TripEnglish wrote:

The sheer volume of ignorance, wish-thinking, and hyperbole on this forum is truly breath-taking. It's like the forum never recovered for the True DTS-HD thread and the anti-B&O contingent were galvanized and emboldened. They hide behind the "it's not like it used to be" argument, but their motives are clear. They do not have any honest desire to see B&O thrive and prosper. They have nothing useful to offer in terms of ideas and anyone who takes their ideas seriously is the worse for it. 

I'd like to keep participating, but it's not B&O that's in decline, it's this forum. There needs to be a break-point. The "nail-in-the-coffin-spotters" aren't going to shut up, so it's up to those of us who wish to discuss the brand we love in constructive terms to overwhelm the threads and not allow them to descend into hornets' nest of unsophisticated pessimistic blather.

Anyone who reads this who has faded in their participation, please come back. Please dive in so that we can bring some life back here. It's a community with the potential to be a great and worthwhile diversion for all of us, but only if we make it so.

I guess you don't remember B&o's attempt at a forum?

TripEnglish wrote:

The sheer volume of ignorance, wish-thinking, and hyperbole on this forum is truly breath-taking. It's like the forum never recovered for the True DTS-HD thread and the anti-B&O contingent were galvanized and emboldened. They hide behind the "it's not like it used to be" argument, but their motives are clear. They do not have any honest desire to see B&O thrive and prosper. They have nothing useful to offer in terms of ideas and anyone who takes their ideas seriously is the worse for it. 

I'd like to keep participating, but it's not B&O that's in decline, it's this forum. There needs to be a break-point. The "nail-in-the-coffin-spotters" aren't going to shut up, so it's up to those of us who wish to discuss the brand we love in constructive terms to overwhelm the threads and not allow them to descend into hornets' nest of unsophisticated pessimistic blather.

Anyone who reads this who has faded in their participation, please come back. Please dive in so that we can bring some life back here. It's a community with the potential to be a great and worthwhile diversion for all of us, but only if we make it so.

I'm going to go pollenate some threads now and hope that you do the same.

Trip

+1

The good news are that B&O have found, in my opinion, a new and better north and is sailing the storm graciously. Seems that awesome and great things are in the horizon for B&O and the future looks really bright. 

Honestly I can wait to brighten my day and enhance my home with more beautiful and amazing products from B&O. Look, Use, listen, watch and interact with them is really a daily pleasure. Honestly I wish I had more rooms and more houses just to fill them with these amazing products.

burantek wrote:

I guess you don't remember B&o's attempt at a forum?

One of their purest failures.

TripEnglish wrote:

burantek wrote:

I guess you don't remember B&o's attempt at a forum?

One of their purest failures.

Exactly... and to my point -the definition of a forum: a public meeting or assembly for open discussion.

When things got out of hand at B&o -they just pulled the plug.

Make it what it is. Take from it what you want. Attempting to steer it would be BeoWorld's purest failure.

TripEnglish wrote:

burantek wrote:

I guess you don't remember B&o's attempt at a forum?

One of their purest failures.

LOL

The same old story. The glass is half empty or half full?.

The world is full of failed attempts until you get the right one, ask Thomas Alva Edison, he found thousands of ways to make a "non working" light bulb until he finally found one way to make a "working" one. Perseverance and optimism at its best. Unfortunately I see some lack of the latter in this forum lately.

I wouldn't presume to attempt steering of any sort. Anyone is free to respond to or dismiss a thread like this. But I've registered an undercurrent of similar sentiment and I hope to inspire some worthwhile voices to return to the conversation. 

Though I'm far from a regular poster, I've been reading this site for quite some time.  I must say there certainly are a number of people unsatisfied with B&O's current trajectory.  While their arguments certainly have their merits, I don't really find the naysayers any different than in any other online forum. I'm also a member of many automotive forums, and there are striking similarities between the two. 

The fact is many people don't want to face certain economic truths.  The 'it's not like it used to be' argument transcends all products and all markets - more now than ever, and it's not going to change. It'll never be 'like it used to be' again, and the stick-in-the-muds have to wake up and face the facts. 

Those with their blinders on may prefer B&O to manufacture all their goods at home, run themselves into the ground, crash and burn with escalating costs etc, rather than outsourcing manufacturing to China to survive.  In this economic climate EVERYONE has to cut their costs where they can and reevaluate all aspects of their business practices, from Panasonic to Porsche - nobody is immune. 

Certainly there is something to mourn here.  B&O is changing because they have to.  The disheartened on this forum should certainly have their opinions voiced, that's what this site is all about, but they should also take a reality check.  Sadly, some don't, and can be quite the 'downers' at times.  I sincerely hope they don't wish for the demise of Bang & Olufsen.  I don't think most sincerely do.

That being said, a few sour grapes won't ruin the bunch. :)  I've always found this site to be extremely helpful and informative, even from the sidelines. :)

Mike

Hopefully I am not a naysayer.

In fact in many ways it is not B&O who changed ... but us.

I would be here more often ... but work has been quite demanding this year.

I would be more positive ... if Trip had shed more illumination from his trip to the dealer conference.

I like CDs ... but MP3s can be more convenient.

I like B&O ... but I need to be financially cautious.

I won't by a Beosound 8 ... not because it is made in China, not because of its design, but because my tastes / usage patterns have changed from when I envisaged on the old forum a device like the BS8.

I like their designs, their simplicity ... but I have also grown to like the similar simplicity that I find in Apple.

I would buy a BS8 remote as a separate instead of using an iPhone/iTouch ... because it embodies the essence of B&O cool.

If I did not need to financially conservative I would buy a BV7-55 or the -85 whatever that is whenever it comes.

If I did not fear the wrath of SWMBO I would by some BeoLab 5s but instead I will settle instead for a gaggle (what is the collective noun for penguins?).

And so I hold my breath to see these fabulous eight products in 2011 will bring. 

I have a deposit at my local B&O store that is burning a hole in my pocket ... all I need is the right product or right north star to guide me :) ... and I would buy.

So my New Year's resolution is to be more positive about the hopes of the brand I love.

No way, Elephant. You've generally been a bright spot as someone whose criticism makes sense. You express your opinions as opinions and not divine revelation. Your attitude, from my perspective, represents someone who wants to see our beloved brand do better in every sense. Glad to hear of your renewed optimism for 2011. I'm confident it will pay off (-;

(for the record I probably divulge more than B&O would like and sometimes it's hard to keep secrets, but I try to shoot straight with what I know)