To you all,

 

Today I visited the Bang and Olufsen website and was presented a questionnaire that is worth spending your time! Bang and Olufsen will ask you what you are pursuing in a new music system. See one of the questions below. They even give you the possibility to answer “Would not consider buying at all”.

 

Regards, Robert

 

www.bang-olufsen.com

 

 

System ratings
For each of the potential music system below (including the following main features), please indicate how interesting you find them:

MUSIC SYSTEM "A"
- Internet radio
- Access to my digital music from PC & MAC
- Storage possibility via NAS or an external hard disk
- Access to more than music e.g. Video recordings / photos / browse web pages etc.)


MUSIC SYSTEM - "B"
- Internet radio
- Access to millions of tracks via subscription (e.g. music service)
- iPod connectivity
- Wi-Fi enabled


MUSIC SYSTEM - "C"
- FM and DAB radio
- CD playback
- Local storage on SD card
- Connection of peripherals through AUX/line input

 

I can't find it. Where did you find this?

Okay, i found it, i had to switch the website language to english

It's in the 'Company' section on the website. Not sure how useful it's going to be though.

Finally some light seeping through in the decision making process ... Can't really see why they need to bother with a survey, though. Fairly self-evident where the market's headed and where B&O should be.

I actually want a combination of those features - neither A, B or C is my ideal system.

I agree with Puncher on this one. Not sure I'd want an internet/DAB focussed system (HiFi????) with video/pictures to the exclusion of CD with FM access etc.

Graham

Puncher:

I actually want a combination of those features - neither A, B or C is my ideal system.

 

Snap! Me too.

I don't see why these system should be mutually exclusive. Once the hardware is in place then the rest is just software.

i was amused at the how much would you pay bit

if only because you can get most of the stuff they mention for nothing on the net

They're asking questions relative to where they've been headed; to what they could do with BeoSound 5; and to what other providers in the market are offering.

There's been talk of connecting BS5 to Pandora-like services, with "millions of tracks of music." But I'm not interested, since these tracks are in lousy quality, and buying B&O speakers to listen to crap defeats the purpose.

That survey would have been a lot more interesting if it asked about Mac versus Windows, whether I was using iTunes (no matter which OS I'm on), etc.

The trouble B&O and others will have is in getting properly paid for a music system such as a hybrid of A+B. I said I would be willing to pay €5000 for system A, but I do have that functionality now, as well as some of the benefits of system B -- and I didn't pay €5000 for it. (As Flappo says just above, most of it was free to install on my Macs.)

But it's a positive, overall, at least they've pulled their heads out of the sand and are seriously considering they may have been going down the wrong route. (Which is hard when your head's in the sand, but you get my meaning.)

 

soundproof:

That survey would have been a lot more interesting if it asked about Mac versus Windows, whether I was using iTunes (no matter which OS I'm on), etc.

I agree, but they have already asked that exact question in their previous survey a few months ago. I have since heard from B&O (in one of the CEO or the UK CEO interview) that they have now realised that Macs have a large market share amonsgst B&O users, and that most people use iTunes as their main music library, on PCs and Mac. Regarding subsciption services, all the record companies are pushing for this. That was what available before iTunes store was created, and was not a success. No subscription services have really been successful. iTunes and its pricing model has shown what people want: To own their music. p.

PhilLondon:

Regarding subsciption services, all the record companies are pushing for this. That was what available before iTunes store was created, and was not a success. No subscription services have really been successful. iTunes and its pricing model has shown what people want: To own their music. p.

Agreed there, though I think services such as Spotify may be successful for large parts of the market.

I want to have full control of the quality and playback of my music, and have begun buying from linnrecords.co.uk and hdtracks.com (and similar online, full resolution or high-resolution sources.)
And CD or lossless is the minimum I'll pipe through the system.
B&O would save itself a lot of bother by simply accepting that the iTunes music organizing software for Mac and Windows has become the new playback standard, and then simply integrate this with ease throughout its hardware. Ask anyone under 35 presently using iTunes integration whether they're willing to drop that ...

Which is why I feel the survey could still be considering this. (And for the record, if iTunes had come from Microsoft, and was made available in a version for Macs that does what my iTunes does today, I'd gladly be shouting its virtues from a hilltop. This is not an Apple thing. Just as I switched from vinyl to CDs, I have switched from CDs to iTunes integration and playback -- as have a few others.)

 

Puncher:

I actually want a combination of those features - neither A, B or C is my ideal system.

 

Also my opinion! Neither A,B or C!

I want i-Pod connectivity, CD, and internet radio.

I recognised Music System C to be the already available BeoSound 4. A strange survey........... but i am happy they do ask us!

MUSIC SYSTEM - "C"
- FM and DAB radio
- CD playback
- Local storage on SD card
- Connection of peripherals through AUX/line input

So then is system "B" their new iPod dock?  System "A" must be an upgraded Beosound 5 with Video and NAS? 

Be nice if they just asked 

Do you want us to make Beosound 5 with ability to load your own CDs and access your iTunes account. (yes)

 

And how much would you pay for this (A lot)

Puncher:

I actually want a combination of those features - neither A, B or C is my ideal system.

That's *exactly* what I thought, too!

I was tempted to select top-dollar for the priviledge of system A. I'm suprised B&O ask us what we're prepared to pay. That's such an objective view - you can't really answer this properly until you've seen the system.

Why would one who spends hundreds and thousands of pounds, euros or dollars on speakers connect an Ipod to their system?

In my opinion, to run loss-less  most Ipod models do not gave enough memory neither do they have the hardware to lets says drive a BL3. They could built their own D/A etc ... but memory problem remains.

 

I think what Apple has to sort out is, run a "dual" library. Medium quality for on the road, high quality for at home. That said, besides their rudimentary attempt with the ATV to enter the living room, they need to get that sorted first. by the time they are done, memory issue in Ipods might be gone, who knows.

I think the BS5 concept just for music is on it's way. How to move "Picture" to become all digital, that is a very difficult one. With music, in my opinion B&O got thrown a bone when Apple removed the DRM. For video that is questionable and topic is a bit different as a lot of content that is streamed is popping up now. 

JK