i bought all my gear , tv , phones , speakers , answering machine etc in 2003

still going strong , while eqpt from other manufacturers - yes even apple ! has gone kaput

i think that says it all really

you really do get what you pay for - with bno anyway

macjonny1 wrote:

I think the problem with the TVs is that the technology is rapidly evolving.  What is being used today will of course still work in 5 years and look the same, but technology will have advanced by a large degree.

The audio components however are not evolving quite as fast.  Many of us enjoy vintage gear (for myself my Beocenter 9500) and it sounds great.  Sure modern components have some advantages but the audio can last you for years and years. 

 

I can use my BC9500 and still get the satisfaction that nothing appeals more to me in the current range. Same with my Avant.  Both of these are used products. Worth it? They make me smile and look back at them as I leave the room they are just so good. Buying new B&O is a distant memory from the 80's for me - Beolit 707/Beosystem 6000 etc, when the products were firmly in the Mercedes-Benz category. Today it's Porsche Bentley Ferrari. The LCD TV's (which, reading this forum seem still to be in the test phase) are IMO not worth the money. Some of the audio definitely is.

One has to ask how B & O can consider it acceptable to produce a £6000 TV utilising an edge lit LED panel that is susceptible to uneven backlighting,and clouding.

Samsung produce a backlit LED panel with local dimming,so B & O should utilise it across their larger screen range even if it results in slightly thicker TVs.

Sal wrote:

If the price tag is what is holding you back from a BV10, you may want to take a look at the BV8-40. The sound is fantastic, and the picture, too. They've worked out the kinks from the first series BV8s, and the price seems to be right for a combination of the best in B&O's competencies (sound), and some of the vision as well.

I would recommend this approach. The BV8-40 is the hell of a good deal. Better sound than BV10, more proven technology. If your space is small, you can even go for the now discontinued BV8-32. You can get great deals on display TV's. For example, my store has got one for 2k euro, including TDT.

This is your first BnO purchase and you may want to try it out with an entry-level device.

Good luck,

Not exactly on topic, but I like to mention this whenever the BV8-40 is mentioned in the hope that B&O may grant my wish one day. 😕

The BV8-40 looks great on paper, but, unfortunately, I have never seen one in the flesh as it is not available in the USA! 🙁

I would probably buy one in a minute if it were available over here as it appears to be exactly what I need in a TV (no surround, good sound, ML integration, 40 in, looks good on a shelf in a built-in bookcase (where a large CRT tv used to be).  I can't believe I'm the only one with these requirements.

Yes, the BV10-40 may be coming here, but I've no use for a thin TV designed primarily for the wall or floor.

 

Stan

Stan, You're not alone. When the BV8 was released here in the States, I immediately bit the bullet. But unfortunately, I had loads of trouble with it, eventually ending up in a total warranty replacement. We moved into a bigger house and the television became to small and I sold it.

I think that the 8-40 IS the perfect size for an entry level main room television. The orignal 8-32, was indeed geared toward a non-primary room.

B&O need to move back to the days of the Avant philosophy: a fully capable system master at current entry level prices. $8500 for a brand new Avant back then is still WAY more afforable than a BV7 with a stand / speaker, or a BV9, etc.

For under $10K you got a full system master, stand, surround, and a great set of speakers, and no compromise on materials.

Althoug the BV8-40 is a great deal for entry level B&O, one has to admit that B&O is indeed skimping on the materials and build quality nowadays for their "entry-level" products.

Sal

I'm not really considering other B&O sets, purely because one of the main sell points on the BV10 is the ability to hide all your boxes on the TV stand at the back, plus the fact it doesn't really look like a TV!! If it wasn't for that I would buy a kuro/philips TV and use my existing sound system (albiet not as good as B&O).

Just as an update... I am getting the home demo on Saturday. I have agreed with my wife that the system has to look absolutely PERFECT before I am prepared to part with the money!

Thanks for all the posts on the topic... I think I have come round to the fact that it is a 'lifestyle' choice, i.e. I would be buying it to 'complete' the look of my house, rather than a decision based on the technical merits of the TV.

Also, I will definately be asking a lot of questions about warranty and support from the shop before I purchase thanks to some of the posts on this site.

Sal, I've got to take issue with the fairy tail that somehow the Avant was more accessible in its day than the current offerings, like the BeoVision 7-40. 

It was around 30", had a very good set of speakers, and a surround sound/PUC module. The picture was terrific, but it was based on a Philips screen and certainly not the best one on the market. Now the Avant was my first love and I'm not trying to diminish it, only to point out that its value proposition was weaker than the current BeoVision 7s and the price, for the time, was comparable to what's on the market at B&O today. Considering the advances in capability, the BeoVision 7 is the direct descendant of the Avant. 

This has been hashed out a million times even with some specific math, but the Avant was always 3-4 times the cost of the competition and if you were even paying half it's asking price you were getting a giant Mitsubishi or Pioneer screen. I was selling it back then and I had a harder time selling the Avant due to its small size and astronomic price. Today I sell several BeoVision 7s a month without much fuss. I expect that when the BeoVision 8-40 and the two BeoVision 10 sizes launch here in the coming months we'll be in even better shape for increased volume.

Your question is a very good question, and my advice - before answering you - is to consider first of all YOUR judgement.

I own B&O television ("old" BV3-32, I likes to use each time I'm home, still after 5 years from purchase), CD-player and speakers. I built my system in almost 10 years, adding pieces over time, only because i do like it. I don't like the brand for the name, as I not own exclusively B&O, but I like the products I decided to own.

I found comparison with alternatives only the first step of the buying process... what you want to but is what you do like. Forget how it compares with others... it's what you get that will remain, and let you be happy.. or not.

It's a personal attitude.

From my point of view some products are way too expensive, while others are more aligned... it's a point of view, just mine.

A latest advice... why not look to "second life" (used) televisions, to lower the price? You can be surprised what people buy and sell after a few months of usage. ;)

roconn wrote:

- Is B&O the best sound/picture quality you can buy? I read (on this site I think) that the screen for the Beovision 10 is made by Samsung, I wouldn't usually buy Samsung over brands like Sony or Pioneer, why would I buy a Samsung screen with a B&O tag on the top?

In regards to this, yes, the BV10 is a Samsung panel.  But so are the top of the line LCDs from Sony.  Frankly, Samsung is making the best LCD panels out there and have been for some time.

 

In regards to the rest of it, the reason that I personally don't want one is exactly the reason why so many other people do: it's an all in one unit that is easy to use.  I'm the kind of guy that gets a new TV every couple of years since the technology changes so rapidly.  If the panel was upgradable I'd look into it.  But it isn't.  So it's not for me.

They do look awesome though.