Dear All:

I have been thinking what the Beosound 5 may be.  Taking into account what B&O is currently doing and the market place changes coming and ongoing, here it goes.

The BS5 is going to be media-server unit with the ability to rip cds & perhaps DVDs.  Seperate pieces are in place already, the BS 5 will allow for better integration and much improved user interface, and better software.  

Currently, music cds continue to sell; though with each passing year, the number of units drop.  The available internet bandwidth continues to increase with each passing year.  The future of music is digital.  I realized there will always be those who prefer to do analog thing and that is great.  The quality of music download will continue to improve with increasing bandwidth.  MusicGiant, and even iTunes are providing better quality downloads.  Other companies are doing tier downloads, charging for higher fidelity, surround 5.1, and extras via downloads.

Music libraries are expanding rapidly and managing them is getting tougher.  A music server with an elegant and well design software will allow for easy management of large music libraries.  Also, the software will allow for the user to make play-lists with very specific criteria and see relationships in their music library not other wise possible.  For example, if you like a particular bass player on piece of music and want to see where else that player appears with your library, you could make a play-list filtering for that bass player.  Many will find interesting relationships and discoveries within their libraries bring greater enjoyment.  

I believe Sooloos is doing something to this effect and there are other solutions.  

 

So what is in place already?  Beomedia one, BeoPlayer and System 3.  The latter parts and software will be improved and better integrated.  Hopefully, support the Mac OS will continue.  And there's the issue of the new Beo 5 which allows for multiple zones and full integration with current and older equiptment.  Not to mention, the ability to program the Beo5 will add much more customization.  Granted, the dealers are charging too much.  In time, however, user with programing knowledge will share their knowledge and allow for the rest of us to customized it.   

 

It may be possible that with a software update, Beo 5 may show thumb nails of the cds and be able to select the tracks or whole cds by just pressing on the thumb nail.

 

BeoSound 5 will move the B&O to where media home-management is heading.  The Beosound 5's interface will allow for navigating our media  with greater ease.  The DVD issue is harder to predict; the studio system is guarding its contents so much that the average user cannot make copies of legally purchase dvd movies. 

 

I am looking forward to greater integration and better music management.  My music library continues to grow and it would be nice to have greater control of it.     

All I know is that will be a "must have" gadget

....mr anders(son):

All I know is that will be a "must have" gadget

Apart from being very expensive, too. Didn't someone say it's estimated to cost around EUR 5000?

moxxey:

....mr anders(son):

All I know is that will be a "must have" gadget

Apart from being very expensive, too. Didn't someone say it's estimated to cost around EUR 5000?

 

Yeah aprox 4800 EUR 

....mr anders(son):

Yeah aprox 4800 EUR 

You see, that's the B&O problem. Look at my post about their average customer userbase in the other thread. Most average B&O customers want ease-of-use, quality, support, installation and no issues. The BeoSound 5 sounds like it's aimed at the <35 age group. The same age group that generally avoid (and can't afford) B&O. My brother is a classic example. Yet the BeoSound 5 is going for a EUR 4800 price point, for a digital media controller.

Seriously, how much better would it be than the Apple TV....which hasn't been as popular as Apple expected? If you can connect an Apple TV to your B&O, store audio, video and so on, why would someone want to spend nearly £5K EUR on the same thing, apart from having it's own screen and interface?

moxxey:

....mr anders(son):

Yeah aprox 4800 EUR 

You see, that's the B&O problem. Look at my post about their average customer userbase in the other thread. Most average B&O customers want ease-of-use, quality, support, installation and no issues. The BeoSound 5 sounds like it's aimed at the <35 age group. The same age group that generally avoid (and can't afford) B&O. My brother is a classic example. Yet the BeoSound 5 is going for a EUR 4800 price point, for a digital media controller.

Seriously, how much better would it be than the Apple TV....which hasn't been as popular as Apple expected? If you can connect an Apple TV to your B&O, store audio, video and so on, why would someone want to spend nearly £5K EUR on the same thing, apart from having it's own screen and interface?

