Hi M

I too have been wondering about the Beosound5/Beomaster and, like you, am put off by the high price for somewhat limited functionality.  Despite being a ling term B&O fan I need to look after the cash and have been looking at the SONOS.  Given you already have the data on you MAC, then the SONOS will display this for you. Better still the control device fits into you habd and is portable.  Sadly this is a major weakness in the BS5.

D

The BeoMaster 5 can connect via VGA, DVI, HDMI, Composite Video, or Component Video. I don't quite understand what advice your dealer gave you, but I'm sure you have at least one of those to spare on your BeoVision 6. The BeoMaster 5 is certainly usable without the head unit, but I would suggest STRONGLY, that if you're on the fence about whether to buy the complete package or just the BeoMaster 5 that you at least audition the full system in your own home with your own music. If you're already buying the BeoMaster 5, your dealer should have no problem lending you a unit for a few days once your music is loaded.

As for the main question... 

As for the BeoPort, you have to understand that they are very different products. One streams content with very limited control and one give you greater access than you have on your desktop. If you are a casual listener to your digital music collection, you may as well save a little money and purchase the BeoPort (assuming you have a BeoSound audio system, otherwise it won't work). 

If you're like me, however, and possess a very serious music collection (over 850 albums so far) on your computer and that music figures heavily into every aspect of your life (as it does mine), you won't regret a BeoSound 5. The way it puts you in touch with the music is like nothing else out there. The sound quality is astonishing even with most of my music at 256 or 320kbps and it's just sexy as hell. 

Sonos is very interesting, but really not a serious contender. Poor sound quality and very limited integration potential make it ideal for a casual music listener, but a novelty for the serious music listener.

Hopefully this helps a bit. It sounds like there must have been a miscommunication between you and your local dealer. 

Hello TripEnglish,

thank you very much for taking some time answering my question. I will try this time to make less typo mistakes :-). I do have Peritel (don't know how to translate that in English) but not DVI or HDMI. Not yet I should say. I was clearly advised to install the HD module and that would then provide me the required interface.

I must also add that I connect occasionaly my Mac laptop to the television Beovision 6-26 to display pictures (diashow from iPhoto). And the quality of the picture is really not satisfactory. Therefore I was thinking some time ago about acquiring a Beomedia1 and now about a Beomaster 5 (combined with BeoSound5 for the music). I now asked B&O to tell me about the possibility to build in the HD module and whether this comes with HDMI or DVI connections. Let's see what they will come with. I will also get again in touch with my retailer.

Thanks for your help anyway.

M.

Greuzi Marfa;

I do have Peritel (don't know how to translate that in English)

Peritel is a SCART connection; The same thing.

Hi,

Two weeks ago I bought an iMac 24" and a 160GB Apple TV rather than the BS5. My decision was based mostly on the fact that all the wiring and decorating work is complete at my home and I am not prepared to rip it all out and start again just to integrate a BS5 when the Apple TV gives the same result, in my opinion.

I think the interface of Apple TV (Front Row, covert art etc.) takes some beating and compliments the B&O link system better than any other third party product I looked at - although I never checked Sonos I must admit. B&O had nothing suitable to offer as a comparison. This solution is wireless so for me was the obvious choice. I also like the fact that you can download movies in HD through Apple TV which I am sure I will make use of a lot.

A month ago I bought a BV6-26 as well to use as a second room set and everything can be played back through that if required; DVDs loaded in the 7-40 and CDs and radio from the BS9000, both situated in the lounge.

This is a fantastic set up and in many ways I prefer it because I can  display media content on a nice big 40" screen. The other advantage to using the Apple TV is that you can program the Beo 5 remote to operate it so you can achieve 1 linked system with 1 remote. A highly recommended setup.

However, don't discount the BS5 by any means. Its a great piece of kit and I love it. Starting from scratch I probably would have gone that route as I always prefer to stay with B&O but, it is a bit messy I think in terms of its wiring and less than straightforward connectivity options/placement. I am simply offering a very good alternative.

All the best,
Simon.

TripEnglish wrote:

.....................The way it puts you in touch with the music is like nothing else out there. The sound quality is astonishing even with most of my music at 256 or 320kbps and it's just sexy as hell. 

.......................

Just to be clear, the sound quality has nothing to do with the BS5, you will get the same output quality with the BM5 alone if you choose to go that way.

Another question - will the upcoming 2 way remote work with the BM5 alone or does it need the BS5 to be connected (and if so why)?

Hi, I have an old BV6-26, it has DVI, but it is actually hard to find. It has its own small cover up to the left when you see it from behind, are you shure you dont have that?

"I wonder if this is worth spending the money there rather than on a BeoPort. My digital music is on my Mac and an external harddrive (iTunes). Looks like my Mac together with some software would make ot for much less money. i got the link in the room whre the mac is installed."

Tough one.

I've gone through the lot from B&O on the "digital media" side, and must admit that I was rather disappointed with my last kit - the BeoMedia 1: It was too cumbersome to locate a given album, not to mention a specific track, from both the tv menu and the BeoCenter 2. So my fairly comprehensive cd collection, now digitalized, was not put to much use. In fact, I more or less stopped listening to music when my BeoSound 9000 left our house.

So I was not too keen on the BeoMaster 5 / BeoSound 5 combo, but being a dedicated fan I still went ahead and got it 😳.

Less than a week after I got it up and running I was totally sold: No fiddling with computers, picking up remotes to access on-screen menu's - just walk up to the BeoSound 5, floating on a glass table, touch it, it wakes up and I simply rotate the wheel to get exactly what I want. And this as I pass by it with the newspaper under my arm. Sure, it was expensive - but so was my not-put-to-much-use music collection.  And my BeoLab 5's are back in business - reproducing my lossless music collection.

And the MOTS feature is simply brilliant, it will fit the job description for anything from a quiet dinner to a disco party. And now they have it sorted out so it will not play Xmas music in July, too.

The WEB and PHOTO alternatives are great, too. But nothing new here compared to the BeoMedia 1.

Roger