😉 Of course you can load them yourself! If you're using a PC, you use BeoPlayer (which is the way your dealer would do it). If you're using a Mac, you use BeoConnect with iTunes.

I'm sorry Alex but this is a backward step. It takes an enormous amount of time to put a CD onto a computer if you are wanting the same quality of sound.

Sending CD's away for someone else to do is madness.

I've bought the CD's WHY should I pay again, whichever method you recommend?

The guy who decided NOT to put a CD reader in or attached to BM5 wants his marching orders.

You can give me the company line as much as you like but it is not going to convince me, I'm afraid.

joeyboygolf wrote:

I'm sorry Alex but this is a backward step. It takes an enormous amount of time to put a CD onto a computer if you are wanting the same quality of sound.

Sending CD's away for someone else to do is madness.

I've bought the CD's WHY should I pay again, whichever method you recommend?

The guy who decided NOT to put a CD reader in or attached to BM5 wants his marching orders.

You can give me the company line as much as you like but it is not going to convince me, I'm afraid.

Personally, I think the whole point of the BS5 is to play mp3s. The second they add a CD player on it complicates things in the sense that most people already might have an Ouverture or 9000. There would be a price premium for no need.

Also they (B&O) have a point, when using iTunes, i can really take my time and enjoy organising my collection. Label them properly, create playlists, smart playlists, add pictures etc etc etc. If there was a BS5 CD Solution, there wouldn't be that flexability. CD Titles, might have different names depending on the CDDB database used etc etc.

Also, where would you put the CD reader? In the BM5? That wouldn't be pretty would it.. I.e. it would feel like a cheap cd player component stereo.

Things regarding the Beo5 remote two-way thing, I had a better think about it and in some sense its good that there isn't a two-way thing. Battery power would be greatly reduced and the worse bit is that you would be playing a fortune for the BS5 without using it! The BM5 is just a BM1. Lets all be honest here, so im sure that money wasnt spent there. Out of the 4000£ or whatever the BM/S5 costs now, most of it £3000 (???) goes for the BS5 controller.

I think, B&O's solution to link room would be nice and simple if they had really thought it through to the end.

The BS5 should either be wifi, defianately masterlink and have a power cable. The masterlink (or masterlink v2) should be able to carry video without the need for a DVI out or RF-rubbish. If someone wanted link room, they should be able to buy another BS5 or as many as they wished. This way you get the joy of using the BS5 which its whole point was to be able to touch your MP3s like the vinyl days or the cds and not needed to use a beo5 with a million options (if you install the bs5 template).

As for, "i dont want to get up to change the track". Well, you have to do that with a CD player, if you are really lazy you would either switch the TV on and change it via the BM5 and if you are extremely tired, then you would just run your 'chillout' playlist and fall asleep on the couch.

My biggest problem with the BS5 is:

1. Price (New BS9000 + used BL8000)
2. Installation (where do i install it in my house without demolishing my walls)
3. Microsoft Windows (no comment for no reason)
4. Apathy (to entertain the thought of getting the BS5)

The Hard drive, 500GB, another thing that people complain with, is ok right? The apple TV is only 160GB PS3 is 80/160GB although you can manually replace it for a 320GB... so I think its ok for now?

Although I have demoed it in store twice, I am no expert on it so can conclude definately what its like to use.

All I can say is that I have turned 25, 3 months ago, and love B&O. Started off with used products (Avant, BL6000, BL8000, BL2, BL3...) and now go for new ones (BV7-40, BL7-4, soon BL3 (new)) and I must admit that I have all my music on MP3s. not even lossless format!

I have a couple CDs in the Ouverture's CD cabinet and one black cd in the ouverture. Listen to the radio in the mornings whilst getting ready for work and CDs when im too lazy to start the PC up. To listen to my songs, its iMac on, Beo5 A.AUX and play. Set the playlist I want to listen to and IF i get ichy and want to change songs often just use the boring white mac remote. its simple and im happy.

I bought a PS3 4 months ago hoping that i can use that to replace the imac, but the fact that i needed the TV on to navigate songs didnt appeal to me. P.MUTE disables control of the PS3 via IRDA (Nyko) and BEO5.

So, to cut a long story short, yes, I am really interesting in finding a good solution for my mp3s. One that doesnt require the TV being on all the time and yes the BS5 is a contender there. I am hoping to get a pair of BL3s soon since its time for a new B&O product, but even still, I havent even thought of the BS5 yet for it.

I think its too early and there doesnt seem to be something screaming inside me to get it. Maybe at £2000 or £2800 I probably would get it, since thats what im prepared to pay for the BL3s and since I have a BL7.4 and BL2 the sound is very sufficient for the time being. However even then I would have to think twice, since it doesnt feel like a conclusive, closed box solution for me.

Ahhh, blatently bored at work, but must resume!

Wow, behold my biggest post EVER! On ANY FORUM!

No doubt in my mind, the BS5 should have been self-powered, wireless and portable - today's MCP.

I will go as far as saying that I think the "wired" BS5 is a lazy solution and think the fact that the MOTS feature is (artificially) only available if you own the BS5 is an indication of B&O's lack of confidence in selling the BS5 unit alone if the BM5/Beo5 combination could carry out all functions without it.

joeyboygolf wrote:

I'm sorry Alex but this is a backward step. It takes an enormous amount of time to put a CD ..

I've found that the latest iTunes DRM-free 256Kbps tracks are superior to the quality of the audio from the same CD. I'm not going to embarrass myself by listing the CDs I've bought recently, but I've bought both the CD and the iTunes tracks and those tracks are definitely superior - I've had other people listen to both and they agree, too.

Why? We assume that these iTunes DRM-free tracks are sourced directly from the music company, thus are not extracted from CD. They are compressing them from the original source, thus higher quality.

Puncher wrote:

No doubt in my mind, the BS5 should have been self-powered, wireless and portable - today's MCP.

I don't see why we even need the BM5. Why couldn't B&O produce their own app that sits on top of Windows or a Mac on a host PC/Mac? ie. why can't I simply install it on my Mac Mini and then wirelessly connect to the BS5? Why do we even need the BM5? It's waaaay too big.

BS5 is too flawed for me in too many ways. It's a superb design, but it's only going to go so far.

The BM5 has the audio card with masterlink/powerlink sockets etc. While this could have been a sold as a PC peripheral I suspect B&O would be plagued by set up/compatibility issues etc from users. Building it into their own PC gets around all of these issues and gives them control of the environment in which the audio card sits (with regard to noise/interference etc. - another potential cause of complaint if sold as a peripheral). Setting the BM5 aside for music also limits the problems caused by incompatible software/drivers etc. Sizewise I don't think the BM5 was ever intended to be looked at, a cupboard of loft seems the most likely place.

Also, if they had constructed it as a USB external device it may have looked like less value for money😂