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Hi. Great review. I think you should mention the option of parring a beoremote one to the speaker. I know it is a costly option. But i love having a physical remote to control my speakers. I know it is expensive. But it adds so much value to the use experience for me. I even have a beoremote for my small multiroom speaker like the m3 I love that i dont have to use my phone for starting Spotify or radio or joining multiroom. Thank for a great review
I love my GoldenEar BRX with the AMT ribbon tweeter based on the heil. So I upgraded to the PS Audio FR5 with planar ribbon tweeter. (I also love the Wisdom Audio P4m with planar tweeter) I considered the Borressen X1 which is sold through dealers who markup the price so you pay more , whereas PS Audio is sold direct to consumer cutting out the middle man. Both have planar tweeters, 2 copper rings on the mids, woven mids. source=Apple Music lossless quality
Just wanted to let you know what a joy it is to listed to your videos as well. The attention to audio in your productions is so noticeable. You have by far the best audio of any channel I am watching, and your content is stellar as well.
@@brandonbrodbeck6688they are both pretty different brands. Bang&olufsen makes more luxury/lifestyle products that are all powered with onboard amplification and dsp. Bowers and Wilkins makes mostly passive hi-fi speakers. Though they are very luxurious they don’t sell as much of a lifestyle product that fits into your lifestyle but more so traditional hi-fi speakers which can be paired with your choice of amps, preamps, dacs etc. both brands are expensive though so that they have in common lol. Also b&o is danish and b&w is British.
I have a pair of black 8’s with melange covers on B&O ceiling mounts as surround channels with a theatre. They are kind of indulgent as surrounds but they look great and sound great. B&O do a thing where the sound bar know’s what speakers (and their capabilities) are connected to it so it dishes out bass to all the speakers so you get a very nicely distributed bottom end with no nodes or dead spots like can often happen with a single sub.
Hi there. I have a similar setup, but replace the 19 with a theatre. I am considering getting the 19 but it’s such an old product and doesn’t quite fit in with the overall design of the 28, 8 or theatre. How do you find the 19? Worth the addition to your system?
When it comes to B&O, I always look secondhand. They do take a significant price hit at first and stay stable afterwards. People buying B&O tend to take care of their speakers. And with the built in protection to damage they don't really suffer a lot, even after many years.
If you listen closely, a cool rocky section of Tubular Bells is playing in the georgetown dormitory in the Exorcist while Father Karas is trying to drown his sorrows…(i know the iconic beginning is used several times, bit i love that the college kids are jamming out to the whole song)
I bought the 28s some time ago, and yes, after decades of hardcore HiFi mania, I am at peace and enjoying the music. Never the less, the permanent price increases and messaging (the focus are now on High-net-worth individuals) from B&O are stopped me from buying the Theater and probably other purchases to build a Home Cinema setup.
That’s a LOT of money and would need to be substantially higher performing than … say.. the KEF LS50 wireless 2’s to justify that almost 3x asking price even taking aesthetics into account. Gorgeous looking though…
Oooo, what a teaser at the end threre! I wish Bang & Olufsen was in my income bracket. It sounds like this brand strikes the perfect balance between aesthetic style and great sound.
I live in Denmark and have some of their cheaper products, like the p6 speaker - still a premium product and the h6 headphones - All B og O product have that similar feel and quality.
I genuinely love how Andrew and Kristi both don’t shy or skip a bit when calling out downsides of products, even if they loved the product itself. The definition of word “Review” for me right there. I adore the look of these and totally agree about the stands, seems like something Apple would do, when they like to make a tiny change that’s just enough to not fit or be useable with older products😂 I genuinely am debating going with something like this. I’ve been thinking about your recommendations on amplifiers and speakers, and keep finding myself wanted to cut down on clutter completely. Also, they look so, so freaking good. Again, definitely Apple kind of way of designing products, except this time the good stuff haha. Very much feel the need for the same feelings you talked about at the end. Just hit play, and enjoy. That’s it. I have less and less time nowadays to just sit in quiet and listen to music and such to notice tiny little details that a set of passive speakers may offer, so this is really scratching my itch… Lovely review as always! Hope everyone is having a lovely Sunday! 🎉
Thanks man! If you're contemplating going B&O, I would definitely keep some of my latter options in mind, especially for a first-time user. A single A9 Gen 5 (or pair) will sound great and embarrass a number of speakers on the market. Plus, they'll connect to your Alva TT 😉
@@andrewrobinsonreviews that actually sounds fantastic. I’ll have to get my current system sold and look deeply into B&O. I genuinely love the design and the simplicity of it. Especially when you guys say it sounds so good, I’ll definitely take a close look at the A9. A pair of them hehe. Thank you!
Streaming DSP active speakers do cut down on the clutter. Many options for stereo sound. But not all work with computers or TV due to poor latency. Some offer Airplay 2 and over Apple 4K TV can be used with a TV in stereo, not surround. Mozart speakers to work with video need the Beosound Theatre. Beolink surround only arrived 1st November. WiSa for wireless is better quality than wi-fi (uPnP) or Airplay 2. But not all WiSA systems are compatible. Beosound Theatre works with B&O WiSA speakers but not certain other model from other manufacturers. DSP seems to also offer room correct and a smaller speaker for similar performance. A better speaker in a small cabinet. But if you want external sources of turntable, CD, etc having a hub might be better than everything hanging of the back of the primary speaker. There are pit falls that are sometimes difficult to work around and no reviewer is going to come across those.
For what its worth, it measures really good at the listening position. Yes, it has a scoop around 100-200hz and is bumped up at 40 - 50hz like a JBL Boombox 3, exactly what JBL does to 'enhance' deep bass. B&O usually measures well, and they look pretty as hell.
@@abxaudiophiles Absolutely, I have a pair in silver & dark grey melange as rear speakers & theatre up front & I have ordered a set as front stereo speakers & contemplated a set of either A9's or beosound Balance. Highly recommend!!!!!!
Hi Andrew. I’ve been eagerly waiting for this review from you to hear your view on it. Now that you have experienced the 8s, 28s and theatre, I would value your opinion on something please. I was fortunate enough to pick up a pair of 28s, the theatre and a pair of 8s in the light oak grill for a deep discount from a B&O dealer. Could not have afforded it at full RRP. They are in a home cinema setup with the 8s as rear surround. Despite tweaking the EQ, I still find the overall bass lacking. I know I am in the minority with this view. Call me a bass junky. I am now considering either adding the Beolab 19 sub or go completely off piste and add a perlisten sub (I think I can add a non B&O sub to the theatre)? Did you find bass lacking with when you used the 28s and theatre for home cinema? What do you think about adding a non B&O sub? Or should I just stick with B&O and get the 19? Thank you for taking the time to make these videos.
While I did not find the 28's to be lacking in bass, I can understand how you may feel this way because bass is very room and placement dependent. It's possible that where your 28's are located your room is the culprit, not the speaker. No sooner do I say that, do I have to also say, that if you're wanting gut-punching, 20Hz-ish bass, the 28 (nor the 19 sub) will do that. But impactful, 30Hz-ish bass from the 28s, yes, they can and should do that. Even though EQ and B&O's auto cal feature is terrific, it isn't a miracle working and won't overcome what could be a serious bass null you're trying to contend with. For a bit of fun, place your 28s as close to your listening chair as possible (don't worry about stereo imaging, proper placement etc.) Now, play a bass-heavy track through them and walk around your room, primarily along your walls. Everywhere the bass suddenly sounds deeper put down a piece of tape. Now step a good foot or so towards the center of your room and walk around again. If your tape marks line up anywhere, maybe consider placing your speakers there. If none of these positions are possible, you likely WILL have to integrate a sub and place it in one of these areas to augment the 28's bass that is being sucked out of existence due to your room. Please keep me posted as to what you find. I'm curious. Thanks for your question and support!
@@andrewrobinsonreviewsthank you for taking your time to reply. I will find a day to try what you suggest. Your response was what I needed. I can sometimes get in the mood to play drum and bass. I enjoy the the feeling of bass right in my chest. With that in mind, it would appear it’s not just placement and that even then addition of the 19 will not be sufficient. Seems like I need to save up for a something like the Perlisten D15S which I think goes down to 16Hz. Will keep you posted.
Damn these are stunning. I love all their unique and high quality designs. Also that teaser sounds like you will be getting a pair of the big boy 50 or 90s in since you already showed the 28s. I’m excited!
Great review, as always! I agree that the Beolab 8s are a significant step up from the Balance when it comes to stereo performance. While the Balance is fantastic for individual use or as part of a multi-room setup, it doesn’t quite have the same coherence and depth when used as a stereo pair. The 8s, on the other hand, really shine in that regard, offering a more refined and expansive soundstage. But I do understand the question: if you already have the Balance, is it worth upgrading to the 8s? For me, it comes down to the overall experience. The Beolab 8s deliver a more detailed and immersive sound, especially in tighter spaces, and the flexibility in positioning adds a lot of value. If you're looking for a speaker that excels in both design and sound quality and don’t mind spending a bit more, the 8s are a great choice. However, if you’re after raw bass power and a more budget-conscious solution, the Balance might still be the better option. It’s all about how you prioritize sound versus versatility and aesthetics
For that price, wouldn't the kef ls60 be a better buy? Aside from the size and the addition to add more speakers, i feel that the kef has more going for it
To be honest they've been nailing it since early 90s. It is now that other manufacturers jumped on the bandwagon. but in the "audiophilia" community those other brands are considered better than B&O simply because B&O looks beautiful and other look ugly!
For the most part, an accurate review. But I MUST throw in this caveat. I’ve had them for several months and the dealer came back twice to figure out how to get them working through wired connection because they don’t support a mesh network, apparently! SO frustrating and STILL not fully solved. I had additionally bought an Emerge to connect a turntable, and though wired, it still isn’t connecting to the Beolabs. When i asked to just return them, the dealer went silent. Switching to an analog system since neither the dealer nor my tech firm that manages the WiFi could solve all the problems. Great sound? When they work, yes. But beware the pitfalls and software weaknesses!
