This was posted today on the BusinessWeek online site.  It may answer some questions or at least start a lively discussion.  I didn't know my Beosound 2 was a dud.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_45/b4057057.htm?chan=search 

This article reminded me why I love B&O. I was in a hifi store in Cheltenham yesterday, when the salesman made a passing remark about B&O, saying he thought the design was fantastic, but the performance was 'akin to a roberts radio', which I knew of course to be incorrect. However it did put doubts in my mind, I know you can get better performance for the same price, but that's not what it's all about.

No other company reaches the same level of detail as B&O. The most important bit, which is the bit on the outside, is often forgotten about because of the focus that goes into what's on the inside.

I guess this device we've heard rumours about more and more over the past few months is what they talk about at the end of the article.

On the topic of keeping up with the technology - I agree, as long as they don't just keep up with technology for the sake of being able to say 'we use xxxx algorithms', when it doesn't make any difference other than another 'feature' you can add to the website.

Very interestng article, thanks for the link.

Craig

Excelent (and ultra up to date!!!) article on Bang & Olufsen in the latest Business Week edition!

http://businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_45/b4057057.htm?chan=innovation_innovation+%2B+design_top+stories

 Spoiler... "Project A18" :-) :-) :-)

 Karel

So why does David Lewis get credited as the designer of the Serene when this article say's Torsen Valeur designed it?

A great read thanks. Not sure I like the fact they are trying to make a martyr out of David Lewis (as I see it.) Yes, his design accomplishments over the years have been fantastic and his contribution to the success of B&O is significant but it can go to your head, which I don't like or support. Look at what happened with George Lucas and Star Wars. 

David is but one man in a long and carefully thought out process involving hundreds of other very talented people who bring life to his designs, namely the extremely clever engineers and other staff. The BeoSound 9000 2 year battle to perfect being the prime example of this. From a design perspective, there are plenty of budding designers out there all wanting to build on or better his work, but when their is a monopoly of one person controlling everything, how can they even begin to make their mark? Jenson had an incredible influence, lets not forget that. 

Credit where credit is due, but I am also looking forward to the 'new breed' of B&O designers, engineers and other employees because B&O is what it is with every person at every level within the company and that should never be underestimated or overlooked. I can imagine that working for Bang and Olufsen is a pleasure, not a routine. Wonderful.

Simon.

Fantastic article; expresses very well why alot of people love B&O and at the same time have concerns if B&O can make it in this digital age.

The idea behind the design process is very interesting. I am managing a project from product design up to industrialization and this involves alot of balancing between design and technical possibilities/costs. B&O is very clear in this; the balance is owned by the designer!

Bieele 

It's sad to read that David Lewis is not designing more ahead of their time icons such as the BS9000.

Ah the Beosound 2 is such a dud. I'm looking forward to the Serenata to replace it.

I really hope B&O can resolve these problems with design in the new world of technology, and get back up to what they have done a lot of in the past - creating uncanny originality and beauty.

David:

I really hope B&O can resolve these problems with design in the new world of technology, and get back up to what they have done a lot of in the past - creating uncanny originality and beauty.

It's become a lot tougher. Previously, you would have to engineer analog solutions to audio/video challenges. Creating a good, broadcast quality camera, or a mixing console for recording music, was a serious engineering task and it required significant resources in know-how, engineering skills and manufacture.
Once you had your product up it was very difficult to copy by anyone not possessing similar skills and proprietary knowledge.

This meant that the manufacturer enjoyed a period in which they could dominate the market with the excellence of their product. And it meant that the users of the product could enjoy a similar dominance, either as suppliers of a service to customers, or as lovers of high quality audio who wanted the best in their homes.

Today, a lot of functions have "disappeared" into often "off the shelf" solid-state printed cards and circuits and chips, you need a  software package and you're off and running. Instead of a studio filled with a large mixing console, you have two screens with a virtual mixer. You can upgrade easily, with new software and updates -- and being at the edge of the technology requires a completely different skill set.

For Apple, which came from creating computers, making the transition to digital audio and video was a matter of course, having the company  actually lead the transition.

