Having heard badly set up BL9s, I can recognise the description! Some (poor) dealers think that placing them against a wall or in a corner and then putting the switches to free standing and turning the loudness on makes them sound impressive - it doesn't.

Set up properly they are a great speaker - but still not BL5s!  I agree about the BL2 and music more and more. Excellent with surround sound though.

I bought a pair of BeoLab 9's, and the dealer i bought them from simply said "you will not need a BeoLab2"

Well, anyone that tells me what i need gets ignored.. 😂

However.. i hate to say it, but he was right.  I used the BL2 for about a month, but instantly i thought 'hmm.. too much bass..'  -  I did persevere, but in the end i removed the BL2 and sold it.  I have not regretted it at all, and find the BeoLab 9 a truly superb speaker in every respect.  The bass, when needed, is deep and very precise.

If your living space cannot handle the sheer size of BeoLab 5, the BeoLab 9 is a brilliant 'second'. It's the nearest thing to BL5 i have ever heard, and i guarantee that nobody will be disappointed with them.  That's a strong statement i know, but that comes from a skeptic as well as an enthusiast.  If a B&O product is rubbish, i will be the first to say!

Lee 

I purchased a set of Lab9's, and thought (and still do) the sound from them was awsome, I then borrowed a sub from a dealer and realised what a difference it makes (this is in a largeish room).

The Lab 9s are really really nice, and produce great sound...But when you have the sub attached...you 'feel' the base, not just hear it. And that's great for movies (although not needed for anything else).

You don't know you want it until you 'feel' it.

That doesn't mean it'll always be better though, the BeoLab 2 will often just end up confusing the sound in a small to large/medium room. The BeoLab 9s can produce oodles of bass by themselves!

Harappan! 😕