I'm really shocked to hear that your dealer would not help you. I'm unsure I can help, but I'm fairly confident B&O watches the channel. Do you mind sharing who your dealer is?
@ Thanks. It’s not that they didn’t try, it was just a challenge that went on too long incompleted. By the end I was venting a bit, though still trying to be polite and asked for a path to either a full fix or return. That was the end of the conversation. I really appreciate your response here, though!
How do you expect Beosound Emerge to connect to Beolab 8? Not all inputs can Beolink multi-room. I have used Beosound Emerge and Level as low latency 3.5 mm inputs with a Y cable and the unpaired (pairing is wireless and adds 300ms delay). i have also been able to use internet radio across Beolab 28, emerge and Level so they are all in synchronization. I am using a single router for wi-fi. Multiroom should work over wire Ethernet but the computer did not find them as it had over wi-fi so I removed the Ethernet cables. In March 2023 Beolab 28 would not link multi-room over wi-fi without all the speakers distorting. A software update fixed that. But it took a year to get DLNA back before they removed the feature. i use WiSA for my Beolab 28 and Beolab 17 which is limited to a single room and has nothing to do with computer networks.
Finally I was waiting for this product review so long 🙏 they lack hdmi and usb c digital though.. they have analog adapter 😢 and for me B&O is too expensive.. u advise the sub for real bass but.. 💰they are even increasing there prices too 😱 about the teaser, u have a review of the 90 coming? In a special color? 😏
Having listened to them in stereo and singular, it’s a masterpiece in stereo. Most definitely better than 2 balances or beosound 2s. Balances are huge power and I prefer the beosound 2 due to the tweeter clarity is just so crisp. Then you try the Beolab 8s and it’s a mix of them both, the bass response is simply mind boggling. It truly serves the best of both worlds, if you’re going for just one, you’re better off with a beosound 2 or balance depending on your own preference. The A9 is definitely in a league of its own with its spaciousness compared to any of the aforementioned speakers. My only gripe is the space it takes up, living in a small place. If you think you’ll use any of them with your tv it’s the best bet with its that versatility. Of course adding a theatre later on would be more than enough for a home theatre. Or else if you have space I’d say the 28s on the second hand market are about 2k$/€ more than the 8s and you wouldn’t need a theatre. My dealer is giving me 20% off on the 8s rn plus VAT 35%. I made my mind up on the 8s just because I felt like i would get the theatre later on for my tv
Beosound Balance and A9 can only be used with TV when connected over Beolink surround to a Beosound Theatre. Beolab 8, as 28 have powerlink and WiSa and can get low latency from computer or TV over them. Mozart has low latency over 3.5 mm and fibre optics to a single speaker. A paired wireless speaker (of a stereo pair) has a 300ms delay.
@@arunashamalsure do! In particular the Kanta 1 in ivory /walnut combination. What do you consider as an alternative 'fancy look' for those that are attracted to the likes of the b&o mentioned in this review?
@@rasta.j When it comes to design B&O stands on its own, as they do hire real product designers to design their products, unlike many other manufacturers that people who might be good at designing sound try to do visual design and hence resulting in products that look "off", Devialet has a unique design language, although not my type Sonos Faber has their own classic style, New KEFs has more approachable design for most people, some B&Ws but as a whole brand portfolio I can't think of anyone else that comes near B&O. Focal, Dynaudio etc falls into good speaker designers trying to be product designers resulting in designs that are off! category for me!
In terms of bass, more than the Level and less than the Balance. Some say too much and prefer the Level. A5 and Level have batteries, Balance does not.
Thank you for this review - I was really looking forward to your take on these. I've rewatched the Beolab 28 , and KEF LS60 reviews (many times) ... just to try and talk myself out of the 28s. So I was really looking forward to your thoughts on the 8s ... and maybe 8s with a sub. I had the opportunity to listen to the 28s and the LS60s on the same day, though not the same room. It was clear the dealer favored the 28s, as the LS60 speakers were in their "less than" room with other low end speakers. Try as I might, along with a willing sales person, I wasn't able to get out of them what you guys hear in the LS60 review. The 28s, however ... yep, I hear what you hear and think I'm destined to buy them. That said, in a never ending search to try and save money - 2 questions. 1. The 8s vs KEF (LS60 or other powered options from KEF). 2. 8s with sub vs 28s? While mentioned, I don't think you had the B&O sub to try this pairing - so might be tough to answer question 2 ... but would appreciate thoughts, even theoretically. And if you reviewing my dream and reality speakers (B&W 800 and B&O 28s respectively) isn't bad enough, please tell me your teaser at the end isn't the B&O 50s ... that would just break me :) ... from a decision making standpoint. I've successfully avoided demoing them to date - because I know I would love them.
Rob, Your question was included in today's Unplugged. Thanks for contributing to the conversation! Catch it here: th-cam.com/video/ADRxitiU96g/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
Good morning you two. I am not B&O’s target customer but I appreciate quality engineering and lifestyle products visually. I actually have to ask, in a whole home lifestyle type setup, could you not compete with this with a higher end in wall system? That would definitely give you more visual or “hidden” options. I’m curious how that would compare. $8k per room can buy a lot of dry wall repair, and multizone setups like Yamaha WXA50, Niles, or even Heos. Or for home theater if you ran 4-5 of these, I gotta feel that would be an exciting project. Think a comparable priced in wall set up could give equal or greater?
These look weird installed on their poles. But install their feet and set them on shelf they become like an art object and the wooden grills kind of work. 🙂 Therapy is good !
Good morning A&K. Love the style of B&O products which of course plays a role in their premium pricing. Would love to see you review something from the Cabasse Pearl Collection which seem to have that interesting style along with performance chops based on other reviews. Also interested to see how the new Marantz Horizon series speakers perform which I imagine you two will have a chance to review in the future. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday and keep the great reviews coming!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I agree. Very stylish. Those companies embracing this combination of style and simplicity are definitely on the right path to help grow the market and appeal to the younger generation.
Love the review. The Balance doesn't stack up to the bl8's when you use the Balance as a stereo pair. It's very clear then that the Balance was not built to be a stereo speaker.
Dear Andrew & Kristi ; your thoughts ; would the Beosound balance be a better choice as front speakers in a surround sound set up ! As I have a set of 8's in the rear & a theatre upfront that would act as a centre speaker in this configuration; would love your input as I have a dilemma, I have ordered another pair of 8's for the front, but could change them if I act quickly ? LOVE the channel it's a pleasure to watch & listen to you both. Especially when sat in my favorite seating area with lovely cup of freshly brewed ground coffee while I watch & listen. Total fun & very relaxing for my soul. X
You have the option to use Beolink Surround with all Mozart speakers from the Beosound Theatre. Only four speaker can be set up with Beolink surround (front, side, rears, ceiling). When used in surround they do not function as Mozart speakers and you have to go to the app and disconnect from Beolink surround to use to stream. Using Beolab 8 as WiSA speakers they switch to WiSA as soon as the Theatre is switched on and drop back to the Mozart streaming when the Theatre is switched off. In my testing of Beolab 28 the sound performance is Bluetooth, Airplay 2, Chromecast (uPnP), WiSA. I have no Apple device so used TuneBlade for Airplay on PC and laptop. Over WiSA the Beolab 28 are a whole different speaker compared to other wireless modes. I suspect Powerlink might be the same improvement. I don't have a Theatre so can't test the new Beolink Surround with Level, Emerge and BL28. Personally I would use WiSA for better sound and for me better behaviour as I can use the panel on the top of the speaker for internet radio when they are not being used for surround. Get a demonstration of using Beolink Surround with Balance against Beolab 8 using WiSA and Beolink surround.
@ mine is a old system now Andrew, but in perfect working order, I purchased in from my B & O dealer about 25 years ago, I have the B & O 8000 floor standing speakers and the Beosound 9000 player, I’m listening to it now, it has never disappointed, love your in depth reviews, keep it up, very best wishes.
I’ve got them as soon as they showed at the dealer. They are excellent and perfectly priced as the 28s became ridicolously expensive as well as the theatre. I wish they are working on cheaper soundbar as we speak. How did you Connect to a tv? By using Apple TV?
Apple 4K Tv will enable a TV to be used with Mozart speakers. For low latency the Beolab 8 have powerlink and WiSA so work with a WiSA TV and any TV with analogue sound output. They have fibre optic but may not be low latency in a pair as pairing is over wi-fi and that has a 300ms delay. sound performance is best over WiSA (and proably Powerlink), at least to my ears. I have Beolab 28, 17, 19 and a Receiver 1 to a centre active speaker (Meridian) using Axiim Link for WiSA transmitter. Sound send also works without spending on a Theatre. You could equally use a Beosound 7.2, 7.4 as centre.
Another great review! I actually kind of expected these to best the Balance in terms of sound quality (making the Balance kind of obsolete?) but your review cleared that up for me. B & O get a lot of hate from serious audiophiles, but for my money they are the best-looking speakers out there, and the company keeps up with the times in terms of functionality and, of course, design. I am VERY curious about that teaser at the end! You should know, however, that if it is a pair of 50s, I WILL find your address on the dark web and move in with the two of you for the duration of your listening period. An air mattress should suffice. Sorry, but that's just how it is.
I love my GoldenEar BRX with the AMT ribbon tweeter based on the heil. So I upgraded to the PS Audio FR5 with planar ribbon tweeter. (I also love the Wisdom Audio P4m with planar tweeter) I considered the Borressen X1 which is sold through dealers who markup the price so you pay more , whereas PS Audio is sold direct to consumer cutting out the middle man. Both have planar tweeters, 2 copper rings on the mids, woven mids. source=Apple Music lossless quality
Same comments are present in a Porsche review. Blah blah blah this much money for that. Never take the Product for what it’s meant to be. Good review. Thank You.
