9 LEE wrote:

In the days of old (I'm thinking BeoVision Avant CRT etc..) a tube screen TV could be "relevant" technology for 10+ years.  Now... I'd say that within 2-3 years the technology is outdated.  So, a TV isn't a sound investment unless you buy it with open eyes and accept that if you keep it and get long term value, it'll be a dinosaur by the time you have...

I'm not quite convinced by this argument, Lee. I think it's changed again, in favour of a longer-term purchase.

Although CRT's did have a longer lifespan in the 80s/early 90s, this quickly changed with the launch of widescreen content in the late 90s, even for CRT users this made for a compelling experience (ie. 16:9). Then came HD. So these were huge jumps and go back to 1998. You had to swap out your TV fairly often in those days. The early HD TVs were dreadful. Remember the BV7-40 MK1?

These days you can easily live with a top quality HD TV (BV12-65 is an example) and a 4K Ecplise won't need replacing for a long time as 8K isn't going to be here soon. So you can buy a relatively modern TV (BV11-55 is another example) and you'll get a fantastic picture for a fairly long period of time. My BV12-65 is probably 5 years old now and still looks amazing. I don't feel compelled to upgrade so rapidly.

The BeoLabs 50 and 90 would make at good investment if only the worked as described in the white paper! 

moxxey wrote:

I'm not quite convinced by this argument, Lee. I think it's changed again, in favour of a longer-term purchase.

Although CRT's did have a longer lifespan in the 80s/early 90s, this quickly changed with the launch of widescreen content in the late 90s, even for CRT users this made for a compelling experience (ie. 16:9). Then came HD. So these were huge jumps and go back to 1998. You had to swap out your TV fairly often in those days. The early HD TVs were dreadful. Remember the BV7-40 MK1?

These days you can easily live with a top quality HD TV (BV12-65 is an example) and a 4K Ecplise won't need replacing for a long time as 8K isn't going to be here soon. So you can buy a relatively modern TV (BV11-55 is another example) and you'll get a fantastic picture for a fairly long period of time. My BV12-65 is probably 5 years old now and still looks amazing. I don't feel compelled to upgrade so rapidly.

The speed at which technology seems to have moved on recently actually puts me off spending big money. For example - I was tempted by a BS2 but after hearing a Apple Homepod @ £279 I was amazed at how good it sounded for little money. I'm sure there will be a Homepod 2 out in a year or so that sounds even better.. so I'll buy that and give the kids the HP1. I can't quite remember what the competition was like back in the early days of B&O.. but there certainly seems to be a lot today, for a quarter of the price. 

Can't seem to edit my previous post..

To add - I love my BV11-46. It looks cool. It feels quality. It sounds good. But, I know I paid a LOT of money that I really shouldn't of. I mean, a lot of TV's look pretty cool nowadays. Sound is obviously a factor, but the money you save buying a Sony or LG for example buys a lot of speakers - and the choice is endless today. The only bit where I'd say B&O have got it is to the touch - it's night and day more premium to look at and hold over the Sony / LG. 

Back in the days of the Avant CRT 32 DVD (I still have mine in my daughters room) the product had everything - Looks, performance, sound, and build quality. I don't think there was many rivals.. unless you went to a real high end hi-fi shop and bought 10 pieces of equipment and 2000 metres of cabling etc etc

I'm just not that sure anymore that I'm prepared to pay 4 times the price for only the build quality today. My next TV will probably be that Sony or LG.

weirdly a set of bl50's was a much better value proposition at launch then it is now, how ever you should never pay asking price with B&O, at least I haven't even 2 days after the 50's launched. but now they're around 6 grand more like for like and nothing spec wise has changed...

In 2011 my B&O Avant32 died after just 8 years. It was replaced with a BeoVision 7-4 mrk IV. Just the other day the display became faulty. The problem is, that B&O cannot repair the display. You have to buy a second hand TV.

I have written to B&O and told them, that they cannot sell to such high prizes for products they cannot repair. They answered back before Christmas, that they will look into it and answer soon - which I am waiting for. Just before that happend my BeoSound 9000 Mrk I died - and I bought a second hand Mrk II in stead. My Beo5 has never been useful because it used all the energy when I took it out of the cradle.

I still have my Beomaster 1000 and Beocord 2000 tape recorder from 1967. I have a B&O TV from 1985 still working It was good quality back then. They are ok still to day.

When you cannot be sure your investment last longer than 7-8 years it will be foolish to buy a second hand of the same sort. Now I am looking for a solution like Beosystem 3 or a product like that which can connect all my old video and sound systems/B&O speakers to a new television - maybe a LG television, which I am told the new B&O television have inside. Unless  B&O come up with a very good offer - but It has to be very, very good!

By the way. Speaking of Beosystem 3! Does anyone know which mrk number to look for, which has HDMI, DVHD-C - and which still can be repaired if anything happens?

Don’t they then? 

Mine seem to. Although admittedly they do keep switching themselves on randomly, and then sometimes refuse to switch off for days! Functionally, though, they’re spot on. 

HI

I'll preface my reply by saying I've had endless software problems for years now..

I'll agree and say I think the speakers are great.The old music systems if you are not relying on software updates are also great.

I won't buy any more music systems, TVs or multi room speakers, simply because the constant technical issues with software has driven me crazy! I can't spend all of my weekends when I'm home reconnecting, deleting/ adding products in the hope it might work. My partner won't even use the system now.  I'm going to go back to a component system I think. A good system should work and be in the background, not something that takes up your life with endless problems.

The customer service used to be helpful and courteous, now it appears either don't know what they are doing or can't be bothered! I didn't mind the odd problem before when I could contact someone and they'd get back to me in a week or and try to help. Now it's silence.

I'd think very carefully about any purchases other than speakers. I'm very sorry to say this as I love the brand.. unfortunately I don't think the brand loves its customers anymore . I suspect they don't care about their reputation either.  what really set B&O apart in the past was its amazing after sales service, now we have one store left in Australia and they certainly aren't interesting in hearing from me and any problems I'm having.

I'd love to be told I'm wrong and I'd love to hear from someone at B&O.. anyone?