Thanks for watching! Every cable you ever need for your B&O system can be seen on Steve's website here: soundsheavenly.com If these videos have helped you to enjoy your Bang and Olufsen products, please consider buying Steve a coffee at www.buymeacoffee.com/soundsheavenly - many thanks!
My parents got a pair of 8000s when they were introduced, so I grew up with the iconic pencils. Despite the great looks, I went for a set of 3s because of the sound coming out of such a tiny speaker. LOVE how they look in my own living!
thanks Steve for the comparison. Have 2pcs 8000's playing with a LG TV via a Almando Multi play Surround decoder 2. Not much difference in sound, but personally I find the 8000's a bit warmer, more naturally. This weekend going to add a Beolab 7.1 .....next step will be 2 more 8000's and maybe a Beolab 2. I love the looks of the old Beolab's 8000 and now happy I never changed these for the newer technique
Thanks for another great video, very informative as always. Out if curiosity I just checked their new prices back in 2005, taken off the Beoworld website. They were also very close there too, Beolab 3 priced at £2200, Beolab 8000 at £2300. Interesting they were so close in performance and price.
Thanks! I hadn't realised just how close the prices were back then. I suspect Beolab 3 has probably held its value best as a pre-owned purchase now, but they are both still great speakers for the money
Great review and great videos from you steve Keep going.I prefer the Beolab 8000 due to the design I like them more , although the BeoLab 3 is also very nice design with small footprint and the acoustic lens in the top are great.
Thanks! I also love the design of Beolab 8000, I think they will stay in my home for many years to come! Beolab 3 gives a great sound for the size, I am currently considering if I can add a pair of these as well.....
Great review again. Yes in real life there is not much differents between the 8000 and the 3. The 18 the of the 2 spaekers . If you need more base? Get the beolab 2.
Unfortunately my grandfather passed away a few month ago. He was always proud of his old B&O speakers. He bought them at flea markets etc. over the past years. To honor that, I would like to continue his passion. He left me several B&O speakers. Some are still working. Among other things Beolab 8000 and Beolab 3. And now i found your video.. this must be fate 🙂! Is there a chance to connect these to modern AV receivers (Denon AVR-S970H) so that we can use them for Music an TV? Maybe you have a recommendation from your shop? Thank you & please excuse my English 😊
Hi, I am sorry to hear about your grandfather. This question is too detailed for TH-cam comments but if you are in UK or Europe then please send me a message at soundsheavenly.com and I can help you with the connections
Yes, they have quite different sounds. This recording is just intended to show you the differences between them, it is always best to hear them in person with music you know well before making your choice.
I like the design of the beolab 8000. I have the penta speakers at the moment which have excellent deep bass and a full sound with a cabinet design that works well in a room with hardwood floors.
Hi, Pentas are also a favourite of mine - I have a pair here in the workshop. They are great speakers and they will be the subject of a review very soon!
I thought B&O’s two most popular speakers were John @ Manchester and the grand wizard Geoff Martin :p Nice video as always, the 3’s are amazing in that they can compete at all with something that is literally 6X the size. Btw, maybe I am the only one, but the gain on your mic seems a big high for both recordings and regular speaking. Which mic did you use to record the speakers?
mikipedi4 Very good point! ;-) I used an AKG small diaphragm condenser mic close to the speakers to record the sound, but the frequency response wasn’t quite perfect, I have a better mic on order with a flat response for the next review, hopefully this will give a more accurate reproduction of the sound (although this one was quite close to how the speakers sounded in the room)
There just seemed to be a bit too much white noise when the tracks were starting, but I really like this band. They make some nice music! BTW were both speakers played at the same db level roughly? The biggest trick the ALT lenses do is to nearly eliminate the sweetspot :D
mikipedi4 OK, I have to admit that I cheated and recorded each speaker in mono instead of stereo(I was worried that the acoustic lenses would reduce the stereo imaging on the recording) but they were matched at the same volume with a sound level meter. I think the recording levels may have been a bit too high in the software, I will ensure this is corrected for the next video. Marvel are a great band, the lead singer Jim was my neighbour as I was growing up and we often played music together as children-the band played at my wife’s birthday party back in the 1990s before they were famous!