Very excited for what comes next, 50’s or 90’s??? Would be amazing if they let you set up a whole surround sound system with a theater. Also would love for you to pick up a used pair of 9’s. They are amazing speakers and I think you would love them.
I noticed you had them pulled off the wall. How much does it hurt their performance to have them against the wall? They could almost pass as sconces on the wall if it didn’t impact their sound. Which is something my wife might palate better than something like the Sonos 300s or other speakers that stick out like a sore thumb.
I actually have been eyeing the Bowers & Wilkins M 1 speakers to put outside on the deck. I did look at these B&O’s and while they are super nice looking, B&W at $800 is a bit more affordable. Have you heard the M1 in comparison?
Call me crazy but in the future I would love if Sony, Sonos, or some other brand created a surround sound system like the Quads but with more stylish bookshelf-like speakers with upfiring modules that can be attached to height adjustable stands. I'm thinking a Sony Quad consisting of 4 Era-300-like speakers (similar in function but not in performance or appearance). If they were well built and stylish, I'd be willing to pay 1.5-2X the price of the quads.
Or, you can get a new pair of B&W Formation Duo here in the UK at the moment for around £1800. Those B&O 8 are really nice but are way, way too expensive. I agree about the B&O app being really good although the room correction isn’t as good as others when I have used it on other ‘speakers.
Having demoed them recently (after owning the B&Ws Formation Duos) I found their sonic performance lacklustre in comparison, especially at the price point. I feel the Formation to be a far more detail, lively and overhaul better speaker not to mention more full range. It’s ridiculous how good it is in comparison. On the other hand B&Os App and its features are miles better but that wasn’t enough to sweep me of my feet; especially when as you mentioned the Duos are currently on ridiculous offers here in the UK. Best active speakers for the buck.
@ That’s true. I prefer films in stereo though simply because two good ‘speakers are better than five average if cost is a factor. The big problem with the 8 as home cinema is that the cost of five of them for me would be roughly £11k before you factor in a sub. I could get a pair of Acoustic Energy Corinium and a serious amp for that which would be quite high end. The 8 are very expensive, perhaps 50% too much. A pair of 8 is roughly the same as a pair of Kef LS60 here which would be a significant step up and wouldn’t need a sub.
I do love the custom sound profile on the bang and olufsen app. If only more companies included something as simple as this on their powered speakers, and integrated amps/ AVR’s.
Hi, I’ve noticed you don’t mention Sonus faber speakers a lot, overall what do you think of them ?… and really Waiting for Sonus faber sonetto 3 G2 review .. interested in your both opinions.. thanks
Andrew, I had a HT-A9 and enjoyed that system. However I found the bass of the SW5 subwoofer lacking. I have a small living room and I’m looking for a new soundsystem. I was thinking about possibly getting a KEF Q7 Meta or Q11 Meta system, with KEF atmos speakers. Do you think that it will outperform the Bravia Quad by a noticeable margin? Do you think it would be worth to invest thousands of extra dollars in a AVR system over the Bravia Quad? Thank you.
Before you go spending more money. Have you tried moving the SW5 subwoofer to a different location in your room? The SW5 has solid output down to just below 30Hz, which is low enough for most folks, so I suspect the sub is in a null in relation to your seating position. Watch this video: th-cam.com/video/2HUOct0BGYM/w-d-xo.html and try placing your sub using the method(s) I discuss. Once you place your sub in a new spot, re-run the auto calibration and spatial calibration then see if your thoughts about lacking bass don't change. If you're still unhappy, buying the Theatre Quad isn't going to fix your issue as it uses the same sub.
@ generally speaking is a full Kef Q meta speaker system better than the Bravia Quad? And if it’s better, how much better would it be? A massive difference? Thanks Andrew
I really appreciate your review but I am left with a question that I don't have the answer to. Why have the 8 when you already have the Balance? The Balance has a more impacting Bass response and loses nothing in the mids or upper registers so why have a more expensive 8 when the Balance is there. I get the versatility of positioning that the shape allows but the Balance can live on the wall and on a stand just as well so where is the actual gain of having the 8 over the balance. I would love to know the real reason I should give B&O another 1000 or 1500 of my hard-earned cash to get the 8 when it is just not as good as the Balance? I like the look of the 8 but am struggling to justify the spend. Am I crazy? What do you think?
If you own the balance pair then its not worth to change, but if you were to start from the scratch the 8s are better in every way, although I suspect that the 8s and the balance share a lot of internals together so the sound does not differ too much. But with 8s except from the design compatible with Theatre you also get wisa Powerlink, mounting options and few other tricks and improvements as its a newer speaker.
@@andrewrobinsonreviewsmy wife would love the way these disappear into the room and I’m sure they would serve my usual listening style ( medium high volume).
Andrew ; definitely, definitely has the beolab 50's incoming Nailed on !!!! He has now reviewed the Fab 8's & the utterely brilliant 28's so if it is in fact the 50's be prepared to have your mind blown !!!!! & Im not joking by the way !!!!!!!
Always enjoy your reviews. I’m a bit gun shy about powered speakers after owning the Klipsch 9’s. With all in ones there are so many features that are all dependent on each other, something is invariably going to go wrong which then takes the whole system down. My Nines go silent every few months and I have to reload the firmware to get it back on track-and never at a convenient time. Also not crazy about what its dependence on an app will mean as years go by. I do love the retro look of the B&O 8s.
I’m in the market to replace my Beolab 4000, the 8 are great but are expensive and I wasn’t confinced it was worth the price. I’m leaning towards the A9 but the damn stage had also a great sound for a fraction of the price. But it’s outdated because it’s not in the Mozart platform. Hopefully B&O are upgrading the Stage.
Off topic, sorry: Hi Andrew and Kristi. Why is it that hifi dealers always recommend extremely powerful amplifiers when you are looking for speakers? For example, my dealer said that I should stay far away from the Polk R700, unless I had an amplifier of at least 200 watts. I have an Advance a10 Paris, at 130 watts 8 ohms and 190 at 4 ohms, but he thought it was not powerful enough. I know he's wrong on it, and the a10 pulls the R700 without any problems, my 20 watt tube amplifier can actually do an excellent job with these speakers. I'm SO tired of these types of dealers, because in the end they make people feel that the hifi equipment they have is not good enough, and some may walk away from this wonderful hobby because of these dealers' snobbery and " i want your money" mindset. I'm tired of it. I know you have brought up the topic before, and I would love if your large and good platform that I enjoy following, would shed light on and create debate on this topic.
Hello, which has better quality? can you advice ? Canvas, beolab 28, beolab 8, beosound, devialet dione. which you advice to buy? i know they are different no anyway. thank you
These speakers are absolutely beautiful. Why do we generally see unique, art-like or furniture-like designs in powered speakers in the lifestyle space? Why not with passive speakers (I'm not saying that I have not seen some beautiful passive speakers, but...)? If the future of audio rests with lifestyle products, I get the sense that traditional speaker makers are going to have to compete at some point with aesthetics. Do you agree? Thanks for this review! (I have yet to hear bang and olufusen in person.)
Passive loudspeakers, heck, traditional hifi in general will have to compete with "lifestyle" products and soundbars sooner rather than later. On the one hand, hifi has embraced how tech has made some of their favorite performance goals easier to obtain (not to mention cheaper, too), but for some reason, many don't want these same gains to be visually attractive, unless, of course, good visual design is free.
Kef was asked about a passive version of the LS60 as there re passive versions of the LS50 wireless. It is not possible. A passive speaker with those drive units would sound poor. a passive speaker could not make the control possible. The cabinet is wrong, the drive units wrong. it works because of DSP and active control in the electronics. Take the little Beosound emerge apart. For it size the sound is great, really good and for use around the home excellent. Hardly need anything more. But the speaker fires into a solid piece of wood vented to a rear port. The front facing tweeter is well minute. This should sound at best terrible but it isn't and what ever it is is down to the DSP and electronics to get the quality of sound out of it. Many complain about their flat screen TVs not having as good a sound as their old CRT screens, the few with big speakers fitted. The Beosound Level has "flat" speakers, small compared to many large screen TVs but sound a great deal better.
They look georgous. For a small to medium rooms (as most of bookshelf/floorstand speakers) they will be enough, but that price... Since you have an experience with both products: how big is a difference in music between these and Beosound Stage? I know, different categories but both are dedicated to smaller spaces.
No and yes. Formation Duo have 25 Hertz bass. app is terrible. Poor latency so can't be used with Bar and Bass in surround sound. Beolab 8 have WisA and powerlink. They work with TV and computer. The streaming and app are better. They scale up to 5.1 and 7.1 surround. They work multi-room. Mozart has DNLA and uPnp, not just Airplay.
Great to hear about the speakers's limitations and noise issues as it allows for informed decicions. What we also need is some objective measurements we can compare to other speakers of its kind. See how PC equipment or cars are evaluated and reviewed. Hope someone makes the investment in measureing equipment and methodology that allows people to evaluate products better. There is simply no subsitutute for objective measurements - comparing comments/opinions between reviewers or even the same reviewer gets you nowhere.
8:29 That's precisely what I find with in-ear monitors. Therefore, I now always blast earphones at full volume to see just how brittle is the treble, whenever I audition a new pair of IEMs.
