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I had the shape installed last week (still in the middle of renovation but priorities and all that!)
I've had a few issues and getting the slave amp replaced so will wait until then to give it a full review, I have 6 speakers but the system isn't recognising my shape design and so I believe I am not hearing it to it's true potential as yet.
Look wise, wow love it and it will fit perfectly with the art I will have in the room and it's already a talking point.
Look wise, wow love it and it will fit perfectly with the art I will have in the room and it's already a talking point.
Looks great, Steve. Let us know what you think of the sound experience when you have the bugs shaken out of your installation.
Looking at your design triggered a thought: I assume that, if using the Shape in a 'traditional' stereo l/r sound stage configuration, you'd get a better experience by spreading the design horizontally, as you've done. I don't know this to be true, just guessing. Maybe someone reading this can confirm.
Also, I wonder if the 'band on the wall' configuration is also sensitive to a horizontal v. more clustered configuration?
My B&O Icons:
Sure the B&O app has gone through a lot of change and feel that the presentation in the latest version is top notch.
Did you mean the presentation of the UI or the usability ? Just curious.
I use my Beosound Shape analog. That means, I have it connected via Powerlink to my Beovision. That works really perfect. But the Beosound Core and the B&O app is a strong disappointment. I used the Beosound Core to set up the Beosound Shape, but since then I do not need it anymore. Bang & Olufsen offers good analog technology, but it did not arrive in the digital century and that is slowly killing the company!
There are some people in the Forum, that think the Beosound Core is working fine. Yes it works without errors, but looking at the price tage of 750,00 Euros, my expectation was totally different. The main disappoint is the B&O app, probably the technology of Beosound Core is not bad, but for 750,00 Euro a professional steering software (B&O app) should be included. And the B&O app is really really crap. Every low price Chinese loudspeaker manufacturers is able to offer higher quality software than Bang & Olufsen does.
There are some people, that think, offering Airplay is already state of the art and there is no need of an additional B&O app. Yes could be, but then something similar to an Apple Airport Express would be totally sufficient. Apple known as a high price design company sold the Apple Airport Express for 99,00 Euro (not 750,00 Euro). And all necessary Apple apps like Music, Podcast, are really well designed Apps easy and enjoyable to use.
My expectation is to compare the Beosound Core with the Sonos Connect (339,00 Euro not 750,00 Euro) or the new Sonos Port (449,00 Euro not 750,00 Euro). But looking at the software Sonos is including in this price, the B&O app is more than crap. It is a joke!
When my friends, most of them are using Sonos, coming over to me, I am deeply ashamed showing them, that I have to use a raspberry + hifiberry + LMS + ipeng + Beosound Core or Beovision (a tinker solution) with my Bang & Olufsen loudspeakers to get state of the art technology. They get it out of the box from Sonos. I expect from a company like Bang & Olufsen placed in the high price segment a multiroom software that is able to manage my privat music collection AND different music streaming providers. The B&O app offers, a really bad copy of the Deezer app without useful functions like music flow. But no search integration with my privat collection. No integration of further music streaming providers like Tidal or Qobuz. No integration of podcasts. … Instead the B&O app offers to manage headphones, really great. I do not have any B&O headphone and after my Bang&Olufsen experience I will never buy one. Why do I have to integrate the steering of multiroom devices and stand-alone devices in one app? To make it maximum complex, great job!
It is unbelievable that B&O is offering such an app and is not withdrawing it from the app Store. This B&O app is really destroys the quality perception and brand of Bang & Olufsen! Look at the view ratings and mainly low ratings of the B&O app. Nobody seems to use the B&O app and the view that are using it are hating it. It seems I am not the only one mega disappointed.
When I purchased the Beosound Shape / Core my expectation was that I am able to catch up technology wise with my „Sonos“ friends with a working out of the box solution. What I got was a very good analog working loudspeaker set. But I am living in 2019 and not anymore in 1980 Bang & Olufsen!
Sounds like Sonos is more suitable for your needs.
Since you’ve already got things up and running, you can easily use the optical input on the Shape amplifier to connect a Sonos Connect. Make sure that variable volume on the optical output from Sonos is enabled. Voila, Sonos and digital sound AND B&O sound.
Sounds like Sonos is more suitable for your needs.
