Paul Winn wrote:

Kind of agree with Flappo

Same here, in some manners. The sound quality of B&O kit is great, but we sure do pay a premium for it. Plus it is a lifestyle decision. The stores are presented as a lifestyle decision - most people are buying in to the "snob value" as much as they are the quality. I do sometimes wonder if there's more of the former than the latter these days, particularly when I see the price of the BV10-46 (£8900)!

But as I've said many times, if I'm paying this premium I also expect B&O to cover all or most bases. Like Flappo said, we shouldn't be buying a £10K+ BV7-40 with Blu-ray and not be able to decode DTS-HD, yet be told that B&O is all about high end audio. That's a huge contradiction, to me!

Same with the Encore. They need to support every major/primary format, every major streaming standard if they want to prooduce a product like the Encore. The sad thing about many B&O users to me is that they accept second best with software support. It's been like that for a few years now.

Yes! It is a lifestyle decision. Now that I have seen the product and its specs I'm convinced. It truly is an amazing product of the highest quality and I will buy it. It fits into my lifestyle and it deserves a special place in the home I will build. I also hope that B&O will continue to make such beautiful products based on the Beonet. THANK YOU B&O FOR LAUNCHING THE ENCORE!

moxxey wrote:

They need to support every major/primary format, every major streaming standard if they want to prooduce a product like the Encore. The sad thing about many B&O users to me is that they accept second best with software support. It's been like that for a few years now.

The only MAJOR format as you put it is presumably Apple Lossless. But why do you call it MAJOR. There is not so much Apple lossless around. The only way to get it, is rip it yourself or get it for somebody else! There are hardly sites to be found which sells is as an unique format.

So don't put me and others down as someone who accepts second best! I decided different then your opinion and it didn't include Apple lossless.

Carolpa wrote:

The only MAJOR format as you put it is presumably Apple Lossless. But why do you call it MAJOR. 

I was talking about streaming standards not audio formats. I've not mentioned audio formats in any previous post!

If Encore is supposed to be a £2500 do-it-all streaming audio device (which it is), I'd expect it to support the premier market-leading audio streaming formats - AirPlay etc. That requires a license, but on a product at that price, I'd expect it to include the license.

No idea where you have got this lossless debate from.

B&O have a recent history of shipping goods that require a lot of software updates to bring them up to scratch. I can't tell you how many upgrades I've had for my various BV7-40's over the last three years, just to handle some basic TV control (ie. handling the Sky box). The reason for mentioning this is that someone said that they could expect AirPlay in a future software update. Perhaps. For me, that's not good enough. I'd struggle to justify buying it on the basis that it might gain support for X or Y in the the future, but us B&O customers have long accepted this. So the point is valid. If you're happily buying expensive equipment and hoping something will get fixed or added at a later date, fair enough. For me, that's accepting second best.

moxxey wrote:

B&O have a recent history of shipping goods that require a lot of software updates to bring them up to scratch. I can't tell you how many upgrades I've had for my various BV7-40's over the last three years,

To be fair, I can't think of ANY *other* software based product that the same would not be said about as well.

Can you?

Barry

I totally agree with Moxxey, B&O should have attained a licence, just like cassette deck manufacturers had to obtain A Dolby noise reduction licence if they wanted this very much needed option.

I'm very pleased that I won't be buying an Encore, like a lot of B&O's range it is incomplete and dated before it even hits the shores. Sorry B&O but after 20 nearly 30 years of your products you've lost me as a customer. I just feel its Company that isn't going anywhere with an old designer label - bit like an old Pringle jumper!

Beosound 5 and Beosound 5 Encore use the UPnp/DLNA standard and support iTunes server on several remote file servers such as iomega.  It will play any file format except ALAC or Apple lossless.  There are many apps available for remote play on the Beosound 5.  Airplay is really not needed.  However it would be nice to have and maybe it will be added later.  

Beosound 5 Encore is closer in operation and sound quality to the many audiophile music servers that cost much more.  Although I use a Mac user, I rip in the FLAC format which sounds wonderful.  Lossless is lossless whether it is FLAC, Apple lossless, or Microsoft lossless.  Although I have a Beocenter 2, I rarely use it.  I plan on using Beosound 5 as my only music system.  My Beocenter 2 will be on ebay soon.  

What will be the price for your Beocenter 2? I might be interested :)

linder wrote:

I plan on using Beosound 5 as my only music system.  My Beocenter 2 will be on ebay soon.  

bsantini wrote:

To be fair, I can't think of ANY *other* software based product that the same would not be said about as well.

Oh come on. Did you read the discussions about software issues with the BV7-40? Many issues over many years. Beocom 5 was the same. So was the Beosound 5 when it was originally released. All three released as "beta" products, with us as the testers, with tons of software updates to get the *hardware* working as specified.

Luckily most recent B&O products can update themselves over the internet, which makes life a lot easier. However, you really can't justify the hassle BV7-40, Beocom 5 and original Beosound 5 users experienced.

There aren't many hardware products released which require so many software upgrades. And by "software", I mean firmware.

linder wrote:

My Beocenter 2 will be on ebay soon.  

I may buy it from you and connect an Airport Express to it. I still have a Beocenter wall mount (hidden) which I used with my original Beocenter 2. This is an iconic DVD/CD player, IMHO. Never used mine much as I bought a BV7-40 with builtin DVD player. Ended up selling it a couple of years ago. Regret that sale - it's probably the only regret I have.

However, why do you need the Encore? I can connect the Express to a Beosound 4 or Beocenter 2 and allow them to connect to my AirPlay-powered setup and use my iPhone or iPad to control the music played through these devices. Better than the Encore, as it stands.