Bang & Olufsen's $3,500 Beosound Edge with AirPlay 2 support offers volume control by roll...

Posted:
in General Discussion edited August 2018
Premium audio producer Bang & Olufsen has launched the Beosound Edge, a large speaker designed so that that users can roll it to change the volume and other controls, one that will also support Apple's AirPlay 2 when it ships in November.




Measuring 50.2 centimeters (19.8 inches) in diameter and 13 centimeters (5.1 inches) thick, the circular Beosound Edge is designed to be a floor or wall-mounted speaker. While it does include a small "stand" at the bottom to stop it from rolling around the room while on the floor, the speaker is weighted to prevent it from falling onto its front and back, and to stay in place.

Taking advantage of the shape and size, the speaker has been designed with rolling in mind, with a touch-sensitive interface at the top of the surrounding aluminum band lighting up with proximity sensors. While the interface can be used to manage playback and track changes, the speaker can be rolled from side to side to tune settings to the user's preferences, such as adjusting its volume.





Inside the Beosound Edge are two 4-inch mid-range drivers, two 3/4-inch tweeters, and a slim 10-inch woofer. Six Class-D amplifiers drive all of the speakers, while an active bass port that can swap between closed box and ported modes, allowing bass to be accentuated at loud volumes but reduced at quieter levels.

Bang & Olufsen has included support for AirPlay 2 in the speaker, allowing it to work with a user's other audio devices to create multi-room audio setups, along with support for Chromecast Audio and Bluetooth connectivity.

Expected to ship in mid-November, the Beosound Edge will be priced at $3,500.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 18
    nunzynunzy Posts: 662member
    Does it sound better than 10 HomePod?
    ihatescreennamesbigbillygoatgruff
  • Reply 2 of 18
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    As usual, Apple has shaken up an industry.
    claire1watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 18
    AI_liasAI_lias Posts: 434member
    Oh, I see. You roll it away from you, and it doesn't sound as loud any longer. I see what they did here.
    bigbillygoatgruffSpamSandwichwatto_cobratokyojimu
  • Reply 4 of 18
    claire1claire1 Posts: 510unconfirmed, member
    This is why everyone copies Apple.....
    randominternetpersonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 18
    nunzy said:
    Does it sound better than 10 HomePod?
    or 10x better than 1 HomePod?
    nunzy
  • Reply 6 of 18
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,328member
    Not recommended for shipboard use, or on your yacht, boat, or dingy. 
    SpamSandwichwatto_cobrachasm
  • Reply 7 of 18
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    I consider stuff like this "conceptual art" that day traders or executives buy to show off to their friends and not really for its practical value.
    randominternetpersonStrangeDayswatto_cobrachasm
  • Reply 8 of 18
    It's mind boggling that that "roll to adjust" idea made it all the way into a shipping product.  Some designer needs to be stripped of his or her wings for this one.
    maltzSpamSandwichStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 18
    Seems more like nudge to adjust than roll to adjust. There's a base on it to prevent it from going too far. Based on other B&O products it'll sound amazing and costs way too much for what the average person listens to. Mount it on the wall to prevent drunken hedge fund managers trying to bowl with it.
    watto_cobrachasm
  • Reply 10 of 18
    anomeanome Posts: 1,533member

    Because rolling (or even just nudging) your perfectly cylindrical, 50cm high, US$3500 speaker couldn't possibly go wrong.

    [CUT TO] Demo room in stereo retailer.

    SALESPERSON: You see, you just nudge it like so...

    He taps the side of the speaker, it rolls along the table, over the edge, and onto the floor. They all watch as it rolls along the floor, out the door, and into the street.

    FX: Tyres screech, car crash.

    SpamSandwichJWSCwatto_cobrachasm
  • Reply 11 of 18
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,834member
    It’s a shame no one on the project had the guts to say that while this was a cool idea, it was not a good idea.
    JWSCwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 18
    They should've called this thing the "iRoll".
    anomewatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 18
    I think if I actually saw someone roll that thing to adjust it I’d probably laugh uncontrollably. It wouldn’t be so ridiculous if it just wasn’t so... big.

    Can you imagine one that’s four or five feet tall, maybe with a rope on each side... you could call a friend to come over and help you work it, each grabbing a rope. That would be awesome. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 18
    For people who seem to get it wrong and apply it to Apple all the time - this is an example of style over substance, or form over function.
    edited August 2018 watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 18
    It also has a power cable coming out at the bottom which, it seems, would impede the fun of rolling it to show off to your friends (which is the first thing they’ll want to do). Also the left/ right drivers are front and back so to get any proper stereo you’d have to look at the edge of the “coin”, and therefore the tweeters would be facing at 90 degrees to the listener, which is useless. I do like the idea of a dynamic bass port though. I know it’s designed for casual listening and style but B&O has always been style trampling on substance. “Design is how it works”
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 18
    felix01felix01 Posts: 294member
    It's not battery powered, is it? So a power cord is going to follow along behind it? Guaranteed, my spouse would give a big thumbs down to that arrangement (not to mention the price tag).
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 18
    nunzy said:
    Does it sound better than 10 HomePod?
    What is "sound better"? More acurate or to ears of some fan? This is the same dispute as Beats vs. Sennheisers. Beats does not make sound accurate and it is missing a lot while it "sounds better" to some deaf ears. One needs to be a bit more precise in asking questions like that. You need some bass sounds to trigger stomach - go for it, but do not claim "it sounds better".
  • Reply 18 of 18
    bitmodbitmod Posts: 267member
    MacPro said:
    As usual, Apple has shaken up an industry.
    Explain?

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