We have just seen the last of the Beosound 1s leave the factory. The last few are being sent to the dealers. Catch them whilst you can. The 3200 is also now stopping production. The problem has been the discontinuation of the CD mechanism and the anticipated cost of re-engineering these models.

Mh, I am sorry to hear that specially regarding the 3200. But I hope the design will be implemented into new products. 

Sad, I really loved the design (although in this digital age rapidly outdated). Owned for many, many years a Beocenter 2300 which you could see like a predecessor design wise. Really loved it.

It's a new dawn, a new day, a new life...

I am sad to see the Beosound 1 go as it is the best design for a lifestyle system I have ever seen. They should has just added ML connections and it would have been good for another 10 years.

Time to start collecting grills!

Where is everything going?!

First the beovision 9...

the beo 5

beosound 2, 3, 6 and soon the 9000 right?

What have I forgotten?

Beocenter 6?

Hopefully they have something new for use. I would like to see a new Beolab that isn't an acoustic lens.

Also I think the changes that I hope are coming are over due. I have very little interest in any of the Beosound range so I hope they have something new that plays CDs (chances? low).

Evan:

Where is everything going?!

"Hello Sir, you can buy any TV.....as long as you like the BV10" seems to be the way forward!

Haha,

Trip you have the point.

I believe they are preparing to move more of the production out of Struer... Only the top-end B&O is going to be made in Struer, all others in their factories in Eastern Europe and China... Soon, the Beocenter 2, Beosound 4 and Beosound 9000 perishes from the catalogue...

Well,

I have the Beosound 1 and although I would miss it not being sold more, I can't say I blame B & O for discontinuing them. The new generations, i.e. the kids borne late 80's and 90's don't really use CDs; in fact I know young people who hardly KNOW that you can buy CDs! They just download it.

The grills is a good idea though. I would like a black one and a white one. :-)

Milton78:

The grills is a good idea though. I would like a black one and a white one. :-)

I have a black and sunburnt yellow. I will be looking for a silver, purple, blue and red. I don't use mine enough but I am planning to buy a Beotime soon to help me use it more.

TripEnglish:

It's a new dawn, a new day, a new life...

Exactly, as much as I love these products, and I do, the future is digital.

Milton78:

I have the Beosound 1 and although I would miss it not being sold more, I can't say I blame B & O for discontinuing them. The new generations, i.e. the kids borne late 80's and 90's don't really use CDs; in fact I know young people who hardly KNOW that you can buy CDs! They just download it.

Interestingly, my 23 yr old daughter last week bought  turntable from a friend because apparently vinyl is becoming cool again; my 20 yr old daughter was jealous for the turntable. If B&O had turntables, I'd bet they would be selling, since they were  so cool and different!

While computer manipulation and transport of music is very convenient, I think there is still a place for a physical token carrying the music both from an ownership point of view, and just the physical act. With laptops dropping CD mechanisms, one thing that would be neat to see is to put your CD in a BS9000, go to your iTunes and pull it in directly. Only software updates are needed to make things like this happen.

One problem with downloaded music and iPods is that music becomes a continuous stream of half-listened-to noise. LPs and CDs more closely match the program length of real concerts. I don't think you can intently listen to music for hours on end. Musak started a trend and Apple is turbocharging it. Yes, it's a new day, but is it really better?

I think that your point of view is largely a function of your age and the habits you developed as a result. I listen to vastly more music and of a much greater variety thanks to the iPod and other digital innovations like Pandora. My BeoSound 5 has rekindled my home listening as well, which had dwindled to just about zero except for a few radio programs on the weekends. Despite having a BeoSound 9000 and a BeoSound 3200 connected and installed and a few other current systems sitting around or in storage, I haven't even swapped discs out of them since I moved in and set up. Not even Christmas music which had been a tradition up until this year. 

TripEnglish:

My BeoSound 5 has rekindled my home listening as well, which had dwindled to just about zero except for a few radio programs on the weekends. Despite having a BeoSound 9000...connected and installed and a few other current systems sitting around or in storage, I haven't even swapped discs out of them since I moved in and set up.

