Puncher wrote:

I've linked link (I imagine most have read it), because it does have a spectrum within which doesn't show any real "holes" (although there is no mention of who or how it was measured).

It's fairly unusual for B&O to receive praise in the audio press and most are ready to knock it down - the BL9 does fair quite well, not only in this but also in other reviews from hifi mags etc.

I can only assume there's some sort of environmental factor at work.

Well, we will never really know if B&O decided to try the BOSE trick, and pay some publishers for these reviews...

Dave wrote:

Well, we will never really know if B&O decided to try the BOSE trick, and pay some publishers for these reviews...

Seems to me a bit to dramatic to be real :-). Lets wait for the feedback of Dave M. after his trip to Texas.

On the other hand, this is a very interesting thread and as I was planning to buy a set of BL9's for my studio as well, I am very curious too. I will grap a bunch of cd's later this week and visit my dealer to obtain a better understanding of this issue. Could you recommend some music you used?

Anything under the Deutche Grammaphon label is good if you like classical music, Goldfrapp is good, take something that you know well, i'm sure you know which cd's of yours that are good quality (what do you mean by a studio? music studio?)

well after reading this thread three things i have heard stick in my mine

Speakers fee like they are missing something

Listening to them is tiring
lacks something

i have listened to these for days to try and get used to them, but something is missing big style and it kind of feels like they need turnign up all the time

SOme music has no bass others to much treble, i cannot spend everyday changing the settings on my tv.

Bass is overpowering on some songs and non existant on others

midrange is missing and to much treble

i fear that i will return mine in the next day or two as my lab 8000's never made me feel tired or the need to listen hard.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH thats how i feel

Seanie, I think you have exactly summerized  what I have also experienced after one year of extensive listening to my Lab's 9 and experimenting with numerous settings and positions in my room. However my conclusion is you never get where you want to be. Sure, these speakers have some strong points but the overall impression is indeed tiring to listen to and an unbalanced sound. I am sorry to say but IMO these labs 9 as they are today need a serious sonical redesign.

Peter McGrath, who spends time developing speakers for Wilson Audio, will spend up to half an hour finding the best position for the speakers in a new room -- of course, he lets the goal of optimum sound dictate placement.

However, if one begins by placing the speakers where they look best, are the most out of the way, or most decorative, then that might impact negatively on the sound they produce -- so one needs to find a compromise.

My BeoLab 5s had amazing things happening in the mid-range depending upon where they were placed, down to 5cm adjustments of position. Worth looking into.

Yes, moving mine further way from the back wall made a positive difference, also changing the potentiometers on the speakers (treble to zero).

Hi Dave

I just tired to call you on you rmobile /cell.

Yeah i think I maybe should give them some more time.

according to the service book those settings should be matched to a replacement speaker.

If it does not damage them i will have a play with mine today after writing the original settings of course.

did you not think of turning the midrange up?

Dave: Anything under the Deutche Grammaphon label is good if you like classical music

I disagree; some CD's using a technique called "original bit imaging/processing, for more clarity, etc" are harsh to listen to, talking about to much treble... A shame for a company like DGG. 

Seanie_230 wrote:

(...) Bass is overpowering on some songs and non existant on others

midrange is missing and to much treble (...)

If you're using mp3 music to make the test, the poor or overpowered bass is not a fault of the BL9, but the music. Try to use CD when you're making the set up. You've got a really stunning pair of speakers...