General Forum

Re: Why B&O is almost constantly neglected in Hi-Fi magazines???

epicurus — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 14:15:01 GMT

Most of the reasons why B&O doesn't feature that much in Hi-Fi magazines have already been covered. It has been mentioned that B&O chose to address a more "lifestyle-oriented" audience (by advertising in architecture and home decoration magazines). It has been mentioned that B&O's interconnects are proprietary, which can put off a potential punter who might want to put together a system of separate units.

Then, one would have to consider the fact that B&O doesn't cater to two of the best-sounding formats: SACD and vinyl. They've abandoned vinyl long ago and it doesn't look like they're going to bother with SACD anytime soon.

The specifications of B&O's tape decks were not exactly stellar, either: manufacturers like Nakamichi and Aiwa were using three motors and three heads for each cassette drive system, while Aiwa, Arcam and Kenwood even implemented Dolby S.

Such technologies do matter to the audiophile and B&O preferred to not bother with them. Also, one will have to add another detrimental factor: the unavailability of the equipment. I can go to a store and listen to equipment from manufacturers like Marantz, Dynaudio, B&W, Pro-Ject, Rega, Thorens, Electrocompaniet, Martin Logan, even positively obscure esoteric single-ended valve amplifiers. But can I do the same with B&O? I can't. Last time I checked (two years ago), the Greek dealership (as I happen to live in Greece) is located somewhere outside of Athens (therefore it is not readily reachable even to people living in Athens), I needed to arrange an appointment beforehand and, of course, B&O's products are not on display or on sale anywhere else in the country. How is a potential buyer going to decide whether s/he wants to buy a B&O product? If I can't get to listen to the product, if I can't get to listen to it in a system similar to mine and, what's more, if the dealership makes me jump through hoops to arrange a listening session and - more importantly - to have it serviced should something go wrong, how would that make the product attractive to me?

EDIT: I thought of yet another reason, but don't remember if it's already been mentioned: B&O no longer makes component systems and stand-alone sources and amplifiers. This makes it hard for reviewers to take an isolated B&O product and test it in their "reference" system.

Re: Why B&O is almost constantly neglected in Hi-Fi magazines???

j0hnbarker — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:04:10 GMT

Michael Caine didn't regularly make a fool of himself at award presentations though, unlike Kanye West! Caine is cooler than Bond in the Ipcress File, but I'm not sure West is in the same league. The only people who want to be like him are those people who posted those unintelligable remarks in the comments section on his site. Fair play if that's the type of customer B&O want, but bearing in mind I often get a snotty reception in B&O dealerships for being young and wearing jeans, I'm not sure if B&O themselves would agree with you!

Re: Why B&O is almost constantly neglected in Hi-Fi magazines???

soundproof — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:48:53 GMT

Oh, there are lots of worse ambassadors for the brand - the stuck up hoi polloi being among the very worst, as they chase away the new recruits that B&O depends upon.

Modern brands need to be dynamic and agnostic when it comes to the reasons why people purchase them.

Today's Kanye West is yesteryear's Michael Caine. Same story - Caine had just gotten paid for his first movie success, and wanted to buy a Rolls Royce. He was chased out of the showroom - they didn't sell to cockney's and didn't think he had the money. So he went to another dealer, who has been supplying him with a steady stream of high-end cars ever since.

Just for the record - I think you're very wrong when it comes to Kanye West and B&O. He's recruited a lot of new customers for the brand.

Here's how Michael Caine bought his first of many Rolls Royces:

One of my favorite stories in your autobiography about the class system in England is what happened when you went to buy your first Rolls-Royce.
It was a bit naughty on my part, actually, because I went very scruffy on a Saturday morning. I had a piece of paper, like a shopping list, and I brought the paper out in front of the guy (at the Rolls dealership) and it said “Razor blades, toothpaste, Rolls-Royce, eggs…” (laughs) And I said ‘Oh yeah, Rolls-Royce. How much is that one?” He said “How many do you want?” (laughs) I said ‘I only want one. Are you usually this rude to people who come to buy Rolls-Royces?’ He said “Get out!” So I said ‘I’ll tell you what, I’m going to call you next week, and I’m going to drive by here in a Rolls-Royce I’ve bought somewhere else and I’m going to give you a wave, okay?’ He said “Get out!” (laughs) And that’s what I did. I drove by and I gave him a very particular wave. When Americans do it, they only raise one finger, the middle one. When the English do it, they use two fingers, with the top of the hand facing out. It’s not a victory sign or a peace sign, which is the opposite way. What that is, is the two fingers go back to the battle of Agincourt when the British secret weapon, the atomic weapon which won that war, was the British archers. And when the French used to take them prisoner, they would cut off the first two fingers, so they couldn’t use their bows any longer. So before the battle of Agincourt started, all the archers held up their two fingers, to show they were ready. That’s where that came from, and that’s what I used on the guy with the Rolls-Royce, although I didn’t fire an arrow at him! (laughs)

A modern brand that is uncomfortable with attitude has nowhere to go.