 

wait and see when it arrive, then you understand

.... mr ander(son),

Do you know something we don't?  

beocool:

.... mr ander(son),

Do you know something we don't?  

Particularly when it's going to be available. In the Times interview, the CEO indicates within the next 12 months. I thought it be much sooner.

beocool:

.... mr ander(son),

Do you know something we don't?  

I know nothing 

I like your new car Anders!

Andy T.

My main concern with BeoSound 5 is the price: if it is only a digital audio product with a nice display, then it does less than BeoMedia for more money! And I already found BeoMedia did almost nothing...

And the fact it doesn't have a DVD/CD drive is a nonsense to me, it means you'll still need a PC to edit the albums, or that -like for Beo5- your CDs will be stored at your dealer's premises when you buy the product (raising the same questions as when Beo5 came out: are you going to visit your dealer whenever you get a new CD to rip?? and are the dealers going to accept that? and what if you don't have any dealers around??).

The concept of digital music players is making their way from the PC to the rooms of the audiophile's....

Look here http://www.taelektroakustik.de/eng/ta2/e_system/music_player.htm The first reviews were very promissing, this compny is known for their build and audio quality at highest standards. (MSRP 2000 Euro)

I don't know any details about the new BS5, but the Linn system http://www.linn.co.uk/klimax_ds could be a benchmark (not for the design of course :-)) ) Not sure concerning the price, but  friends told me very expensive....

An other intersting music system is the kaleidescape video and audio server. They store the music uncompressed for highest quality and offer a fantastic way to selct the music if you have a Crestron or AMX touch screen remote control.

So I am very keen to understand what B&O's take is on that! 

Cheers

Karsten 

What if Beo5 could be configured via BS5?

For 5000 euros, the Beosound 5 had better be a really compelling device.  As I have mentioned in previous postings, I have a Beomedia 1 and am somewhat disappointed with it.  I like the internet radio function, but find the N.music part of it is less appealing mostly because it does not work with iTunes too well.

This is a product B&O should officially announce as being in development.  They don't have to show what it looks like but they should discuss features and functionality.  In this way, they can test the market word wide and find out what people really want or if it will work like we think it should.  This product is just too mysterious for me.

I currently have a lot of digital music in Apple lossless format.  I play all my digital music on iTunes to a network attached Airport Express which in turn is connected to a high quality Dac.  The Dac is connected to the Aux port on my Beocenter 2.  I remotely control iTunes with Remote Buddy on an iPhone.  The sound is terrific and much better than a CD player alone.  I expect that I will be ultimately be able to control iTunes with the Beo 5.  This would give me a total Bang & Olufsen solution for a lot less that 5000 euros.  I don't think I am the only one doing something like this.

Linder, you are correct, you are not the only one. The beo5 took 5 years of B&O development time and it is now dead in the water already with many B&O users prefering to use the iTouch / iPhone instead as a remote control. So the BeoSound 5 had better be somthing very special for that price. The trouble is that as digital tech gets cheeper every year (look at the price of PCs etc...) and we the user don't demand the machanical magic anymore, B&O are leading up a dead end road with nowhere to go.

nlb:

The trouble is that as digital tech gets cheeper every year (look at the price of PCs etc...) and we the user don't demand the machanical magic anymore, B&O are leading up a dead end road with nowhere to go.

Have to say that this is something I agree with.. worrying times ahead and possibly a case of dejavu 80s all over again if B&O do not play this one right.. 

....mr anders(son):

beocool:

.... mr ander(son),

Do you know something we don't?  

I know nothing 

when is it expected to be launched???

C'mon Anderson, we know you know...  

I'm stunned by the negative attitude of many of the posters on this web site about this new product. Or am I?? Everytime B&O embark on a new concept, you lot jump on here and start bagging the idea before any of you know anything about it.

And, please enough about how much B&O costs. We know that B&O is expensive... Pay up or shut up. Sorry for the rant but it's getting boring talking about the price.

Less than a handful of the posters on this site have even seen BeoSound 5 and it seems that those that have seen it seem pretty enthusiatic about it.

Anders who claims to have seen it and i'm sure none of us have any reason to doubt that, has stated it will be a must have gadget, and that when it arrives will we understand. This all sounds very promising and exciting.