To B&O, coming from an analog approach to the task, relinquishing all that had been achieved in that area was clearly tough going. Little doubt that this is precisely what's required, though. I'd love to have an all-in-one B&O solution that provided me with the best possible digital interaction with my a/v hardware. Until that's available, I'm going to be creating hybrids of B&O, Apple and other equipment -- and I'm willing to sacrifice some ease of use in order to have the best possible performance.

Still, I do hope B&O gets it all together in a neat package. Yesterday I hooked up my Beosystem 6500 with my BeoVision 8, through MasterLink. There's a whole jumble of cables running out of the BeoVision (PC, HDMI, SCART, Powerlink, MasterLink, etc) - but it's all controlled with ease with one Beo4 and one iPod Touch. Nicely illustrating B&O's challenge: I can't move what the Touch does into the Beo4, which means I'm now trying to move what the Beo4 can do into the Touch. I hope B&O beats me to it!
 

soundproof:

David:

I really hope B&O can resolve these problems with design in the new world of technology, and get back up to what they have done a lot of in the past - creating uncanny originality and beauty.

It's become a lot tougher. Previously, you would have to engineer analog solutions to audio/video challenges. Creating a good, broadcast quality camera, or a mixing console for recording music, was a serious engineering task and it required significant resources in know-how, engineering skills and manufacture.
Once you had your product up it was very difficult to copy by anyone not possessing similar skills and proprietary knowledge.

This meant that the manufacturer enjoyed a period in which they could dominate the market with the excellence of their product. And it meant that the users of the product could enjoy a similar dominance, either as suppliers of a service to customers, or as lovers of high quality audio who wanted the best in their homes.

Today, a lot of functions have "disappeared" into often "off the shelf" solid-state printed cards and circuits and chips, you need a  software package and you're off and running. Instead of a studio filled with a large mixing console, you have two screens with a virtual mixer. You can upgrade easily, with new software and updates -- and being at the edge of the technology requires a completely different skill set.

For Apple, which came from creating computers, making the transition to digital audio and video was a matter of course, having the company  actually lead the transition.

To B&O, coming from an analog approach to the task, relinquishing all that had been achieved in that area was clearly tough going. Little doubt that this is precisely what's required, though. I'd love to have an all-in-one B&O solution that provided me with the best possible digital interaction with my a/v hardware. Until that's available, I'm going to be creating hybrids of B&O, Apple and other equipment -- and I'm willing to sacrifice some ease of use in order to have the best possible performance.

Still, I do hope B&O gets it all together in a neat package. Yesterday I hooked up my Beosystem 6500 with my BeoVision 8, through MasterLink. There's a whole jumble of cables running out of the BeoVision (PC, HDMI, SCART, Powerlink, MasterLink, etc) - but it's all controlled with ease with one Beo4 and one iPod Touch. Nicely illustrating B&O's challenge: I can't move what the Touch does into the Beo4, which means I'm now trying to move what the Beo4 can do into the Touch. I hope B&O beats me to it!
 

Nice response their soundproof and a lot of interesting points and comparisons.

As this topic has already been posted (twice), i have merged it with the other topic(s)

It's nearly three years since this Designers Rule article was published about B&O.

Anyone think B&O are moving in the right direction (bearing in mind that this article was published just before the credit crunch took hold!)

Graham

From a dealer's standpoint: Yes, but not fast enough. 

To qualify that a little bit: I'm aware that our relatively small size prevents us from doing anything as fast as a major firm like LG would, but the fact that we build every part of the eco-system means that it's even more crucial that we stay current. Using a newer more versatile cabling structure is great, but if I'm still plugging it into a passive kit with the same capabilities as it had over a decade ago, we haven't moved far enough ahead. 

I expect that in 2 years I'll look back and be satisfied with where we we've ended up, but knowing what's around the corner and still having to work within some of the current limitations can be frustrating at times. 

Can anyone else with 'Inside' knowledge of working with B&O add to Trip's views?

I have to say from working in a totally different engineering industry, good design gives a good lead, making everyone involved in a project pull in the right direction towards a satisfactory outcome. However, project management led projects often result in poor engineering via committee type decisions. I hope B&O can avoid that happening!

Graham