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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 01-02-2012 5:04 PM by vikinger. 123 replies.
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  • 11-29-2011 2:09 PM In reply to

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    OH MY GOSH MARK, YOU HAVE STYLE DUDE!!!

  • 11-29-2011 2:11 PM In reply to

    • moxxey
    • Top 25 Contributor
    • Joined on 04-14-2007
    • South West, UK
    • Posts 2,360
    • Bronze Member

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    Mark:

    According to my local B&O store (Ruislip) these things are flying out of the door!
    (And mine was the first one they ever had delivered!)

    I think they are a great product. 

    Nice photos Mark. I hope we can see more in-situ photos like this in future, rather than unboxing photos.

  • 11-29-2011 2:48 PM In reply to

    • EdouardG
    • Top 200 Contributor
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    • Joined on 04-21-2007
    • Toulouse, France
    • Posts 339
    • Gold Member

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    Mark:

     

    For what it is worth, I love my Beosound 8!

    I've had mine since November 2010 and it ALWAYS gets compliments for style and sound from everyone who comes into my house.

    Mine was bought specifically for my kitchen and it really makes a great focal point:

     

     

     

    According to my local B&O store (Ruislip) these things are flying out of the door!
    (And mine was the first one they ever had delivered!)

    I think they are a great product. 

     

    Ouch Mark, this is an awesome kitchen, very stylish!

    What is the cover color of your BS8? Is it a DIY or a custom order?

     

    E d o u a r d  G

     

    • Beovision 10-40 Orange MkII / Motorised stand / DVB HD T2/C MkIII
    • Beolab 5 Black
    • Beosound 8 Black
    • Beocom 2 MkII (Polished Alu)
    • Earset 2
    • Earset 3i
    • Form 2 Black
    • Beotime (Alarm Clock)
    • Keyring
    • Beo 6 / Wall charger
    • Beo 4  
     
          °°°°°°°  2nd Prize Draw Winner - November '11 / Beolab 3000 N.O.S  °°°°°°°
  • 11-29-2011 2:59 PM In reply to

    • Mark
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    • Iver Village, Nr Heathrow
    • Posts 11
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    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    Thanks people, it is really nice to receive compliments from people I know have style and taste! (Being a fellow B&O owner and all Big Smile)

     

    The fret colour is a standard B&O colour, I had asked for white (The unit is white) but my B&O shop got me the violet instead as B&O has an issue with the very first white frets during production. I'm still owed the white set but I really like the violet, it suits the kitchen very well.

    Beovision 7 55 with BluRay, Beolab 9's, Beosound 8, Penta 3's, Overture, Beocom 2, Beo 6 Remote

  • 11-29-2011 3:18 PM In reply to

    • moxxey
    • Top 25 Contributor
    • Joined on 04-14-2007
    • South West, UK
    • Posts 2,360
    • Bronze Member

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    Mark:

     I had asked for white (The unit is white) but my B&O shop got me the violet instead as B&O has an issue with the very first white frets during production. 

    Problem with the white frets, for me, is that they look "dirty" as you can easily see the grey plastic mesh underneath. Even the yellow ones I bought look a bit grubby. I swapped them for the red frets, which are fine.

  • 11-29-2011 5:54 PM In reply to

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    Ha Bonjour Edouard Ca vais?  I knew that you would love that kitchen!!!

     

    Moxxey, I really loved the yellow of your speaker grilles.  I once had a chill out room in a house many years ago (the room that my B&O Century was bought for) and I had the walls papered in that yellow. It had windows all around and there was no way that you could be nothing but blissfully happy in that room!!! I very much miss that house :)

  • 11-30-2011 1:58 AM In reply to

    • Abz
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    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    Paul Winn:

    OH MY GOSH MARK, YOU HAVE STYLE DUDE!!!

    I seond that Smile

  • 11-30-2011 3:48 AM In reply to

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    I've just had a BS8 on a free demonstration loan from B&O Liverpool (and with thanks to Nick for the free home delivery and home demonstration).!

    Result...... I bought it! Very impressed with the output. Just reconsidering whether the kitchen is going to be an ideal location for keeping those frets clean. Came with a free pair of A8 headphones...... Which are ideal for plugging into the iPad when it's not docked on the BS8.

    Any downside? Yes. Wife listening to music too much when the iPad could otherwise be in use as a computer!

    Graham

    I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure. [W C Fields]

  • 11-30-2011 4:56 AM In reply to

    • EdouardG
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    • Joined on 04-21-2007
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    • Posts 339
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    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    Paul Winn:

    Ha Bonjour Edouard Ca vais?  I knew that you would love that kitchen!!!

    Bonjour Paul,

    Je vais bien et toi?