Great videos for sure. Starting to getting to be B&O fan. Question. I want a hometheatre set. 4x beolab 8000, 7.1 as centre speaker and beolab 2 as sub. But is this a good setup? I don't know any of them in real sound. Just love the 8000 series. Or do I need a different setup?
Thanks! Yes this is a good setup and very popular. Please feel free to email me at steve@soundsheavenly.com and I will be pleased to help you to get everything working!
Considering these came out like 20 years old ago now. Do speakers like Beosound Level, A5 etc sound much better? I have Level but not sure if to get these too second hand.
Good question! These are still great speakers but newer tech allows more recent speakers like A5 and Level to have integrated streaming and to balance their sound to the room and the music level. I think an old vs. new review video is needed!
@@soundsheavenly Yeah that's good point I really appreciate the room compensation function on the Level. A think a old vs new video sounds like a great idea ;)
Hi Steve I am thinking about getting 2 Beolab 3s as frontspeakers and 2 beolab 8000s as backspeakers together with the beolab 2 subwoofer. What do you think about this setup? Best regards Martin from Denmark🇩🇰
Hi Martin, yes that is a superb setup and a very popular option that will sound great. Please ask if you need any help connecting the speakers and I will be pleased to assist!
@Sounds Heavenly, Considering a used pair of 8000s with my 200W JBL LSR 310s sub as a backup. I have a pair of bulky JBL 8" powered speakers (2x56W each) and looking for similar or more power and better sound and more wife friendly. I'm a little concerned the 8000s 2 x 4" will be too weak, but I think they would get breathing room to focus on everything over 80 hz with a quality sub?
Hi, the 8000s are superb when paired to a good quality sub, I recommend trying to get to hear them for yourself before purchasing. I can help with any cables you need to get everything working!
Hi, I have an opportunity to obtain 2 pairs of these speakers for between £400-500 with floor stand and the CD player who h is also with stand. Do you think that is a good deal?
Hi, they are great speakers, but I apologise that I don't know about retail values! I suggest checking out other similar speakers for sale, checking the condition and going for the ones that seem best to you. Enjoy!
Beolab 3 and 8000 both have more bass than Beolab 4000, but they each have a very different sound. I would recommend trying to hear them for yourself before purchasing either of these speakers, ideally with some music that you know well
I dont think there is a marginal difference. Il give credit to the size/performance ration of the BL3 but the 8000 has a much richer bass and softer natural sound. I suspect it may have to do with Class AB amps vs digital ICEpower amps.
there is something tiring about Icepower. they are pinpoint sharply detailed and precise, but after a while I get very tired of listening. The analog STK modules in the BeoLab 8000 also sound very detailed, but they sound more relaxed, a bit warmer/analog like a good tube amplifier. I have a BeoLab 7.2 and it goes very loud and deeper in terms of frequency range, but after a while I can no longer listen to it, precisely because of the tiring nature of the Icepower (and other ClassD amplifiers), it is inherent to the technology. It's also a personal taste. I always have to smile how nice the BeoLab 8000 sounds. They also remain absolute style icons. And the 8000 do go louder (99dB stereo compared to the 3 that gets 94dB stereo)
Digital amplifiers can often give a clearer treble, some of the effects you described are caused by the speaker setup which can be adjusted to reduce the high frequency output if required
@@soundsheavenly but it is also the way it sounds. I love the more 'romantic' than the sterile sound. It is for me like eating an Oreo cookie vs eating a Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. I know it is not an equal compare. But you know what i'm trying to explain 😄
Just picked up beolab 3 and beosound 4 to connect tv, the FLAC I burned sounds outstanding in my bedroom. However the tv sound via Spotify and Netflix are not that good. @steve do you think make a connection via SPDIF -RCA converter to beosound 4 will change it? Or it s matter of source.
This is usually due to the poor quality of the TV as a source. However, if you take an optical output from the TV via a good quality DAC or converter, you should get great audio quality to the Beosound
Tks for your vidéos. Personnaly it seems to me that beolab 3 has a more metalic Sounds that the beolab 1800? Would be interesting to listen Classic music comparatively.
Hi, I didn't hear any metallic type distortion through either speaker from within the room, but the Beolab 3 does produce a louder treble than the 8000 so any errors or distortion in the music will be heard more clearly through the Beolab 3s.
