General Forum

Re: Beosound 8 quality

vikinger — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:04:22 GMT

Just listened to the Radio 4 Gerald Hoffnung play on BBC iPlayer through the iPad docked on the BS8.

The sound quality is astonishing: even though we've got the loudness/wall setting to give a good bass, speech is not compromised and is crystal clear. There's also plenty of power reserve...... we were sat about 30ft away in a fully carpeted room with more than adequate volume at around a mid setting.

Graham

Re: Beosound 8 quality

Chris — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:27:44 GMT

Yes it is the Lumia, and a very good phone it is(much better reception). The built in FM radio and Mix Radio sound fine but playback of MP3 is terrible. Nokia are releasing an update in January to improve this and release more juice from the battery. I ditched my Iphone no problem but the Ipad is a different matter, so if and when i get an 8 (or the Beolit 12) i will use that. Still a big fan of Apple tv.

Syncing my photos and music are exactly the same as if i was using my Iphone, so i still use Itunes/Iphoto. Trying to find an Ical to Windows calender program!

Re: Beosound 8 quality

Abz — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:16:41 GMT

Chris:
I have recently ditched my Iphone for a Nokia 800. Until the software update due in January that corrects its appaling MP3 playback it is a sound phone(I can now make calls without them failing half way through!!!! Novelty or what)

Hi Chris,

Hope your new year is upto a good start.

I take it that you have got the Lumia 800 which runs Windows Mobile . If this is the case, you have got yourself a very nice phone that has full voice functionality (SMS creation and response, follow up on calls, messages, meetings, etc.) I woudl be interested to know if it does use voice with media as well. Historically, Nokia and Ericsson had great telephony and SMS functionality. They seem to have continued this tradition. The sound quality via the 3.5mm outlet would always be inferior compared to USB or the iPhone port. So, it may not be a software problem. However, your challenge will not be finding the adaptor that allows you to use the BS8 from the top. This time it is the funcaitonality of the operating system on the your device because the device will change the tracks and increase the volume though it is you who hold the remote control. BS8 has a mini USB port near the 3.5mm socket as well as a line-level input around the back. However, the USB port should be controlled from Windows or MAC operating system once the drivers are loaded on the personal computer. The new Windows Mobile machine has to be able to do the same. If you have not sold the iPhone, you may keep using it as an audio playback device while using the new Nokia for business and social networking etc. Good luck and please write an update :).

Re: Beosound 8 quality

Tod Daniel — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 11:40:24 GMT

@moxxey you mean something like a Serenetta or Serene haha!

Must be very rich kids to have an iPhone as the plans are still expensve or £500 for sim free

Re: Beosound 8 quality

moxxey — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 10:07:27 GMT

Tod Daniel:

Replacing the iconic iPhone with a Nokia? Shocking shocking shocking!

So "iconic" that everyone+dog has one. Something becomes very uncool when you see them everywhere, even 11-year-old kids have an iPhone.

Roll on something different.

Re: Beosound 8 quality

Tod Daniel — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 08:39:34 GMT

Chris - YES my new iPhone 4s came with a simple apple plug and play that simply plugs into the 30 pin and then has the mini USB on the other end! This is being provided to all iPhone4s in Europe.

Replacing the iconic iPhone with a Nokia? Shocking shocking shocking!

Do you use Orange network? Ive never ever had any problem with this excellent service provider! 100 out of 100 for service, reception and quality of calls!

Re: Beosound 8 quality

Chris — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 04:32:14 GMT

I have recently ditched my Iphone for a Nokia 800. Until the software update due in January that corrects its appaling MP3 playback it is a sound phone(I can now make calls without them failing half way through!!!! Novelty or what)

It has a micro USB port for charging and data thus excluding its use on the Beosound 8 ie it can't be mounted on the attachement. But as all new mobiles in the very near future will have this generic charging/data station, it surely won't be long before all the Ipads/Iphones that are mounted on the 8 are replaced or fail thus making the current port out of date. Apart from using the 3.5mm plug that i would have to use, is there a Apple female-micro USB male available?