    Yes, I do like this kitchen and so does my wife Big Smile

    Cheers my friend

     

    E d o u a r d  G

     

    • Beovision 10-40 Orange MkII / Motorised stand / DVB HD T2/C MkIII
    • Beolab 5 Black
    • Beosound 8 Black
    • Beocom 2 MkII (Polished Alu)
    • Earset 2
    • Earset 3i
    • Form 2 Black
    • Beotime (Alarm Clock)
    • Keyring
    • Beo 6 / Wall charger
    • Beo 4  
     
          °°°°°°°  2nd Prize Draw Winner - November '11 / Beolab 3000 N.O.S  °°°°°°°
  • 11-30-2011 8:56 AM In reply to

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    Hey Edouard,

    I'm excellent thank you, good to hear that you are too!

    More BS8 pictures please!

  • 11-30-2011 12:45 PM In reply to

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    I like your positive attitude Paul Smile

  • 11-30-2011 1:14 PM In reply to

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    Hehe thanks Flappo! ;)  ;)  ;)

  • 12-14-2011 1:35 AM In reply to

    • Abz
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    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    BeoSound 8 Review

    I bought iPod Touch 64 and BeoSound 8 a few weeks ago.  An audio system, in my view, no matter how expensive or otherwise, needs time to have the electronics (conductors, semi-conductors, capacitors, coils, etc.) burn-in and for the drivers to break-in mechanically.  Every time one uses an audio system, the sound changes after that system warms up.

    To understand my bias, I have to mention that I come from an audio league where CD players include vacuum valve tubes and amplifiers are hybrids with tube input statges with pure class A MOSFETS that dissipate a lot of energy as heat (apologies to nature and greens).  I also come from the black vinyl league when it comes to classical works. 

    It is impossible for me to transfer my analogue to digital, not due to lack know-how, but due to time constraints and impatience.  Remasted analogue recording are now avaialble, but will never sound like good analogue playback.  The following is the writing of an ordinary person who enjoys a good system but does not write reviews.  I have tested BS8 with 320mbps music ripped from CDs.  The test was limited to Classical (chamber, concert, sonatas, and opera), Jazz, Smooth Jazz and Jazz Fusion. 

    First audition

    This system is definitely not intended for large rooms or even for family and friends dinner unless it is the background music.  However, smartly enough, this little gadget, is equipped with dynamic drivers that provide high sound pressure levels to match its amplifier.   The result: clear lows and mids at low volume levels.  It bears reminiscence of sweet sounding 20w tube amps that were matcher with high SPL drivers characterised by large diaphragms / transducers.

    Fidelity / detail

    The BS8 provide detail across the whole range without being clinically disturbing.  It is definitely a system that you can listen to for an extended period of time without fatigue.  What really surprised me, it its ability to handle online radio broadcast for Classical and Smooth Jazz.  Vocals sound so accurate with it.  Try it with Liz Wright, Giorgia Funamti, Andrea Bocelli, Anne-Sophie von Otter, Placido Domingo, Randy Crawford, or Kelly Sweet, and it will give you a good surprise.  With chamber, and Jazz band, it showed weight and detail that I could not expect from such a small system.  In a word: Spectacular.  Somehow, it falls short of doing so with large orchestral works and with classical piano works.  Overall, BS8 is soft, and pleasantly mellow with good mid and low details that I did not expect from a small system.

    Soundstage

    In my view a good soundstage is the result of good detail and transparency.   These are the results of good design, good recording, and good placement of speakers.  B&O has overcome the issue of speaker placement using the adaptive switch (Free, Wall, Corner).  This switch did a very good in preventing lows from overwhelming the mids and the highs to retain detail and transparency.  One would say that two speakers so close would never give a soundstage. I agree, but you could feel the space around the instruments with regular musical works.

    Net Radio

    BS8 gave me a few pleasant surprises with radio streams of the genres I listen to.  I am a bit reserved so as not be seen promoting some stations where I should not.  But, it does very well with 128 and 196 online streams.

    Conclusion

    For small rooms, or casual fatigue-free listening with pleasant detail and transparency: this is the system.  For audiophiles: if you think you can use an iAnything for music listening, BS8 is worth the money asked.  May its designer rest in peace (David Lewis 1939-2011).

  • 12-14-2011 4:08 AM In reply to

    • moxxey
    • Top 25 Contributor
    • Joined on 04-14-2007
    • South West, UK
    • Posts 2,360
    • Bronze Member

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    Just ordered some orange frets to go with the orange fret on my forthcoming BV10-46 (red fret option, too). Loving the BS8. I even like those silver-grey frets.

    Good detail and transparency is a wise description of the BS8. It definitely exceeds expecations as a device and sound quality. I love it. Not sure if you guys are aware, but if you buy Airfoil, you can use it to wirelessly stream audio from your laptop to your iPhone/iPad connected to the BS8, which is ideal for protected audio (such as football commentary) you can't get via your iPad.

