I agree with what Peter had said. I came from a pair of BL8000+BL2 to a BL9 setting.

Sometimes, the vocal part IS a little bit overly pronounced, but that is what the acoustic lens do. It makes the vocals really stand out. It also depend on what CD you're listening to. Sometimes it's actually great to have it that way as I could even hear the different instruments separately and separately to the vocals. On the BL8000, the distinction's a little less clear (softer).

I actually think with the older B&O, that's more like reproducing a recording. You will hear sounds coming from a speaker. Whereas the new Beolabs (9,5) it's more like reproducing a live performance. The voice and instruments sounds like they're right in front of you.

It is a matter of taste.

The vocal part (upper mid range) is not over pronounced, that is the part that is missing. It is the tweeter that is over pronounced. In a vocal, that is really just the S's and T's. I don't understand how the midrange on BL9 is lacking, because that part is the same size as beolab 4000, and that speaker has a brilliant midrange.

The sound stage is undeniably accurate, all i am rasing here is the tone of the tweeter being too loud, and the upper midrange, which is UNDER pronounced, and almost seemingly vacant. I see live performances often, and the BL9's do not re-create that tone in the top end.

T.W.G, if you read the further posts, you would understand that my BL9's were awarded to me after i was broken into, i did not want them, I wanted my BL1's back.

Dave, sorry to hear that your beloved BL1's stolen and the insurance company didn't provide you with an exact replacement.

Now I understand what you mean. Sorry I'm not good at what sound is in which category.

Now that you mention the S's and T's they are a little over pronounced, but only very very mildly. I have my Beosystem1 treble set to the middle though so I haven't tried reducing that. However, the vocal (normal speech not just the Ss and Ts) is still spectacular on my BL9, totally blowing the BL8000 away in that aspect.

Could this be different between BL9 units?

Oh thanks, don't be sorry, it's still a good deal at the end of the day, that's for sure.

beomud wrote:

 

Could this be different between BL9 units?

It shouldn't be. I listened to BL9 quite a few times in the showroom after they were released, and they have always sounded the same to me, the s's and t's are an example, the sound that the tweeter produces are those sort of high sounds, ticking, clicking, all details, etc. I must admit that this prominence fades at higher volumes, but living in a block of apartments, you have to be considerate right?

Ideally, if i can access the speakers potentiometers and play with them (turn up the mid range element, and turn down the tweeter) then i might be able to get a better result.

I have listened to BL9 sometime at B&O local store and I think that it is not worth at all. There is some reason of this matter:

+ older B&O speaker is more "analog", and it is smooth for listening, the sound is detailed and so real, both vocal and stage. If in comparison the BL9 and BL Penta, I must go for penta.

+ BL9 has been developed in era of home theatre and it is type of digital sound, so that, it is not good enough for music.

Only BL5 can meet lots of audiophile's and B&O fan's request about music quality.

I don't think that the BL9 is getting a fair press here. this is a good speaker - I have a frequency response chart and Hi-Fi World review in front of me and they review very well both by the reviewer and the lab. I don't know why your midrange is missing - I suspect a problem with your speakers - it might be worth listening to another pair at your dealer. I do not think they are as good as 5s which are sublime but they have a good bass and do disappear beautifully. I don't like the top end as much but that is taste and from an accuracy point of view, I am wrong.

Well, I don't know how much my response is worth, but here's what I think:

First, I'll preface my opinion with a question: Aren't the BL9's made in the Czech Republic?

I ask because maybe their quality control isn't quite up to snuff as compared to good 'ol Denmark.

I remember reading a review of the BL5's where an engineer enthusiastically stated that they 'don't build BL5's, they CLONE them'.

Anyway, regardless of where they're built, I'm thinking that maybe the BL9's don't quite get that same level of attention, and possibly the person who put your pair together wired one of the midrange drivers out of phase. That would cause some cancellation around the X-over points, and probably between each other. Only way to know for sure, like Mr. Moulton said, is to measure them.

By the way, I have to agree with everyone else here. The BL1's are the latest speakers I've heard from B&O. I haven't heard the ALT speaks. Anyway, the 1's sounded horrible to me. Shouty mids, harsh sounding (and I believe the mid and tweeter used conventional Class AB 75w amps, not the IcePower stuff), but with nice quality, although weak, bass.  Thinnest sounding B&O speaker I've ever heard. When I listened to that speaker, my eyes flinched, and I walked away very, very disappointed. Sure did look cool though....

I firmly believe my MS150's would walk the floor with the BL1's, and even doubly so since I substituted in a 7 ohm resistor in lieu of the 2.2 ohm series resistor on the filler driver (R18 I think, if anyone else wants to try it and see). They sound just perfect now. :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Jon

Dave, that may be a stupid question, but... Have you checked the loundness setting on your BS?

Maybe you just have a faulty unit, but 2 is quite impossible...

I have to admit that speaker need "running in", but not really for midrange, more for bass.

Oh what am i going to do if they are faulty? Do i ask my dealer to come out and measure them? I'm worried now! I know sound is so sunjective, i'd be surprised and very dissapointed if these turned out to be faulty... they are insurance replacements, and all of my other replacements have also had problems (such as, both ipod and imac!! also the BC2 makes a click as it closes its wings!), what is with that? :(

I have popped back to the site just to contribute to this item. I don't think they are faulty Dave. When the 9's first came out I went into my local B&O shop to audition them. My question to the salesman was "Where is the midrange?"