Bang & Olufsen’s BeoSound 1&2, quite possibly the most beautiful speakers you’ll find

While designers at some of the world’s biggest tech companies get all the attention, now and then we’re reminded of the amazing work being done by companies like Bang & Olufsen and their new BeoSound speakers are exhibits A through Z at the case for them being at the forefront of modern design.

When announced, I saw the photos, they looked different, a new approach to speakers – who wants another box or cylinder right?

These cone like designs are made to look sensational, but also provide a stunning sound.  And they do both with merit.

I visited the B&O stand at IFA here in Berlin and was immediately blown away.  As we’ve come to expect from Bang & Olufsen the quality of the build is outstanding, and while I only heard it in the open show floor, the sound was sensational.

There are two versions, BeoSound 1 will set you back $1,950 ($2,100 in New Zealand), while the BeoSound 2 is $2,475 ($2,695 New Zealand).

The BeoSound 1 has a single speaker at the top which projects down onto the sharp upward facing point which distributes the sound out and around at 360 degrees.

BeoSound 2 has the tweeter at the top, mids and bass in the larger bottom portion of the cone.

The entire thing is controlled by the very top section.  The black surface on the top is touch sensitive, allowing you to tap to play or pause and swipe to move forward or back in tracks.

A double tap on the top will switch sources – with Bluetooth, Spotify, TuneIn radio and others available to be configured via the app.

Of course, it’s all hooked up to your WiFi network.

Perhaps best of all, it’s Apple AirPlay and Google Cast compatible, so whenever connected to the same WiFi network you can stream using those methods which are often much easier than Bluetooth pairing.

The Beosound 1 is also battery-powered, with 10-12 hours of completely wireless playback, meaning you can shift it around the home or even outside.

These speakers look the part, and sound it.

Available exclusively at Bang & Olufsen stores from mid September 2016.

 

Trevor Long travelled to Berlin for IFA 2016 as a Guest of Sony Australia – Click here for Full details of commercial interests and disclosures