The materials and processes used to create dynamically accurate speakers are not cheap, meaning that the better the sound quality is the larger in price the leap. It’s not always the case of the price determining how good the product is, but with Bang and Olufsen it seems that you are buying top of the range products.
Bang and Olufsen are a company that were founded in 1925, ever since they have been a growing competitor within the Audio industry. They are known for projecting excellent sound quality within spaces that have no acoustic treatment, e.g. a large concrete room. Now, there are many techniques that can help control sound or redirect it, but, for it to not need any treatment, is genius.
Their most recent projects have involved designing in-car sound systems, television systems and wireless gadgets.
This time, they have excelled themselves with the Beolab 90, 360 Sound system. It has been said to be ‘”The most complete and powerful digital loudspeaker ever built for the home”.
This mighty stack of 18 different speaker cones outputting 8,200 watts in total, is a serious bit of kit.
The main feature of the Belob 90 is that it’s designed to give you reliable control over the dynamics of a room/space without any spillage. You can manipulate the speakers to essentially create your own sweet spot or adjust the current one to blend with any point reflection in the room.
It has 360 dispersion and Active compensation features, this means that you can turn the volume up without having to worry about the room’s acoustics taking control, this makes it ideal for parties and gatherings.
This is essentially the same principle as the sound mode default settings you can access on most Hi-Fi Systems and Digital Audio systems (Classic Rock, Pop etc) this is done by boosting and cutting certain frequencies so that the speakers can compensate for any spillage.
In regards to purchasing this device you can get a pair for a breath-taking £53,000. Obviously this is an unrealistic price for people just wanting a home cinema system, it is a breakthrough in technology though. Weighing over 65kg of Aluminium and standing 1.25 meters off the floor it also gives you the choice of digital and analogue inputs including RCA, Optical and XLR.
All inputs support 24 bit with a fixed sample rate of 192KHz, to top it off – the Sub-woofers are custom built from Heliox who are another leading brand that specialise in customised speakers. It might not be the best option for mixing/producing audio compared to most studio monitors but it would be excellent for playbacks during mastering or playback.
For anybody that has a passion for audio this is the dream come true but unfortunately the pricing is unrealistic. For a little bit less in price, you could get a brand new Audi A5 and travel the country – Crazy we know!