Take me to your leader

Walking through Canary Wharf this morning on the way into the office and I hear some impressive sounds up ahead in the large open shopping area.
As i got closer I saw laid out what must be the entire contents of the current B&O catalogue, with the top end active surround system creating a truly superb impression of an orchestra going at full pelt.
The massive acoustic space obviously had it's effect but it was a superb sound.

Shudder to think of the cost but no doubt this was cleverly placed to persuade passing bankers to part with their recently won bonuses


Some of the smaller kit also looked and sounded impressive.

These were the speakers:




Anyone own any recent B&O kit?

 

I'm on the wharf tomorrow, I will try to drop by the shop.

 

Hi Andrew,

Right in the middle of the shopping area in front of HSBC.

 

Rob,

You've heard a lot of kit over the years — big and small, active and passive, electromagnetic and electrostatic. Did the BeoLab 5s redefine hi-fi for you?

Joe

 

Hi Jo,

No but I'd love to hear them under more ideal conditions.
Just because they originate from a lifestyle focussed company doesn't mean they cant be excellent IMO.

 

Rob,

I'm open-minded and have no axes to grind about kit. Good is good and better is better, and if the BeoLab 5s are the best available that's fine by me.

I don't consider my system to be the pinnacle of audio, just very good and pleasing for what I consider a sensible price. (Some people spend more on cables than I spent on my speakers.)

I'm just curious what you thought of the BeoLabs. On paper they look to be an interesting and competent design.

Joe

 

About £10,000 apparently. That's a lot of money, but not as much as some and they have a lot of tech in them!

I can't help being a little sceptical when I look at the way the sound fires up into that metal cone with the progressive slit, it must colour the sound a bit? It looks like a very small version of what is called a Karlson speaker box design -

 

B+o stuff dont just sound good in the home, the active DAS line array i get to play with regularly uses class D B+O amps ,and sounds rather good.12 tops and 4 subs (about 17kw) cost a little bit more than £10K,but was able to fill Cambridge corn exchange with suitable noise levels for ska.

 

i have never heard B+O sound any better tha my teac clock rdio alarm in the beadroom, but it is a status label, hooray.

 

The most notable feature was absolutely no hardness or shout even when playing extremely loud. Would like to hear them at home.