Does beolab 3 needed to be pair with lab11? I have heard that it has made small diffenernce. I have own both of them, buy due to the positioning and cable management, i thinking to give up on lab11 and have lab3 on its own. Many Thanks
Personally, I don't find that Beolab 11 adds much bass to this setup, I suggest trying Beolab 3 on their own. If you need any cables for this, please feel free to get in touch at soundsheavenly.com and I will be happy to help!
@@soundsheavenly HI there, my current setup is beolab3 to beo11 and using 5PIN DIN - RCA to DAC all in one, but i guess it is not banlanced. If i use 5PIN DIN - 2XLRs on beolab 11 would it be true balanced? If not, should i use 5PIN DIN - XLR cable X2 on beolab3 to DAC all in one. Would it then be true Balanced ?
They are both great speakers, but I ended up using Beolab 8000 at home instead of Beolab 3. They are certainly bigger, but there is more depth and power to the sound. Highly recommended.
Good musik comparison when you listen both from laptop speakers like me. Mhhh, what happens when I listen it from my Beolab 8000........the Beolab 3 can never be better....also the Beolab 5. Comparison is only possible at life hearing. Sorry for my bad English.
I agree, you really need to hear the speakers in real life, this video is just to give you an idea of the differences between them. Please ask if you need any help with cables once you have chosen which speakers you like best!
Good question! Both play plenty loud enough for most rooms, but they lose some bass and sound quality at high volumes. If you need REALLY loud music, I suggest looking for more powerful speakers ;-)
Sorry about that, it is due to recording the speakers live within a small room. I have tried to minimise the noise, but some is still present. I hope it doesn't affect your enjoyment of the video too much......
I'm not aware that they ever abandoned the audio market? They still produce wireless music streamers (Beosound Core), plus a wide range of headphones and speakers, including the stunning audiophile quality Beolab 90 flagship speakers......
Sounds Heavenly I meant like McIntosh Labs. I toured their factory in 2016. They have expanded the product line plus updated the classic models and purchased Snell loudspeaker company. B&O does not produce any loudspeaker like the 8000’s, music control systems, etc like in the past. I don’t view that as growing in the industry.
@@rancosteel I agree their offering has changed in recent years, but I think they have followed a broadly similar approach to McIntosh and Meridian, with a move to supporting wireless streaming and including DSP in their speakers, plus app control and multi-room capabilities. Beolab 17 and 18 are intelligent upgrades to the classic Beolab 4000 and 8000 speakers, with modern tech included. Viewpoints may differ, but I suggest that B&O are still active in the audio market, just not in the ways previous customers might want them to be.
Thanks for watching! Every cable you ever need for your B&O system can be seen on Steve's website here: soundsheavenly.com If these videos have helped you to enjoy your Bang and Olufsen products, please consider buying Steve a coffee at www.buymeacoffee.com/soundsheavenly - many thanks!
My parents got a pair of 8000s when they were introduced, so I grew up with the iconic pencils. Despite the great looks, I went for a set of 3s because of the sound coming out of such a tiny speaker. LOVE how they look in my own living!
Yes, these are great speakers, I can't believe how good they sound for their tiny size!
I listened through my Bose system and I agree with your conclusions, albeit TH-cam audio is data-compressed but not dynamically compressed
Thanks, but you really do need to listen through headphones, not speakers in order to hear the sound of the speakers.
thanks Steve for the comparison. Have 2pcs 8000's playing with a LG TV via a Almando Multi play Surround decoder 2. Not much difference in sound, but personally I find the 8000's a bit warmer, more naturally. This weekend going to add a Beolab 7.1 .....next step will be 2 more 8000's and maybe a Beolab 2. I love the looks of the old Beolab's 8000 and now happy I never changed these for the newer technique
Yes, Beolab 8000 are still great speakers with a rich and clear sound. Good for music and movies.
Thanks for another great video, very informative as always. Out if curiosity I just checked their new prices back in 2005, taken off the Beoworld website. They were also very close there too, Beolab 3 priced at £2200, Beolab 8000 at £2300. Interesting they were so close in performance and price.
