Yes, but its the reverse case that we are talking about.

If a design is really not your thing, seeing in the store rarely changes anything, for some.

My point was in response to MM, who as usual says how can you have strong opinions without seeing it.

Thats clearly rubbish.

t

Duels wrote:

Sandyb wrote:

 

No one is suggesting that.

 

But if you don't like something, going to see in most cases won't change your mind, especially when you get such a good preview from videos / AR apps.

 

Also, are those who say immediately upon launch "I'm going to get one" wrong? Because they won't have seen the product in real life.

 

I dont see the same criticism levelled at them.

 

Cant have it both ways.

 

 

Actually Henrik was suggesting that.

 

 

In my experience of buying B&O over 30/40 years, seeing something in store in the flesh has often made me like it more than I expected based on pictures. For example I fell in love with and bought BL18s when I saw them in store, but hadn’t been that impressed with pictures. But as far as i can recall I’ve never seen a product in the flesh and thought it isn’t as good as the pictures.

 

 

As for those saying “I’m going to get one” on launch, then those folks would of course be taking a chance. (But a chance based on knowledge of B&Os competencies so not a total risk. ) And I will probably do it with the Emerge. Criticise if you like but as I say I’ve ever seen a B&O product that I liked in pictures but not in real life.

 

 

 

Still I am looking forward to what people think, once they have experienced, seen, heard the BL28 properly setup in real life.

MM

Duels wrote:

In my experience of buying B&O over 30/40 years, seeing something in store in the flesh has often made me like it more than I expected based on pictures. For example I fell in love with and bought BL18s when I saw them in store, but hadn’t been that impressed with pictures. But as far as i can recall I’ve never seen a product in the flesh and thought it isn’t as good as the pictures.

As for those saying “I’m going to get one” on launch, then those folks would of course be taking a chance. (But a chance based on knowledge of B&Os competencies so not a total risk. ) And I will probably do it with the Emerge. Criticise if you like but as I say I’ve ever seen a B&O product that I liked in pictures but not in real life.

I agree! ...to a certain extent 🙂 

I think the only time that I've changed my mind to not liking the product so much after seeing the product in the flesh was when I saw the Horizon, but then it was about the finish more than the design itself – I think the design is great, but the build quality was not what i expected (sharp corners etc) så I was disappointed. But then again, i still really like its design.

The opposite (that you mention) sometimes happens to me as well, but it's more a case of going from a, let's say, 7/10 score to a 8/10 rather than me totally changing my mind. There are cases when I look at a photo and think "quite nice, but I'm not sure" and then change to "ah, it actually is quite nice" after seeing it in the flesh.

However, to me (and this is only my personal opinion) the BL28 is one of those cases where I don't like the design idea itself, and I also dislike how 'cluttered' it is (I think there is too much going on). In other words, seeing it in the flesh can make me feel a bit better about it but it would still only be a minor improvement to what I regard a flawed design. The lipstick on the pig might look better IRL, but the pig is still a pig 🙂

To me, adding some B&O design cues such as wooden lamellas etc does not automatically make it a B&O design – to me there's is more to the B&O design DNA than just such details, simplicity is IMHO a much bigger ingredient in the B&O DNA and I find the basic design a bit clumsy and unbalanced for a B&O product, and on top of that it is sprinklered with unnecessary details. So yes, it was clear to me that I'm not going to like this design IRL 🙂

Millemissen wrote:

Still I am looking forward to what people think, once they have experienced, seen, heard the BL28 properly setup in real life.

MM

...and when it comes to sound, I agree. Ok, as someone else also mentioned I'm also a bit sceptical regarding the "small woofers in small volumes and lots of DSP compensation" principle, but I know that I might find the BL28 to be a great speaker. I'll have to listen to it to know, and I hope I'll like it.

