General Forum

Re: Beolab 1 vs. BL Penta

Peter — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:05:11 GMT

They are very accurate speakers - the top end is far superior to Pentas . They lack the warmth of the Pentas as the frequency response lacks the artificial bulge seen in both the Penta and indeed the 5000 which make these speakers less tiring to listen to. I think 1s are actually very much maligned and if they were not so tall, I would consider a pair! But I have always liked bass light speakers.

Speakers are very personal choices - if spending this sort of money on a loudspeaker, you owe it to yourself to listen to a pair before buying them.

Re: Beolab 1 vs. BL Penta

Foxtrott — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:00:46 GMT

Hi!

Beolab1 is (in the B&O portofolios logic) the sucessor of Beolab Penta.. but imho it is difficult to compare them as they very different in their caracteristics.

Beolab1 is a very analytic speaker with a precise but cold sound. For me, when listening to Beolab1 the middle frequencies are overrepresented compared to the bass and hights. To my ears Lab1 sounds hard and cold as surgical steel.
Beolab Penta has a more warm and full sound but lacks details and sounds a bit "muddy" in the middle frequencies.

At my delaer I often listenend to Lab1, but it was always kind of exhausting and after I while I had to stop... the detailed but hard and cold sound is not my taste. In the end it is down to the personal taste/listening preferencies... there is no better/worse. For me it is definitely Beolab Penta.

For the short story: I went to a B&O store in Vienna (not my dealer) to listen to Beolab1. I brought my own CD and after a while the dealer saw my sceptical face and asked how I liked them. I told him they sound good, but could not convince me to change from my current spaeakers. The dealer asked my which one I have and when I told him I have a pair of Pentas he paused, sighed shortly and said "I can understand you".

My two cents

cheers

Foxtrott

Re: Beolab 1 vs. BL Penta

joeyboygolf — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:49:46 GMT

Frank Rizzo:

So Graham...is it in bass, high end or where do you think the pentas out perform the BL 1's??
Peter...why do you think the BL 1's are better??
Just curious...

Beolab 1 has a very cold clinical overall sound. I would describe them as all ting, ting and very little boomp boomp. They are certainly not suitable for my choice of music.

Re: Beolab 1 vs. BL Penta

Frank Rizzo — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:37:38 GMT

So Graham...is it in bass, high end or where do you think the pentas out perform the BL 1's??

Peter...why do you think the BL 1's are better??

Just curious...

Re: Beolab 1 vs. BL Penta

joeyboygolf — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:33:17 GMT

They are similar height. That's where the similarity ends. Other than the Beolab 4, Beolab 1's are quite simply the least impressive speaker produced by B&O in the modern era..........and I don't care what Dave Moulton says!!!

Re: Beolab 1 vs. BL Penta

Peter — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:28:41 GMT

The Beolab1s are better but I would rather have Pentas. Pentas are not as precise, have a upper bass bulge and are not as powerful.

But they sound wonderful!

Beolab 1 vs. BL Penta

Frank Rizzo — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:18:57 GMT

I know this has been...discussed before...

What is the general opinion of a true comparison..??

Gracias...