Thanks! I hadn't realised just how close the prices were back then. I suspect Beolab 3 has probably held its value best as a pre-owned purchase now, but they are both still great speakers for the money
Great review and great videos from you steve Keep going.I prefer the Beolab 8000 due to the design I like them more , although the BeoLab 3 is also very nice design with small footprint and the acoustic lens in the top are great.
Thanks! I also love the design of Beolab 8000, I think they will stay in my home for many years to come! Beolab 3 gives a great sound for the size, I am currently considering if I can add a pair of these as well.....
Great review again. Yes in real life there is not much differents between the 8000 and the 3. The 18 the of the 2 spaekers . If you need more base? Get the beolab 2.
Hansmobiel DE Thanks! I agree, Beolab 2 is great to add more bass, I hope to review this subwoofer soon
Thanks for the vid. Did I miss something, can’t seem too find a rev of the Beolab 2
@Henrik-Pedersen hi, this should be coming to the channel soon, please subscribe to get notified when it is ready!
Unfortunately my grandfather passed away a few month ago. He was always proud of his old B&O speakers. He bought them at flea markets etc. over the past years. To honor that, I would like to continue his passion. He left me several B&O speakers. Some are still working. Among other things Beolab 8000 and Beolab 3. And now i found your video.. this must be fate 🙂! Is there a chance to connect these to modern AV receivers (Denon AVR-S970H) so that we can use them for Music an TV? Maybe you have a recommendation from your shop? Thank you & please excuse my English 😊
Hi, I am sorry to hear about your grandfather. This question is too detailed for TH-cam comments but if you are in UK or Europe then please send me a message at soundsheavenly.com and I can help you with the connections
8000 bass sounds snappier and more competing with voice. Woolly sounding bass of Beolab 3. Can't say which I like more only from this recording.
Yes, they have quite different sounds. This recording is just intended to show you the differences between them, it is always best to hear them in person with music you know well before making your choice.
I like the design of the beolab 8000. I have the penta speakers at the moment which have excellent deep bass and a full sound with a cabinet design that works well in a room with hardwood floors.
Hi, Pentas are also a favourite of mine - I have a pair here in the workshop. They are great speakers and they will be the subject of a review very soon!
i like the sound of the bol speakers.the tall one sound also good but i like the old sound of the bol one.thank you for the upload
Thanks! Yes, these are great speakers, I love their style and their sound!
I thought B&O’s two most popular speakers were John @ Manchester and the grand wizard Geoff Martin :p Nice video as always, the 3’s are amazing in that they can compete at all with something that is literally 6X the size.
Btw, maybe I am the only one, but the gain on your mic seems a big high for both recordings and regular speaking. Which mic did you use to record the speakers?
mikipedi4 Very good point! ;-) I used an AKG small diaphragm condenser mic close to the speakers to record the sound, but the frequency response wasn’t quite perfect, I have a better mic on order with a flat response for the next review, hopefully this will give a more accurate reproduction of the sound (although this one was quite close to how the speakers sounded in the room)
There just seemed to be a bit too much white noise when the tracks were starting, but I really like this band. They make some nice music! BTW were both speakers played at the same db level roughly? The biggest trick the ALT lenses do is to nearly eliminate the sweetspot :D
mikipedi4 OK, I have to admit that I cheated and recorded each speaker in mono instead of stereo(I was worried that the acoustic lenses would reduce the stereo imaging on the recording) but they were matched at the same volume with a sound level meter. I think the recording levels may have been a bit too high in the software, I will ensure this is corrected for the next video. Marvel are a great band, the lead singer Jim was my neighbour as I was growing up and we often played music together as children-the band played at my wife’s birthday party back in the 1990s before they were famous!
Great videos for sure. Starting to getting to be B&O fan. Question. I want a hometheatre set. 4x beolab 8000, 7.1 as centre speaker and beolab 2 as sub. But is this a good setup? I don't know any of them in real sound. Just love the 8000 series. Or do I need a different setup?
Thanks! Yes this is a good setup and very popular. Please feel free to email me at steve@soundsheavenly.com and I will be pleased to help you to get everything working!
Considering these came out like 20 years old ago now. Do speakers like Beosound Level, A5 etc sound much better? I have Level but not sure if to get these too second hand.
Good question! These are still great speakers but newer tech allows more recent speakers like A5 and Level to have integrated streaming and to balance their sound to the room and the music level. I think an old vs. new review video is needed!