I have lots of experience in judging a design by photos, but I'm not able to judge sound performance from photos and datasheet – I need to listen to it.

henrik wrote:

To me, adding some B&O design cues such as wooden lamellas etc does not automatically make it a B&O design – to me there's is more to the B&O design DNA than just such details, simplicity is IMHO a much bigger ingredient in the B&O DNA and I find the basic design a bit clumsy and unbalanced for a B&O product, and on top of that it is sprinklered with unnecessary details. So yes, it was clear to me that I'm not going to like this design IRL 🙂

Not only I totally agree with this and all you said before but you also put in quiet, simple, little words what I'm not able to say.
Yes, adding wood and aluminium doesn't make a design B&O. It makes it B&Oish but no more. Many people in this thread said it looks like a fake or a B&O inspired Samsung product, or even "Not" a speaker, etc… and honestly I found their were all spot on. Proportions, balance, volumes, shapes dont need to be seen in reel to have an opinion on the design. You dont need to be a designer to understand why this design is so much different from BL18, BL8000 or even that it dont share any "soul" with totally different designs like BL90 or 50 which are also massive but more balanced. At east they both have something.

Moreover if we should all have to to wait to see things IRL to have an opinion, that forum would not be that alive. People who keep repeating that he will wait to see it to have an opinion is just spilling CO2 server emissions in useless posts. A forum is made to talk.

Of course things will be better in real that in (some) pictures. It always happen: if anybody visit other enthusiast forum it's true for watches, cars, speakers, computers or phones. First the design is not "for me" then "I get in the shop and finally it's not that bad".
But I also believe part of this common mechanism is because when you're in the shop, you're also close to the thing and also close to buy it and because you want it, your mind finally agree to find it nice. And once the thing is in your living room, wrist or garage you start to look at it differently at love it more and more.

Anyway its easy to open the the b&o speaker webpage and see what is the ugly duckling.

Henrik, I'm with you!

Exactly - and the initial impressions people were posting were largely about the design and form factor.

Quite why those were deemed irrational will forever escape me.

But of course, no one knows how they sounded - and I'm sure here they will sound some kind of excellent.

And being the first Beolabs in a while, its interesting to see what type of sound signature they have gone for

But I'm struggling to believe they won't sound very good indeed, and if they leave a 50's type of impression for what looks like 40% of the price of the 50s, then they could be a very good addition to the speaker range. 

henrik wrote:

Millemissen wrote:

Still I am looking forward to what people think, once they have experienced, seen, heard the BL28 properly setup in real life.

MM

...and when it comes to sound, I agree. Ok, as someone else also mentioned I'm also a bit sceptical regarding the "small woofers in small volumes and lots of DSP compensation" principle, but I know that I might find the BL28 to be a great speaker. I'll have to listen to it to know, and I hope I'll like it.

I have lots of experience in judging a design by photos, but I'm not able to judge sound performance from photos and datasheet – I need to listen to it.

Duels wrote:

moxxey wrote:

I've made mostly correct decisions from seeing the style, design and presentation of a B&O product before I've seen it in person. I've never changed my mind seeing something online then in person.

The BL28 looks awful. like something from 1997. Shiny chrome? Really? But that's what old-skool B&O users like. Old fashion design. So it works. And I respect that.

Ironically I liked the design of the Edge (still do), own an Edge, but wouldn't recommend an Edge. Sounds....weird. I own the Balance, not sure I'd recommend that either. I own a BeoSound 1, I probably would recommend this. I own a Level, would recommend that purely for portability. I own two (don't ask!) BeoSound 2's, 100% recommend these. Awesome. Look great, sound amazing.

So just the BS2 then?

Just the BS2 what, Duels? Elaborate. 

I'm trying to explain the balance between design, the 'look' and performance - it's a tricky balance. It's not just about how something may look, it's about how it performs, too. For me, the Edge looks fantastic, but actually sounds a bit odd. So looks aren't everything.

Duels - when commenting, don't type a few sharp words. You wind a lot of people up for zero purpose and your contribution is minimal. I don't even understand 90% of your replies, frankly.

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