The Balance is not built on a new platform.

Where most recent speakers have had NL, AP2 and CC - the Balance has just had NL removed.

I certainly hope B&O dont attempt to describe that as a new platform.

But who knows - the job ad for the developer posted a few months ago suggested something more substantial than just a set of AP2/CC capable speakers.

I'm pretty sure though that, as I was told 2 years ago, the strategic decision had been made to release on AP2 and CC.

So anyone hoping for a replacement B&O protocol to NL, well they'll be most likely very disappointed.

At least NL products will remain supported for quite a while yet.

Hallo Sandyb,

I think that Henrik Clausen meant new platform=New Hardware chip.

I do also guess that NL is no more in future products.

All that really matters to customers is what they see - the functionality and the UI, both of which are outward facing.

Removing NL and leaving AP /CC can hardly be described as a new platform, however it is achieved. But it wouldn’t surprise me if B&O try to describe it as a new platform

We all just need to get used to it I’m afraid.

The statements from Henrik Clausen, was not to customers, but to stock holders.

It is from newspapers here in Denmark.

I am well aware that the generel customer do not care, but I am not really writing for them as very few are on Beoworld.

But I guess we can debate the choice of a new hardware platform anyway.

I have expressed my ‘fears’ before, that it will be so - it will be the new normal.

Presenting that as ‘a new platform’ is the easy way to go for a marketing department’.

However, that does not make it new - it is just a common platform....one that allows for integrating with non-B&O devices (with AP2/CC) and with the smaller B&O ones (the rumoured upgrade of the A1).

And for most current/previous B&O users it is abnormal, when we think of what we are used to from B&O in terms of multiroom.

@Sandyb

With the Balance I am not only missing the NL functionallity, but also the easyness of using a beoremote with it.

I guess a lot of users are using their modern B&O gear for listening to radio stations. With the missing built-in TuneIn netradio provider and no remote control for that, it must be a serious downgrade.

Just think of how proud B&O was to introduce the feedback of the TuneIn favourites and the operating these from within the remote.......not very long ago.

As you write, we will have to get used to it.....or not ;-(

 

Disclaimer!
If they really have ‘a new platform’ up their sleeves, they better sonn tell us about it!

 

MM

Exactly right- I’m working on the assumption that new platform is a marketing sleight of hand

People should not expect something new in the truest sense of the word

First:

NL is B&o DNA and gives much more and better multiroom functionallities than AP and/or CC.

Second:

My biggest concern with loosing NL is: say Apple and/or Google change their protocols in about 2/3 years. The Balance's hardware, for example, does not support this change.............so it becomes obsolete?

 

Agreed - although anyone can change their protocol, meaning a ticking clock for products.

It happened surely with ML to NL, though support continued for a while I guess.

And with Apple, they are pretty good at supporting products for a good while.

But I agree with the broader observation - expensive speakers / setups should be work (and not start to feel suddenly inferior) after 5 years, and should be good for 15-20 years.

With the good of convenience (streaming I guess) comes the bad - lack of control over your hardware and its uses.

Brave new world eh.

 

 

Carolpa wrote:

First:

NL is B&o DNA and gives much more and better multiroom functionallities than AP and/or CC.

Second:

My biggest concern with loosing NL is: say Apple and/or Google change their protocols in about 2/3 years. The Balance's hardware, for example, does not support this change.............so it becomes obsolete?

 

 

Sandyb wrote:

It happened surely with ML to NL, though support continued for a while I guess.

But even today people use and can use MCL and ML stuff. In my NL I still (can) use a BS9000, BS3000 and Beosystems 7000 and 4500