I prefer not to use my phone to play music. If I get a call or a text I hear the notification sound on airplay/bluetooth speaker speaker. I don’t know if they fixed that in Airplay 2.0 or if chromecast behaves the same. Other than that I use spotify connect but that doesnt support multi room unless I use the BO App. I understood there was some licensing issue with that. . Once its playing though it doesnt rely on my phone which I think Airplay still does.

General problem with the whole B&O setup is that app is loading too slow and technically I have to juggle it with another app for playlist selection. And even the essence remote is more of a sluggish experience for me.

They need to offer a one stop shop that loads fast with integrated navigation for major streaming services. Then I could see more people start using the multi room features and what not.

I am thinking this is where they take the Halo

I am in need of a replacement for my A6 and the Balance would have been my preference. But that thing is utterly useless to me without any other remote than the BO app. They should not have launched that like this. I think the Level though my check all of my boxes.

Cheers

JK

jk1002 wrote:

I prefer not to use my phone to play music. If I get a call or a text I hear the notification sound on airplay/bluetooth speaker speaker. I don’t know if they fixed that in Airplay 2.0 or if chromecast behaves the same. Other than that I use spotify connect but that doesnt support multi room unless I use the BO App. I understood there was some licensing issue with that. 

Cheers

JK

If that is your main problem, there is an easy solution to it.

Just get an (older) iPad Mini or iPad - even an iPod Touch or an old iPhone will do the job.

Configure that for nothing else than Spotify (and the music related apps, you need), get it on your local network……..leave anything that has to do with calls, text messages, mails etc away. 
Find a nice charging stand for it to ensure that it is always charged - and you are good to go.

No two setups are alike, I know.

I can happily play to my Essence box (no speakers connected) and join in on my BV’s from Spotify or from airplayed stuff - no need for the B&O app (other than for configuration purposes of course), if that was what I wanted to.

My beoremote does the volume control, muting, pause/play and turn off……

Same would apply to e.g. the BS2 or the A6, if you don’t prefer to play directly to it or perhaps use the MyButtons.

Even if the Halo had more features it would be hard - if not impossible - to choose the music there…..if you don’t just rely on previously made playlists.

As for Balance/Level….I would just wait for the updates to come, if they are not enough for you as they are now.

MM

Millemissen wrote:

No need to change everything to NL - I run a mixed setup too (that you can do this is one of the excellent things with B&O).

Just curious - if/when you add the mentioned products - how you are going to use them?

Maybe you will like the simplicity of starting somewhere and adding another device directly (the JOIN function) and if you will be using the ease of the MyButtons on the 28’s?

Please keep us posted.

MM

Yes I am curious too !  
I guess a lot will depend on wether I decide to replace my old BV setup with something more up to date to further integrate the newer stuff.

Hi JK

jk1002 wrote:

If I get a call or a text I hear the notification sound on airplay/bluetooth speaker speaker. I don’t know if they fixed that in Airplay 2.0 or if chromecast behaves the same.

jk1002 wrote:

General problem with the whole B&O setup is that app is loading too slow and technically I have to juggle it with another app for playlist selection.

jk1002 wrote:

They need to offer a one stop shop that loads fast with integrated navigation for major streaming services.

jk1002 wrote:

I...... Balance would have been my preference. But that thing is utterly useless to me without any other remote than the BO app.

jk1002 wrote:

I think the Level though my check all of my boxes.

cooldude wrote:

I was just saying that I am happy with MY setup for now. It's pretty fool proof and without hiccups and does what we want it to do. Not more, but not less either.  

But who knows what the future brings !? 😐 

And I also would say it: "I'm happy with my setup (mostly NL with lots of older ML stuff). It's pretty fool proof and without hiccups and does what we want it to do. Not more, but not less either. Bring on the future!!"

Millemissen wrote:

If that is your main problem, there is an easy solution to it.

Just get an (older) iPad Mini or iPad - even an iPod Touch or an old iPhone will do the job.