  • 12-14-2011 8:51 AM In reply to

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    "Overall, BS8 is soft, and pleasantly mellow with good mid and low details that I did not expect from a small system."

     

    This is what im finding with B&O. Great for warm sounding Radio 2 and Jazz/classical. But, I find it not suitable for playing my dance music tastes. My Century sounds totally lifeless with dance and RnB music which of course is my taste. Since B&O seem to be aimed at the older guys, i'm thinking that is deliberate. Great review Abz but hasn't really inspired me to buy one for listening to my music on. Although, I love it as part of an interior design piece!

    I'm in shopping in London Thursday, so i'm going to put a few B&O dealers through their paces...

  • 12-14-2011 9:45 AM In reply to

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    Abz,

    Welcome to BeoWorld !

    Nice, honest review on your first B&o product. I particularly like the following lines...

    Abz:
    The BS8 provide detail across the whole range without being clinically disturbing.  It is definitely a system that you can listen to for an extended period of time without fatigue.

    IMHO, that sums up the most important aspect of any Beo from an acoustic standpoint.

    Many of their best designs over the years could easily be substituted in place of "BS8" in your sentence. As you have noted this in your first few weeks with the BS8 and B&o ownership -tells me there is still a pulse in Struer.

    Thank you!

    • B&o bottle opener
  • 12-14-2011 6:17 PM In reply to

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    Paul Winn:

    "Overall, BS8 is soft, and pleasantly mellow with good mid and low details that I did not expect from a small system."

     

    This is what im finding with B&O. Great for warm sounding Radio 2 and Jazz/classical. But, I find it not suitable for playing my dance music tastes. My Century sounds totally lifeless with dance and RnB music which of course is my taste. Since B&O seem to be aimed at the older guys, i'm thinking that is deliberate. Great review Abz but hasn't really inspired me to buy one for listening to my music on. Although, I love it as part of an interior design piece!

    I'm in shopping in London Thursday, so i'm going to put a few B&O dealers through their paces...

     

    Paul, the problem you're going to have with the Beosound 8 is the same problem you have with your Century and same with the Beosound 1. The cheaper and smaller systems don't have the bass levels you need for dance/rap/hip hop etc. For heavy bass you need a subwoofer, and the three systems mentioned don't have this capability.

    Paul, if I were you I'd sell the Century and buy an Ouverture or similair. Get a secondhand pair of Beolab 4000s and a second hand Beolab 2 or 11. Then you'll only need an ipod cable and you'll have a monster system for low $$ More importantly, you'll be happy with B&O and the sounds it will give you.

    There's no point going back and forth about buying a cheaper B&O system, you'll just be disappointed.....

    My B&O: 2009 Catalogue and Pricelist

  • 12-15-2011 9:44 AM In reply to

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    TripEnglish:

    jc:
    Playing an iPod on the Beosound 8, soundwise you're dependend upon the quality of DAC in the iPod, or am I wrong? (apart from the codec ofcourse) 

    Actually yes. The BeoSound 8 is one of the few products that's taking the output from the digital pins and using our own DAC. It's one of the advantages of some higher end docks. 

     

    Hi everyone,

    Sorry to be a geek (or at least a stickler...) but the BeoSound 8 doesn't have a DAC. We use a PCM - to - PWM converter, so the signal is never really converted to analogue until the speaker drivers... (although if we're going to get really geeky, we can argue about the truth of that statement.)

    To be a little clearer... Once the signal is PCM digital(1) (either because it came in as a digital signal via the dock or the USB or after it was converted by the ADC(2)), it gets processed(3) and then sent to the Class-D amplifiers. Since Class-D amplifiers are basically a PWM-based (4) "digital" amplifier, we don't need to convert to analogue in between the PCM and the amps. Instead, we use a PCM-to-PWM converter and keep a "fully digital" signal path.

    So, you could say that the signal doesn't become analogue until the PWM signals out of the four amplifiers arrive at the tweeters and woofers. Then again, some people would argue that the signal is never converted to analogue, but that would be just silly... :-)

    Cheers

    -geoff

     

    Footnotes

    1) that stands for "Pulse Code Modulation" for the verbose...

    2) Analogue to digital converter

    3) filtering and volume, speaker protection.... those sorts of things...

    4) Pulse width Modulation

  • 12-15-2011 10:06 AM In reply to

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    geoff martin:
    To be a little clearer... Once the signal is PCM digital(1) (either because it came in as a digital signal via the dock or the USB or after it was converted by the ADC(2)), it gets processed(3) and then sent to the Class-D amplifiers. Since Class-D amplifiers are basically a PWM-based (4) "digital" amplifier, we don't need to convert to analogue in between the PCM and the amps. Instead, we use a PCM-to-PWM converter and keep a "fully digital" signal path.