@ Yes. I’ve seen that. It seems the other speakers are a much different experience - seemingly similar to the A9 from B&O…? I think it would be a great vid. Thank you! 🙏
I have a pair of Phantom Gold 108db speakers. i also have Beolab 28 and Beosound Level and ancient Meridian D600. Visitors who ask for a comparison all prefer the Phantom gold. Bass is impressive and the Phantoms give it in spades. They have a massive of sound for a small box which is also impressive. i could not live with them at those impressive volume levels and want a more background level from my music or internet radio sources. I also find that over many hours of listening the Phantoms appear to be more tiring. Users still complaint of pairing problems over wi-fi. i have not had issues for a few years now. When powered up after a long time they might need setting up ~ an on goiing issue but are usually quicker to set up than Beolab speakers are. The difference is in the features. Devialet got them to work better with TV as source over fibre optics. but removed support of control from a desktop computer. Then the steaming services and internet radio were removed from the speaker now using third party apps from a mobile device to stream them. You can use bubleuPnp from a phone to cast BBC sounds and TuneIn radio or streaming services to them. But that drains the phone battery and these were originally all built into the speaker. They will not upscale to surround. for that you have to have custom Phantom speakers using Ethernet only and an AV receiver B&O managed to change from TuneIn to continue to get BBC radio stations on all Mozart speakers. They have multi-room and Beolink surround. Belab speakers have WiSa and Powerlink to work in a 5.1 or 7.1 set up.
My issue with the balance, is that it doesn't look timeless. A B&O product is expensive for this reason. Beautiful on the eye. People walk in and wonder WTF is that piece of art. The balance for me and I hate to say it, looks IKEA-like.
@andrewrobinsonreviews yep, I understand, fully. I personally just don't see it. The IKEA lamp speaker for me. 😌. I can't see it being a piece that in years time, people will look at it, as you should with a B&O product. Yikes...I may get hate here! 😁
I do love B&O and have the opportunity to visit the show room and listen when in Colorado Springs. The voicing is not the same as my system but they impress me a lot
Having demoed them recently (after owning the B&Ws Formation Duos) I found their sonic performance lacklustre in comparison, especially at the price point. I feel the Formation to be a far more detail, lively and overhaul better speaker not to mention more full range. It’s ridiculous how good it is in comparison. On the other hand B&Os App and its features are miles better but that wasn’t enough to sweep me of my feet; especially when the Duos are currently on offers as low as $2,300-2,500. What are your thoughts? Note: I would even choose the LS60s or even 50s over them (in terms of sound performance).
But which can form part of a surround sound set up? Which can go multi-room? Which goes up in price twice a year? LS60 had 33% off the launch price for a while, formation duo dropped in price. Making a good stereo speaker more affordable.
Along these lines, would be awesome to get your take on the Cabasse Rialtos at around $4k if you could get them in. Or any of the Cabasse all in one offerings 🙏
Cabasse Rialto would run circles around most of the b&o products in my opinion. I honestly don’t understand how cabasse makes money off of the Rialto speakers given the amount of features and unique design features they implemented into them
I have a level in our kitchen. Just ordered an emerge and a1 for my nightstand and to replace a bose revolve whose battery has given up the ghost. The 28s, stage and balance are on my list to complete a b&o home and endgame audio journey.
Stage will not work with satellite speakers. For surround go with WiSA, although Theatre now offers up to four Mozart speakers along side 8 WiSA and 8 powerlink speakers. Emerge as a pair is amazing. Use them with Beosound Theatre as rears. A pair of Emerge beat a single Level although the Level has a low bass it is limited in stereo from a single speaker. Save a fortune and get four Beolab 17 with Theatre.
I would so LOVE to hear some B&O gear! Just nowhere close to where I live. Love the looks of the 8s and if they sound half as good as they look... damn! Now to just win that lottery to afford them... hahaha. But my dream is to get a part of A9s for l The living room and ca it a day there. Great review as always Andrew. Look forward to heaar from the both of you on Friday. Cheers!
heyyy are those the Monitor Audio Silver 100s on that desk? your review of them convinced me to get a pair. what do you think of them now after all this time?
I have often wished I could afford any B&O speakers. Now that I can, I have completely emptied my wish list. Wait….$3k-plus is still scorching my audio-stuff-to-buy budget. Yippee. I can still hope to afford them SOMEDAY.
I haven't heard them side by side but from what I have listened to I'd say Phantom 1 sounds more fuller and basier but lacks the refined edge that is on 8s. A pair of B&O Balance is more comparable to phantoms
I have Phantom Gold 108db pair on stands and Beolab 17 and 28 along side Meridian D600, M1 speakers. The few visitors who asked for a demonstration and A/B comparision all preferred the Phantoms. Big bass is impressive. I don't normally listen at party levels of loudness. At more comfortable levels I can listen happily to any of them and over internet radio or DLNA casting and not feel I am missing out in any way. I don't like the way Devialet dropped desktop computers from controlling the speakers, or removing TuneIn and streaming from the speaker to using a mobile phone. Same thing (BubbleUPNP etc, so avoiding Bluetooth) but they did get low latency for a pair yet went to custom speakers for surround. It took B&O three years to offer low latency from a TV or computer to Beosound Level, Emerge, Balance. Longer to enable them to connect to Beosound Theatre as surround sound speakers. The updates have bricked the speakers taking hours of effort to fix but the last few all worked and added those features promised three years ago. Beolab 8, 28, 18 can be used from computer, TV in synch over WiSA and powerlink as part of a 2.0, 2.1, 5.1, 7.1 set up. BL8, 28 also have Mozart for casting to and streaming to from the controls of the speaker or from the app. They multi-room with other Mozart speakers. Levels better Phantom II because I can run them on battery from a laptop. In sound different neither really better. Beolab 28 better than Phantom I because I can easily upscale to 5.1 which I can't with the Phantoms and the B&O app is far better to use than the way you now have to use the Devialet app. Beolab 28 entertain you as they open up the curtains. Phantoms dance as they play.
You do amazing reviews with great equipment. I'm wondering if you've ever compared any bookshelf speakers to OG HomePods and what your thoughts are on them.
@@kempfand Bougie is short for, "bourgeoisie," denoting the class between the proletariat and aristocracy. Bougie has come to mean someone who with refined sensibilities regardless of economic position.
Learn more here bit.ly/3pK2B4y or contact your local Bang & Olufsen dealer.
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Please don’t ever get tired about talking about B&O !!!
Giant black sub behind you gonna get a review yet??😅😅
Hi. Great review.
I think you should mention the option of parring a beoremote one to the speaker.
I know it is a costly option. But i love having a physical remote to control my speakers.
I know it is expensive. But it adds so much value to the use experience for me.
I even have a beoremote for my small multiroom speaker like the m3
I love that i dont have to use my phone for starting Spotify or radio or joining multiroom.
Thank for a great review
I love my GoldenEar BRX with the AMT ribbon tweeter based on the heil.
So I upgraded to the PS Audio FR5 with planar ribbon tweeter. (I also love the Wisdom Audio P4m with planar tweeter)
I considered the Borressen X1 which is sold through dealers who markup the price so you pay more , whereas PS Audio is sold direct to consumer cutting out the middle man.
Both have planar tweeters, 2 copper rings on the mids, woven mids.
source=Apple Music lossless quality
Just wanted to let you know what a joy it is to listed to your videos as well. The attention to audio in your productions is so noticeable. You have by far the best audio of any channel I am watching, and your content is stellar as well.
Wow, thank you!
I keep confusing B&O with B&W
It can be easy to do. I said B&W a few times while recording this video. 😂
Which ones better lol? I have one in my car and a subwoofer of the other brand. 😂
Bowers & Olufsen and Bang & Wilkins cannot be confused.
@@brandonbrodbeck6688they are both pretty different brands. Bang&olufsen makes more luxury/lifestyle products that are all powered with onboard amplification and dsp. Bowers and Wilkins makes mostly passive hi-fi speakers. Though they are very luxurious they don’t sell as much of a lifestyle product that fits into your lifestyle but more so traditional hi-fi speakers which can be paired with your choice of amps, preamps, dacs etc. both brands are expensive though so that they have in common lol. Also b&o is danish and b&w is British.
lifestyle… what does that even mean? 🙈
Standing ovation for the work you put into the graphics and presentation in this (and every) video.
I have a pair of black 8’s with melange covers on B&O ceiling mounts as surround channels with a theatre. They are kind of indulgent as surrounds but they look great and sound great. B&O do a thing where the sound bar know’s what speakers (and their capabilities) are connected to it so it dishes out bass to all the speakers so you get a very nicely distributed bottom end with no nodes or dead spots like can often happen with a single sub.
The speakers look like a microphone Sinatra used at Capitol Records studios in the early 60’s
Kinda, yeah! Thanks for watching.
Reminds me kinda of the Paco Robanne Invictus perfume with the table stand 😂
Have the theater, 28’s, 19, and 8’s all in anthracite/fabric. The 8’s are super cool and round out my system perfectly
Hi there. I have a similar setup, but replace the 19 with a theatre. I am considering getting the 19 but it’s such an old product and doesn’t quite fit in with the overall design of the 28, 8 or theatre.
How do you find the 19? Worth the addition to your system?
@ It’s incredible and powerful. Had a grey one and just replaced with a black/silver one to match. Huge difference and it’s WISA. Looks great
@@mattmarta5181thank you.
When it comes to B&O, I always look secondhand. They do take a significant price hit at first and stay stable afterwards. People buying B&O tend to take care of their speakers. And with the built in protection to damage they don't really suffer a lot, even after many years.
Where do you find them second hand?
Woke up and saw a new video with B&O! Sunday made!
Thank you for watching! We hope you'll tune in Friday for our follow up Unplugged.
@ definitely will be!
Great Sunday everyone!! I absolutely love the B&O videos!!
Hi Afonso!
The gold on gold reminds me of an old timey microphone. Definitely unique. No one can really argue they are copycatting.
“The appetizer from what’s coming” OMG the suspense I can’t! 😄
If you listen closely, a cool rocky section of Tubular Bells is playing in the georgetown dormitory in the Exorcist while Father Karas is trying to drown his sorrows…(i know the iconic beginning is used several times, bit i love that the college kids are jamming out to the whole song)
I haven't noticed that. Now I'll have to check it out.
