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Beolab 50 - addressing the speaker/room interface.

vln said:
Yeah that motorized tweeter going up and down is a bit naff - what's the point of that, exactly? Just a visual effect to impress people?
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Maybe have a read of the technical sound guide or watch one of the dealer training videos. I'm sure they'll explain it for you.
 
AndyU said:
Average house price in London is £600,000. Average house price in Kensington and Chelsea is £2million. £20k is buttons for such folk. Their houses increase in value by that in a year. For doing f*ck all.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/b...own-housing-market-brexit-pound-a7785241.html
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Yeah but that's London (a nucleolus) which is in context of the UK, another world when it comes to property prices. None the less, those folk would still rather spend that much on a holiday in the alps and wouldn't give a monkeys to what the beolab 50s sound like. Believe me I know plenty of them!
 
Cereal Killer said:
Yeah but that's London (a nucleolus) which is in context of the UK, another world when it comes to property prices. None the less, those folk would still rather spend that much on a holiday in the alps and wouldn't give a monkeys to what the beolab 50s sound like. Believe me I know plenty of them!
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If £20k is too steep then you can get similar technology for small hundreds with the Apple HomePod, and probably far better integration with streaming services as well. It's B&O's problem whether there is a market. Expect a hypefest.
 
Keith, you are right they are damn fine looking speakers!

The powered tweeter is a thing of delight.
 
The YouTube comments on that video suggests £22K pr speaker so double that for stereo? Not that it matters a jot for my future purchases anyway.
 
yuckyamson said:
Tony, just to clarify, high-priced is/was has been their core demographic for years. They just didn't make terribly good equipment previously.

I mean I remember selling the 6-cd changer stand/desk mount jobbie with the Beolab 6000's (upside down pencils) in the mid/late 90's. The package was $15,000 cdn. back then and you could EASILY outperform it for $6,000.00. Hell even $5000.00. AND got more features. They just looked sexier than most other stuff at the time. It was also fairly reliable. But if you ever cracked the grill of a 6000 and looked inside it was pathetic what was going on in there: not much componentry to speak of or even deal with. IN today's dollars that would have to be at least double if not $40k for a system.

What has changed, significantly, is that the commitment to serious, competitive quality has gone back into the product. Nobody ever, ever, raved about the performance of a B&O component....well....i believe in at least 30 years. (until the new BL 90's). I mean if someone wants they can try to dig something up but their receivers, powered monitors, TT"s, ranged from shit to mediocre pap for the last 3 decades as far as I can recall.
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The Beolab 5's when they came out in 2003 received multiple rave reviews and were heralded then as one of the best speakers money could buy.

Cheers
 
Cereal Killer said:
Seriously, you guys think this is a price that anyone would consider reasonable? the folk this is aimed at don't want to understand or care about sound quality, they want a party piece to discuss with the Jone's over dinner.
FFS 70% of the UK population wouldn't even spend half that on a car and some peoples house probably cost as much up't north!! this is not real world moneys.
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Probably quite true.

And yet...

Relatively speaking in the world of high end audio, they're a steal - they're most definitely not just a passive speaker with some expensive drivers in a fancy MDF veneered cabinet, and a reflex port.

Having just been released, I have no idea of the firm cost for Australia, but I am told it will be circa A$50k.

That puts it in the ballpark of B&W 800's as a mainstream speaker price comparison here.

And by comparison with other high end HiFi components - JBL Everests, are asking A$125k.

The Naim statement amp I heard came in at a eye watering A$220k. Yes, you read that right, two hundred and twenty thousand dollars for an 2 channel amplifier.

The entire system complete with Naim Ovator speakers and streamer etc, along with the Naim frame supports, was the price of a brand new four bedroom home with all mod cons, and at ridiculous A$350k.

As I say, whilst not at all cheap, relatively speaking they offer remarkable value for money in the context of other Hi End audio speakers and/or components.

Cheers
 
I predict controlled directivity will feature in many more loudspeakers over the next few years, if technically manufacturers can implement it.
The 90's are superb loudspeakers and it looks as if the 50's use the same tech but in a slightly smaller and substantially more economical package.
Keith
 
Also, I don't think I like the looks, and with mechanical tweeters, well they are just going to fail. If the the 90s don't need them, why do the 50s?
 
Emlin said:
At twice the price of the kii threes, are they going to be significantly better?
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The Kii's are a bargain, I am not sure why make the tweeter retractable perhaps pandering to B&O's traditional demographic, I agree it is unnecessary.
The last time I visited a showroom they had a TV which self rotated.
Keith
 
Purite Audio said:
The Kii's are a bargain, I am not sure why make the tweeter retractable perhaps pandering to B&O's traditional demographic, I agree it is unnecessary.
The last time I visited a showroom they had a TV which self rotated.
Keith
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B&O have always been about trying to surprise and delight the customer with their designs.

I agree that a motorised Acoustic lens that rises out of the body of the speaker when switched on, and disappears again when switched off, is not necessary.

However, it does add that little bit of magic to the ownership experience, like so many of their products.

And why not?

Not all good audio gear has to look like something that came out of a mad inventors lair, or Lego for adults.

After all, high end Hifi is an luxury for most people, so why not look the part and offer some charm and delight?

Personally I love it.. :)

These will still look elegant and modern in 15 - 20 years time.

Remember Mana? Very functional, but didn't exactly win any prizes for it's looks.

And guess what, you hardly ever hear of it these days..

When you're spending a lot of money, finish and style counts, even if it's 'just' a HiFi speaker.

Cheers ;)
 
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