Rant over

jazz 

 

The thing is, I don't think they are betting their ranch with the BS5. Is probably a very nice addition to an existing setup. Even though most will blink about the price. If you look at the design & product offerings (forget the single HDMI for a moment) I think they have a very interesting and well rounded portfolio. I have an Imac where a BC6 should be as it is not available here and let me tell you it is by far not the same and the design "wears" off quickly which doesn't tend to happen with B&O.

If it is like a good 2 way remote, high end materials like see through aluminium, less then 5K and to be loaded from  a mac I might go for that. All I expect is a good 2 way remote, no cd drive, no video and I think they will deliver that. I will cry about the money but for me it might be one of the things in range. 

 

Cheers

JK 

i really think bno should stop trying to compete technologically as they're completely out of their depth

make the best tv's . speakers and hi fi they can and leave the tech stuff to people like apple who specialise in that kind of thing

they can never beat them , so why even bother ?

 

B&O should not make the same mistake as BMW did with their "I-drive" system; technology for the sake of technology, without connection to the actual customers, middle aged and wealthy, who want something "hands-on" and easy to use. A beosound 5 without a CD player? A lot of people buy CD's and will continue to do so, downloading music won't completely replace the audio CD, as digital photography did with the chemical film, because the CD is already a digital format, and you don't have to start your PC to hear music.

jazz:

I'm stunned by the negative attitude of many of the posters on this web site about this new product. Or am I??

We are not being negative. We're just a little worried about direction, pricing and who they are trying to target. You'll (or I have) notice there seem to be an increase in negativity lately, for a good reason. We're all big B&O fans. I love a lot of stuff they do - style of my BV7, my BV7 in HD (absolutely stunning HD picture), the BL3's I own, BS4 and so on. However, I'm not overly happy with some of the more recent technology and a little more concerned about some of the future planned/speculated technology.

It then becomes hard to be positive as I want B&O to go on to big and better things. That's what we all want. We all want the best B&O kit available. However, we're becoming negative as we fear that this might not be how things are moving forward. Nothing more!

moxxey:

jazz:

I'm stunned by the negative attitude of many of the posters on this web site about this new product. Or am I??

We are not being negative. We're just a little worried about direction, pricing and who they are trying to target. You'll (or I have) notice there seem to be an increase in negativity lately, for a good reason. We're all big B&O fans. I love a lot of stuff they do - style of my BV7, my BV7 in HD (absolutely stunning HD picture), the BL3's I own, BS4 and so on. However, I'm not overly happy with some of the more recent technology and a little more concerned about some of the future planned/speculated technology.

It then becomes hard to be positive as I want B&O to go on to big and better things. That's what we all want. We all want the best B&O kit available. However, we're becoming negative as we fear that this might not be how things are moving forward. Nothing more!

If you follow Porsche forums, you should read the comments concerning the coming Panamera four-door Porsche. People who love a brand have strong opinions about it. 

bno desperately need to return to their core values , forget all this hi-tech twaddle

most people who buy their stuff ( outside this forum ) don't have an idea how to work a mac / pc and the last thing they want / need is a media centre - that will just complicate stuff

make it look fancy , fair enough , but keep the operation ultra simple and don't over complicate things

they always seemed to be like that , up until a few years ago .. 

Flappo The Grate:

most people who buy their stuff ( outside this forum ) don't have an idea how to work a mac / pc and the last thing they want / need is a media centre - that will just complicate stuff

Correct. My Mum is coming in to some money soon after selling the family house and was thinking of some new stuff for her (smaller) new place. She asked me about B&O kit as she remembers it to be well-made and easy-to-use. I then realised that the Beo5 isn't exactly suited to my 60-year-old mother and even the Beo4 has become complicated.

For instance, why on earth can't I allocate my Sky box to DTV (now the BV7 has the built-in DVB-T) and why can't I allocate the HDMI-connected Playstation 3 to something like the 'CD' button or 'V.MEM' Why does it have to be through list+go? I then realised that modern B&O equipment isn't as easy to understand than it used to be and is going to become even more complicated.