Re: Beosound 8 quality

Abz — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 03:49:53 GMT

Happy New Year to all BEOWORLDERs

I wish all members success and happiness in 2012

I pray for a year with less hunger, less hatred, less greed and less wars

A year of caring, sharing, loving, and giving

Re: Beosound 8 quality

Tod Daniel — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 13:57:10 GMT

Hey Abz that's very interesting because my old Century sounded so much better with the loudness switch on as did my old BeoMaster 1900!

Thank you for that!

Re: Beosound 8 quality

Abz — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 13:41:23 GMT

Paul Winn:

Apart from this, you can make settings on your iPod/iPhone when it is docked in BeoSound 8; Select ‘Settings’, then ‘Speakers’ – You can then choose between the 3 equalizer settings:
'Sound Enhance', 'Flat' and 'Bass Tilt'.
When your iPod/iPhone is undocked, the sound adjustment resets to 'Flat'.

I have tested the 'Sound Enhance' setting, and it does make music more appealing for weaker recordings. It sounds pretty much like the loudness thing on some integrated amps. It extends the upper and lower ends. That said, this is done at the expense of the mids. Instruments (particularly classical strings) did not sound natural with the enhancement. It also distorted the lower end with some recordings, particulary Tango with heavy doubl bass.

Re: Beosound 8 quality

jjcox — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:28:45 GMT

Well, let's add my 2 cents.

I'm using a Zeppelin (pre-Air) in the office, a Zeppelin Mini (pre-Air) in the kitchen and a BS8 in the home office.

When I last docked my iPhone to the Zeppelin in the office, I couldn't help but feeling it was incredibly 'boomy'. I missed a lot on the high-end, which I do get on the BS8. instead, I got a huge bass, making my music feel like rap played on a ghetto blaster. The BS8 seems to be a lot more balanced than the Zeppelin. I only noticed this boomyness though, when I got the BS8. Before that, I thought the Zeppelin sounded terrific. Now, I think it's terrible.

The Zeppelin mini though, I find really nice. Sure, it's smaller and really cannot play as loud, but the sound is a lot more balanced. Problem with the Mini is that the sound is less 'articulated'. It's harder to really feel there are different instruments playing, everything is more just mixed together. But in a nicely balanced way.

Soundwise, I would rate the BS8 first, the Zeppelin Mini second and the regular Zeppelin a long way back in third place.

Designwise, well, that's all just a personal opinion. I like them all.

Joeri

Re: Beosound 8 quality

Tod Daniel — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:14:05 GMT

Hi Abz thank you very much - it will certainly be interesting DJing again there using an iPhone and DJ software!!!

Thanks Rickie. Yes, I took the BS8 in their little demonstration room. Got to say the young Sales Exec was excellent and a great listener - he certainly didn't have an easy customer. I do remember Michael finding these 3 settings on his BS8 and finding the 'enhanced' settings quite favourable!

Maybe I can get one of my stations to invest in one for our reception a then i'll try it for a long weekend :)

Re: Beosound 8 quality

Abz — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:00:00 GMT

Paul Winn:
Thank you Abz too for your pieces.

Cheers Paul. Merry Xmas to you too. Enjoy safe skiing.

Re: Beosound 8 quality

Abz — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:57:28 GMT

RickieH:
When I first got the BS8 home from Selfridges, I was disappointed with the sound and thought it compared unfavourably to the Zeppelin. However, after a couple of days running in, I completely changed my opinion and the BS8 now sounds much richer - the sound seems more 'rounded' somehow. Both will happily go much louder than I would ever inflict on my neighbours.

Thanks Rickie,

And I thought my experience was loony. You just confirmed it was rather stellar. lol.

Re: Beosound 8 quality

RickieH — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:17:45 GMT

No problem Paul. And thanks for the tip about the sound settings when your i-thing is docked - the manual makes no mention of that! I'll have to give it a go.

The Zeppelin does something similar with the base settings (mine is set to -1, and the BS8 to 'wall'), but that has the advantage that it remembers the settings when you take the iphone out of the dock, which seems far more sensible!

One thing I would say is don't judge the sound of the BS8 by the accoustics in Selfridges - it sounds completely different at home!