I bought the 28s some time ago, and yes, after decades of hardcore HiFi mania, I am at peace and enjoying the music. Never the less, the permanent price increases and messaging (the focus are now on High-net-worth individuals) from B&O are stopped me from buying the Theater and probably other purchases to build a Home Cinema setup.
The 28s are great. I wish I had bought a pair before the price increase.
That’s a LOT of money and would need to be substantially higher performing than … say.. the KEF LS50 wireless 2’s to justify that almost 3x asking price even taking aesthetics into account. Gorgeous looking though…
Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed the video. Appreciate your support!
Oooo, what a teaser at the end threre! I wish Bang & Olufsen was in my income bracket. It sounds like this brand strikes the perfect balance between aesthetic style and great sound.
I live in Denmark and have some of their cheaper products, like the p6 speaker - still a premium product and the h6 headphones - All B og O product have that similar feel and quality.
I genuinely love how Andrew and Kristi both don’t shy or skip a bit when calling out downsides of products, even if they loved the product itself. The definition of word “Review” for me right there. I adore the look of these and totally agree about the stands, seems like something Apple would do, when they like to make a tiny change that’s just enough to not fit or be useable with older products😂
I genuinely am debating going with something like this. I’ve been thinking about your recommendations on amplifiers and speakers, and keep finding myself wanted to cut down on clutter completely. Also, they look so, so freaking good. Again, definitely Apple kind of way of designing products, except this time the good stuff haha.
Very much feel the need for the same feelings you talked about at the end. Just hit play, and enjoy. That’s it. I have less and less time nowadays to just sit in quiet and listen to music and such to notice tiny little details that a set of passive speakers may offer, so this is really scratching my itch…
Lovely review as always! Hope everyone is having a lovely Sunday! 🎉
Thanks man! If you're contemplating going B&O, I would definitely keep some of my latter options in mind, especially for a first-time user. A single A9 Gen 5 (or pair) will sound great and embarrass a number of speakers on the market. Plus, they'll connect to your Alva TT 😉
🤩
@@andrewrobinsonreviews that actually sounds fantastic. I’ll have to get my current system sold and look deeply into B&O. I genuinely love the design and the simplicity of it. Especially when you guys say it sounds so good, I’ll definitely take a close look at the A9. A pair of them hehe. Thank you!
@@KristiWright hello! Hope you are doing well this Sunday! 💐
Streaming DSP active speakers do cut down on the clutter. Many options for stereo sound. But not all work with computers or TV due to poor latency. Some offer Airplay 2 and over Apple 4K TV can be used with a TV in stereo, not surround. Mozart speakers to work with video need the Beosound Theatre. Beolink surround only arrived 1st November. WiSa for wireless is better quality than wi-fi (uPnP) or Airplay 2. But not all WiSA systems are compatible. Beosound Theatre works with B&O WiSA speakers but not certain other model from other manufacturers.
DSP seems to also offer room correct and a smaller speaker for similar performance. A better speaker in a small cabinet. But if you want external sources of turntable, CD, etc having a hub might be better than everything hanging of the back of the primary speaker. There are pit falls that are sometimes difficult to work around and no reviewer is going to come across those.
For what its worth, it measures really good at the listening position. Yes, it has a scoop around 100-200hz and is bumped up at 40 - 50hz like a JBL Boombox 3, exactly what JBL does to 'enhance' deep bass. B&O usually measures well, and they look pretty as hell.
Solid run down. Thank you for sharing. 😊
Hope y’all are doing well. ❤
Have a GREAT Sunday.
Thank you for watching, ABX!
Such a beautiful speaker. ❤🎉
It really is. Hope all is well, sir.
@@abxaudiophiles Absolutely, I have a pair in silver & dark grey melange as rear speakers & theatre up front & I have ordered a set as front stereo speakers & contemplated a set of either A9's or beosound Balance. Highly recommend!!!!!!
Hi Andrew. I’ve been eagerly waiting for this review from you to hear your view on it. Now that you have experienced the 8s, 28s and theatre, I would value your opinion on something please.
I was fortunate enough to pick up a pair of 28s, the theatre and a pair of 8s in the light oak grill for a deep discount from a B&O dealer. Could not have afforded it at full RRP.
They are in a home cinema setup with the 8s as rear surround.
Despite tweaking the EQ, I still find the overall bass lacking. I know I am in the minority with this view. Call me a bass junky.
I am now considering either adding the Beolab 19 sub or go completely off piste and add a perlisten sub (I think I can add a non B&O sub to the theatre)?
Did you find bass lacking with when you used the 28s and theatre for home cinema?
What do you think about adding a non B&O sub? Or should I just stick with B&O and get the 19?
Thank you for taking the time to make these videos.
While I did not find the 28's to be lacking in bass, I can understand how you may feel this way because bass is very room and placement dependent. It's possible that where your 28's are located your room is the culprit, not the speaker.
No sooner do I say that, do I have to also say, that if you're wanting gut-punching, 20Hz-ish bass, the 28 (nor the 19 sub) will do that. But impactful, 30Hz-ish bass from the 28s, yes, they can and should do that. Even though EQ and B&O's auto cal feature is terrific, it isn't a miracle working and won't overcome what could be a serious bass null you're trying to contend with.
For a bit of fun, place your 28s as close to your listening chair as possible (don't worry about stereo imaging, proper placement etc.) Now, play a bass-heavy track through them and walk around your room, primarily along your walls. Everywhere the bass suddenly sounds deeper put down a piece of tape. Now step a good foot or so towards the center of your room and walk around again. If your tape marks line up anywhere, maybe consider placing your speakers there. If none of these positions are possible, you likely WILL have to integrate a sub and place it in one of these areas to augment the 28's bass that is being sucked out of existence due to your room.
Please keep me posted as to what you find. I'm curious. Thanks for your question and support!
@@andrewrobinsonreviewsthank you for taking your time to reply. I will find a day to try what you suggest.
Your response was what I needed. I can sometimes get in the mood to play drum and bass. I enjoy the the feeling of bass right in my chest. With that in mind, it would appear it’s not just placement and that even then addition of the 19 will not be sufficient.
Seems like I need to save up for a something like the Perlisten D15S which I think goes down to 16Hz.
Will keep you posted.
Hi 👋🏻 happy owner of the Beolab 8 here.
In my small (portion of
Damn these are stunning. I love all their unique and high quality designs. Also that teaser sounds like you will be getting a pair of the big boy 50 or 90s in since you already showed the 28s. I’m excited!
I can neither confirm nor deny something bigger may be coming to the channel soon. Thanks for watching!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews 😂
Great review, as always! I agree that the Beolab 8s are a significant step up from the Balance when it comes to stereo performance. While the Balance is fantastic for individual use or as part of a multi-room setup, it doesn’t quite have the same coherence and depth when used as a stereo pair. The 8s, on the other hand, really shine in that regard, offering a more refined and expansive soundstage. But I do understand the question: if you already have the Balance, is it worth upgrading to the 8s? For me, it comes down to the overall experience. The Beolab 8s deliver a more detailed and immersive sound, especially in tighter spaces, and the flexibility in positioning adds a lot of value. If you're looking for a speaker that excels in both design and sound quality and don’t mind spending a bit more, the 8s are a great choice. However, if you’re after raw bass power and a more budget-conscious solution, the Balance might still be the better option. It’s all about how you prioritize sound versus versatility and aesthetics
Afternoon Andrew, Kristi & Kadie 👍👍🦴
Morning, KJ! Thanks for joining us.
Hi KJ!!
@ 👍👍
For that price, wouldn't the kef ls60 be a better buy? Aside from the size and the addition to add more speakers, i feel that the kef has more going for it
Good call. I suspect half the comments are going to be alternatives for the money.
Most streaming DSP active speakers will not scale up to surround sound system. Eve if not now that is what you might go for in the future.
B&O have nailed active speakers.🔥
To be honest they've been nailing it since early 90s. It is now that other manufacturers jumped on the bandwagon. but in the "audiophilia" community those other brands are considered better than B&O simply because B&O looks beautiful and other look ugly!
Them, and Meridian
For the most part, an accurate review. But I MUST throw in this caveat. I’ve had them for several months and the dealer came back twice to figure out how to get them working through wired connection because they don’t support a mesh network, apparently! SO frustrating and STILL not fully solved. I had additionally bought an Emerge to connect a turntable, and though wired, it still isn’t connecting to the Beolabs. When i asked to just return them, the dealer went silent. Switching to an analog system since neither the dealer nor my tech firm that manages the WiFi could solve all the problems. Great sound? When they work, yes. But beware the pitfalls and software weaknesses!
I'm really shocked to hear that your dealer would not help you. I'm unsure I can help, but I'm fairly confident B&O watches the channel. Do you mind sharing who your dealer is?
@ Thanks. It’s not that they didn’t try, it was just a challenge that went on too long incompleted. By the end I was venting a bit, though still trying to be polite and asked for a path to either a full fix or return. That was the end of the conversation. I really appreciate your response here, though!
(I was in Covid for a couple of weeks then traveling in the UK for another two until today, so I’ll see if I can get a response this week. Thanks!)
How do you expect Beosound Emerge to connect to Beolab 8? Not all inputs can Beolink multi-room. I have used Beosound Emerge and Level as low latency 3.5 mm inputs with a Y cable and the unpaired (pairing is wireless and adds 300ms delay). i have also been able to use internet radio across Beolab 28, emerge and Level so they are all in synchronization. I am using a single router for wi-fi. Multiroom should work over wire Ethernet but the computer did not find them as it had over wi-fi so I removed the Ethernet cables. In March 2023 Beolab 28 would not link multi-room over wi-fi without all the speakers distorting. A software update fixed that. But it took a year to get DLNA back before they removed the feature. i use WiSA for my Beolab 28 and Beolab 17 which is limited to a single room and has nothing to do with computer networks.
perfect high-end small apartment speakers.
