It was bound to happen sooner or later. Just make sure you have yours before it's no longer available. It was love at first sight for me as well. I was working for B&O back in 1996 when it was unveiled at our store. I bought one immediately and still have it today. I no longer have a CD collection, but kept my favorite 6 CDs just to display and play in my 9000 - including the first CD I ever owned.

I guess it's kind of like a woman whom you fall in love with. She was beautiful, slender and young when you had your infatuation. Now she's middle aged, pudgy, plain, and possibly your wife. You still love her, but the magic is gone... or maybe still there.

I received the same email, Sal. I've said it before on here recently, I will miss it - a lot! Even though I can't buy one I can't help but feel a bit depressed about it. 

I'm still a bit shaken by how fast B&O ripped all but one (I think) CD player from the audio range. But I understand, the CD is going extinct...

[:'(]

@ Hungedu isn`t it the same with us guys getting older etc?! ;-)

Personally I am very happy that I have got my BeoSound 9000 but I also only have my most important CDs in it, all the rest is on my NAS.

Well, from my point of view the situation is the same with old cars, we love them, care and might repair them but they are no longer build.

From a business perspectiv Bang and Olufsen is making the right step.

Sal wrote:

Well, it has finally happened, the end is near for what has been IMHO, the MOST iconic B&O product ever made.

I'd like to buy an updated Apple Cube (which is in the Design Museum) but can't. I've somehow managed to get over it :)

I don't get it really, are they really not selling any of them these days that it makes business sense to discontinue it?

The costs of producing those systems must be negligible now, the cost of the R&D and setting up the assembly line were paid for years ago. Could they not treat it a bit like the headphones - not a flagship product like the TVs or Lab5s but still a classy piece of kit that they'll be happy to order for you?

Calvin wrote:

I don't get it really, are they really not selling any of them these days that it makes business sense to discontinue it?

The costs of producing those systems must be negligible now

Not necessarily - it might well be an expensive device to produce when you take into account the factory floor plan and all other facilities it reserves. Possibly the resources are needed for something else and getting this out of the way saves some other investments.

Of course the BS9000 still has a certain following, but I would expect that most people that aspire having a 6 CD changer would have bought one already. I wouldn't be surprised if the sales of BS9000 had declined rapidly during the last few years.

It's a little more complex than it might appear at face. A) any product that's produced demands time & space in the manufacturing facility that could otherwise be used for other products, B) the 9000 still uses very costly materials and man-power, so the cost is still high, versus a product that's basically stamped of plastic & pot-metal in China, C) the product actually does have to be re-engineered continuously as parts drop out of production, D) it doesn't really sell anymore. 

Like most folks, I'm thrilled to own one and wouldn't give it up, but at the same time I wouldn't buy one today. It just doesn't make a lot of sense to pour $5,000+ into a product that plays a dying media. 

TripEnglish wrote:

Like most folks, I'm thrilled to own one and wouldn't give it up, but at the same time I wouldn't buy one today. It just doesn't make a lot of sense to pour $5,000+ into a product that plays a dying media. 

From the "I'm Just Sayin' Files":

And every month I read in Stereophile about another turntable/tonearm/cartridge combination coming on the market at $10,000+.....