Bang & Olufsen (B&O), the storied Danish audio model, has a protracted historical past of designing merchandise that put an equal emphasis on type and performance, a philosophy that always ends in attractive however very costly gear. The corporate’s newest audio system are an ideal instance: The Beolab 28 are tower-style wi-fi audio system that may be floor-standing or wall-mounted, they usually begin at $14,750 per pair for the material editions. You can too purchase wooden trim variations that may run you $16,500 or extra relying on the wooden you select.
Decorators and owners get tons of doable mixtures: Pure silver, black anthracite, or bronze tone aluminum for the Beolab 28’s physique, two tones of material (grey and grey melange), and 4 decisions of wooden covers — mild oak, oak, smoked oak, and walnut.
When flooring standing, they measure 53 inches tall and weigh 41 kilos every.
Contained in the audio system, B&O has packed three 3-inch full-range drivers (one mounted ahead and one on all sides), a 1-inch tweeter, and a 6.5-inch woofer that sits within the speaker’s conical base. Every of those drivers is powered by its personal discrete class-D amplifier, for a complete peak energy of 625 watts per speaker.
However the characteristic that’s more likely to garner essentially the most consideration — past the eye-catching design of the audio system themselves — is the motorized “curtains” that run virtually the total size of the Beolab 28’s slender, cylindrical physique.
These curtains (constituted of material or wooden, relying in your alternative of supplies) open routinely when the audio system are turned on and shut once more after they’re off. However they’re not only for bragging rights: The curtains additionally play a task within the Beolab 28’s Beam Width Management characteristic, which may modify how sound is directed across the room.
In “slender mode,” sound is very directional. B&O claims that this minimizes the interference of aspect wall reflections and helps to attain a candy spot when listening. In “large mode,” the audio system open up, diffusing the sound in a extra normal sample that ought to create optimum listening without having to remain in a single spot.
The highest panel homes the speaker’s contact controls, which illuminate after they sense somebody is close by.
To assist house owners tune the audio system to their house, the Beolab 28 include Bang & Olufsen’s latest-generation Energetic Room Compensation, which adapts the bass response to the room. You’ll be prompted to tune the audio system while you first set them up, however you are able to do it once more at any time in case you relocate them.
The Beolab 28 are primarily meant as wi-fi audio system. You’ll be able to join over Bluetooth or Apple AirPlay, and Chromecast is offered too in case you add the audio system to the Google Dwelling app. This additionally permits sensible speaker performance with Google Assistant, due to the built-in microphones.
As with the corporate’s not too long ago launched Beosound Degree and Beosound Emerge, the Beolab 28 characteristic an upgradeable connectivity module that may be swapped out if requirements change over time.
Music management could be performed via considered one of these wi-fi protocols utilizing streaming apps in your smartphone, or you’ll be able to hop into the B&O app and management your music or add the audio system to a multiroom setup (out there within the fall by way of a firmware replace).
The audio system sync with each other over B&O’s Wi-fi Energy Hyperlink 24-bit/48kHz protocol, however they’re additionally suitable with the WiSA wi-fi customary for delay-free, 24-bit/48kHz streaming from WiSA transmitters (see our full WiSA explainer for the main points).
For individuals who desire a wired connection, there are two choices. A hybrid analog/optical enter on the again of the audio system allows you to join nearly any audio supply, whereas an RJ45 jack allows you to connect with older B&O programs by way of the wired Energy Hyperlink cabling system. Lastly, every speaker has a twin set of 10/100 Mbit Ethernet ports for wired community connectivity.
Not many individuals are going to have the ability to afford the Beolab 28, however for individuals who can, they appear like a tremendous addition to any room.
It’s been a busy yr thus far for B&O. It has already launched an replace to its line of wi-fi headphones, together with a mannequin aimed toward avid gamers, a slender moveable speaker, and an equally slender bookshelf speaker.
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