Finally I was waiting for this product review so long 🙏 they lack hdmi and usb c digital though.. they have analog adapter 😢 and for me B&O is too expensive.. u advise the sub for real bass but.. 💰they are even increasing there prices too 😱 about the teaser, u have a review of the 90 coming? In a special color? 😏
Having listened to them in stereo and singular, it’s a masterpiece in stereo. Most definitely better than 2 balances or beosound 2s. Balances are huge power and I prefer the beosound 2 due to the tweeter clarity is just so crisp. Then you try the Beolab 8s and it’s a mix of them both, the bass response is simply mind boggling. It truly serves the best of both worlds, if you’re going for just one, you’re better off with a beosound 2 or balance depending on your own preference. The A9 is definitely in a league of its own with its spaciousness compared to any of the aforementioned speakers. My only gripe is the space it takes up, living in a small place. If you think you’ll use any of them with your tv it’s the best bet with its that versatility. Of course adding a theatre later on would be more than enough for a home theatre. Or else if you have space I’d say the 28s on the second hand market are about 2k$/€ more than the 8s and you wouldn’t need a theatre. My dealer is giving me 20% off on the 8s rn plus VAT 35%. I made my mind up on the 8s just because I felt like i would get the theatre later on for my tv
Beosound Balance and A9 can only be used with TV when connected over Beolink surround to a Beosound Theatre. Beolab 8, as 28 have powerlink and WiSa and can get low latency from computer or TV over them. Mozart has low latency over 3.5 mm and fibre optics to a single speaker. A paired wireless speaker (of a stereo pair) has a 300ms delay.
This review made me want to go out of my price range and buy a pair
I definitely encourage you to give them a listen! Thanks for watching.
They are a fabulous speaker, i have a pair in silver & grey malange & beosound Theatre up front !! Thank you Andrew & kristi
I feel like Focal Kanta is the way to go if you appreciate a fancy look, the bling, woodwork, etc. And actually want great sound.
you call the Focal a "fancy look?"
@@arunashamalsure do! In particular the Kanta 1 in ivory /walnut combination.
What do you consider as an alternative 'fancy look' for those that are attracted to the likes of the b&o mentioned in this review?
@@rasta.j When it comes to design B&O stands on its own, as they do hire real product designers to design their products, unlike many other manufacturers that people who might be good at designing sound try to do visual design and hence resulting in products that look "off", Devialet has a unique design language, although not my type Sonos Faber has their own classic style, New KEFs has more approachable design for most people, some B&Ws but as a whole brand portfolio I can't think of anyone else that comes near B&O. Focal, Dynaudio etc falls into good speaker designers trying to be product designers resulting in designs that are off! category for me!
Uhh 🤪🤪🤪
I see Monitor Audio Gold 100's
Can't wait to hear what you think of them🙊🙊🙊
Sorry...
Gonna watch the review now🙈
Are you gonna be reviewing the beosound A5 anytime soon? Would like to know how they compare to the balance
In terms of bass, more than the Level and less than the Balance. Some say too much and prefer the Level. A5 and Level have batteries, Balance does not.
Thank you for this review - I was really looking forward to your take on these. I've rewatched the Beolab 28 , and KEF LS60 reviews (many times) ... just to try and talk myself out of the 28s. So I was really looking forward to your thoughts on the 8s ... and maybe 8s with a sub. I had the opportunity to listen to the 28s and the LS60s on the same day, though not the same room. It was clear the dealer favored the 28s, as the LS60 speakers were in their "less than" room with other low end speakers. Try as I might, along with a willing sales person, I wasn't able to get out of them what you guys hear in the LS60 review. The 28s, however ... yep, I hear what you hear and think I'm destined to buy them. That said, in a never ending search to try and save money - 2 questions. 1. The 8s vs KEF (LS60 or other powered options from KEF). 2. 8s with sub vs 28s? While mentioned, I don't think you had the B&O sub to try this pairing - so might be tough to answer question 2 ... but would appreciate thoughts, even theoretically. And if you reviewing my dream and reality speakers (B&W 800 and B&O 28s respectively) isn't bad enough, please tell me your teaser at the end isn't the B&O 50s ... that would just break me :) ... from a decision making standpoint. I've successfully avoided demoing them to date - because I know I would love them.
Noting your comment for Friday's unplugged video.
Rob,
Your question was included in today's Unplugged. Thanks for contributing to the conversation! Catch it here: th-cam.com/video/ADRxitiU96g/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I appreciate you guys!
Good morning you two. I am not B&O’s target customer but I appreciate quality engineering and lifestyle products visually. I actually have to ask, in a whole home lifestyle type setup, could you not compete with this with a higher end in wall system? That would definitely give you more visual or “hidden” options. I’m curious how that would compare. $8k per room can buy a lot of dry wall repair, and multizone setups like Yamaha WXA50, Niles, or even Heos. Or for home theater if you ran 4-5 of these, I gotta feel that would be an exciting project. Think a comparable priced in wall set up could give equal or greater?
GREAT QUESTION for Friday.
These look weird installed on their poles. But install their feet and set them on shelf they become like an art object and the wooden grills kind of work. 🙂 Therapy is good !
Good morning A&K. Love the style of B&O products which of course plays a role in their premium pricing. Would love to see you review something from the Cabasse Pearl Collection which seem to have that interesting style along with performance chops based on other reviews. Also interested to see how the new Marantz Horizon series speakers perform which I imagine you two will have a chance to review in the future. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday and keep the great reviews coming!
The Horizon speakers have been requested, and I am VERY interested in hearing them. I think they look freakin' great!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I agree. Very stylish. Those companies embracing this combination of style and simplicity are definitely on the right path to help grow the market and appeal to the younger generation.
Love the review. The Balance doesn't stack up to the bl8's when you use the Balance as a stereo pair. It's very clear then that the Balance was not built to be a stereo speaker.
Dear Andrew & Kristi ; your thoughts ; would the Beosound balance be a better choice as front speakers in a surround sound set up ! As I have a set of 8's in the rear & a theatre upfront that would act as a centre speaker in this configuration; would love your input as I have a dilemma, I have ordered another pair of 8's for the front, but could change them if I act quickly ? LOVE the channel it's a pleasure to watch & listen to you both. Especially when sat in my favorite seating area with lovely cup of freshly brewed ground coffee while I watch & listen. Total fun & very relaxing for my soul. X
You have the option to use Beolink Surround with all Mozart speakers from the Beosound Theatre. Only four speaker can be set up with Beolink surround (front, side, rears, ceiling). When used in surround they do not function as Mozart speakers and you have to go to the app and disconnect from Beolink surround to use to stream. Using Beolab 8 as WiSA speakers they switch to WiSA as soon as the Theatre is switched on and drop back to the Mozart streaming when the Theatre is switched off. In my testing of Beolab 28 the sound performance is Bluetooth, Airplay 2, Chromecast (uPnP), WiSA. I have no Apple device so used TuneBlade for Airplay on PC and laptop. Over WiSA the Beolab 28 are a whole different speaker compared to other wireless modes. I suspect Powerlink might be the same improvement. I don't have a Theatre so can't test the new Beolink Surround with Level, Emerge and BL28.
Personally I would use WiSA for better sound and for me better behaviour as I can use the panel on the top of the speaker for internet radio when they are not being used for surround. Get a demonstration of using Beolink Surround with Balance against Beolab 8 using WiSA and Beolink surround.
Such a great review as always, just love my B & O system. 👌
What do you have?
@ mine is a old system now Andrew, but in perfect working order, I purchased in from my B & O dealer about 25 years ago, I have the B & O 8000 floor standing speakers and the Beosound 9000 player, I’m listening to it now, it has never disappointed, love your in depth reviews, keep it up, very best wishes.
New Treble Clef Audio TCA-M Active Loudspeakers !
Finally a Major-Breakthrough for Loudspeakers !
I’ve got them as soon as they showed at the dealer. They are excellent and perfectly priced as the 28s became ridicolously expensive as well as the theatre. I wish they are working on cheaper soundbar as we speak. How did you Connect to a tv? By using Apple TV?
Apple 4K Tv will enable a TV to be used with Mozart speakers. For low latency the Beolab 8 have powerlink and WiSA so work with a WiSA TV and any TV with analogue sound output. They have fibre optic but may not be low latency in a pair as pairing is over wi-fi and that has a 300ms delay. sound performance is best over WiSA (and proably Powerlink), at least to my ears.
I have Beolab 28, 17, 19 and a Receiver 1 to a centre active speaker (Meridian) using Axiim Link for WiSA transmitter. Sound send also works without spending on a Theatre. You could equally use a Beosound 7.2, 7.4 as centre.
Another great review! I actually kind of expected these to best the Balance in terms of sound quality (making the Balance kind of obsolete?) but your review cleared that up for me. B & O get a lot of hate from serious audiophiles, but for my money they are the best-looking speakers out there, and the company keeps up with the times in terms of functionality and, of course, design. I am VERY curious about that teaser at the end! You should know, however, that if it is a pair of 50s, I WILL find your address on the dark web and move in with the two of you for the duration of your listening period. An air mattress should suffice. Sorry, but that's just how it is.
That's not creepy
I love my GoldenEar BRX with the AMT ribbon tweeter based on the heil.
So I upgraded to the PS Audio FR5 with planar ribbon tweeter. (I also love the Wisdom Audio P4m with planar tweeter)
I considered the Borressen X1 which is sold through dealers who markup the price so you pay more , whereas PS Audio is sold direct to consumer cutting out the middle man.
Both have planar tweeters, 2 copper rings on the mids, woven mids.
source=Apple Music lossless quality
Great review as always! 16:27 Am I sensing 50s or 90s?…… 😜
Superman speakers, regardless of price they really are something else .. Always designed, thinking outside of the box .
Curious, how are they Superman speakers?
