[Sandyb]

Vedet wrote:

Thank you, Sandib! I have figured out, as it seems to me, this issue. The problem is that Simon Weir mistakenly referred to the modification of the HDMI cable as UHD 2, created specifically for eARC. In fact, we are talking about an Ultra-high-speed HDMI cable, called UHS, which has Generation issue No. 1 and No.2. So, the Gen No.2, was created specifically for eARC. Therefore, Simon Weir’s mistake is that he wrote UHD 2, but he should have written UHS 2, then everything becomes logical and understandable. I have only one question left – which of the brands, manufacturers is the leader in the production of HDMI cables in order to purchase a decent quality cable?

Indeed, my assumption was that UHS 2 was the intention – I’m not aware of anything such as UHD 2 or whatever it even means.

But it’s pretty clear, a certified Ultra High Speed cable is all you need. My installer put in the cables for me, so I cant remember the brand – but the idea of the the certification is that anything with that certification will be fine. I wouldn’t over think which brand to get to be honest.

[Sandyb]

Vedet wrote:

Убедитесь, что ваш кабель HDMI поддерживает UHD-2 (UHD II) (высокоскоростное подключение по Ethernet, разработанное для eARC), чего не делают все кабели спецификации 2.1.

Good evening!

Tell me the full name of the HDMI UHD II eARC cables to find purchase offers from trusted manufacturers. I could not find cables with such an abbreviation UHD II. I would be very grateful to you.

I’ve never heard of UHD-2.

Probably explains why you cant find any cables with that name.

What are you trying to connect?

[Sandyb]

Yes – if you watch a Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos movie (on Netflix for example) using the native app, the panel seems to recognise that, display both in the top right corner, and switch to Cinema / Cinema Home picture mode.

For the same content when output from the ATV Netflix app, the audio is in PCM – that’s how the ATV works – as opposed to the LG Netflix app, which will bitstream the audio. Try both again, and look at the B&O app Signal Info page, and it’s clear.

As for the chroma issue, my ATV is connected to the Theatre, and I get 4:4:4. It might be worth, if you havent already, get the ATV to check the HDMI connection – there’s a menu setting to do that. The Chroma settings page mentions needing a high speed cable to get 4:4:4, whatever that means.

 

[Sandyb]

Your BL18s have a few connection ports, and can be shared between a TV (into one of the connection ports) and a music source (a different connection port on the 18s).

The 18s have a built in input priority hierarchy, with wired power link at the top of the list. I think its RCA input is next in the hierarchy, and then Toslink is last.

So a Core connected via optical to the BL18s will play music through the 18s without waking up / needing the TV. If you turn the TV on, the 18s will switch to that input.

(not sure what TV you have, and how is it currently communicating with your BL18s?)

 

[Sandyb]

Lavie wrote:

Hi! Does anyone know to set a default sound profile specifically for airplay?

Hmm, it used to be the case that Settings/Source Startup Behaviour allowed users to assign a default profile for both Chromecast and Airplay.

Now that the app route is called Settings/Sources, I can no longer find that option to assign profiles..

[Sandyb]

BeoVision wrote:

Hi Guys Just Purchased the latest Apple TV to use with a beosound Theatre and was wondering if there are any specific settings I should be using as I’m new to the 4K game. Also when I had the theatre installed a puc cable was run to my comms cab, I take it this can be used so I can control the Apple TV with the beoremote?

When you are connected, there are some settings choices to be made on the ATV itself (I’m assuming you have an Apple TV 4K).

I’ve followed what seems to be the general best advice on this : in the Apple TV, go to Settings app / Video and Audio /…..and here you want to set the Format to be 4k SDR (not HDR), and the Match Content options to be On for both Match Dynamic Range and Match Frame Rate.

