While B&O doesn't update BS4 to 4K, I would go with Emotiva Bas-X MC700 audio processor. It's the cheapest one with acceptable audio quality I could find.

While B&O doesn't update BS4 to 4K, I would go with Emotiva Bas-X MC700 audio processor. It's the cheapest one with acceptable audio quality I could find.

Everyone capable of producing a BS5 has beeen sent home, that division does not exist anymore at B&O (or am I wrong?). 

I am running an OLED LG and Yamaha CX-A5100 preamp.

This is the top shelf from Yamaha, which is basically on par if not a little better than Denon, Marantz, Pioneer elite, etc.

Yamaha just released the CX-A5200, so there will be audiophiles out there getting rid of their pre-amps in favor of the latest and greatest. I got my used from a local chap and half price because he was raising funds to get the new toy. So I would recommend high-end second hand pre-amp to help with the expenditure.

Its actually a godsend that B&O makes active speakers, because surround preamps are way better than integrated receivers (amp and preamp built into one). When you get into high end audio, the setups are all huge separates to keep the signal clean, however its huge pieces on electronics on top of each other, and all complicated to set up. With B&O speakers however, the amplification is all spread out all over the room, and no amplifier is next to another! Thats as clean as it gets.

It has Dolby Atmos, and I have it configured this way....

Center: pair of BL8000 (mono splitting into the two speakers either side of the TV)

Left/Right: BL 9

Surround Left/Right: BL8000

Rear Left/Right: BL8000

Overhead/Presence: BL3

LFE: Two B&W PV1 left and right

This has been absolutely amazing, and Dolby Atmos is just a whole new level of home movie watching, and the DSP for surround music is equally impressive. Whats more, the calibration from the Yamaha CX-A5100 adjusts for the room perfectly. I also get individual PEQ per channel, to further tailor the curve of the speaker to my taste, which is key.

All the speakers are connected via PowerLink, with a 12V trigger stepped down to 5V. So when I turn on the Yamaha, it turns on and off all the speakers like any regular B&O TV or Beosystem. The Yamaha has two 12V out, but Im just using the one into a regular 6-way headphone splitter. The two subwoofers are just using RCA line sense, which is annoying as hell when watching TV shows that have little bass, the woofers keep clicking on and off. So the 12V triggered speakers are great.

To finish it all off, Im using a Harmony One remote, so control of the whole system happens on 1 remote control. The Yamaha also has an amazing phone app, which I use to fiddle and play with all the DSPs

Its good to be able to buy a processor with all the latest tech, 4K passthough, HDR, Dolby Atmos, etc. Pity B&O source units havent kept up.

Hope this helps!

AnalogPlanet wrote:

Everyone capable of producing a BS5 has beeen sent home, that division does not exist anymore at B&O (or am I wrong?). 

From my experience....wrong!

We are talking about an audio processor feature here.

And there are lots of guys doing audio in Struer.

In fact you could see the Sound Center (of the Eclipse) with it’s integrated speakers as a BSys5 (since there is no need for the video capacity in a ‘BSys5’ anymore).

Whether there is or is not - and for what reasons - made a decision against a ‘pure BSys5’ is unknow.

But I am pretty sure that they could make one, if the should.

P.S. But don’t expect that it would run in a ‘production line’ in Struer - it would probably be assembled in the Czech Rep. from Thympany.......when developed.

MM

If your first choice ends up being an LG OLED, bear in mind that Dolby Digital from the optical output has an unacceptable delay.  Stick with HDMI ARC or as recommended above, a receiver/pre-pro that splits off the HDMI audio in the first place, before passing on the video to the screen.  (Something about the translation from HDMI multichannel input to TOSlink output takes LG awhile.  PCM stereo via HDMI to optical works just fine.)

trackbeo wrote:

If your first choice ends up being an LG OLED, bear in mind that Dolby Digital from the optical output has an unacceptable delay. Stick with HDMI ARC or as recommended above, a receiver/pre-pro that splits off the HDMI audio in the first place, before passing on the video to the screen. (Something about the translation from HDMI multichannel input to TOSlink output takes LG awhile. PCM stereo via HDMI to optical works just fine.)

To give an update on my quest. After more searching I've found the Almando Multiplay Surround decoder (https://almando.com/index.php/b-o/bo-surround/almando-multiplay-surround-decoder.html) and that's what I'm going to give a try.

The Almando connects to the LG through HDMI ARC.

All speakers connect to it directly through PowerLink (yay!), so I'll have the BL7.1 as a center (on an STB bracket which I ordered today), 2 BL20's as fronts and 2 BL4000's as rears, all connected to the PL sockets on the Almando.

Furthermore, I can connect the BS3000 (yes, still using that!) to the DIN input on the Almando and it will switch according to which input it receives - and will even switch which speakers to activate, like all 5 for the TV and only the 20's for the BS3000.

I'll post results when I have installed it all.

My suggestion would be to get a AV Receiver that has pre-outs. This is what I do until B&O produces something like a center channel speaker that does all the HDMI routing and audio decoding. 

My system consists of a 5.1 surround system:

L&R: BeoLab 18s
C: BeoLab 3
L&R Rear Surrounds BeoVox 2-2
SUB: BeoLab 19 

With the pre outs from my Sony STR-ZA3000ES receiver, I can send the appropriate signals to the L,R & C via line out and use the built-in amp of the Sony to drive the rear BeoVox 2-2s.  This is ideal for me as I don't have to run power to my rears, just speaker cables. With this I can get TrueDolby 5.1 and DTS-MA HD 5.1 and it sounds stellar.

With this flexibility, I only need to pick up an less expensive AVR whenever there's a new audio codec upgrade, etc. I say less expenses as opposed to upgrading a piece of B&O gear. As much as I love B&O, they're very slow to adopt and support new codec. By the time they release something that supports Atmos (which has been out for 4 years), there will be something new, maybe better, etc...

I've been bitten by the Atmos/DTS-X bug and am currently looking to upgrade my Sony ES receiver to one that supports those codecs. With that upgrade, I'll just need to add 2 new (passive or active) speakers and not feel like I'm missing out. Ultimately I'd like to add another BL 19 and have a 5.2.2 system.

Hope this helps.