Beosound Core and Beoconnect Core vs. 3rd party DAC streamers

[Erik]

Hi, looking for some expert advice.

I would like to add a DAC streamer to my set-up of Beosound 9000, Beolab 8000s and Beolab 2 sub.

Scenario 1: DAC to Aux input of Beosound 9000

According to various sources the simplest way to connect a streamer to the Beosound 9000 is via the Aux input. That is way I have searched comparison of the analog output of the Beosound Core and Beoconnect Core vs. 3rd party streamers, without any luck.

I am aware that sound quality or performance is relative and personal. This is why I ask what streamer you think will yield the best audio on my Beolab speakers.

Although I think my Beolab speakers sound great, they are far behind my dream speakers which are Beolab 5. Perhaps I won’t even hear the difference between these streamers on my current set-up. What do you think?

Scenario 2: DAC between Beosound 9000 and speakers

Some seem to have put the Beosound / Beoconnect Core between the Beosound 9000 and the speakers. I would find it interesting to know why you would connect them like that. It seems much more complicated and you would have to turn up the volume on the Beosound 9000 each time you turn it on when listening to a network stream. In turn I assume you would not want to set the volume to high by default, because then you would have to turn it down each time you listen to CDs. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

In short

Question 1: Do you think it matters in terms of audio quality which streamer is used in scenario 1?

Question 2: Why would you put the Beosound Core or the Beoconnect Core between the Beosound 9000 and the speakers as described in scenario 2?

Kind regards,
Eirikur

[DT79]

I’m far from the expert here but I have spent a lot of time looking at Beosound Core and Beoconnect Core as potential options for my system.

I would think scenario two is best, because then you get the option of controlling the system source and volume selection (as well as streaming) via the app as well as use a Beoremote One, and if I’m not mistaken the latter could also be set to control the Beosound 9000. In this scenario though for optimal quality you should connect the BS9000 via its digital output and the digital input on the BS Core/BC Core. I think it’s a case of Coax out / Optical in, but you can get a converter for peanuts.

[XavierItzmann]

Reasons why I now have the Beosound Essence between the BS3000 and the BL2:

1. My default and main setup is the B&O app.

2. There is no need to turn the BS3000 on in order to listen to Deezer, N.MUSIC, N.RADIO, nor B&O Radio.  Guests can Airplay music to the BS Essence, if they have Apple Music or Spotify.  The B&O app picks up the stream and its artwork and it can be re-distributed to other rooms. Bluetooth pairing is disabled.

3.  In the rare event a CD needs to be played, the BS Essence auto-senses it and just plays it via the BL2.  This also applies in the even rarer event someone wishes to listen to AM or FM Radio: if someone wishes to listen to CD/AM/FM in one of the other rooms, they can JOIN.  You can set the BS3000 to output sound at an appropriate, fixed level, so it matches your other sources.

For several months in early 2023, and for a few weeks in mid 2024, as I had re-arranged my system and was waiting for B&O NL devices such as the ML/NL Converter or the BS Essence, I had two Wiim receivers connected to the main rooms.  The Wiim software is better and easier to use than the B&O app software, and these shine as streamers.  But trying to distribute CD/AM/FM/N.MUSIC with them would be quite, quite a kludge requiring many, many Wiims, so these are not true multiroom devices.  So I had the Wiims upstream of the B&O devices.  Old tech like the BS3000 needs to be turned on to AUX-IN the Wiim (Beo4: LIST, LIST, AUX-IN); newer tech like ML/NL Converter simply auto-senses an active Wiim.

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[XavierItzmann]

If I did not need multiroom features at all, I would do this:

1. Wiim Ultra (available now in US, UK, and possibly in Europe), because of its screen
2. RCA to AUX-IN on the BS9000
3. PL to BL2

Then all you need is to disable Bluetooth in the Wiim, and you are all set.  I would not mess with sending digital out from the BS9000 to the Wiim, and then trying to use RCA from the Wiim subwoofer output to the BL2 and RCA to the BL8000s.  I have never ever achieved good results trying to use RCA with B&O powered speakers: I got buzz, I got speakers which took 1/2 hr to turn off after no sound was present, it was all unpleasant.

