I like Beolab 1s but they do have a very specific character. They give the impression of lacking ultimate bass, which as they use the same chassis as the Beolab 9 seems odd! However the bass unit is just not as big and the volume of the speaker is smaller. I suppose it shows that one big bass unit is better than two smaller ones. People do complain that the Beolab 1 can sound cold though it really is more like a big 8000 in that respect. They replaced the Penta at the top of the tree but never gained the older speakers popularity despite being better measuring in almost every way.

For music listening, I think they have plenty of bass - for movies you need a Beolab 2.

Doctor wrote:

For music listening, I think they have plenty of bass - for movies you need a Beolab 2.

Actually that was my question.

I need to trust to others opinion, because sadly I can't hear them ....

On another note, my wife liked the black ones which she said looked very elegant! Looked huge to me !

Yes they are huge. I hope their size are in correlation with sound ...

I always ask people who are interested in buying BeoLab 1's - "what kind of music do you listen to, and at what volume?"

They're a unique speaker in their sound stage, best (in my opinion) suited to any music at low volume, but for medium to high volume they excel at acoustic and vocal, purely down to the fact that the bass begins to drop off and and gets outplayed by the midrange and top end when you crank them up.  The first time I heard the term 'shrieking' as a terminology made no sense at all - until I turned up a pair of BeoLab 1's very loud.

So..  vocal and acoustic at any volume - the BeoLab 1's are amazing.  Play R&B or any other genre with deep bass lines at volume and you'll be disappointed - until you add a BeoLab 2, where the whole thing becomes 'complete' and sounds amazing.

That's my opinion, for what it's worth.

Lee

🙂

Ive been listening to both 8000s and lab1s side by side today and would agree with Lee. The sound stage is bigger - wider than the 8000s and that only gets better with more volume. Vocals sit in the right place and live performances seem almost visiable in depth. With dance music where the above is not applicable the 1s do not sound as good as the tight punchy bass of the 8000mk2s. Adding a sub to the lab1s was an improvement but the bass although more in quantity was not as controlled as on the 8000s. ( i must say i did not crank the lab1s up pass 50). I think overall for a balanced speaker which plays music just the way it was recorded in a normal size room the 8000s win through for me. But if you are placing the lab1s in a large room and want to run them loud theres no doubt that the lab1s will have the extra headroom and once coupled with a lab2 will probably knock you off the couch!!

Hello Lee,

It is really hard for me, because I can't hear them. At the moment I'm lisen to 8000 and Martin Logan sub ( 120 rms ). And this combination is great for my taste. Only thing that run's me to change this system is sub, I don't like them ... even do they sound great together. My idea is to get same sound or little better but without sub, and BL 1 seams to me logical.

In the terms of music, I listen really wide range of genre from Jazz and Blues to hard rok and very hard Drum and Bass. But Lee you ask me good question, on which volume I listen music.
So I'm usually listen music from 25-45, rarely I  go above 50. I really like quiet and rich sound, at 30 that I can hear everything, from deep bass to precise highs. Lack of bass in BL 8000 can't satisfied me at low volumes ...

Can I get that with BL1 ?

My room is around 5.5 m x 5m, and behind my listening position is my kichen which is 2.5m more ...

thanks 🙂

Hi Martin,

I don't know if you have had the opportunity in the past to compare the 8000's which you bought to the 6000's.  If so, then I can tell you that at the time the BeoLab 1's first appeared, I thought they made the 8000's sound like little Pentas, and the 1's sounded like big 6000's.  

They are crisp, detailed, and image well.  Their bass is not heavy or thick, and I thought far more accurate that the Pentas.  I really liked them(but I did choose 6000's over 8000's myself).  In a smaller space, the bass is fine; but I can imagine that in a larger room they would sound thinner than the 9's do.

If the price is right, I reccommend them! 

In that case, i think you'll like the BeoLab 1 - your listening levels are pretty much spot on for them.

You'll hear clarity well above what you're already used to, plus notice an improvement in bass - albeit slight.  The music you listen to will take on a much clearer and real soundstage, so you'll be happy with them i'm sure. Go for it !!!

Lee

🙂