General Forum

Re: New products 07-08: no surprices, or??

Munin — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 11:58:21 GMT

A "new audio concept" - very exciting, but what about a "new media concept" ... isn't that what we are waiting for? What I mean is of course a substantial upgrade of the Beomedia 1. Or maybe B&O will go for both a Beomedia 2 and a BeoCenter 5? Do they still hold the principle of separating pure audio from audiovideo holy? To me such a division is a little bit old fashioned.

/Munin

Re: New products 07-08: no surprices, or??

Tom — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 04:44:13 GMT

-multimedia Robert-:

Getting really excited !! A new audio system …….whow!
...

if you think the new audio system will be BS6, then you will be disappointed, because the BS6 is an MP3-player. The real audio system that has been talked about round here seems to be the BS5, which I miss from the report...

Re: New products 07-08: no surprices, or??

Roger — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 01:20:14 GMT

For various reasons (i.e. delays ) quite a few products will be launched this year, and I do not expect that B&O will be able to launch that many products for the next 1-2 years. But they are aiming high!

Roger

Re: New products 07-08: no surprices, or??

Beofan2 — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 14:33:39 GMT

I was thinking, if products like DVD2 and BV8-32 weren´t delayed, what new products could be expected?

Re: New products 07-08: no surprices, or??

Jandyt — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 13:03:17 GMT

Welcome to the forum, Klaus
Thank you for taking the time to make your first post so interesting.
You say you have been following the forum for some years and it makes me wonder, how many others read this regularly and don't sign up?
May I be so bold as to ask you what it was that prompted you to join Beoworld today rather than last week/month/year?
Oh and Yes, they are a wonderful group of people
Kindest regards,

Andy T.

Re: New products 07-08: no surprices, or??

KMA — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 12:18:59 GMT

About BeoCenter 5 -- or whatever it will be named:

In the old BeoWorld Forum, back in the day, there was an interesting post about B&O product development, including a PowerPoint that was leaked to the net. There were mentions of B&O patenting a technology (aluminum processing) called Transilluminated Aluminium, also known as the concept of Intelligent Aluminum. Other sources confirmed a couple of years ago that this was a work-in-progress.

So, to shed a little "light" on the BeoCenter 5 to whom it is of interest: forget the shape and design of BeoCenter 2, but think about the user interface, with the soft-touch aluminum panel that has painted words/buttons on it.

Now forget the painted buttons, and take the thinking a bit further: a clean surface of aluminum, with nothing visible until you touch or approach it. Buttons appear on the even, clean slate of aluminum, illuminated from behind, much similarly to the glass surface of BeoCenter 9500 or the buttons of BeoSound Century. Add intelligence to this, meaning that only the "buttons" you need for any selected source or operation are shown up at any given time. You have an idea of the operation of "BeoCenter 5", and the pioneering user interface.

Glass is easy to transilluminate (doh). Aluminum is not, and it takes a very special process developed by B&O. This is achieved by what are best called "microscopic holes", invisible to the eye, in the aluminum, made with laser technology. The microscopic perforation make up "words" or buttons, if you will -- perhaps even a display -- which can be illuminated to show up. When off, nothing is visible. And the whole surface feels like what it is: aluminum.

Forget ink and printing, that's passé!

Since this is my first post, I'll spill this about myself: I've been following this forum for several years, and since 1991 owned just about every B&O product they've released, until BeoVision 7 hit the market. I was bitten by the B&O bug when BeoSystem 2500 came out, with the wonderful active BeoLab 2500 speakers and all that magic doors stuff!

I was not satisfied with BeoVision 7 Mk I -- it did not live up to my expectations after the DVD Avant, so now I've been taking a break from B&O for a couple of years. Today, BeoVision 7 is almost ripe, with regard to PQ. BeoVision 8 32" is also of interest. I'm an "all or nothing" enthusiast, meaning that I could never imagine combining B&O with other brands. Since B&O's TV line has been lacking (for my needs, at least), I've been entertaining myself with a little less magical toys for the past two years or so.

I must admit I miss B&O all the time, so I am carefully planning the sweet return of B&O to my home and my heart. 2008 will be a big B&O year for me, and I think it will be crowned by the "BeoCenter 5". Let's see.

With this lengthy post, my greetings to all beoworlders out there. What a wonderful group of people!

Klaus

Re: New products 07-08: no surprices, or??

Jandyt — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 11:07:53 GMT

Well I thought that was very interesing to read and thank you to MultimediaRobert for the link.
Amongst the things that I found interesting was the fact that the two B1 stores which sell the most in the whole world are both in Moscow!
I am also surprised that there is no mention of BeoX and also wonder who the other highend motor manufacturer is? Bet you it's Bentley.

Andy T.

Re: New products 07-08: no surprices, or??

Beofan2 — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 10:45:39 GMT

As expected no really news. Most of the news will be launched within a few months. I also noticed that they only announce a single new product second half year. It seems to me that they will not announce new products before they know they can launch it at the right time. Maybe we will see a single new product added. BC5 sounds great. I hope this new audio will have the same effect as BL5 in new BeoSounds to be launched in the future.

Re: New products 07-08: no surprices, or??

355f — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 10:20:08 GMT

Keith, I think in reality sales are down throughout the EU region but product launches and the way the accounts have been compiled mask this.

If one looks at new product launches just this year, BV9, BL9 ect. Every dealer has to have one of each item for stock- so all this counts as sales. In reality whats happening is that units moved have fallen but individual large ticket items make up the sales figures.

the real evidence will be in the interim report and then we shall see if the dealers are moving these new productsat a sufficient rate. Also out of home markets and Germany the UK is the biggest market by far; so for sales volumes to increase in other less well established countries- its an easy task. But when sales drop in one of your largest markets- this should be a worry for B&O at the present time

Re: New products 07-08: no surprices, or??