Important: why on earth do you have a «?» mark on your BS Core schematic?  Click below.

https://forum.beoworld.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/beoworld_images/58114/uf8fu962ckt3i0v068zuq06zyuc09ghq.png

[Erik]

Thank you very much @xavieritzmann for the response.

Important: why on earth do you have a «?» mark on your BS Core schematic?

Because I haven’t found instructions on how to connect three speakers to the BS Core. Is it the same; PL to BL2 and from there to the BL8000?

[XavierItzmann]

e.a. Powerlink (PL) cable contains stereo sound, no matter the physical interface (round DIN or RJ-45 “ethernet”)

It results therefore that sound coming from one PL outlet on Essence/Core/Converter contains all you need.  If you, like me, need a pigtail to convert from RJ-45 to DIN, it does not matter if the pigtail is one-to-one, or if it bifurcates one-to-two.  If you happen to acquire a bifurcating pigtail use one only, and connect to BL2.

My ML/NL Converter and Essence both have two PL outs.  I use only one.

[Erik]

XavierItzmann, thank you for the explanation. It is very much appreciated.

I think I will go for a Wiim Pro Plus and have it upstream of the BS 9000, like you suggested.

I understand my BS 9000 needs to be manually turned on to AUX-IN. It would be cool though, if there were a tech that could auto-sense an active Wiim and turn on the BS 9000.

[Erik]

XavierItzmann wrote:

e.a. Powerlink (PL) cable contains stereo sound, no matter the physical interface (round DIN or RJ-45 “ethernet”) It results therefore that sound coming from one PL outlet on Essence/Core/Converter contains all you need. If you, like me, need a pigtail to convert from RJ-45 to DIN, it does not matter if the pigtail is one-to-one, or if it bifurcates one-to-two. If you happen to acquire a bifurcating pigtail use one only, and connect to BL2. My ML/NL Converter and Essence both have two PL outs. I use only one.

Understood. Thank you.

[Erik]

The further I go down this rabbit hole, the more I am inclined to invest a bit more to get better sound, than the Wiims have to offer.

I can buy a used Beosound Core for half the price of a new one. Does anybody know how the DAC in the BS Core compares to entry-level music streamers such as the Wiim Ultra Plus and Cambridge Audio MXN10?

[XavierItzmann]

I have two of the cheapest Wiims, which I am no longer using now that my B&O setup is reasonably complete, but which I used for a few months in 2023 and a few weeks in May-Aug recently in 2024 and I can’t really tell any difference in sound quality.

The DAC in the Ultra is supposed to be better.

I’ll also say this: I’ve used the DACs on the Wiims, and on the BS3000, ML/NL converter, BS Essence, Beolink PC2, BeoPlayer, and BS5, and the music always sounded satisfying to me; I am unable to tell the difference.  My wife can’t tell the difference either, except she says her B&O H95’s beat all of the above.

Which, when you think about it, is quite damning, for the H95’s suffer because they employ the lossy/compressed Bluetooth transport (!).

Anyway, I am sure you will enjoy whatever streamer you end purchasing.

[DT79]

Eirikur Thorsteinsson wrote:

The further I go down this rabbit hole, the more I am inclined to invest a bit more to get better sound, than the Wiims have to offer. I can buy a used Beosound Core for half the price of a new one. Does anybody know how the DAC in the BS Core compares to entry-level music streamers such as the Wiim Ultra Plus and Cambridge Audio MXN10?

I just got a s/h Beosound Core myself.  I also have a Wiim Pro Plus in a different system. I haven’t compared them directly but Core > Transmitter 1 > BL18 + 19 definitely sounds a lot better than Wiim Pro Plus > Arcam AV9 > BL8000. so I can say that the Core certainly isn’t letting the BL18s down!

[Erik]

DT79 wrote:

I just got a s/h Beosound Core myself. I also have a Wiim Pro Plus in a different system. I haven’t compared them directly but Core > Transmitter 1 > BL18 + 19 definitely sounds a lot better than Wiim Pro Plus > Arcam AV9 > BL8000. so I can say that the Core certainly isn’t letting the BL18s down!

