2024-03-13 17:00:00
Over their long history (nearly 100 years), B&O has transformed from an innovative electronics manufacturer into a design company, and this is evident in their latest range of speakers. Beolab 8 is no exception. It features a classic yet subtle industrial design of wood and aluminum, and it’s hard not to be impressed by the aesthetics of the product even for the most tasteless person.It can be used either in a surround sound system or as a stereo speaker via its discreet base
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There may be more cynical readers who think too much focus on aesthetics is a waste of time, but Bang & Olufsen realized early on that even the digital transition to connecting music via your smartphone’s Bluetooth or a streamlined home theater solution doesn’t require the same The calibration and expertise of aesthetics and designing a product that people want to see and own is crucial. All signs point to them being right, from the moment you open Beolab 8.
From the moment of packaging, you can feel it.
They come in a set of two and are designed to create rich stereo sound, but you can easily buy one entirely on its own. The advantage, however, is that even if you start with just one, it’s the start of an excellent stereo setup, whether “just” playing music around the house or as part of a home theater setup, and their feet allow for more versatile placement. More practically, behind the gorgeous wood slats we find a 0.6-inch tweeter, a 3-inch midrange unit, and a 51/4-inch woofer, the latter of which also houses a 200W dedicated amplifier. Together they deliver 28Hz and 90dB in a 60m2 room – not bad.
1 x 50W Class D tweeter, 1 x 50W Class D midrange and 1 x 200W Class D woofer.
Sonically, it delivers a surprising punch. In terms of wireless design sound, the midrange clarity and Mozart’s 24-bit resolution platform impress. Despite some criticism of the “bass,” it remains subtle and doesn’t drown out or interfere with the mids in any way. The sound is generally very direct and details are very clear. Treble is still crisp and transparent, but unfortunately it’s drowned out at high volumes – something a DSP update should fix. The stereo image is stable, the timing is good, and the midrange in particular is surprisingly dynamic. Perhaps most importantly, the sound profile is coherent.
There’s built-in room correction and “neodymium motors bring the sound home” – I think they mean the bass and midrange drivers use neodymium magnets in the motor design, but I’m not entirely sure. However, they can use the DSP to switch between two quite different and useful modes. You can switch between “narrow” and “wide” soundstage, with the former using B&O’s own “ultra-wideband technology” via your smartphone to help the system find the exact focus.
Everything is controlled via B&O’s own Mozart platform, which works over WIFI 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 – which is a nice touch and can be controlled via the app and the glass top panel on the speaker, which has always been a big plus for B&O Highlights. The speaker cabinet is made from a single piece of aluminum. Beolab 8 also has the classic Powerlink built in, which goes back to my childhood, as well as Wireless Powerlink, which makes it compatible with a lot of stuff, especially since it’s modular so it can be upgraded, at least in theory. As such – B&O is working hard to make it an integral part of its brand, and we’ll be bringing you more content soon.
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We think talking about price is a bit pointless as everyone knows B&O is a luxury brand and has never claimed to sell consumer electronics marketed as value. We respect their position, but anyway, let’s get it straight. £4,400 (fabric front) and £5,400 (our gold finish and wood slats) models. That’s the price for a small desk stand; if you want a floor stand or wall mount, the price goes up a bit too. That’s a lot of money. Is Beolab 8 worth the money? Well, we won’t comment on that because the value is personal. Additionally, you might get a pair of audiophile speakers that might on paper perform a more dynamic sound image, but honestly? It doesn’t have exactly the same target audience, nor exactly the same design philosophy, focus areas, or build quality.
Buy it if you like direct but coherent sound that doesn’t play loudly, and if wireless capabilities and design are important to you. If you’re considering the Beolab 8, you probably already own a B&O product, and you’ve probably already made your decision, regardless of price and alternatives. We found it hard not to love the Beolab 8 and fell in love with the set, despite a few minor issues.
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