1: to me B&O has never 'lost a bit' - but the changes are encouraging.

2: it is too early to give an answer to that - they are working on it still.

3: probably not - but it will make it 'easier' to buy, what I want/need.

MM

I have been please by the specs of the last range of products, namely wireless speakers and TV.

The audio system range is still a mess. Let's wait for the "Moment" or "Emotion" or whatever will be called, and I think things will fall back into place.

PhilLondon wrote:

I have been please by the specs of the last range of products, namely wireless speakers and TV.

The audio system range is still a mess. Let's wait for the "Moment" or "Emotion" or whatever will be called, and I think things will fall back into place.

Phil quite right and well said!

 

I have been impressed lately with the overall direction B&O is moving in, improved speakers, wireless, new TVs at more reasonable prices, etc.  I note the comments about lack of a sexy audio master, but whether that will come or not I don't know. Whether we like it or not the world has moved away from needing or even wanting a central audio system, with the reliance on streaming. These are not the halcyon days of our youth when big impressive receivers and the like were prevalent and necessary. So far B&O is concentrating on what seems more relevant, portable audio systems, streaming systems, speakers, and TVs that act as a central control systems for video and audio streaming.

Given the world economic condition and their place as a niche company, it's hard to predict the future but I think, for the modern world we have now, they have plenty of mojo. Whether it's enough to do well? Like I say, time will tell, and it's hard to predict, even Apple lays an egg now and then.

Some of the classic legacy products have either gone for good, or like the Beolab 9 had a nice make over. What concerns me though is that virtually all my recent purchases have either already been phased out, or dumped as junk on auction sites. The H6 I purchased £329, is now 12 months later £179. Same goes for the Beolit 12 and the A9. Thank god I didn't pay full whack for an A3😳

Surely this new design direction and it's subsequent failures must be telling then something? I tried promoting the Beolit 12 to a bunch of hairdressers at a recent get together. None of them liked it as it didn't look like a B&O product. I tried explaining the Beoplay bit, but their view was that it still came with a B&O price tag, but without the traditional cosmetics, something they all wanted. I turned my iPad off as the V1 was next. They all loved the ridiculousness of the 7-55!

If I walked into a shop today there isn't much I'd want to be honest, apart from the recent Beolabs. Even then I wouldn't buy in store, as I see I could get a complimentary Essence system thrown in on an online B&O shop, again saving me £900. If this is a new worldwide promotion then it's brilliant, if not it makes it hard work to support your local store, something I believe in.

I'm sure the Beolab 5's will either get replaced or updated, but what's really needed is a killer sound system to utilise them with. I must spend 2 hours a day listening to my A9 with Spotify and Qobuz. As most of us have tablets and probably adequate internet, it must be hard finding a way to surpass the technology we already have enough to get us to spend good money on.

Chris Townsend wrote:

Same goes for the Beolit 12 and the A9

The A9 hasn't be re-priced in the UK. Still £1699.

 

I think B&O is on the mend from a decade of mis-management and poor product leadership during the Noughties. When you look at the core platforms of TV based on the Beosystem 4, Wireless Sound in the Beolabs and the consumer products - especially the iconic designs like the A9, you can see they have wrestled with what it takes to deliver a B&O experience in a very different media consumption landscape. They don't have all the answers, but even the big guys like Sony and Samsung are struggling to work out what is next. And I'm not sure we can expect that from B&O with their technical resources.

Look back several years and you have mistake after mistake; Beosound 5 on an embedded Windows platform, Mobile Phones that were outdated the moment they launched. Even the Beosystem 3 was a bit eclectic, but essentially a transitionary product that cost tons of resources. The speakers never really went off track.

To be fair they've also had a few misses - not least the A3 which was a dumb product call. In the main, I think Tue is making many good calls to ramp up volumes, achieve critical mass and market relevance and more importantly is clearly having a much greater say in the product development lifecycle where the platform consistency means they are having more impact with the development resources and higher quality with the newer products.

 

 

Sold by B&O themselves on Amazon...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bang-Olufsen-BAO1200181-BeoPlay-Wireless-Black/dp/B00J06W6CU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409597405&sr=8-1&keywords=beoplay+a9

Chris Townsend wrote:

Sold by B&O themselves on Amazon...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bang-Olufsen-BAO1200181-BeoPlay-Wireless-Black/dp/B00J06W6CU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409597405&sr=8-1&keywords=beoplay+a9

Beovision 7-55 Mk2, Beovision 8-32, Beovision 3-32, Avant RF 28, Beoplay A9, Beolit 12, Beocom 2, Beotime, H6, Form 2.

Tue, master of the "special edition".

Chris Townsend wrote:

Sold by B&O themselves on Amazon...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bang-Olufsen-BAO1200181-BeoPlay-Wireless-Black/dp/B00J06W6CU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409597405&sr=8-1&keywords=beoplay+a9

Thats the Amazon price. As you can see the retail is still £1699. Amazon has always been cheaper, but this is £150 less than their previous price.