Well, just remember, if you ever want your BS9000 to go to a nice, loving home, where it will be used daily for the rest of my life, I've got the perfect spot for it... One of these days, I'll be able to get one...

Yeah, it's sad to see such timeless, beautiful pieces go, but it was inevitable as things change.

Jon

spthomas:

With laptops dropping CD mechanisms, one thing that would be neat to see is to put your CD in a BS9000, go to your iTunes and pull it in directly. Only software updates are needed to make things like this happen.

Excellent idea, but not possible technically with just software updates. Data drives read the disc in a much different way than audio drives. The "computer" (very limited in that) in BS9000 has no access to the data coming off the disc, it is streamed directly in hardware to the DAC and SPDIF outputs.

So it would need a major internal redesign - and still for many people, it would only be a clumsy and expensive substitute for a 20 € USB DVD drive.

spthomas:

Interestingly, my 23 yr old daughter last week bought  turntable from a friend because apparently vinyl is becoming cool again; my 20 yr old daughter was jealous for the turntable. If B&O had turntables, I'd bet they would be selling, since they were  so cool and different!

Food for thought. As much as I believe digital is the way forward, I can't imagine selling my Beograms.

spthomas:

Yes, it's a new day, but is it really better?

I believe "old" technology is usually better when the "new" technology is introduced. For instance the picture quality of an Avant was much better than the early LCD's. After some time the "new" will hopefully improve and get better than the "old". I'm confident that the same is true for the reproduction of music. That doesn't solve the issue of physically handling the music, which I quite like myself. But the benefit of having all your music directly accessible is worth a great deal too. At least IMHO.

I have cuttently an ipod, 2 CD players, 3 laptops and 4 Beogram newly restorated tangentials (two 4002 and two 8002) and 4 Beocords, Two of them being a 9000. I own about 550 vinyl LP's, 50 CD's and 200 cassette tapes. I am 17 years old. I think it's a shame that B&O ditches those products as they were Danish made, and it is a sign that the FM radio and CD media is going to suffer a quiet death in the next decade or so...

The end of days for the 9000s is upon us and I am sure the dealers will only be delighted to get rid of their demo white models to any one who can remember what a cd is . You will be doing them a favour. I am going to get rid of my beosound 4 (which i never liked) and get another 9000 for my place in France.

Jon:

One of these days, I'll be able to get one..

valve1:

The end of days for the 9000s is upon us and I am sure the dealers will only be delighted to get rid of their demo white models to any one who can remember what a cd is . You will be doing them a favour. I am going to get rid of my beosound 4 (which i never liked) and get another 9000 for my place in France.

Jon:

One of these days, I'll be able to get one..

Yeah, I'm sure. My current circumstances preclude any such purchase, however. It's going to be awhile before I ever get to buy any more B&O.

Jon

TripEnglish:

It's a new dawn, a new day, a new life...

Sophie B. Hawkins, Feelin' Good

Surely Nina Simone! Or if Trip has been watching the Virgin ad, Muse!

Out with the old in with the new (lets hope)

The compact disc is dying, yes it's really happening

SecretSheep:

Catch them whilst you can. The 3200 is also now stopping production. The problem has been the discontinuation of the CD mechanism and the anticipated cost of re-engineering these models.

Sorry if i reup this thread;

but since for me the Beosound Ouverture/2500/3000/3200 (basically they are the same thing; design-wise the 25000/Ouverture is for me the most beautiful 'cause with the acassette player the design is way more coherent) is simply the most beautiful integrated Hi-Fi EVER; would like to know these 2 arguments in details, if i  can.

CD mechanism is being discontinuing by Philips? All right, audio CD is dying , but a lot of other producers (Micromega, Marantz, NAD are the first that came into my mind) are still producing High End CD players ....where they take the lasers mechanism ?

And how about the re-engineerign of the 3200 (and why?) . Thanks for any clarification.