@@soundsheavenly Yeah that's good point I really appreciate the room compensation function on the Level. A think a old vs new video sounds like a great idea ;)
@Hero87 leave it with me, I will see what I can do!
@@soundsheavenly Awesome thanks Steve. I'm sure it will help a lot of people and also very interesting.
Hi Steve
I am thinking about getting 2 Beolab 3s as frontspeakers and 2 beolab 8000s as backspeakers together with the beolab 2 subwoofer.
What do you think about this setup?
Best regards Martin from Denmark🇩🇰
Hi Martin, yes that is a superb setup and a very popular option that will sound great. Please ask if you need any help connecting the speakers and I will be pleased to assist!
Beolab 3 + 2 together, vs 17's alone. Which is better?
Good question! I think that is a good topic for a future video as I haven't heard these speakers side by side yet.
@Sounds Heavenly, Considering a used pair of 8000s with my 200W JBL LSR 310s sub as a backup. I have a pair of bulky JBL 8" powered speakers (2x56W each) and looking for similar or more power and better sound and more wife friendly. I'm a little concerned the 8000s 2 x 4" will be too weak, but I think they would get breathing room to focus on everything over 80 hz with a quality sub?
Hi, the 8000s are superb when paired to a good quality sub, I recommend trying to get to hear them for yourself before purchasing. I can help with any cables you need to get everything working!
Hi, I have an opportunity to obtain 2 pairs of these speakers for between £400-500 with floor stand and the CD player who h is also with stand. Do you think that is a good deal?
Hi, they are great speakers, but I apologise that I don't know about retail values! I suggest checking out other similar speakers for sale, checking the condition and going for the ones that seem best to you. Enjoy!
@@soundsheavenly that's fair enough, thank you!
@@aaronmalik3417 No problem! I am always happy to help with any technical questions ;-)
Would I regret trading up from my 4000 to these, I'm after more deep bass over volume ?
Beolab 3 and 8000 both have more bass than Beolab 4000, but they each have a very different sound. I would recommend trying to hear them for yourself before purchasing either of these speakers, ideally with some music that you know well
@@sol756db Please let me know what you think once you have heard them!
@@sol756db I agree!
I dont think there is a marginal difference. Il give credit to the size/performance ration of the BL3 but the 8000 has a much richer bass and softer natural sound. I suspect it may have to do with Class AB amps vs digital ICEpower amps.
I agree, Beolab 3 gives great performance for the small size, but I still love the sound of the Beolab 8000 (it also looks superb!)
there is something tiring about Icepower. they are pinpoint sharply detailed and precise, but after a while I get very tired of listening. The analog STK modules in the BeoLab 8000 also sound very detailed, but they sound more relaxed, a bit warmer/analog like a good tube amplifier. I have a BeoLab 7.2 and it goes very loud and deeper in terms of frequency range, but after a while I can no longer listen to it, precisely because of the tiring nature of the Icepower (and other ClassD amplifiers), it is inherent to the technology. It's also a personal taste. I always have to smile how nice the BeoLab 8000 sounds. They also remain absolute style icons. And the 8000 do go louder (99dB stereo compared to the 3 that gets 94dB stereo)
Digital amplifiers can often give a clearer treble, some of the effects you described are caused by the speaker setup which can be adjusted to reduce the high frequency output if required
@@soundsheavenly but it is also the way it sounds. I love the more 'romantic' than the sterile sound. It is for me like eating an Oreo cookie vs eating a Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. I know it is not an equal compare. But you know what i'm trying to explain 😄
Yes, I know exactly what you mean, that is a good way to explain it 👍🏻
Just picked up beolab 3 and beosound 4 to connect tv, the FLAC I burned sounds outstanding in my bedroom. However the tv sound via Spotify and Netflix are not that good.
@steve do you think make a connection via SPDIF -RCA converter to beosound 4 will change it? Or it s matter of source.
This is usually due to the poor quality of the TV as a source. However, if you take an optical output from the TV via a good quality DAC or converter, you should get great audio quality to the Beosound
@@soundsheavenly thanks Steve, you are always responsive, I ll try it.
Tks for your vidéos. Personnaly it seems to me that beolab 3 has a more metalic Sounds that the beolab 1800? Would be interesting to listen Classic music comparatively.