Keith Saunders — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 09:47:20 GMT

355f:

Keith Saunders:
Reading the company's financial report shows that the UK has had a 4% drop in revenue compared with last year, Holland also saw a drop otherwise the rest of the world appeared to be in line with expectation. This is the second year where the UK revenues have dropped, yet the overall gross margins were up by 0.6% to 46.6%. Its not really clear to me why this drop in revenue, like Denmark & Germany it makes up a very large part of the overall business and perhaps the products are just lasting to long and not being replaced so often.

Given that pricing for consumer electronics has been in heavy decline and that B&O have altered this trend by INCREASING prices I think they have done well considering.
It would also seem that as B&O moves toward ultimate lifestyle status! that the brand will appeal to a more limited audience as pricing moves to levels that defy the market and a large percentage of customers decide to buy increasingly advanced products elsewhere; In addition I think the sales drops in the UK in particular have far further to go ;as the franchise system whereby the store owners HAVE to buy all new products masks the true sales drop. In non flagship stores i would suspect that the footfall is very slow. For B&O its reasonably good for business but I feel for the dealers who must doubt the huge investment in stock will ever provide a suitable return and if new product will sell at a good margin that fully covers the losses selling outdated stock. ( particularly bad with lcd and plasma)
Its a great pity that many dealers im sure will have to close as the policy of B&O is not sympathetic to the smaller store owners and this is something that B&O as a company should be worried about. In recent times most of them have just about survived selling BV7 and bl8000.
There does come a time when even the extremely wealthy wont be exchanging the BV4 /5 they bought 4 years ago to find it worth next to nothing now- so im not sure its a question of products lasting to long- but questioning the logic of such a purchase with great and greater unease as the prices move into orbit! and perhaps wondering what size pioneer plasma they can buy for the cost of a beo5!!

I agree with your points, but why is this not effecting other large European countries in the same way was really my point. There is a small effect in Denmark, but most other countries showed their planned growth

Re: New products 07-08: no surprices, or??

jk1002 — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 09:36:11 GMT

No small TV for the US and no mentioning of an upgraded BV7 32 for Europe. I wouldn't be surprised if they drop that one. May not make much sense to equip it with a BS3 and without it won't hold up to the 40".

Re: New products 07-08: no surprices, or??

355f — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 09:06:56 GMT

Keith Saunders:
Reading the company's financial report shows that the UK has had a 4% drop in revenue compared with last year, Holland also saw a drop otherwise the rest of the world appeared to be in line with expectation. This is the second year where the UK revenues have dropped, yet the overall gross margins were up by 0.6% to 46.6%. Its not really clear to me why this drop in revenue, like Denmark & Germany it makes up a very large part of the overall business and perhaps the products are just lasting to long and not being replaced so often.

Given that pricing for consumer electronics has been in heavy decline and that B&O have altered this trend by INCREASING prices I think they have done well considering.

It would also seem that as B&O moves toward ultimate lifestyle status! that the brand will appeal to a more limited audience as pricing moves to levels that defy the market and a large percentage of customers decide to buy increasingly advanced products elsewhere; In addition I think the sales drops in the UK in particular have far further to go ;as the franchise system whereby the store owners HAVE to buy all new products masks the true sales drop. In non flagship stores i would suspect that the footfall is very slow. For B&O its reasonably good for business but I feel for the dealers who must doubt the huge investment in stock will ever provide a suitable return and if new product will sell at a good margin that fully covers the losses selling outdated stock. ( particularly bad with lcd and plasma)

Its a great pity that many dealers im sure will have to close as the policy of B&O is not sympathetic to the smaller store owners and this is something that B&O as a company should be worried about. In recent times most of them have just about survived selling BV7 and bl8000.

There does come a time when even the extremely wealthy wont be exchanging the BV4 /5 they bought 4 years ago to find it worth next to nothing now- so im not sure its a question of products lasting to long- but questioning the logic of such a purchase with great and greater unease as the prices move into orbit! and perhaps wondering what size pioneer plasma they can buy for the cost of a beo5!!

Re: New products 07-08: no surprices, or??

mobeyone — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 08:35:44 GMT

AV1 sounds promising! Certainly has been a long time coming!

Wonder how it will look.. is it a homage to the 9500/9000? including some form of digital control??? i.e. BM1?

Re: New products 07-08: no surprices, or??

Keith Saunders — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 08:19:34 GMT

Reading the company's financial report shows that the UK has had a 4% drop in revenue compared with last year, Holland also saw a drop otherwise the rest of the world appeared to be in line with expectation. This is the second year where the UK revenues have dropped, yet the overall gross margins were up by 0.6% to 46.6%. Its not really clear to me why this drop in revenue, like Denmark & Germany it makes up a very large part of the overall business and perhaps the products are just lasting to long and not being replaced so often.

Re: New products 07-08: no surprices, or??

Roger — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 08:10:56 GMT

The "new audio concept" is fairly top secret, so we will have to hope that someone can spill the beans this Fall...

There has been a shift in sales from 7-32 to 7-40 this year, and I guess B&O is fully aware of the fact that even European customers now consider the 7-40 to be barely big enough for a home cinema solution. The 7-series is a major success for B&O, and if they are to continue cashing in on this beautiful product they will have to consider a 7-46 with a matching BeoLab 7.3. And a lot can be said about the Danes, but when it comes to business they are rather cynical

Roger