[Sandyb]

FrankieFrank88 wrote:

Well whatever you do guys. Don’t factory reset your theatre in the latest software version. This problem wasn’t present on my theatre. Untill I got some problems with my Beolab 28’s room compensation. After some testing I decided to factory reset everything just to begin from scratch again. Seems after the factory reset the theatre indeed has a bug in DD 5.1 content. Everything else is fine. Need to crank up the volume with DD 5.1 content to like 60 to be audible and the channels are quite mixed up and it just doesn’t sound right. However Atmos DD+ of PCM2.0 up mix all sounds good with lower sound levels. However before the factory reset I didn’t have any of these problems with version 3.2.1 / 3. Quite strange and really buggy software in my opinion. I’ve asked my dealer for a downgrade on both the beolabs 28’s and theatre to atleast 2.5.5. I would like to know how to do this myself aswell if there is an option for this?

yes, and you are not alone, as a number of people have reported the horrible sound image with DD 5.1. It’s been reported to B&O. I got my Theatres rolled back to 2.5.5, and all is well again with DD 5.1.

One of the B&O guys posted the below on Discord about this issue :

“The issue with DD5.1 volume being low is something that is actually not a SW bug but rather a decision made by acoustics to remove the dB boost in order to have proper sounding PCM 2.0 upmixing. In the upcoming 3.4 release we plan to give you the option to manually adjust these dB levels so you can tailor it to your needs. As already written elsewhere, I will let you know when this is available for testing.”

(me again) – this is kind of what I expected. In 3.2.1 they fixed the pre-existing issue with PCM 2.0, but in doing so badly compromised DD 5.1. Whether the options they are proposing in 3.4 mentioned above will bring DD 5.1 back properly remains to be seen, but let’s see.

Its puzzling that we’ve gone from an audio engine (on BV’s leading up to the Theatre) which could happily handle 2.0 / 5.1 / 7.1 without the user thinking about it, to a situation now (Theatre) where after a year the audio engine can’t do all of 2.0/5.1/7.1 properly.

[Sandyb]

How do you think Bl3s as rear，enough for movie？

Depends on how much of a movie watcher you are, I’d say.

I changed my rear/surround BL3s, and replaced them with BL17s (something broke with the 3s).

I’m not that much if a movie watcher, but 3s into 17s can be quite a noticeable difference when it comes to surround effects with movies.

So for those frequent movie watchers, especially effects heavy ones, I’d say upgrading from 3s is something worth thinking about.

(personally, I think 17s are the optimal choice, with 8s being over specified for rear/surround duties).

[Sandyb]

If you are thinking of the LG G series own wall mount, and therefore separated from the Theatre, then no there is no easy way to hide an ATV (low board / cabinet would be required).

I think if you have the Theatre wall mount and joining interface with the LG, then there is space behind to hide an ATV.

But thats a motorised wall mount, and together with the interface back plate, awfully expensive. STB make a non motorised wall mount for the Theatre and LG – but (to me at least) it sticks out from the wall a hell of long way.

[Sandyb]

I’d tend to agree with your response MM actually – whole home installations can sound simple but there are a lot of nuances often, and its hard to really help without knowing everything.

For example, for the main room scenario and stated priority of playing NAS music and BS9000 CDs on the BL5s, it doesn’t seem straightforward given the connection options / limitations of the BL5s. As MM I think previously stated, the 5s dont have auto sense to power on, as the 50s/90s etc do.

Also given the 16tb i.e very large NAS library, one would need to think very carefully about which streaming front end / app / UI can handle well such a large library. On the one hand we know Roon can, on the other we know the B&O app would be completely wrong for such a large library. Outside of these two opposing cases, it’s easy to find positive reviews of lots of decent steamers, but how good are each at handling very large NAS libraries?

Anyway, only to underline that there are lots of nuances beyond cabling. By and large MM is right, and I think I posted this earlier – the rooms (5s in one room, 9s in the other) can be treated separately and simply. If you add the same streaming solution / box in each room, multi-room will be taken care of by the streaming app/architecture. Complex inter-room networking doesn’t seem necessary.