Hi, I didn't hear any metallic type distortion through either speaker from within the room, but the Beolab 3 does produce a louder treble than the 8000 so any errors or distortion in the music will be heard more clearly through the Beolab 3s.
Does beolab 3 needed to be pair with lab11? I have heard that it has made small diffenernce. I have own both of them, buy due to the positioning and cable management, i thinking to give up on lab11 and have lab3 on its own. Many Thanks
Personally, I don't find that Beolab 11 adds much bass to this setup, I suggest trying Beolab 3 on their own. If you need any cables for this, please feel free to get in touch at soundsheavenly.com and I will be happy to help!
@@soundsheavenly HI there, my current setup is beolab3 to beo11 and using 5PIN DIN - RCA to DAC all in one, but i guess it is not banlanced. If i use 5PIN DIN - 2XLRs on beolab 11 would it be true balanced? If not, should i use 5PIN DIN - XLR cable X2 on beolab3 to DAC all in one. Would it then be true Balanced ?
These are unbalanced speakers, they should always be used with unbalanced sources for best results.
Beolab 3 any day.
Yes, they are great little speakers and superb value for money at the moment!
8000 sound better to me! The others sound good too. Slight edge to the 8000s.
They are both great speakers, but I ended up using Beolab 8000 at home instead of Beolab 3. They are certainly bigger, but there is more depth and power to the sound. Highly recommended.
Beolab 1 vs beolab 3+2 sound comparison?
Thanks, good question! That one is certainly on my list of speakers to review for the future
I would love to see beolab 1 vs 18 :)
Good idea! That will be one for the future, as I don’t have either of those speakers at the moment.....
@@soundsheavenly i will be looking forward for that :)
What about 1 vs Penta?
@@norfunk Sure
Norfunk now that would be good! I need to find some Beolab 1s first though....
Great Channel. 👍🔔 Many greets from germany. Best regards, Carsten Villa Petersberg
Thanks Carsten! Greetings from England
Plus read 8000 and not 1800! Sorry
BL8000 is a furniture.
Yes, the styling is great!
Good musik comparison when you listen both from laptop speakers like me. Mhhh, what happens when I listen it from my Beolab 8000........the Beolab 3 can never be better....also the Beolab 5. Comparison is only possible at life hearing. Sorry for my bad English.
I agree, you really need to hear the speakers in real life, this video is just to give you an idea of the differences between them. Please ask if you need any help with cables once you have chosen which speakers you like best!
wich is louder?
Good question! Both play plenty loud enough for most rooms, but they lose some bass and sound quality at high volumes. If you need REALLY loud music, I suggest looking for more powerful speakers ;-)
4:26 there is a lot of noise on this recording... not sure how much it affects the comparison.
Sorry about that, it is due to recording the speakers live within a small room. I have tried to minimise the noise, but some is still present. I hope it doesn't affect your enjoyment of the video too much......
@@soundsheavenly no it is cool....
Beolab 3 and subwoofer would be the way ahead
Good choice! Beolab 2 and Beolab 3 work very well together
The first song sounded better on the 8000 and the second song on the 3.
Thanks, that is interesting to hear. The two speakers are very close in their sound, which is amazing when you consider the difference in size.
j'ai réglé le problème du choix : j'ai les deux
Bien! ;-)
Why did B&O abandon the audio market?
I'm not aware that they ever abandoned the audio market? They still produce wireless music streamers (Beosound Core), plus a wide range of headphones and speakers, including the stunning audiophile quality Beolab 90 flagship speakers......
Sounds Heavenly I meant like McIntosh Labs. I toured their factory in 2016. They have expanded the product line plus updated the classic models and purchased Snell loudspeaker company. B&O does not produce any loudspeaker like the 8000’s, music control systems, etc like in the past. I don’t view that as growing in the industry.
@@rancosteel I agree their offering has changed in recent years, but I think they have followed a broadly similar approach to McIntosh and Meridian, with a move to supporting wireless streaming and including DSP in their speakers, plus app control and multi-room capabilities. Beolab 17 and 18 are intelligent upgrades to the classic Beolab 4000 and 8000 speakers, with modern tech included. Viewpoints may differ, but I suggest that B&O are still active in the audio market, just not in the ways previous customers might want them to be.