    That's some very interesting stuff you won't see in the sales material! Thanks Geoff Smile

    -mika

  • 12-15-2011 4:17 PM In reply to

    • Abz
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    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    burantek:

    Abz,

    Welcome to BeoWorld !

    Nice, honest review on your first B&o product.

    Thank you for the warm welcome and the positive comments,

    Let me add one more thing (from the older guy to the younger ones, lol).  An audio system that adds to your music something that was not in the original recording is a bad system.  No only does one lose money on it, but also valuable time listening to it. 

    I am considering transfer of my LPs to some lossless digital format in preparation for the Encore in 2012.  I really like the idea of small footprint, portable, and distributed.

    Cheers Smile

  • 12-16-2011 5:40 PM In reply to

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    geoff martin:
    some people would argue that the signal is never converted to analogue, but that would be just silly... :-)

    seems from your description that it was not represented electrically in an analogue form ... I like it !

    we are almost back to where analogue sound waves hit the diaphragm that wriggled the needle and capture the sound it the wax Laughing

    I think you have described a process which is close to the define of "high fidelity" (truthfulness) as the digital signal is not "corrupted" / influenced along the way

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

  • 12-16-2011 11:50 PM In reply to

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    Moxxey, wtf is wrong with you?  There is nothing better than a good unboxing photo set.  Who wants to see a lovely kitchen, I much prefer cardboard boxes and polystyrene.

    From my perspective the BS8 is limited sonically.  I would go so far as to say the B&W Zepellin offers better sound performance.  More bang for buck.

    The following are not accurate, the inference that in expressing a different opinion one must apply.

    1. You work for B&W, Bose or Sony

    2. You used poor MP3s

    Speak as I find.

     

     

  • 12-17-2011 2:51 AM In reply to

    • Tim
    • Top 500 Contributor
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    • Joined on 01-07-2008
    • Germany
    • Posts 114
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    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    "From my perspective the BS8 is limited sonically.  I would go so far as to say the B&W Zepellin offers better sound performance.  More bang for buck."

    And the remote of the B&W Zeppelin is far superior to the one delivered with the BS8 too. Do not waste your time with the overpaid B&O stuff!

  • 12-17-2011 5:57 AM In reply to

    • Abz
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    • Joined on 11-28-2011
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    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    Paul Winn:
    This is what im finding with B&O. Great for warm sounding Radio 2 and Jazz/classical. But, I find it not suitable for playing my dance music tastes. My Century sounds totally lifeless with dance and RnB music which of course is my taste. Since B&O seem to be aimed at the older guys, i'm thinking that is deliberate. Great review Abz but hasn't really inspired me to buy one for listening to my music on. Although, I love it as part of an interior design piece!

    Hi Paul,

    Your comment is well received. I appreciate and respect your view.  A system for dance reflects a philosophy that is not ddetermined by age, or B&O, lol.   500+ hp engines go into Dodge Charger RT, Mercedes Benz sedans, and AWD Range Rovers; yet, the intentions and philosophies of utilising such power may vary by product, or may get combined into a single product (street racing, ultimate quietness, luxurious handling, off-road traction, extreme stability!!)   Be it a pickup truck or a luxury sedan, all I ask from the vehicle is an engaging ride that fits my taste, regardless of how expensive or reasonably-priced it may be.

    B&O, Mark Levinson, Primare, Musical Fidelity, Martin Logan, Apogee, Van den Hul, Audio Quest, Lynn, Duntech, Quad, Onkyo, Yamaha, B&W, Bose, etc. have got audio philosophies behind each of their products.  You and I make choices that fit our tastes, beliefs and philosophies. IMHO the philosophy of dance music at home is replicate live performances / party time.  Audio systems used for such performances are manufactured to capture the music and subdue the surrounding action.  Moreover, the mixing engineers, do accentuate certain instruments / voices to make up for the open air or large busy hall environment.  I believe the system for such music must reflect that environment to engage the listener and make them feel “there and then”.  

    Casually, I read audio reviews that claim a system as an all-rounder, meaning it works with Dance, Jazz, Rock, R&B. Classical, Vocal, etc. etc.  IMHO, it is extremely hard to design and implement.  Instruments and human voices, not only vary by frequency, but also in audio wave shapes and modulations, and how harmonically theose complex sound waves interact while being reproduced within the system and in the air (between the speaker and the human ear) where rooms and furniture add, subtract, eflect, or refract.  In my entire life, I have never heard a system / speaker / transducer that sounded truthful to a live piano playing in front of me, or at least next room.  However, I have listened to so many systems that were truthful enough to ENGAGE the listener and pull them into the music.  Happy seasons, and happy listening to all… Smile

    Cheers

     

  • 12-17-2011 6:33 AM In reply to

    Re: Beosound 8 quality

    sorry duplicate post

     

     

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