We have had these devices in our home for many years........its called the bathroom exhaust fan. 

Having seen the offical webpage & read the user guide, I now have more questions than answers:

- what assures me that the DAC inside is better in any way than a DAC Magic? There's not a single technical info about the DAC, you don't even know if the upsampling (if any) is 24 bit, for instance!

- I see the device as an alternative to a BeoLink Active kit (the design reminds me of the old MCL boxes!), so why not keep the same beautiful IR eye and fit a black box behind it? They could even have saved more on the designer!

- where are the tone controls? There seems to be none, which is a first for B&O..you may want to adjust bass , treble, or balance in some setups..

- now that BS5 owners have spend a week ripping their CDs in WMA Lossless, you tell them "er, sorry, our new platform doesn't play this format" (however, our V1 TV does!): is this a joke???😭

moxxey wrote:

Although I'd like a better DAC, I don't see any reason for moving away from my existing multi-Airport Express setup. Has served me well for many years now, so why change?

• Touch controls for mute/standby and volume +/- ?
• Beo4/Beo6 control for limited source change (seems a little clunky!) ?

You can operate Playmaker with Beo4 and Beo6.

• >  Start playback from your hand-

  held device.

• >  To select an AirPlay or DLNA

  source, press A.MEM on Beo4.

  On Beo6, press AIRPLAY*2.

• >  To select a source connected via

  line-in, press LIST and bring up A.AUX in the Beo4 display, then press the centre button. On Beo6, press LINE IN.*2

  > Use the volume button/volume wheel to adjust volume. 

Pity you can' start a "play" like with the old IR eyes/pucks, you have to use your (i)Device to initiate the playback

The more I think about it the bigger shame it is that they haven't given this product their all. At this price it has the potential to be a killer product - an (allegedly) good quality DAC, both iOS, Android & DLNA compatibility - giving the ability to stream your music into your B&O speakers.

Let down by -

- there being no Android app to control it - where's the B&O "experience" in navigating your music collection if you have to use some third party offering of questionable quality/visual appeal,

- the ID, I'm not advocating large sheets of brushed aluminium but come on, this is pretty awful!

Also, moving forward, I still think that B&O need their own, larger scale, hardware controller for network management/navigation/coverart etc., the Beo6 just doesn't cut it in this application. I've mentioned many times that I thought the BS5 should have been some sort of modern day MCP. I'm not advocating the BS5 design as the answer but definitely something with a smidgen of B&O magic. I'm sure everyone will jump in and tell me that they can do it with an app on their iPad and yes, I'm sure you can but again ................ where's the B&O magic in that?? I don't want an app on a generic tablet that someone might be using for something else when I need it, I'd rather have a dedicated controller, especially if B&O are going the base all their new systems/networks on DLNA.

Sonos manage to sell hardware controllers for their system even though there are apps available to do the same thing - I would like to think that B&O could too - and make a killer job of the controller rather than the Sonos monstrosity.

MartinW wrote:

Interestingly Sonos dumped their controller about 3 months ago and don't plan any further ones - they just promote the apps now.

Be that as it may - if the B&O tactile/interface experience is reduced to an app on an iPad or a generic app on a no-name Android tablet then it is a sad, sad end.

Whether we like it or not, the demand is for intuitive, slick interfaces and control via iPads/Android devices etc etc

Just one question WHERE IS THE B&O APP for this product and the BeoSound5 for digital music control.

IMHO many customers are judging their experience not just from sound quality, but like to identify with and interact with their favorite brands via these apps. By not having a killer app and using 3rd party software, I feel part of the joy of owning and experiencing a great Bang & Olufsen sound system is missing.

StUrrock wrote:

Whether we like it or not, the demand is for intuitive, slick interfaces and control via iPads/Android devices etc etc

Just one question WHERE IS THE B&O APP for this product and the BeoSound5 for digital music control.

IMHO many customers are judging their experience not just from sound quality, but like to identify with and interact with their favorite brands via these apps. By not having a killer app and using 3rd party software, I feel part of the joy of owning and experiencing a great Bang & Olufsen sound system is missing.

 

........and that's my point exactly. But not everyone wants to control their hifi from their phone, - me for instance,  I prefer my phone to be charged for phoning.  I want a media controller that controls my media and media devices, I don't need it to Facebook or play Scrabble, or look at pictures of naked women, or send pictures of my genitalia to strangers - I just want it to be the best media controller out there with the most tactile and intuitive inferface possible ...........and always on when I pick it up - I don't want to have to scroll through screens to start an app when I want to play a track. I also don't want it to be at the constant mercy of some third party.

If they want to offer apps too then that's fine, get on with it but not to the exclusion of a real B&O (in all sense of the word) controller.

Elegance, simplicity, touch, feel .............. satisfaction - I remember the days well.