In reply to

    • 9 LEE
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    • Joined on 02-14-2007
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    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    Dude1:

    Agreed, but I don't think it has been designed to be a 'be all and end all' - just a ipod dock.

    But that's where companies can get lazy!  

    Why make an iPod Dock twice the price (or more) than it's nearest rival and not absolutely blow the competition out of the water?  

    Bang & Olufsen need to regain the reputation they had - where price was mentioned and people said 'yes, but it's the best - streets ahead of the rest and so surely worth the extra'..  This makes the mass market sit up and notice - and buy.

    Profits need to be made - but the reputation has to be rebuilt.  B&O has been riding its reputation which over the last 2-3 years has actually stopped the company from going bust in my opinion. Now, a lot of people who bought B&O (with the previously formed romantic notion of blindly buying B&O believing it to be the best) are disillusioned with B&O products - and need to get that belief back in the brand in order to start purchasing again. If not now, in the future.

    I know the future products are going to do justice to the name, but for now - a few improvements at the sake of a small dip in profit would go a long way to repairing the damage already done.

    I may be a lone voice here though! Laughing

    Lee

     

     

    BeoWorld - Everything Bang & Olufsen

  • 11-17-2010 3:51 PM In reply to

    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    9 LEE:

    Dude1:

    Agreed, but I don't think it has been designed to be a 'be all and end all' - just a ipod dock.

    But that's where companies can get lazy!  

    Why make an iPod Dock twice the price (or more) than it's nearest rival and not absolutely blow the competition out of the water?  

    Bang & Olufsen need to regain the reputation they had - where price was mentioned and people said 'yes, but it's the best - streets ahead of the rest and so surely worth the extra'..  This makes the mass market sit up and notice - and buy.

    Profits need to be made - but the reputation has to be rebuilt.  B&O has been riding its reputation which over the last 2-3 years has actually stopped the company from going bust in my opinion. Now, a lot of people who bought B&O (with the previously formed romantic notion of blindly buying B&O believing it to be the best) are disillusioned with B&O products - and need to get that belief back in the brand in order to start purchasing again. If not now, in the future.

    I know the future products are going to do justice to the name, but for now - a few improvements at the sake of a small dip in profit would go a long way to repairing the damage already done.

    I may be a lone voice here though! Laughing

    Lee

     

    Well put, Lee!

    _____________

    Happy owner of: BV10, 2 x Beocom 2, Beocom 6000, Beocenter 2, Beolab 3, Beolab 2000, Beo4, Beolab 11

    1:st prize winner Beoworld January Price Draw.

  • 11-17-2010 4:48 PM In reply to

    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    Well put Lee... You're not the only one. 

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

  • 11-17-2010 8:07 PM In reply to

    • ed7
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    • Posts 297
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    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    Karel Uyttendaele:

    Well put Lee... You're not the only one. 

     

    Add another oneBig Smile

  • 11-18-2010 11:27 AM In reply to

    • Evan
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    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    I know this is a few posts back but...

    That Geneva sound company seems to be bringing back the stereo console! Mammoth piece... and price.

    Evan

     

  • 11-18-2010 8:56 PM In reply to

    • hilton
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    • Joined on 11-18-2010
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    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    the zeppelin dont take the i pad , most docks don,t

    B&O has found a way to fit all OS 4  products with out hiding the speaker covers.

    and it works with your beo 4, now that is cool

  • 11-18-2010 9:39 PM In reply to

    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    I saw the product on the B&O website and thought "that looks like ass."  Then I saw Lee's posts and thought "actually that looks kind of cool. If only it did ML."  Then I saw Steve's posts and thought "okay, it's getting cooler."

    Anyone remember this thing? http://www.beoworld.org/prod_details.asp?pid=372  BS8 looks like the modern version of that.  And with the ML-like workarounds, this would be pretty cool in a link room.  It's a link speaker AND it'll charge your iPhone!  Great!

    Then I saw this post...

    Stars:

    I'm probably even younger than you. I can assure you that never ever, will any serious AV enthusiast choose to have an iPod dock over a complete system and if they're worried about the clutter that comes with an AV setup, then they should consider B&O, as my setup has no wires on show and I challenge anyone to find a more compact loudspeaker (even passive) that has the sound and size combo of the BeoLab 3.

    To bring an example to your theory, the "younger generation" you describe would wish to have ever smaller TVs, when in actual case they want bigger and bigger screens.

    As far as this goes, maybe people would want a little all in one dock system or maybe they'd want a big huge system.  B&O makes both.  They now make something for everyone.  Well, everyone with enough money anyway.  But if you look at the BS8 and think "this is crap, I'd rather have something more like my BS3200 with some BL3s."  Great news!  B&O makes something like that called the BS3200 and the BL3!

    There are people that will like this and people that won't like this product.  If you don't like it, well, you clearly weren't the target audience anyway.

