I don't think that it is because we are all 'Apple worshippers' it is simply because iTunes is the World's largest and most popular music store and will continue to be so. It is THE way that music is bought these days and used. It has been like this for over 10 years now, it's not an over night sensation!

It's all too easy to tease Apple users however, the brand is the industry standard for the teens to 30 plus age and ignoring this is suicidal for a company. Simply relying on existing play safe customers just won't allow long term safety - explains why B&O has practically gone under so many times since the 1980s!

I really don't know what to say. Nice TVs, nice speakers but hifi wise i'm horrified and simply wouldn't waste my money.  After being burnt by the total rubbish of my DVD1 player which cost me a lot of saving up for, i'll be staying well clear as I'm sure in a few years to come they'll be making apologies for such lausy out of date boxes. Really not good enough!

I have a Macbook Pro, iMac, iTouch, iPad, and iPhone. So I obviously like Apple. I have Beoport connected to iMac and the Masterlink and have used it to listen to music. I also have Apple TV and have used it to listen to music.

Recently I purchased a Beosound 5. I actually investigated and learned what the 5 would and would not do before purchasing it. I did this so I would know what I was getting.

The 5 is wonderful. I have not turned Beoport or Apple TV on for music once since getting the Beosound 5.

The interface on the 5 is wonderful and easy to use. I can also turn it on from my iPad and adjust the volume and select the track I want.

The latest software update says that music can be played wirelessly form an iPhone or Android on the 5. What more do I need?

I am sure many here will be upset that B and O had the nerve to support Android and not just Apple.

As for cost, if the cost is too much for a product for what it is and does, don't buy it. There are even people out there who think iPhones and Macs are overpriced for what they do.

This forum has turned in to a why Apple is great and everybody else should do things the Apple way. Can somebody direct me to the forum for people who enjoy B and O?

Personally, I do not like BMWs, but I do not spend my time posting on BMW forums how much better Audis and Jaguars are and complaining that BMW can't do things the Audi or Jaguar way.

I just want a premium product that; 1. Actually is premium (like the beolab 5 speakers) 2. Plays well with the rest of the world.

There is no good reason for b&o to try to be Apple or any other brand, just stick to what you are good at and use it in a good way.

Did you saw the last video on B&O website?

They say, if I good understand, that's possible to stream music from and to a smartphone or ipad !

Check it here : http://www.bang-olufsen.com/beosound5

 

Shinobi52

1. The BS5 (Encore) seems to work well with iTunes-purchased music (there is no ALAC on the iTunes Store). So I can't understand people complaining that this is not Apple compatible.

2. The BS5 (Encore) is advertised with Airplay, but with an Airport Express. Here I can't understand B&O for making such a promotion for Apple technology without actually buiding it inside its product. Airplay is an Algorithm, not a piece of hardware. We can see Airplay as a wireless Aux input which works only with Apple products. That would have been great to have that, just as it's great to have DLNA for this purpose with other devices (NAS, Android...) If B&O made the choice to avoid Airplay, they could have avoided this kind of advertising.

3. The BS5 (Encore) has a physical HMI on it, with big wheels and a screen. That's an interesting choice, as it shows that B&O has made the conservatory choice of still giving a "materiality" to its audio product. If you just want to control everything with a remote/tablet/phone, you can just buy a BM5 (without BS5), or an Apple TV, or an Airport Express, or a Sonos, it will work as well (you loose HD tracks support and MOTS with the 3 last systems).

4. The BS5 (and Encore, I hope) can be controlled in 2-ways with the Beo6. That's cool. But that's not sufficient today. We heard that B&O is working on an app to control that. The idea is excellent, not because it's great to control everything with your phone (it's not, believe me), but because adding a BS5 software for iPad/Galaxy Tab/Other will allow us to get a DIFFERENT experience of the BS5 (at least I hope so). For instance, it could allow to make a keyboard search among tracks. It could also allow to send tracks/albums visually in different rooms (multiple BS5) just like we do on a Sonos system.

So the BS5 (Encore) has a great potential to be a leading system. People hypnotised by Apple marketing (I own an iMac+Macbook+iPhone+iPad so I could have been hypnotised...) won't understand that untill they don't understand that Apple+B&O can be complementary. At the other end of the scope, people who doesn't want the support of Airplay miss the point as it's just like an other Aux input (as I said before).

I have had the Beosound 5 for over 2 years.  In fact I bought the first one at my local B&O store.  At first I was a little disappointed but in time as the software was updated, I have come to love it.  Just like many in this forum, I have an expensive setup.   I want the best sound possible and I want the total B&O experience.  The Beosound 5 delivers that.  It is extremely well engineered.  The look and feel is wonderful.  I like the interface, the wheels and dials and most of all the display.  The Beosound 5 has a superior DAC when compared to previous B&O music players

I am also an early adopter of most Apple products in the last 10 years.  Yes iTunes is really nice but it is bloated.  Apple uses iTunes to sell not only music but also movies, books, periodicals and more.  When iTunes was first introduced, I was really impressed and agreed that iTunes music downloads was indeed the future.  It is still the future but 256 kbps is not good enough for those who want CD sound quality.  I have returned to buying CDs.  For music I put on the BS 5, I rip in FLAC format and then into iTunes at 256 kpbs for listening on iPod and iPhone listening.  I am also anticipating the forcoming iCloud service.  I should add that my most recent download of music was from HDtracks in the FLAC format.  I haven't bought any music from iTunes in over 6 months.

As for Apple's history, remember that since 1984, Apple almost went out of business several times.  Also they produced some machines that were terrible.  I am still annoyed about the 20th Anniversay Mac which was the worst PC I have ever owned.  Okay you can argue that since Steve arrived, things are better.  Yes they are better but Steve also had a loser in the cube Mac.

B&O would llike to sell to everyone that can afford their product and yes that includes people over 30 who actually have most of the purchasing power. It does appear B&O is trying to sell to people who still have CDs.  If that is their only buyers, they have a winner.  The new product category is primarily aimed at the iTunes generation.  I really like the Beosound 8 but haven't figured out a justification to buy it.

Razlaw, I am thinking about buying a new car.  How about an Audi A7?

Bill

As Shinobi52 noted, it is possible to stream between the Beosound 5 and a phone or iPad. It says so right in the Beosound 5 if one looks at the notes about the latest software release. There is a picture of it in another thread.

We have developed an alternative solution on beodesign.org: B&O's ouverture/beosound system with integegrated iphone/ipod touch. iPhone's coverFlow is still active, you can control everything via Beo4 (net.music compatible), covers will be updated in realtime - so it is similar to the beosound 5 encore form the user prospecitve: a beautiful solution to seamless integrate your iphone in your B&O setting.

Razlaw wrote:

As Shinobi52 noted, it is possible to stream between the Beosound 5 and a phone or iPad. It says so right in the Beosound 5 if one looks at the notes about the latest software release. There is a picture of it in another thread.

 

 

Jaff

You can do that but it appears you need an Airport Express audio minijac connected to the Beosound 5 .  You can then use Airplay through A.AUX.  I would love to be wrong about that but Beosound 5 does not support Airplay

Bill