Your solution for people who won't have (more) Apple device, but prefer that B&O remotes and B&O NL handle their needs is to have more Apple devices. If I ever wanted to AirPlay things and to handle music via mobile phone I would not be paying a premium for B&O. Sonos is a great and cheaper solution then. Or any other mainstream alternative.

Some people don't want iPads or iPhones as control devices, and are willing to pay extra for that. We need and miss BL multiroom on Mozart devices.

If that is not a way forward (and I do respect that), then there is no differentiation between B&O and "plastic" brands for me.

Gotta save some money.

I guess the solution of a dedicated iPad / iPhone helps those who find the phones other functions getting in the way of the AP stream.

Personally I dont have issues with AP'ing, on the occasions that I do.

But more broadly, music control (of the whole experience) has to be done on a phone / tablet now. No one, let alone B^O, will make a dedicated music controller of any use now. B&O have removed (aside from B&O Radio) integrated services (Deezer gone), DLNA support seems to have either gone / become compromised - so this stripped down approach (the app being only used for setup / settings) points everyone in the direction of using a tablet / phone. And once you get to using a phone / tablet, its all 3rd party apps 

The Halo should be ample reminder of the limited scope of control that any B&O hardware will provide.

I dont expect much to change even with the restoration of some NL type functionality to the Mozart platform, whenever that may come.

As for the B&O premium, I guess at least their speakers still look (for the most part) way better than the competition, and for the most part sound excellent. Whether thats enough for customers old and new, time will tell.

AnalogPlanet wrote:

Millemissen wrote:

If that is your main problem, there is an easy solution to it.

Just get an (older) iPad Mini or iPad - even an iPod Touch or an old iPhone will do the job.

Your solution for people who won't have (more) Apple device, but prefer that B&O remotes and B&O NL handle their needs is to have more Apple devices. If I ever wanted to AirPlay things and to handle music via mobile phone I would not be paying a premium for B&O. Sonos is a great and cheaper solution then. Or any other mainstream alternative.

Some people don't want iPads or iPhones as control devices, and are willing to pay extra for that. We need and miss BL multiroom on Mozart devices.

If that is not a way forward (and I do respect that), then there is no differentiation between B&O and "plastic" brands for me.

Gotta save some money.

AnalogPlanet wrote:

Millemissen wrote:

If that is your main problem, there is an easy solution to it.

Just get an (older) iPad Mini or iPad - even an iPod Touch or an old iPhone will do the job.

Your solution for people who won't have (more) Apple device, but prefer that B&O remotes and B&O NL handle their needs is to have more Apple devices. If I ever wanted to AirPlay things and to handle music via mobile phone I would not be paying a premium for B&O. Sonos is a great and cheaper solution then. Or any other mainstream alternative.

Some people don't want iPads or iPhones as control devices, and are willing to pay extra for that. We need and miss BL multiroom on Mozart devices.

If that is not a way forward (and I do respect that), then there is no differentiation between B&O and "plastic" brands for me.

Gotta save some money.

I wonder how you choose the music that you want to listen to?

MM

Still using Beosound Moment for Deezer (like playlists, albums but as well the MoodWheel), and also quite frequently using Beoremote Halo either for browsing through my favourite radio stations or using preset buttons for the ones I like the most. 

AnalogPlanet wrote:

Still using Beosound Moment for Deezer (like playlists, albums but as well the MoodWheel), and also quite frequently using Beoremote Halo either for browsing through my favourite radio stations or using preset buttons for the ones I like the most. 

That explains it!

The concept of the BS Moment was brilliant (as long as one sticked to using Deezer).

It was the second attempt (after the BS5) from B&O to avoid the tablet/phone in the mix.

Unfortunately - for multiple reasons - they did not succeeed with this.

The Halo will never be able to replace this - it is an advanced remote control, but not a ‘music-chooser’….unless you rely solely on a few playlists and of course on radio stations.

MM