It's important to remember, especially when considering the Encore, that the switch from MasterLink to NetLink is going to be a significant transition and not every product will do everything all at once. It's been said since the launch of the BeoSound 5 that new features and capabilities will be added periodically. The same goes for BeoSound 5 Encore. 

TripEnglish wrote:

It's important to remember, especially when considering the Encore, that the switch from MasterLink to NetLink is going to be a significant transition and not every product will do everything all at once. It's been said since the launch of the BeoSound 5 that new features and capabilities will be added periodically. The same goes for BeoSound 5 Encore. 

That doesn't answer my questions at all. I don't mind if the Beolink Wireless aren't updated from day-one, I can do very well with other wireless products. But the capability is important.

Likewise, and perhaps much more important, if the Encore can't communicate with the new two-way remote in a two-way fashion, but only has the capability to take orders, and they're launched simultanously, that doesn't sit right with me, when it comes to delivering the goods: If two new products - the Beo5 MKII - a two-way remote (finally!!) can't function two-way with this BS5 MKII - you know, the first full-fledged product heralding the digital age of integration in the world of B&O, then my hopes are pretty low for this to be the heir to my Squeezebox(es). And I'm not even particularly fond of my small boxes and cheap "Controller".

It's as if they're doing it all over again (Encore?): Putting a product on the market that aren't really finished, and then people have to come up with workarounds or get used to "It might happen soon (although, soon may mean "never")".

I want to buy this product so bad, just like I wanted to buy the BS5 very badly. There were just so many things I would have to do without or have had to do on another system, in effect adding clutter. 

But this time, they actually put in a minijack for headphones (I rely on headphones for a large part of my work and pleasure), and it has wifi, all sounding good, and to top it off, they're bringing out a two-way remote along with this all-new all-digital audio pleasure thing. But, hey, there's a caveat: It won't stream audio over wi-fi, it can't actually comunicate with the two-way remote, and no product is out yet that would allow it to connect to anything (I hope it has S/PDIF and/or AES-EBU out, at least, and no need for a third party box to talk to speakers with digital (coaxial) input.

It makes me wonder if it will be able to control the Beolab 5s at all?

So many questions and disappointments even before it's out, because it sounds so good on the surface, until you realise that nothing is really implemented well enough from the looks of things,  and we haven't even touched upon the firmware.  I so hope my doubts will be put to shame when it arrives and they will roll out a huge improvement over the firmware in present BS5s (and update that too, of course).

So far the disappointments are your own inventions. You also reference two products incorrectly: Beo5 MkII (I assume you mean the Beo6) and BeoSound 5 MkII (which is a bigger error). 

You also mention that the BeoSound 5 does not stream music over WiFi. Who told you this? That's among the many things it does do.

You also mention the BeoLink wireless, which is redundant in NetLink as all devices are WiFi enabled, making a limited and proprietary system of boxes obsolete.

Why don't you relax and wait for the future to happen. In the meantime you can continue to let the enchanting majesty of the squeezebox wash over you. 

Trip, as you're informed very well (like always) :) I've got 5 questions:

1.) Will I be able to use the Beo 6 with my current Beosound 5 to browse through my music collection like on 3rd party solutions (browse for artists, albums, songs etc. directly on the remote)?

2.) Will it be possible to add and integrate(!) the Beosound 5 Encore to an existing setup (BS5 + BS3000) or will it be stand alone?

3.) Will the Beo 6 be able to control "standard" B&O Equipment like audio-systems and TV-sets?


4.) Will the Beo 6 be able to control 3rd party equipment like the Beo 5 can do?

5.) Will the Beosound 5 be "Netlink" compatible?


Thank you and have a nice day! 

If BeoSond 5 Encore is a non ML product how can it then integrated to exsisting ML products. Sow now I have a full integrated a/v system, with BS5 Encore what will happen?

TripEnglish wrote:

So far the disappointments are your own inventions.

Of course the disappointments are my own, but I hinge them on what you say won't be possible.

You also reference two products incorrectly: Beo5 MkII (I assume you mean the Beo6)

and BeoSound 5 MkII (which is a bigger error).

See above.

I really can't see why you're so hung up on the naming. The naming is part of the marketing. Nothing more, nothing less.

You also mention that the BeoSound 5 does not stream music over WiFi. Who told you this?That's among the many things it does do.

I thought you, TripEnglish, hinted to that.

You also mention the BeoLink wireless, which is redundant in NetLink as all devices are WiFi enabled, making a limited and proprietary system of boxes obsolete.

Sounds good, but unless they intend to roll out wireless speakers (I sure hope not, the magnetic fields will make it a pain), and expect us all to buy those new wifi-enabled speakers, a wireless box with digital out is crucial, or at least the capability to talk to a third party "receiver" with digital out such as a squeezebox.

Why don't you relax and wait for the future to happen. In the meantime you can continue to let the enchanting majesty of the squeezebox wash over you.

I already told you, I'm not very fond of it, and I'd love to upgrade to a BS5 MKII/Encore, not downgrade to cable clutter and less functionality.

Just because I point to another product on the market which does all what I think the BS5 versions should do, doesn't mean I like to "let the enchanting majesty of the squeezebox wash over" me.  It means I have a standard and are not blinded by bling at the cost of functionality, but would like to have that bling if the functionality was there. I want the Encore/MKII to be a great product I could buy and enjoy on a daily basis, and allow me to get rid of my Squeezeboxes, instead of having to have parallel products, where one doesn't really cut it in the funcitonality department. I don't want to run a parallel setup, and I certainly don't want to look at two setups, so the lesser one would have to go - or in the real world, I'd just not buy the lesser product. 

Is it clear now that I don't particularly like my Squeezeboxes and that I'm looking for a nicer - and at least as practical - solution?

Electrified,

For sure every B&O fan is anxious about the new products but bear in mind that Trip is kind enough to share information and so far he is one of the few that have done that. So don't kill the messenger after all is not his fault if B&O nails it with the new products or not.

And hey let's don't forget we are talking about a product that has not even been launched yet!

I'm not trying to kill the messenger. I am bitching about the product if it pans out as per Trip's information.

I am grateful that he does divulge information. I just hope that Struer does this right when the product materialise and we are able to buy it.

This thread should be renamed "BeoSound 5 Encore tech specs", don't you think? 😁

I hope B&O will learn from the past & offer improvements on the Encore such as:

- gapless playback in NMUSIC mode (otherwise I'll keep my BeoPort with BMLink)

- Apple Lossless playback (if all Ipod docks can do it, sure B&O can do it..?)

- full artist/track name display in NRADIO mode (not like on current PC-based products: I shifted from BeoPort software to BMLink for this reason)

- wi-fi 802N for more speed and above all, less interference with other wi-fi products using 802g

- possibility to use the Encore as an audio master, and to use the Beo4 hard keys to turn on the sources (= RADIO for NRADIO, CD for USB/extra aux.device, and AMEM for NMUSIC, rather than going through the painful LIST procedure)

If it doesn't do all this, people like me will keep using BMLink with a BeoPort box and buy an Iphone or Ipod Touch (not an Ipad, it's more expensive than a Beo5!) to use it as a real 2-way remote with Itunes. And for further integration with other B&O gear, there's even Philippe's solution with Linkplayer..so pls Struer, surprise us!💡

Chrisreunion wrote:

- Apple Lossless playback (if all Ipod docks can do it, sure B&O can do it..?)

iPod docks are not reading the MP3s, the iPod does. The iPod is gapless, not the dock.