I hear what a lot of you are saying but I think you are missing the point of what Bang & Olufsen represent.  If you where TRUE B&O fans, you would realise that its not just picture and sound quality (even though the BeoVision 9 beats any plasma panel out there for picture, build quality, and shear magical delight) but its how different an approach Bang & Olufsen takes on everything they do. 

They havn't joined all other manufacturers and started mass producing cheap plastic panels that are out of date 3 months later and look out of place.  There is a lot of history with bang & Olufsen and evrything they do is the same today, e.g someone that put effort into hand building a BeoCenter 9000 is still building a BeoSound 4 today.  You could buy a Pioneer plasma today, 5 years later its worth nothing, looks dated and its old hat!  You can't expect a 4 year old B&O plasma to be compared to a latest Pioneer screen built today as a lot changes in 4 years.  All I can say is that B&O will allways have the latest technolgy and screens when you place your order so why are some of you comparing a 4 year old screen with a latest pioneer???  Anyway, if B&O thought that by using a pioneer screen would be a better bet than Panasonic, they don't you think they would use them!

I love what B&O do and am a big fan, I love B&O not just for the picture and sound, but that they take a different approach to any other manufacturer.  Well done Bang & Olufsen - Continue making great products.

I think a lot of B&O products do have the magical feel you mention. However the TV range perhaps does not. I am a true B&O fan - I have more bits of B&O than I care to divulge! - but I am also not blinkered. The BV4 is a Panasonic screen with a silver frame. It is not made in Denmark. Nothing wrong with that as Panasonic do make great screens but the technology moves on fast and for a screen to be outperformed massively in a short time does not fit with the B&O philosophy of product longevity. Remember one is paying premium prices for screens that are slightly behind the times. This is about to be rectified, but note that there is no price increase in the UK which would rather suggest that the profit margin on the old screens was quite high as the new ones are certainly more expensive.

I actually rather like the BS4 but each to their own.  

Good first post though! Welcome to Beoworld! 

Thanks Peter for your reply.

 I agree with what you are saying to a point (I also own lots of B&O new & old) but I do think that the TV's still do give that magical feeling especially since the BeoVision 7 was launched.  Everything about the BeoVision 7 is B&O and its not what screens you use (E.g. Samsung for their LCD Panels) but its what you do with them.  The engine that drives B&O screens are excellent, not too over processed, not too many gimics, and its not just about picture quality.  The colours are natural, the blacks are amazing. 

When I was in Denmark recently, in the viewing room, there where about 5 screens, 1 of which was the same brand of screen that B&O uses.  The B&O was almost perfect in every test.  Its all down to the engine that drives the screen.  BeoSystem 3 is great.  Like I said, B&O ONLY use manufacturers that can give them the performance they require and that isn't Pioneer. (Also, BeoVision 9 will now be FULL HD 1080!!)

You do pay a lot more money for bang & Olufsen, but at the end of the day, you get what you pay for otherwise they wouldn't have custromers coming back every time.  I don't think there are any other brands that have customer loyalty as Bang & Olufsen.

I beleive if people go off B&O then they weren't a true fan in the first place.  I like some of the comments other people have given on here especially the guy that has a $350,000 system.  I think B&O are a bargain fvor what you get.  BeoLab 5's compared to some other £30K speakers, there is no contest!!  What a bargain, and you get the amps included.

I don't know anyone who has sold all their up to date B&O kit, if they did, they must need the extra money.

I also have been a great fan of B&O for years and have 2 complete systems and other components.  I also have 2 Beogram 7000's but I only use one at a time.  The second one is a spare so that I will have a Beogram turntable for many years.  I think that qualifies me as a fanatic.

I have listened to the Beolab 9 and was very impressed.  I thought it had almost a warm sound.  However for the other products, I am very dismayed especially about the forthcoming Beosound 6 digital player.  Digital music players players are an area that B&O should avoid.  I have a Beomedia 1 and I like it but it took me a long time to get use to using it.  The manual for it was certainly lacking.

As for televisions, I purchased a Toshiba HD LCD as my interim TV because of price.  I think it will take B&O at least another 3 years to sort out what they are going to do in this area.  In the meantime, I cannot justify spending a huge amount just to get a B&O TV.  I will buy a B&O TV later when they have a product that will be current for a longer time.  I have had my MX5000 for 18 years and it still has a great picture.  The Avant is another great design that still looks good.

Finally in the US, B&O is quickly becoming a product for the very wealthy.  This is mostly due to the falling dollar.  Many people are no longer considering Bang and Olufsen.  Certainly nobody here is going to pay $800 for a Beosound 6 when one can have an iPhone for $600.  I bought two iPhones.  The sound is just like the earlier Ipods.  It is difficult to keep the faith.

Thanks for the reply Peter, I also am lucky to have new and old B&O kit.

I disagree with you a bit though, as the BeoVision 7 is definately a magical TV by Bang & Olufsen and is stunning in every way. The picture is almost perfect, the sound is the best anyone has ever given a TV, the DVD is magical, the scrolling display is magical, motorised stand - need I say more!

Its not just about picture quality, the colours that B&O produce are natural, not over processed like most all other manufacturers, the Blacks are very deep and bring our excellent contrast.  Its all down to the processing or engine that B&O give all their TV's.  The glass they use etc etc. You get what you pay for, I'm a big beleiver in that.  I was in Denmark a little while ago and in the viewing room.  There were 5 TV's, one of which was the same screen that B&O uses.  The B&O was almost perfect in every test.

Bang & Olufsen will only use screens by Manufacturers that can give B&O the performance they require, and that isn't Pioneer.  So sorry guys, i'm afraid your wrong.  I beleive that its all in the mind.  If you see a Pioneer screen for say £2K and you then walk across the road and look at a B&O screen for £11K, then your mind is going to think that Pioneer is obviously better. hhhmmmmmm.

I'll leave this one with you.

Matt.

But even if you would order now the latest Beovision 9. You still don 't have a picture quality the comes even close to the latest Kuro Pioneer plasma televisions.  The Panasonic panel used in the Beovision 9 is just not that good as the Pioneer Kuro. And the full HD plasma panel from Panasonic is at the moment, half the contrast of the WXGA version also from Panasonic. 

So try to be honest ..

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