All one needs to do is to find a way to make each separate room “work” in a way that the OP wants – or at least as best as possible. A simple Sonos like experience (i.e open app, press play and do volume control) through older B&O speakers may actually not be possible though.

 

[Sandyb]

I think the issue with the 28s (if one wants to call it an issue) is that the 28s bass can roll off at high-ish volumes. For those situations, and for those Theatre+28s owners, who get to these higher volumes, perhaps a 19 sub helps out a bit.

But generally I agree – the Theatre is itself very capable bass wise, and its bass management spreads the bass load amongst all connected speakers. As such, it’s far from obvious that one “needs” a sub. We’ve seen some protest that its a near necessity, but it seems much more of a preference than necessity.

And in your case, if BST + 18s + 3s is bass enough for you, then you’re not desperately missing out on something. Not everyone wants to feel the room rumbling at times (I generally find it unpleasant).

[Sandyb]

Sure, and Apple have doubtless had feedback about making Airplay 2 + Apple Music 16/44 capable (or higher).

But there’s a pretty obvious reason why they haven’t – they’re a mainstream company, and too few actually care enough, given modern music listening habits.

As for signal info, while it would be nice for the B&O app to show signal info when it comes to music, when it comes to your (what I interpret as your) case – using the Music app to airplay (2) stream your ripped CDs, then we already know the answer to be 256 (according to the article I posted, and others).

There’s a reason why some who have more particular needs – wanting to stream their own CDs rips, and / or have long wanted to stream CD or above from whichever service provider – tend not to use Apple Music.

[Sandyb]

https://darko.audio/2023/10/apple-airplay-isnt-always-lossless-sometimes-its-lossy/

Your answer is here.

 

[Sandyb]

Not sure whether you are using Apple’s Music app to air play / stream out your ripped library or something else. But if its Apple’s Music app, as mentioned before, it will get downsampled from 16/44, as we know that in this stream case Airplay 2 (from the Music app) does not stream out at 16/44.

I think thats really all that matters, as it relates to your initial question (relating to your library of 16/44 CD rips).

[Sandyb]

Have you read the links that MM posted in his earlier response?

One of them had a pretty detailed analysis of scenarios and bit rates delivered/played, so a pretty exhaustive list of use cases.

That all said, I think it’s pretty well established now that from Apple Music, airplay 2’ing does not stream in 16/44 (whereas it seems some other music apps on OSX/iOS will).

 

[Sandyb]

Yes, your numbers are more or less correct.

UK launch price (28s with oak) was 10,750 – thats now 13,950.

Cost inflation on the one hand, B&O’s increasing focus on super high net worth individuals on the other hand.

Is what it is I guess.

Recent form would suggest further increases to come (my guess, no advanced knowledge on my part).

[Sandyb]

Once a date is confirmed, I’ll gather questions (for those who have them etc), either here or on Discord, or both, and try and ensure he gets a chance to look at them in advance.

[Sandyb]

Mr.Anderson has seemingly agreed to appear on the Sunday podcast, at some point in the hopefully near future. I’ll post when something is confirmed, as people may have questions etc they want to submit, or just listen.

 

[Sandyb]

Yes, I would tend to agree, that a meaningful set of changes to the app should be mapped out and explained to users – what those changes are in their entirety and once completed, and some rationale for moving from one state of affairs to a new one.

That perhaps is all a bit ex-post though – after all these decisions are already made, and one must presume that the app team / company more broadly has broader insight into usage patterns / usage issues and preferences than we as a smaller select group do. Of course it would be nice to be in the loop earlier in the process, but being realistic its not something I’d expect.

Personally I dont use the app much beyond checking/changing settings, as all my music listening exists outside of any B&O UI. Nevertheless, for those more embedded in the “app as experience”, I have sympathy, and perhaps a little more optimism that once these incremental updates are done, the app will land in a place where most of the control possibilities are back.

[Sandyb]

Stephen, I’ve sent you a message with an invite etc., and small explainer.

Let me know if you have any q’s.

 

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