     

    FWIW, I downgraded my TV size and got rid of my surround sound and have been happy as a clam since.  A happy clam, that is.  Not a clam getting boiled for soup.

  • 11-19-2010 3:52 AM In reply to

    • Alex
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    • Joined on 04-16-2007
    • Bath & Cardiff, UK
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    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    I saw/heard the BeoSound 8 yesterday - EXTREMELY impressed! The sound is really quite special - all the subtlety of 'proper' hifi, plenty of bass-extension (which is impressive for it's size), good overall tonal balance (maybe lending a little towards bass heavy, but not much, and in a pleasant way!), nice smooth top-end, really quite transparent and musical, the dispersion seems to fall off pretty quickly when you get past 90º off-axis making it fairly well behaved in an acoustically poor room, and in the flesh it looks fantastic IMO!

    The finish is absolutely fantastic - loved the little remote control, but it can also be controlled from a Beo 4. A few nice little touches:

    - As lee says, the speakers don't actually reach the surface it's sat on, looks nice when you're looking at it from a distance.

    - The centre of the BeoSound 8 is the same layout/design as the remote control, pushing one of the buttons on the BeoSound 8 remote (or a Beo 4/5) causes the relevant button on the BeoSound 8 itself to light up.

    - The finish and build quality right across the unit feels absolutely excellent, in fact one of the best-finished B&O products I know of! No 'round-the-back-so-it-doesn't-matter' surfaces on this.

    Oh and yes, it really can fill a large room in an impressive way!

    As you might expect though, you can't really get any sort of stereo image as the speakers are just far too close together, but that's irrelevant for this product IMO.

     Weekly top artists:                   

  • 11-19-2010 3:14 PM In reply to

    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    Well...I have a BeoSound 8 at home this evening.  We are having an event at the local Audi dealership tomorrow to launch the new Audi A1, and I didn't fancy leaving it at the garage overnight!

    So I thought I'd give it a proper road test having only heard it briefly in Denmark in a crowded room.

    I have a diverse range of music on my iPad and having first positioned  the set up switch to wall mode (there is a 3 position switch for bass handling purposes - freestanding/wall/corner) I gave my kitchen a good blast!

    Very impressed - I have a Zeppelin (I know, shame on me!), but there is really no comparison.  Much deeper bass, and a cleaner top end, with far greater volume.  For those that are technically minded, the BeoSound 8 has a class D 70 watt amplifier to handle the bass, and 35 watt treble amplifer...it is very loud without losing shape.

    I would place it just above BeoLab 6000 (£2250) for outright performance - shame it's got to go back to work tomorrow, I'll have to wait until they become readily available before I can have one!!

     

  • 11-19-2010 7:44 PM In reply to

    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    SHEFFIELD:
    I would place it just above BeoLab 6000 (£2250) for outright performance

    wow !!

    First B&O (1976) was a Beogram 1500 ... latest (2011) change has been to couple the BL11 with the BL6Ks *sounds superb*

  • 11-20-2010 4:25 AM In reply to

    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    Wow indeed....it's not that long ago that Beolab 8000s and 3's cost less than the current price of the 6000s!!!

    *shakes head and waves fist at B&O arrogant price increases when all around are lowering theirs*

    Anyway,look forward to some independent sound quality feedback.

    FYI - the dealers I have called are pleading ignorance regarding the Airplay situation...

     

     

     

     

     

  • 11-20-2010 6:07 AM In reply to

    • Alex
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    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    The Airplay situation is you plug-in an AirPort Express! Works perfectly, and should AirPlay not take off in the way it's intended too, then you don't end up with a bit of redundant technology inside the BeoSound 8.

     

    FWIW, one of the best things about the BeoSound 8 is that it's nice to finally hear a decent iPod dock with MIDRANGE, something the Zeppelin completely lacks.

     

    Without wanting to cause any offense to any owners, I'm actually genuinely quite appalled at how bad the Zeppelin sounds, but then again, some of B&W's other new products also sound pretty dire, the MM-1s and P5 headphones being examples!

     Weekly top artists:                   

  • 11-20-2010 10:02 AM In reply to

    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    Airport Express is an unsatisfactory workaround to those who want an integrated solution.That's all there is to it.

    Can't imagine Airplay not taking off.Not sure I follow your logic of a unit containing a theoretically redundent tech such as Airplay being an issue,as it would still function normally.

    Not having it is the issue!

    My two Zeps weren't lacking in the midrange department.The Zeppelin Mini on the other hand...or the Beolab 9s  that I lived with for a week or two.Now they were the kings of the recessed mid.

    I also wouldn't recommend folk buy a Zep as both my units failed within a year.This is a known issue.

