B&O owned by Apple......I don't see how that would be progress for the B&O brand?? Apple is for the mass market, B&O isn't!!

B&O has always been very expensive and for the rich....for eg a Beomaster 6000 in 1976 was around £450.00. Which is ridiculously expensive for the time it was made in. B&O clearly want to be an exclusive, expensive brand that will never cater for the mass market or those just above that level. Bottom line is if you can't afford it (whether you think its value for money or not) buy a Sony.

Thats how I see it anyway......

BenSA wrote:

B&O owned by Apple......I don't see how that would be progress for the B&O brand?? Apple is for the mass market, B&O isn't!!

B&O has always been very expensive and for the rich....[redacted] Bottom line is if you can't afford it (whether you think its value for money or not) buy a Sony.

Thats how I see it anyway......

Unfortunately, B&O as a brand has always had a premium attached, but I'd argue that it wasn't always for the rich.

Upwardly mobile individuals could afford B&O one piece or two at a time, whereas the price increases have truly marginalized and continue to push out a repeat customer base.

If B&O are only going to cater to full home installs, they're sadly going to run out of customers who care to entertain the brand.

As for if you can't afford it, buy a sony, that really speaks ill of the many of us who have saved up and sacrificed to have their pieces in our homes. I am sure you didn't mean to come off sounding elitist. Afford is a relative term.

As has been stated before, the second hand market will be bopping if this trend continues, and then the second hand prices will start to creep up.

I've no issue with stuff not being made in Denmark. If the design, materials, craftsmanship and quality are what is required/expected then it can come from CZ for me - it simply isn't an issue (to me).

What is required is world class design, materials, features, quality and reliability. If they can do this while keeping their costs under control then great.

 

btw - the best B&O dealers I've ever visited (bought from) sold other manufacturers too as well as musical instruments, records/cds, sheet music etc. The people there cared, were interested and knowledgeable. I'm sure Peter will vouch for this too.

Having only their own outlets and producing Sly in Denmark may be part of the problem rather than a solution I'm afraid!

@Sal..I wasn't trying to be elitist.....I just honestly don't think its a new trend when it comes to B&O. Generally everything keeps creeping up in price which leaves people with less disposable income to spend on items such as B&O. B&O prices have always been extremely high. People keep referring to Sony as better value for money but who will still want that same Sony 25 years later? What will its value be? I can most certainately say nothing. Thats the difference! A 25 year old B&O is still beautiful to look at and has value. Also B&O buyers tend to keep their B&O products for much longer which also reduces B&O's market.

A lot of people on the forum are very pro Apple products which I have no problem with at all but once again 25 year Apple product?? It will be obsolete!

after reaching a certain age and income I found music systems to be acceptable pricing wise. Where they always were out of touch in my opinion is TVs. When I came to the US we only had the Avant that was 10000$. That was 1998. That was roughly the annual amount of rent I paid living just outside NYC. I think since they focus so much on TVs these days I think they are perceived much more as expensive.

What strikes me is that people here do not consider the design element. A Sony TV has some sort of design, a BV10 looks stunning. To me it is a centerpiece just like an exquisite piece of furniture. I recently checked out european designer furniture, prices are as high and "out of whack" as B&O is. 3000$ Random Bookshelf from MDF that nearly looks like a 99$ Ikea Billy.

BenSA wrote:

@Sal..I wasn't trying to be elitist.....I just honestly don't think its a new trend when it comes to B&O. Generally everything keeps creeping up in price which leaves people with less disposable income to spend on items such as B&O. B&O prices have always been extremely high. People keep referring to Sony as better value for money but who will still want that same Sony 25 years later? What will its value be? I can most certainately say nothing. Thats the difference! A 25 year old B&O is still beautiful to look at and has value. Also B&O buyers tend to keep their B&O products for much longer which also reduces B&O's market.

A lot of people on the forum are very pro Apple products which I have no problem with at all but once again 25 year Apple product?? It will be obsolete!

What of BV7-32 & BV7-40 MKI's etc. I think the days of a TV being current etc. in 15 years have gone.

BenSA wrote:

B&O owned by Apple......I don't see how that would be progress for the B&O brand?? Apple is for the mass market, B&O isn't!!

VW own Bentley, as well as Bugatti and Lamborghini,  Toyota own Lexus, Fiat own Ferrari, BMW own Rolls Royce...   The huge resources of these companies can allow them to create an 'elite division' for the best of their products and indeed talent pool.  Not a bad thing, surely?

In my opinion, i think it'd be a good thing if they were bought out.  A new way of thinking and a damn good kick up the backside might be what the company needs.  

Only my 2 cents and all that... i'm probably wrong.

Lee

 

 

Puncher wrote:

BenSA wrote:

@Sal..I wasn't trying to be elitist.....I just honestly don't think its a new trend when it comes to B&O. Generally everything keeps creeping up in price which leaves people with less disposable income to spend on items such as B&O. B&O prices have always been extremely high. People keep referring to Sony as better value for money but who will still want that same Sony 25 years later? What will its value be? I can most certainately say nothing. Thats the difference! A 25 year old B&O is still beautiful to look at and has value. Also B&O buyers tend to keep their B&O products for much longer which also reduces B&O's market.

A lot of people on the forum are very pro Apple products which I have no problem with at all but once again 25 year Apple product?? It will be obsolete!

 

What of BV7-32 & BV7-40 MKI's etc. I think the days of a TV being current etc. in 15 years have gone.

I'm sure they will still work and be beautiful!! Can't blame B&O if TV technology changes every 2 years. A CRT Tv is still functional today even with the massive changes in technology.

I am no expert....just giving my opinion that is all.

9 LEE wrote:

In my opinion, i think it'd be a good thing if they were bought out.  A new way of thinking and a damn good kick up the backside might be what the company needs.  

But Apple don't buy companies that aim at the top end of the market. Plus they don't buy loss-leading companies.

I can't see B&O appealing to anyone, apart from a company that might want to buy the ALT and IcePower technologies? No-one is going to be bothered about the TVs and, as David Lewis and others are freelance designers, you could just employ them directly

BenSA wrote:

Puncher wrote:

BenSA wrote:

@Sal..I wasn't trying to be elitist.....I just honestly don't think its a new trend when it comes to B&O. Generally everything keeps creeping up in price which leaves people with less disposable income to spend on items such as B&O. B&O prices have always been extremely high. People keep referring to Sony as better value for money but who will still want that same Sony 25 years later? What will its value be? I can most certainately say nothing. Thats the difference! A 25 year old B&O is still beautiful to look at and has value. Also B&O buyers tend to keep their B&O products for much longer which also reduces B&O's market.

A lot of people on the forum are very pro Apple products which I have no problem with at all but once again 25 year Apple product?? It will be obsolete!

 

What of BV7-32 & BV7-40 MKI's etc. I think the days of a TV being current etc. in 15 years have gone.

 

I'm sure they will still work and be beautiful!! Can't blame B&O if TV technology changes every 2 years. A CRT Tv is still functional today even with the massive changes in technology.

I am no expert....just giving my opinion that is all.

🙂 Sorry, I'm not trying to be confrontational, I just think that with the pace of current TV development things have changed somewhat. The MKI panels were much poorer than CRT and poorer now than the current LCD's etc. The casing may still be attractive but I'm not sure the picture quality will still be "satisfactory" in another 5 years time.

However my 25 year old CD50 still plays CD's beautifully and speakers are somewhat timeless in that if they sounded good then (of course not all did) and they are in a decent state of repair they will still sound good now. I don't think TV's (and certainly the early flat panel models) are now subject to the same rules.