@Carl-bd1rf Superman films the bots in his craft ..
@@Evolved_ue7
Ok. I’ll have to take your word for it for I don’t watch movies. 🤷🏻♂️😁
6000 a pair and you still need a subwoofer no thank you. They look beautiful but so do my place mats which would give more use . 😂😂
Same comments are present in a Porsche review. Blah blah blah this much money for that. Never take the Product for what it’s meant to be. Good review. Thank You.
Very excited for what comes next, 50’s or 90’s??? Would be amazing if they let you set up a whole surround sound system with a theater. Also would love for you to pick up a used pair of 9’s. They are amazing speakers and I think you would love them.
I noticed you had them pulled off the wall. How much does it hurt their performance to have them against the wall? They could almost pass as sconces on the wall if it didn’t impact their sound. Which is something my wife might palate better than something like the Sonos 300s or other speakers that stick out like a sore thumb.
With their ARC you can place them anywhere and if will change everything
I actually have been eyeing the Bowers & Wilkins M 1 speakers to put outside on the deck. I did look at these B&O’s and while they are super nice looking, B&W at $800 is a bit more affordable. Have you heard the M1 in comparison?
Call me crazy but in the future I would love if Sony, Sonos, or some other brand created a surround sound system like the Quads but with more stylish bookshelf-like speakers with upfiring modules that can be attached to height adjustable stands. I'm thinking a Sony Quad consisting of 4 Era-300-like speakers (similar in function but not in performance or appearance). If they were well built and stylish, I'd be willing to pay 1.5-2X the price of the quads.
Or, you can get a new pair of B&W Formation Duo here in the UK at the moment for around £1800. Those B&O 8 are really nice but are way, way too expensive. I agree about the B&O app being really good although the room correction isn’t as good as others when I have used it on other ‘speakers.
Having demoed them recently (after owning the B&Ws Formation Duos) I found their sonic performance lacklustre in comparison, especially at the price point. I feel the Formation to be a far more detail, lively and overhaul better speaker not to mention more full range. It’s ridiculous how good it is in comparison.
On the other hand B&Os App and its features are miles better but that wasn’t enough to sweep me of my feet; especially when as you mentioned the Duos are currently on ridiculous offers here in the UK. Best active speakers for the buck.
@ The B&W app isn’t close to being as good but still, I’d go for the B&W.
@@HectorHughMunro me too! The difference in audio performance is so big it’s not even a debate actually.
Except Formation Duo can't be used with Bar and Bass for surround. Beolab 8 do scale up.
@ That’s true. I prefer films in stereo though simply because two good ‘speakers are better than five average if cost is a factor. The big problem with the 8 as home cinema is that the cost of five of them for me would be roughly £11k before you factor in a sub. I could get a pair of Acoustic Energy Corinium and a serious amp for that which would be quite high end. The 8 are very expensive, perhaps 50% too much. A pair of 8 is roughly the same as a pair of Kef LS60 here which would be a significant step up and wouldn’t need a sub.
I do love the custom sound profile on the bang and olufsen app. If only more companies included something as simple as this on their powered speakers, and integrated amps/ AVR’s.
100% agree!
Hi Andrew! Can we have Marantz Horizon or Grand Horizon review and comparison vs B&O products? Thanks
Hi, I’ve noticed you don’t mention Sonus faber speakers a lot, overall what do you think of them ?… and really Waiting for Sonus faber sonetto 3 G2 review .. interested in your both opinions.. thanks
Andrew, I had a HT-A9 and enjoyed that system. However I found the bass of the SW5 subwoofer lacking.
I have a small living room and I’m looking for a new soundsystem. I was thinking about possibly getting a KEF Q7 Meta or Q11 Meta system, with KEF atmos speakers. Do you think that it will outperform the Bravia Quad by a noticeable margin? Do you think it would be worth to invest thousands of extra dollars in a AVR system over the Bravia Quad?
Thank you.
Before you go spending more money. Have you tried moving the SW5 subwoofer to a different location in your room? The SW5 has solid output down to just below 30Hz, which is low enough for most folks, so I suspect the sub is in a null in relation to your seating position. Watch this video: th-cam.com/video/2HUOct0BGYM/w-d-xo.html and try placing your sub using the method(s) I discuss. Once you place your sub in a new spot, re-run the auto calibration and spatial calibration then see if your thoughts about lacking bass don't change. If you're still unhappy, buying the Theatre Quad isn't going to fix your issue as it uses the same sub.
@ generally speaking is a full Kef Q meta speaker system better than the Bravia Quad? And if it’s better, how much better would it be? A massive difference? Thanks Andrew
I really appreciate your review but I am left with a question that I don't have the answer to.
Why have the 8 when you already have the Balance?
The Balance has a more impacting Bass response and loses nothing in the mids or upper registers so why have a more expensive 8 when the Balance is there.
I get the versatility of positioning that the shape allows but the Balance can live on the wall and on a stand just as well so where is the actual gain of having the 8 over the balance. I would love to know the real reason I should give B&O another 1000 or 1500 of my hard-earned cash to get the 8 when it is just not as good as the Balance?
I like the look of the 8 but am struggling to justify the spend.
Am I crazy?
What do you think?
If you own the balance pair then its not worth to change, but if you were to start from the scratch the 8s are better in every way, although I suspect that the 8s and the balance share a lot of internals together so the sound does not differ too much. But with 8s except from the design compatible with Theatre you also get wisa Powerlink, mounting options and few other tricks and improvements as its a newer speaker.
Got here late because my phone updated slower than normal. Thanks for another thorough review. Hope everyone is doing well this mid day.
Glad you enjoyed the video, and thanks for watching!
@@andrewrobinsonreviewsmy wife would love the way these disappear into the room and I’m sure they would serve my usual listening style ( medium high volume).
Andrew ; definitely, definitely has the beolab 50's incoming Nailed on !!!! He has now reviewed the Fab 8's & the utterely brilliant 28's so if it is in fact the 50's be prepared to have your mind blown !!!!! & Im not joking by the way !!!!!!!
Always enjoy your reviews. I’m a bit gun shy about powered speakers after owning the Klipsch 9’s. With all in ones there are so many features that are all dependent on each other, something is invariably going to go wrong which then takes the whole system down. My Nines go silent every few months and I have to reload the firmware to get it back on track-and never at a convenient time. Also not crazy about what its dependence on an app will mean as years go by. I do love the retro look of the B&O 8s.
These are so clean!
Watched to the end even though i don't care for the look of these speakers. Looking forward to Kristie's take.👍
Thank you for that. We'll see you on Friday!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Friday afternoon, i'll be cooking up bacon & eggs.😋
I’m in the market to replace my Beolab 4000, the 8 are great but are expensive and I wasn’t confinced it was worth the price. I’m leaning towards the A9 but the damn stage had also a great sound for a fraction of the price. But it’s outdated because it’s not in the Mozart platform. Hopefully B&O are upgrading the Stage.
It's now on the Mozart platform as is the A9 listen to them in stereo in that format or in a surround sound set up with the Theatre.
Off topic, sorry: Hi Andrew and Kristi.
Why is it that hifi dealers always recommend extremely powerful amplifiers when you are looking for speakers? For example, my dealer said that I should stay far away from the Polk R700, unless I had an amplifier of at least 200 watts. I have an Advance a10 Paris, at 130 watts 8 ohms and 190 at 4 ohms, but he thought it was not powerful enough. I know he's wrong on it, and the a10 pulls the R700 without any problems, my 20 watt tube amplifier can actually do an excellent job with these speakers. I'm SO tired of these types of dealers, because in the end they make people feel that the hifi equipment they have is not good enough, and some may walk away from this wonderful hobby because of these dealers' snobbery and " i want your money" mindset. I'm tired of it. I know you have brought up the topic before, and I would love if your large and good platform that I enjoy following, would shed light on and create debate on this topic.
Hello, which has better quality? can you advice ? Canvas, beolab 28, beolab 8, beosound, devialet dione. which you advice to buy? i know they are different no anyway. thank you
Beolab 8 pair and a beolab 19 sub or the 28’s? My wife says speakers should be the opposite of children - heard and not seen vs. seen and not heard!
28
These speakers are absolutely beautiful. Why do we generally see unique, art-like or furniture-like designs in powered speakers in the lifestyle space? Why not with passive speakers (I'm not saying that I have not seen some beautiful passive speakers, but...)? If the future of audio rests with lifestyle products, I get the sense that traditional speaker makers are going to have to compete at some point with aesthetics. Do you agree? Thanks for this review! (I have yet to hear bang and olufusen in person.)
Passive loudspeakers, heck, traditional hifi in general will have to compete with "lifestyle" products and soundbars sooner rather than later. On the one hand, hifi has embraced how tech has made some of their favorite performance goals easier to obtain (not to mention cheaper, too), but for some reason, many don't want these same gains to be visually attractive, unless, of course, good visual design is free.
Kef was asked about a passive version of the LS60 as there re passive versions of the LS50 wireless. It is not possible. A passive speaker with those drive units would sound poor. a passive speaker could not make the control possible. The cabinet is wrong, the drive units wrong. it works because of DSP and active control in the electronics.
Take the little Beosound emerge apart. For it size the sound is great, really good and for use around the home excellent. Hardly need anything more. But the speaker fires into a solid piece of wood vented to a rear port. The front facing tweeter is well minute. This should sound at best terrible but it isn't and what ever it is is down to the DSP and electronics to get the quality of sound out of it.
Many complain about their flat screen TVs not having as good a sound as their old CRT screens, the few with big speakers fitted. The Beosound Level has "flat" speakers, small compared to many large screen TVs but sound a great deal better.
can you do a review on the Devialet phanthom 108db??
They look georgous. For a small to medium rooms (as most of bookshelf/floorstand speakers) they will be enough, but that price... Since you have an experience with both products: how big is a difference in music between these and Beosound Stage? I know, different categories but both are dedicated to smaller spaces.
