Hi Mike

I am sorry, I do not use the BL 5 in a surround setup.

Making a new software....I guess people in the development has changed several times since the software was created and the software language and compiling system have changed many times. Probably no-one dare to transfer the software to a new software environment. I just guess - I can ask one of the guy from the development of the BL5 - he is not there anymore, but I meet now and then ;-)

Are you feeding the surround setup from a B&O TV (over the BL10) ??

BR Rudi

It makes no sense to drive BeoLab 5s with an analog signal when you can opt for a PCM digital stream instead.

DACs and ADCs do degrade the signal, and there is no benefit whatsoever in adding additional conversion steps in the path. Conversion steps can be surprisingly audible, this is something I experience every day with professional AD/DA converters, so it really shouldn't be sniffed at. Especially with a speaker as good as the BeoLab 5.

However for home cinema, I wouldn't worry about the degradation quite so much as with music...

Hi Rudi

an interesting opinion... I hope you are wrong :-)

I have no beovision --> I have no tv at all. I have just a beamer as "display" and a nonB&O AV preamp to feed the surround setup...

@Killyp: I totally agree :-)

regards

Mike

@BEOVOX141

BEOVOX141 wrote:

@ Hi Stefan.

I actually hinted at Beosystem 3 in one of my first post in this thread, a very capable piece of AV engine! 🙂

 

Yes, sorry, I read your posts, didn`t want to offend you...I was just joking....

BEOVOX141 wrote:

You wrote : ??? could you explain a bit ???

Despite being developed almost 15 years ago the Beolab 5 is still a very capable speaker, most likely never to be matched by the company!

......

It is great because it was allowed to have volume, power, and great drivers!  And the Analog Devices Sharc DSP was state of the art at the time of its conception. But back then the prevailing digital source was the CD and you ended up with the somewhat peculiar connection arrangement, and even though the volume control DAC was implemented in the exact right location, it only works in the digital mode...

Since then, the Bluray arrived, and with Bluray,- Multichannel HD Audio, which in many cases actually supersedes most conventional digital music sources. Not only quality wise,- but especially when it comes to the extreme dynamic range,- movies!

And as one of the few speakers around, the 5 not only copes,- it freaking shines across the audible spectrum, and delivers the LFE punch with precision and ease!

That is.... If its feed through the digital input!  The Powerlink simply wasn't designed for this, every single time you attenuate the analog signal by 6db you lose 1 of the 16 bits of resolution!  Which you will do, since the volume control is kicking in before the Powerlink output!  

The architecture of the 5 is so special that you would expect B&O to support it, but no!  Even though it's presented with the TV lineup and you might expect the digital TV audio engine to just be sitting there eagerly revving up ready to release its pristine digital content, you will forever be looking for those digital out connectors....  you do of course have 8 Powerlink,- what an unforgivable oversight (at best).

And to top it off, the newer Beosystem 4 doesn't even support the audio (CD) part anymore. For real? This is a 10000$ speaker without any support for its native technology from the company that proudly built it and still today publicly acknowledges its digital qualities?

I would still recommend the 5 any day and the Beosytem 3 for that matter, but both will need some serious counseling from Mr. Intel in order to work together in the best possible way.

Completely agree . And thanks for some "Beoinside" knowledge you are sharing. I never thought about current audioproducts don`t support BL5 anymore. And is it true?! Beosystem 4 doesn`t support the "BL5/CD-part" anymore?!

BEOVOX141 wrote:

I know the.... the 90,- another day 😁

Today is another day...😁link

BEOVOX141 wrote:

I would still recommend the 5 any day and the Beosytem 3 for that matter, but both will need some serious counseling from Mr. Intel in order to work together in the best possible way.

...To your previous post,- I was awestruck by the Beolap 10 too! The perfect center!

Yes. It`s my best Beo-setup I`ve ever had. BL10, BL5, BV7/BS3, BS5, controled with Beo6 and MLGW/ipad/iphone.

I `d like to learn more about the Beosystem 4 and your opinion about that engine - and the BL90 of course....😐

Stefan

Mike wrote:

@Stefan: ok, think i got it. but when i tell someone why there is a beomaster in my System (just for opening the spdif...)... ahhhh. it's a shame...

but i think it would be a solution for me too.

Wrong! You don`t  have a Beomaster in your setup just for "opening an spdif port" - You have a Beomaster to make it possible to listen to the best music in the best possible way with the best speakers ! Makes sense?

BTW : Should work, if you connect a Beolink converter 1611 (as a replacement audiomaster) to the BS3. Even less expensive and needs less space than a Beomaster..

Mike wrote:

my concern with the beosystem 3 is: it's not really future safe. once you want to have something new, the whole Problem will start again.

Future safe? When I bought my BL5s eleven years ago, I thought about having a fantastic speaker at home, that I can listen to, whenever I like to.

And when I got my BV7/BS3 eight years ago, I was just happy to have a great BV with a fantastic av engine, and that`s what I`m still today - so, that`s, what I call future safe...😁

Stefan

Mike wrote:

Hi Rudi

an interesting opinion... I hope you are wrong :-)

I`m afraid, he is right. (Even with the wine...😐)

Mike wrote:

I have no beovision --> I have no tv at all. I have just a beamer as "display" and a nonB&O AV preamp to feed the surround setup...

 

You have a projektor? What is your video source?

So you n e e d a BS3🙂 - it has cinema feature with dedicated projektor socket (What the BS4 does not feature).

Stefan

Hi Stefan

yes, this formulation sounds a lot better (than just open the port) :-)

I like the idea with the converter due to the space efficiency. and I have already one left in the drawer. so I'm just missing the BS3.

And yes, future safe at the right time (a view years ago) :-P  

but good to hear, that you still enjoy your setup.

My video sources are blurays and most of the time online streaming.

btw: will a BS3 work, with just a projector and no beovision? I don't want to have another couple of workarounds, to get everything running :-)

regards

Mike

Mike wrote:

My video sources are blurays and most of the time online streaming.

btw: will a BS3 work, with just a projector and no beovision? I don't want to have another couple of workarounds, to get everything running :-)

regards

Mike

In fact, BS3 got two HDMI outputs - one for TV mode 2nd for CINEMA mode.

Will work with only one screen connected. I recommend to read the BS3 manuals - you can download them on the customer service site of Beo.

Stefan

@ Stefan

Not only will does the BS have 2 HDMI out (typeno 77xx).

The HDMI carries a full 7.1 HD MA sound on both display outputs, just waiting to be distributed... The Power of Format 0!

Has anyone ever tried to run BL 5 with a Datasat RS20i?

The specifications says:

Signal Outputs
Digital Audio Outputs 
•Channels: 16, fully routable as to input 
•Connectors: Two DB25 Male (Ch1-8 and Ch9-16) 
•Digital Format: AES/EBU 
•Sample Rates: 48kHz, 96kHz and 192kHz

Is that compatible with the BL5 digital input?