Re: Why B&O is almost constantly neglected in Hi-Fi magazines???

mediabobny — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 02:46:59 GMT

"He's a serious ambassador for the brand ... and owns oodles now."

I can't think of a worse brand ambassador. And that's taking into account the current problems of a Mr. Tiger Woods.

Re: Why B&O is almost constantly neglected in Hi-Fi magazines???

j0hnbarker — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:54:17 GMT

Does he have 5 Beolits? If not, he's small-time ;)

Re: Why B&O is almost constantly neglected in Hi-Fi magazines???

soundproof — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:40:02 GMT

j0hnbarker:

soundproof:

This guy's doing a lot for B&O:

http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/?em3106=193817_-1__0_~0_-1_5_2008_0_0&em3161=&em3281=

dats a baaad assss link there soundproof.

Is there a translation tool for the comments section perchance?

When Kanye West got his first payment for his first major recording contract, he marched straight to a B&O store and bought a BeoVision 4, the best speakers and lots of other equipment. He's a serious ambassador for the brand ... and owns oodles now.

He has lots of blog-entries about B&O on his site.

Re: Why B&O is almost constantly neglected in Hi-Fi magazines???

Puncher — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:58:50 GMT

mediabobny:

aware of english to jive, but not the reverse..

A B&O fuelled "pimped ride" next .................... perhaps!

Re: Why B&O is almost constantly neglected in Hi-Fi magazines???

mediabobny — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:50:34 GMT

aware of english to jive, but not the reverse..

Re: Why B&O is almost constantly neglected in Hi-Fi magazines???

j0hnbarker — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:18:28 GMT

soundproof:

This guy's doing a lot for B&O:

http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/?em3106=193817_-1__0_~0_-1_5_2008_0_0&em3161=&em3281=

dats a baaad assss link there soundproof.

Is there a translation tool for the comments section perchance?

Re: Why B&O is almost constantly neglected in Hi-Fi magazines???

j0hnbarker — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:15:21 GMT

Beobuddy:

Peter :

JC is a big B&O fan, so he can't be all bad!

A fan of JC for years, but I didn't know this. Did he mentioned this somewhere? For foreigners outside the UK probably not common knowledge.

But still I was surprised by his remarks and I think It can affect the commom thoughts about B&O.

If you watched the whole segment you will have seen the performing seal that is Richard Hammond tease Clarkson about how he would buy anything with a B&O badge on it. I think the Philips comment was an ironic remark made by Clarkson given his taste for the brand! It was all done in a tounge-in-cheek English kind of way though, so might have been lost in translation I guess.

Re: Why B&O is almost constantly neglected in Hi-Fi magazines???

soundproof — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:09:59 GMT

This guy's doing a lot for B&O:

http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/?em3106=193817_-1__0_~0_-1_5_2008_0_0&em3161=&em3281=

Re: Why B&O is almost constantly neglected in Hi-Fi magazines???

Beobuddy — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:52:00 GMT

Peter :

JC is a big B&O fan, so he can't be all bad!

A fan of JC for years, but I didn't know this. Did he mentioned this somewhere? For foreigners outside the UK probably not common knowledge.

But still I was surprised by his remarks and I think It can affect the commom thoughts about B&O.

Re: Why B&O is almost constantly neglected in Hi-Fi magazines???

Peter — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:27:35 GMT

Also inaccurate as very little is Philips these days! Still, JC is a big B&O fan, so he can't be all bad!

Re: Why B&O is almost constantly neglected in Hi-Fi magazines???

Beobuddy — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:13:45 GMT

Last week B&O was mentioned on Topgear.

Jeremy Clarkson was mentioning about the option of B&O as a sound system for Audi.

He made it sound like a gimmick about the raising speakers on the dashboard and wondered about the interior of the equipment.

"It just B&O on the outside and Philips inside, isn't it?"

So, that helps a lot. A common misunderstanding which everyone seems to know if I'm asked about B&O and strengthened on the national tv.

Far more brands uses Philips components like more cars uses the same tyres, leather, paint etc.

I think B&O has to do a bit more of advertising explaining that behind the design there excistes a own design of technique and software in used i.e. (panasonic.samsung) flatpanels.

Mayby this does effect the prejudiced thoughts of journalists.

Re: Why B&O is almost constantly neglected in Hi-Fi magazines???

Flappo The Grate — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 04:29:16 GMT

a lot of it is that bno don't fit into their hidden flat earth agenda

tbh a lot of the twaddle hi-fi mags come out with is pure 'the king is in the all together' dross

external power mains and scratching lines on your plugs , adding plastic green tabs and putting everything on marble to improve the sound

crazy