    I would buy a Beosound 8 and recommend it to the hordes if and when it is updated and priced at £750 max.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • 11-20-2010 12:18 PM In reply to

    • symmes
    • Top 200 Contributor
    • Joined on 04-21-2007
    • Freedonia
    • Posts 290
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    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    Your comments struck a cord with me, so I googled "B&W price increase over last 5 years".  Got this...http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=35741  Seems "arrogance" is catching, but that doesn't make it less painful, for sure.

    I am not going to plead ignorance over the Airplay situation, but I am also not complaining about the lack of a feature that doesn't currently exist, and we sure don't know what Apple was charging for the right to play in AirPlay development (maybe $0?).  

    If you wish to connect your computer via hard-wire, you can.  If you want wireless, you can by using AE.  I don't know what the evolution of the BeoSound 8 is, though it has been hinted there is one, but I can't come up with a company that details its feature evolution to the public. I am more surprised nobody has complained about it not having DAB and a CD player.

     

  • 11-20-2010 3:42 PM In reply to

    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    Hi Guys,

    I was at a rather excellent dinner party soire last night that ended up turning into the most wild house party. Anyway my friends (FROM KISS FM RADIO) were using a very very good iPod docking station (DENON) - it's amazing how many people actually brought their party playlists on iPods - myself included and how awesome the music was. Over the past few weeks this really does seem the norm to do at house parties now and I think it's an excellent idea. 

    After last night, yep, i'll be buying that funky lil BeoSound 8! Bravo!

  • 11-21-2010 3:27 AM In reply to

    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    Paul Winn:

    it's amazing how many people actually brought their party playlists on iPods - myself included and how awesome the music was. Over the past few weeks this really does seem the norm to do at house parties now and I think it's an excellent idea. 

    Never had the same experience. I must be getting old Big Smile

    Beoworld's twenty-eighth ninth prize winner and fifty-first second prize winner. Best £30 I've ever spent!

  • 11-21-2010 4:25 AM In reply to

    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    It's the big thing, in both parties and a lot of bars - where people get to connect their favorite playlist until it's voted down, or people get the fun of others being enthusiastic about their selection. 

    But it's also at times incredibly annoying, as people no longer wait for something to finish, before wanting to propose something completely different. And with Airplay, this is going to be amazingly strange.

    I'm 53. On Thursday evening I was visited by two Finnish web-programmers in their mid-20s. When we were through with business, they wanted to listen to my BeoLab 5s. And most encouragingly, they asked if I had "something symphonic" that we could start out with. They enjoyed a hefty helping of Mahler - but when they realized that my setup allows access to a lot of on-site and web-based digital sources: OFF WE WENT into cyberspace.

    Imagine parties where people are pestering the host to get the access-info for the WiFi, in order to send content through Airplay to units in the home. At least you will get a global perspective on what's available out there ... the two Finns went loco in selecting things to watch, listen to, etc. Attention Deficit Disorder was not far from my mind.

  • 11-21-2010 7:02 AM In reply to

    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    Hi Soundproof and BeoCool. Oh my gosh I love that story - no wonder they were excited when they saw BeoLab 5's!!! Sounds like you have a FAB set up.

    Yes this idea of iPods and parties is catching on fast. Slightly 'older' people at work are also experiencing it at parties!!! Really great idea as the classix at friday evenings party simply flowed AND OF COURSE no jumping from sticky CDs!!! Just got DJay for my MacBook which is an amazing DJ package for less than £40!

  • 11-27-2010 11:36 AM In reply to

    • Chris
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    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    I had a demo of this today in the north west and it was better than i expected. I thought the Zeppelin was great, and good value for money but this is in another league(and made by B&O)

     

    Another purchase lined up for the near future.

    A Beovision 10-40 in black and red fret on order, Beo4, Beo6, many A8's, a pair of white and yellow Form 2's, Beocom 4, 28 inch Avant RF DVD, Apple TV and a wife that loves this stuff as much as i do! 

  • 11-27-2010 12:22 PM In reply to

    • Tim
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    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    So I had a demo yesterday.

    Sound quality was really great. Especially the sound characteristic of the heights really was very similar to the Beolab 3. Due to the missing acoustic lens the area where sound was perfect was limited to something around 60 degree (as espected).

    The black plastic attracted dust, but this is no problem because I wanted to go for the white version.

    The missing airplay is not such a big deal, because I can hook up an airport express - and who knows, maybe sometime in the future there will be an airplay adapter that fits on the dock connector - on engadget there was one anounced today that can be hooked up to a car stereo.

  • 11-27-2010 4:15 PM In reply to

    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    I to had a demo today, and(like everybody else) was very impressed with the performance. 

    I have a white on order and hope to receive it before christmas. I think B&O will have a real hit with this one. The pricing is REALLY good.

     

    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

     

  • 11-27-2010 9:35 PM In reply to

    Re: The BeoSound 8 - Live Review!!!

    I heard it today: it s simili AMZING. Ok there is not AirPlay... But c'mon... B&o it's simply the top for the speakers... And these are beautiful and with an amzing sounde

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