Could this be due to the fact that BL speakers don’t play well with 3rd party amps? I think I read that somewhere.

[trackbeo]

[deleted]

[DT79]

Eirikur Thorsteinsson wrote:

DT79 wrote:

I just got a s/h Beosound Core myself. I also have a Wiim Pro Plus in a different system. I haven’t compared them directly but Core > Transmitter 1 > BL18 + 19 definitely sounds a lot better than Wiim Pro Plus > Arcam AV9 > BL8000. so I can say that the Core certainly isn’t letting the BL18s down!

Could this be due to the fact that BL speakers don’t play well with 3rd party amps? I think I read that somewhere.

Don’t get me wrong the BL8000s in that system sound very good, just not as good as the BL18s which is to be expected.

[Erik]

DT79 wrote:

I can say that the Core certainly isn’t letting the BL18s down!

Thank you for your input. Much appreciated.

I agree, the BL18 has to be superior to the BL8000. If the Core isn’t letting the BL18s down, then the Core is probably good enough for the BL8000s and a BL2.

For me the only question then remains, should I pay €650 for a used Core, when I can get a Cambridge Audio MXN10 for €500 (which is supposed to be better than the Wiim Pro Plus) or a Bluesound Node X for €700 (which is supposed to be better than the Cambridge Audio MXN10). In this regard I am only interested in sound. They all support Spotify and Tidal Connect, Google Cast and Apple Airplay which is enough functionality for my needs.

 

 

[DT79]

Eirikur Thorsteinsson wrote:

DT79 wrote:

I can say that the Core certainly isn’t letting the BL18s down!

Thank you for your input. Much appreciated. I agree, the BL18 has to be superior to the BL8000. If the Core isn’t letting the BL18s down, then the Core is probably good enough for the BL8000s and a BL2. For me the only question then remains, should I pay €650 for a used Core, when I can get a Cambridge Audio MXN10 for €500 (which is supposed to be better than the Wiim Pro Plus) or a Bluesound Node X for €700 (which is supposed to be better than the Cambridge Audio MXN10). In this regard I am only interested in sound. They all support Spotify and Tidal Connect, Google Cast and Apple Airplay which is enough functionality for my needs.

I think you can get a Beosound Core for less than that. I just picked up a s/h one in good condition for £300 on Ebay.  Then if you go BS9000 to BS Core, you could also use a Beoremote One to control everything, as well as the app.

I honestly think these days where it comes to streaming and digital there’s not a lot to choose between any of these sorts of devices, but if you’re outputting analogue that’s where differences really come in. I’ve not yet tried the analogue (PL) output of the Core as I’ve got it hooked up to a Transmitter 1 via optical, but I will give it a go at some point to see what, if any, difference there is.

 

[Erik]

DT79 wrote:

Then if you go BS9000 to BS Core, you could also use a Beoremote One to control everything, as well as the app.

I have a Beo4 and was not planning on replacing it. If I only use the app, does the BS Core go to standby by itself when it is not in use?

DT79 wrote:
I honestly think these days where it comes to streaming and digital there’s not a lot to choose between any of these sorts of devices, but if you’re outputting analogue that’s where differences really come in.

That’s also my understanding. This is why I am interested in the performance of the DAC in the BS Core compared to the 3rd party streamers that don’t cost an arm and a leg, considering the tech in the BS Core is considerably older.

[DT79]

Erik wrote:

DT79 wrote:

Then if you go BS9000 to BS Core, you could also use a Beoremote One to control everything, as well as the app.

I have a Beo4 and was not planning on replacing it. If I only use the app, does the BS Core go to standby by itself when it is not in use?

DT79 wrote: I honestly think these days where it comes to streaming and digital there’s not a lot to choose between any of these sorts of devices, but if you’re outputting analogue that’s where differences really come in.

That’s also my understanding. This is why I am interested in the performance of the DAC in the BS Core compared to the 3rd party streamers that don’t cost an arm and a leg, considering the tech in the BS Core is considerably older.

Yes the BS Core will go into standby automatically.  I haven’t been able to ascertain the interval yet, but it’s not very long and doesn’t appear to be adjustable. You can actually switch it off from the app too.

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