Unboxing:
The BeoLab 3 / PlayMaker combo comes in a neat all-in-one package, which is a bit atypical of B&O. Upon opening the package, the products are well presented.
Setup:
After getting all the cables connected, setup using the BeoSetup App was a breeze. I got the whole thing working wirelessly in about 10 minutes.
As I wanted to be able to control the PlayMaker with my Beo5 -- and as there is yet no configuration available from B&O to Beo5 -- I got a little advice for a workaround from my dealer:
As long as there is an A.MEM (and A.AUX, if you use the line-in) command on the Beo5, the PlayMaker can be operated.
So, I added BeoSound 3200, which I do not have, to my Beo5 in Option 5 and removed all extra sources (A.MEM and A.AUX remain from 3200). I renamed the A.MEM to PlayMaker, and selecting the source works perfectly: volume, previous/next track, on/off work as they should, as well as A.Setup, allowing to set Loudness on/off and adjust Treble and Bass, and store the settings to the PlayMaker.
A.Setup option maybe lacking from the actual PlayMaker configuration for Beo5, since the sound settings are not covered in the PlayMaker manual. Using this workaround it's possible to adjust the sound of PlayMaker. Of course you need to be careful with the sound settings, as there is no read-out of their values.
First impressions:
AirPlay works perfectly. The signal strength remains "Excellent" and I have not experienced any dropouts.
While the PlayMaker is not B&O's better designs, depending on where you place it, it doesn't look that horrible either. That said, it could look a bit more B&O as discussed in another thread. It wouldn't take major changes: perhaps an aluminium volume wheel and a frame similar to BeoVision 10. In any case, the hands-on operation works nicely, and there's nothing flimsy about the product.
Sound processed by the PlayMaker and through the BeoLab 3s is exactly what I expected: a feast for the ears. I've set the BL3 to "Free" position, as they are placed between the recommended minimum distances for "Free" and "Wall" setting (they are not closer than 20 cm to the wall, but not further than 30 cm either). The bass is not overly pronounced, yet there's plenty of it. The lens technology really does justice to the highs, and nothing I've listened so far has sounded "harsh": the treble is easy on the ears at least in this setup. I'll probably experiment with the position setting and/or A.Setup settings over a period of time.
Much of my music is in 320K AAC files, some also in the standard iTunes format. I have not compared these to lossless yet, but the AAC files are extremely enjoyable: full and detailed. Speaking of DACs, I haven't done a direct A/B comparison with Airport Express yet, and honestly probably will not: the PlayMaker has Beo5 operability, provides extremely great sound with BeoLab 3s and is free in the BL3/PlayMaker bundle, so I wouldn't even consider the AE as an alternative to PlayMaker. I do have an AE, and just one of them provides problem-free Airplay to the PlayMaker and BeoPlay A8. The AE is hidden in the same room where the PlayMaker now is.
Summary:
A handy little product that works well and provides excellent sound from wireless sources.
Here are some pics (note that the BL11 is connected to BV10 -- I'm not using the sub with BeoLab 3s currently due to placement and the fact that BeoVision 10 benefits more from the sub).