Thank you for this tip, already thought about it, because I love the design of the Beosound Shape but not the B&O app at all.
1) But why did I have to invest 750,00 Euro for the Beosound Core within the Beosound Shape? Really necessary was the Beosound Core for 10 minutes during installation process of the Beosound Shape.
2) More interesting would be, what are the unique selling points and the medium-term goals / visions of the B&O app?
3) And why are the ratings of the B&O App in the Apple App Store so bad and what strategy is there to improve?
I do like the app, but then again my use case it rather different from yours.
Maybe you expect the app too do something that it was not designed for?
I guess Christian is right - Sonos and the Sonos app is more your thing.
In fact my (B&O multiroom) setup would not be easy to manage without the app.
The Core is part of the concept Shape - if you use it differently (as a set of speakers) only tell me that that concept is rather flexible.
It should have been possible for you to ‘borrow’ the Core just for the installation from your dealer.
As for reviews on the app store....I never read these!
MM
Location: Flensborg————Danmark
my use case it rather different from yours.
It would be interesting to understand your use case? Perhaps the problem is not the B&O app, it could be me, that I do not fully understand how to use it. Perhaps I have to change my processes and everything will be fine?
It should have been possible for you to ‘borrow’ the Core
My dealer did not tell me. I had to find out by myself, that I do not use the Beosound Core. Making additional 750,00 Euro more revenue, I can understand, that he did not offer it. And Bang&Olufsen is making it easy to get ripped, because there is not much information / detailed manuals available in the internet how to use / set-up the Beosound Shape.
As for reviews on the app store....I never read these!
As long as you are happy with the B&O app, there is no need to read it. But when you are not happy at all, you start to think if it is the app or you are using it in the wrong way. But when you see that the average rating was 1,8 (now 2,6 after setting back the counter) and you compare it with ratings of competitor apps at least you get the confirmation, that the majority of users are not very happy with the B&O App. As Bang & Olufsen I would get really nervous as customer I can go on to the next Brand as suggested in some threads.
well said!I did have a similar impression/ reaction.I do like the app, but then again my use case it rather different from yours. Maybe you expect the app too do something that it was not designed for? I guess Christian is right - Sonos and the Sonos app is more your thing. In fact my (B&O multiroom) setup would not be easy to manage without the app. The Core is part of the concept Shape - if you use it differently (as a set of speakers) only tell me that that concept is rather flexible. It should have been possible for you to ‘borrow’ the Core just for the installation from your dealer. As for reviews on the app store....I never read these! MM There is a tv - and there is a BV.
Is the Core working or not? Or is your problem the B&o app?There are some people in the Forum, that think the Beosound Core is working fine. Yes it works without errors, but looking at the price tage of 750,00 Euros, my expectation was totally different. The main disappoint is the B&O app, probably the technology of Beosound Core is not bad, but for 750,00 Euro a professional steering software (B&O app) should be included.
You use the BS Shape as Beolab's for your TV set. I use the BS Shape as a separate music system. With the app I can control the system, quite easily. So my experience doesn't compares to yours. I mainly listen to my own DLNA collection and sometimes TuneIn. For both the app works just fine.
I 'm curious what are you listen to when using this line of setup (Spotify? Deezer? Apple Music? or?)? In my opinion, I think you should rethink this use. Or supprise me?that I have to use a raspberry + hifiberry + LMS + ipeng + Beosound Core or Beovision
If you do not have any of these devices, don't critizise! Because in your setup the app will not show these devices. So why complain about complexity?Instead the B&O app offers to manage headphones, really great. I do not have any B&O headphone and after my Bang&Olufsen experience I will never buy one. Why do I have to integrate the steering of multiroom devices and stand-alone devices in one app? To make it maximum complex, great job!
In principle you did buy such a system! And my "Sonos" friends still find my system more impressive.When I purchased the Beosound Shape / Core my expectation was that I am able to catch up technology wise with my „Sonos“ friends with a working out of the box solution.
Note: still improvement to the app and/or the BS Shape are possible and would be appreciated.
I'm not sure if you are aware, but there was a recent software update which now allows you to use the core and connect the amplifier via powerlink. If you're playing music through the core, and the powerlink from the BV is activated, then the powerlink takes priority and the music from the core is paused.
Location: Exeter, UK
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