Are those the new Monitor Audio Gold 100s, black, in the background blurred out. R you doing a review on these. I love monitor audio.
Do they compare well to B&W Formation Duo powered speaker you reviewed away back
No and yes. Formation Duo have 25 Hertz bass. app is terrible. Poor latency so can't be used with Bar and Bass in surround sound.
Beolab 8 have WisA and powerlink. They work with TV and computer. The streaming and app are better. They scale up to 5.1 and 7.1 surround. They work multi-room. Mozart has DNLA and uPnp, not just Airplay.
@geraldmcmullon2465 can the Duo'S connect to a WIIM using Ethernet
Great to hear about the speakers's limitations and noise issues as it allows for informed decicions. What we also need is some objective measurements we can compare to other speakers of its kind. See how PC equipment or cars are evaluated and reviewed. Hope someone makes the investment in measureing equipment and methodology that allows people to evaluate products better. There is simply no subsitutute for objective measurements - comparing comments/opinions between reviewers or even the same reviewer gets you nowhere.
We show measurements in this video.
8:29 That's precisely what I find with in-ear monitors. Therefore, I now always blast earphones at full volume to see just how brittle is the treble, whenever I audition a new pair of IEMs.
The mental health break your going to miss, is kind of heart 💔 sad Andrew. Keep taking care
Have you guys had the opportunity to review/experience the Devialet Phantom set ups? Thank you!🙏
We've only reviewed the Devialet soundbar.
@ Yes. I’ve seen that. It seems the other speakers are a much different experience - seemingly similar to the A9 from B&O…? I think it would be a great vid. Thank you! 🙏
I have a pair of Phantom Gold 108db speakers. i also have Beolab 28 and Beosound Level and ancient Meridian D600.
Visitors who ask for a comparison all prefer the Phantom gold. Bass is impressive and the Phantoms give it in spades. They have a massive of sound for a small box which is also impressive. i could not live with them at those impressive volume levels and want a more background level from my music or internet radio sources. I also find that over many hours of listening the Phantoms appear to be more tiring. Users still complaint of pairing problems over wi-fi. i have not had issues for a few years now. When powered up after a long time they might need setting up ~ an on goiing issue but are usually quicker to set up than Beolab speakers are.
The difference is in the features. Devialet got them to work better with TV as source over fibre optics. but removed support of control from a desktop computer. Then the steaming services and internet radio were removed from the speaker now using third party apps from a mobile device to stream them. You can use bubleuPnp from a phone to cast BBC sounds and TuneIn radio or streaming services to them. But that drains the phone battery and these were originally all built into the speaker. They will not upscale to surround. for that you have to have custom Phantom speakers using Ethernet only and an AV receiver
B&O managed to change from TuneIn to continue to get BBC radio stations on all Mozart speakers. They have multi-room and Beolink surround. Belab speakers have WiSa and Powerlink to work in a 5.1 or 7.1 set up.
Coffee in hand. Away we go!
Me too! Enjoy the video!
Morning!
@ hey there Kristi! Jamming out to some music in the stereo. Happy Sunday
My issue with the balance, is that it doesn't look timeless. A B&O product is expensive for this reason. Beautiful on the eye. People walk in and wonder WTF is that piece of art. The balance for me and I hate to say it, looks IKEA-like.
I'm surprised to hear this. They can be styled in so many different ways.
@andrewrobinsonreviews yep, I understand, fully. I personally just don't see it. The IKEA lamp speaker for me. 😌. I can't see it being a piece that in years time, people will look at it, as you should with a B&O product. Yikes...I may get hate here! 😁
@andrewrobinsonreviews it's a great debate, though. Till your next B&O review. 😁
If it’s all about some futuristic Jetsons look I can’t argue against these.
But…you won’t find em in my house!😜
I do love B&O and have the opportunity to visit the show room and listen when in Colorado Springs. The voicing is not the same as my system but they impress me a lot
They're unique, but if you like them or gravitate towards their sound, nothing else will do. Thanks for sharing and watching Lonnie.
Good morning, Lonnie.
Can you compare them with the Beolab 3?
Having demoed them recently (after owning the B&Ws Formation Duos) I found their sonic performance lacklustre in comparison, especially at the price point. I feel the Formation to be a far more detail, lively and overhaul better speaker not to mention more full range. It’s ridiculous how good it is in comparison.
On the other hand B&Os App and its features are miles better but that wasn’t enough to sweep me of my feet; especially when the Duos are currently on offers as low as $2,300-2,500. What are your thoughts?
Note: I would even choose the LS60s or even 50s over them (in terms of sound performance).
But which can form part of a surround sound set up? Which can go multi-room? Which goes up in price twice a year?
LS60 had 33% off the launch price for a while, formation duo dropped in price. Making a good stereo speaker more affordable.
Along these lines, would be awesome to get your take on the Cabasse Rialtos at around $4k if you could get them in. Or any of the Cabasse all in one offerings 🙏
Cabasse Rialto would run circles around most of the b&o products in my opinion. I honestly don’t understand how cabasse makes money off of the Rialto speakers given the amount of features and unique design features they implemented into them
I have a level in our kitchen. Just ordered an emerge and a1 for my nightstand and to replace a bose revolve whose battery has given up the ghost. The 28s, stage and balance are on my list to complete a b&o home and endgame audio journey.
Stage will not work with satellite speakers. For surround go with WiSA, although Theatre now offers up to four Mozart speakers along side 8 WiSA and 8 powerlink speakers. Emerge as a pair is amazing. Use them with Beosound Theatre as rears. A pair of Emerge beat a single Level although the Level has a low bass it is limited in stereo from a single speaker. Save a fortune and get four Beolab 17 with Theatre.
Which sounds better overall the beolab 8 or the balance
For hifi Beolab 8 in stereopair but if you are looking into buying one speaker that can play 360 Balance
Which will be a better package overall the b nd w 603 or the beolab 8
I would so LOVE to hear some B&O gear! Just nowhere close to where I live. Love the looks of the 8s and if they sound half as good as they look... damn! Now to just win that lottery to afford them... hahaha. But my dream is to get a part of A9s for l
The living room and ca it a day there. Great review as always Andrew. Look forward to heaar from the both of you on Friday. Cheers!
heyyy are those the Monitor Audio Silver 100s on that desk? your review of them convinced me to get a pair. what do you think of them now after all this time?
I have often wished I could afford any B&O speakers. Now that I can, I have completely emptied my wish list. Wait….$3k-plus is still scorching my audio-stuff-to-buy budget. Yippee. I can still hope to afford them SOMEDAY.
B & O..for style,build quality and brilliant sound-made in Denmark 🇩🇰
How does the Beolab 8 compare to the elephant in the room, the Devialet Phantom 1 ??
@@davidhunternyc1 my thoughts as well
I haven't heard them side by side but from what I have listened to I'd say Phantom 1 sounds more fuller and basier but lacks the refined edge that is on 8s. A pair of B&O Balance is more comparable to phantoms
We have not heard the Phantom, only Devialet's soundbar.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Well, you know what that means !!! ... just sayin'. 🤣
I have Phantom Gold 108db pair on stands and Beolab 17 and 28 along side Meridian D600, M1 speakers. The few visitors who asked for a demonstration and A/B comparision all preferred the Phantoms. Big bass is impressive. I don't normally listen at party levels of loudness. At more comfortable levels I can listen happily to any of them and over internet radio or DLNA casting and not feel I am missing out in any way.
I don't like the way Devialet dropped desktop computers from controlling the speakers, or removing TuneIn and streaming from the speaker to using a mobile phone. Same thing (BubbleUPNP etc, so avoiding Bluetooth) but they did get low latency for a pair yet went to custom speakers for surround.
It took B&O three years to offer low latency from a TV or computer to Beosound Level, Emerge, Balance. Longer to enable them to connect to Beosound Theatre as surround sound speakers. The updates have bricked the speakers taking hours of effort to fix but the last few all worked and added those features promised three years ago.
Beolab 8, 28, 18 can be used from computer, TV in synch over WiSA and powerlink as part of a 2.0, 2.1, 5.1, 7.1 set up. BL8, 28 also have Mozart for casting to and streaming to from the controls of the speaker or from the app. They multi-room with other Mozart speakers.
Levels better Phantom II because I can run them on battery from a laptop. In sound different neither really better. Beolab 28 better than Phantom I because I can easily upscale to 5.1 which I can't with the Phantoms and the B&O app is far better to use than the way you now have to use the Devialet app. Beolab 28 entertain you as they open up the curtains. Phantoms dance as they play.
Hi Andrew, thanks for this. Are you planning to review the new Arendal 1528 bookshelf 8 this or next year? Cheers!
Kristi reached out and requested a pair for review, but to the best of my knowledge, Arendal has not returned her email or answered our requests.
@andrewrobinsonreviews thanks for your answer. I hope they come back!
@andrewrobinsonreviews Just asked Arendal to send them.via the owners club. Hope it makes.a diff!! 😂
@@andrewrobinsonreviews good news?
You do amazing reviews with great equipment. I'm wondering if you've ever compared any bookshelf speakers to OG HomePods and what your thoughts are on them.
We purchased some of those last year and they were stolen by someone at the UPS store. We just never got around to it after that.
Looks like a air purifier!
I really wish Bang & Olufsen re-open their store in Indonesia....
I was unaware they closed some of their locations in that market. That sucks.
that haircut tho! 😍
Agreed. Speaking of "bougie," Andrew is a more elegant, "bougie" version of Russell Crowe.
Boogie is French for candle ( not kidding ) .. )
@@kempfand Bougie is short for, "bourgeoisie," denoting the class between the proletariat and aristocracy. Bougie has come to mean someone who with refined sensibilities regardless of economic position.
Great review Keep up great work.😊
Glad you enjoyed the video.