Steph wrote:

What's your opinion?

I had a chat with my dealer about what's coming and they seem to have very little clue and they normally know 6 months in advance so they can plan for a launch. He simply said that they expect another pair of headphones and potentially a Stage rev.2 as it's really hard for dealers to get hold of the Stage at the moment.

No mention of a music player and I can't see anything like that coming out short term. You need sorts to demonstrate that kind of hardware, whereas smaller products such as headphones sell easily online and are generally well received.

Hi Steph

You wrote:

”a screen to easily choose albums, browse artwork, build playlists,...?’

Since all of that is what you want to be able to do...

What is wrong with having an ‘external’ screen for that purpose?

Just dedicate an iPad or any (Android) Tablet to that task, and you are good to go.

There are a lot of ‘music systems’ nowadays that work this way - in fact they all do.....so also a B&O music system like the Beosound Core.

Lots of options to choose from - starting with some DIY-Raspberry Pi stuff over Naim streamers, Bluesound, Linn, Roon Nucleus and to extreme expensive systems. If you like the Vita Nativ Player, why not go for that

(N.B. Nothing is ‘futureproof nowadays - a computer maybe, but that is not everymans choice imo).

You WILL need a screen of some kind for your desired tasks - just skip thought that you would need your/a mobile phone for this.

 

MM

Thanks Moxxey and MM,

You're right, it's the cruel truth! 😁

Maybe a dedicated iPad would be fine with a Beosound Edge (anthracite 😕), but i'm not really satisfied...

Thanks anyway...

Indeed - could they make a beautiful standalone fully featured music controller?

Yes, of course

But will they?

No

And the Halo surely isn't it

If we count out the Beoport etc, they tried twice (BS5/Moment), but reality overtook them.

This forum is full of lamentation and anger about how these two ‘fully featured music controllers’ failed.

@Sandyb

What is it, that you want them to do, produce, sell and maintain the sw of for years to come.

What is a ‘beautiful standalone fully featured music controller’?

And if you can come up with a definition, do you think that e.g. the members of this forum would ever agree on that.....not talking about the typical B&O costumers?

MM

Millemissen wrote:

If we count out the Beoport etc, they tried twice (BS5/Moment), but reality overtook them.

This forum is full of lamentation and anger about how these two ‘fully featured music controllers’ failed.

@Sandyb

What is it, that you want them to do, produce, sell and maintain the sw of for years to come.

What is a ‘beautiful standalone fully featured music controller’?

And if you can come up with a definition, do you think that e.g. the members of this forum would ever agree on that.....not talking about the typical B&O costumers?

MM

The blunt truth is neither were really very good and failed to attract the attention of anyone other than real beo-fans. Put that together with sw issues and their fate was sealed.

That still doesn't mean there isn't a roll for a "always on, pick up and go" system controller - yes you can do it with a phone or tablet but they aren't ideal either as they carry too much overhead and baggage that you have no control over.

The real trouble is how many people these days really, really want one!

Millemissen wrote:

If we count out the Beoport etc, they tried twice (BS5/Moment), but reality overtook them.

This forum is full of lamentation and anger about how these two ‘fully featured music controllers’ failed.

@Sandyb

What is it, that you want them to do, produce, sell and maintain the sw of for years to come.

What is a ‘beautifu l standalone fully featured music controller ’?

And if you can come up with a definition, do you think that e.g. the members of this forum would ever agree on that.....not talking about the typical B&O costumers?

MM

There is a tv - and there is a BV.

As i said, i dont expect them to make anything approaching what i mentioned.

The Halo offered something physical, lovely looking and able to control music.

But it controls music to an extremely limited extent.

They can surely apply their design skills to something physical, with enough screen real estate to offer some proper browsing (which the Halo doesn’t), a physical volume, a strong graphical UI that enhances the experience (which the Halos screen UI doesnt).

They have released plenty of products, good and bad, that forums members dont agree on - that hasn’t been a minimum standard or bar to clear in the past, so it shouldn’t be in the future.

But there was a general consensus that the Halo was too limited - their ambition extended only to making an experience starter with a volume wheel. The intention from the outset should have been to provide proper browsing, a screen that adds to the pleasure / experience when looking at it / using it, and support a range of music content / services.

There are very good music UI’s out there (be it Roon or otherwise) - combine that with B&O physical design.

But they wont do it - either due to lack of ambition or lack of ability.

Just for the record - I don’t count the Halo to the ‘standalone fully featured music controllers’.

That is - as you rightly say -  ‘an experience starter with a volume wheel.’ and probably will never be much more, even if it will be a lot more complex over time.

As for: all the ‘very good music UI’s out there’, they are all based on a touch interface, basicly on a rather big tablet.

How would you add ‘B&O physical design’ to that - a volume wheel with skip buttons, a join button, 4 MyButtons, maybe........oh, wait then we are back to the ‘what happens with this expensive piece of kit, when the screen fails’-issue. 

Maybe I am just too ignorant or have too little fantasy - but I really can’t imagine what should be done to add ‘the B&O physical design’ to a regular touch interface UI.

Apart from that - I am pretty sure, that the majority of the B&O costumers are totally satisfied with ‘an experience starter’ of some kind.....they have demontrated that concept with the Essence Remote.

So, the moral of my story is, that I - just like you - don’t expect them to make anything ‘fully featured music system’.

MM

Sandyb wrote:

And the Halo surely isn't it

I've not even charged it up since the last time it ran out of battery (again), then came to terms with that. Was chatting to my dealer and realised it was...£700. For a remote, which lasts about 5 days.

Then I became a little disappointed with myself for buying it, which doesn't happen often.

On a more positive note, I've ordered the gold/marble Balance! Arrives tomorrow.