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The center button action is selectable in the configuration menu. It is either:
Single tap toggles between sound and silence. Double type cycles sources.
Or
Single tap to Play / Pause. Long press to Join in on a multiroom experience.
I turned off the microphone on my BS1 GVA today, and it announced that the microphone was off, and the 4 little dots that blink during a normal GVA voice command turned red. The 4 “my button” dots disappeared leaving just the center dot and the red little dots glowing steadily.
It stayed this way through power cycles and extended off time and operated just like a non-GVA BS1. That is, it remembered the setting – it’s not like you need to do this each time you turn it on. Also, there was no periodic “microphone is off” announcements.
When I turned the microphone back on, the red dots disappeared, and the 4 my buttons reappeared and were programmed as before.
As far as I can tell, you will still need Google if you want to change your wifi network (without going through a new setup) or connect bluetooth devices. I see no settings for those in the configuration menus.
As far as I know, it’s still the case. You cannot use the buttons to activate B&O Radio, but rather it will use TuneIn or Audasey or whatever service Google can use in your country. In the US, I get some stations via TuneIn others via Audasey.
Also, if you have other Beosounds, you can’t join to a Google started audio stream unless you set it up via Google home. The BS can join to other devices – so you can start a B&O Radio source on a different device, and press the middle button and it will join. If you start the B&O Radio source on the BS1 using the B&O App, then the others can join… just not when you use voice or my buttons (which are essentially saved voice commands).
You can turn off Google, but I think that just turns off the voice command capability. I also think I’ve read that it gives you an annoying warning from time to time that the microphone is turned off.
Also, bear in mind that there are certain configurations that can only be done through Google. For example, for some reason, bluetooth and wifi setup are done through Google Home rather than the B&O App.
I thought there was an option to get a non-Google BS1, but I might be confusing that with other Beosounds.
I have a Google enabled BS1. Maybe I will play around with it so I can answer more definitively about what happens when Google is turned off… as I’ve never turned it off because it’s pretty convenient in the kitchen when your hands are wet or messy and you don’t want to touch the machine.
I also have a stereo pair that I used in my office for about 6 months. I usually did NOT use the app to pair. I found it was easier to use the button method. I also used them with my computer. Also, to use them as a speaker phone, they must not be stereo paired.
Yes, they were a little wonky from time to time, and had to be setup each time they poweed off – you can pause for less than 10 (maybe 15) minutes and restart in stereo, but once they power off, you need to repair.
Not to make excuses for B&O, but every bluetooth device I’ve used is wonky from time to time so maybe I have a higher tolerance for that stuff. I also thought it had something to do with all the other electronics I have running in my office. I’ve had some devices that I had to leave the office to pair successfully.
They do sound surprisingly good so, to me, it was worth the occasional dropouts, re-pairing, etc. However, I do see that if I had these in my living area I’d not like to pair them every time. So, yeah, not for everyone or every use case.
I looked through settings for my Balance, and it looks like Mozart based products need to be re-configured from start to change their network. I’d be happy to learn otherwise, but I don’t see a “Configure” menu item like on the ASE equipment.
Not sure what you are asking. If you buy a new LG, then you’ll have change left over, but no soundcenter or stand. Or are you looking at an aftermarket integration of a new LG panel with the old soundcenter/stand?
If it was me, I’d probably go with the replacement screen, but the soundcenter, stand and sleek integration between them all are very important to me. I’d only go with the aftermarket option (assuming one exists) of mounting a different LG on the soundcenter if B&O could not help me. If your friend is considering dumping the entire Eclipse in favor of an LG, then I suppose audio quality and integration is not very important.
I agree that the current Balance colors are uninspired. I have black. They work fine in my office. More disappear vs a “statement”. I wished for a dark wood + charcoal, but it hasn’t happened.
I have a stereo pair of Balances. I like them very much and would buy them again (at the sale price I paid, not sure about today’s prices). With some music, they sound better (to me) than my BL1s + BS9000. Granted, I use them in my office so I don’t drive them too hard. They are also the first speakers I’ve owned where I can fairly consistently tell the difference between Spotify and Deezer HiFi sound quality.
From what people have said on this site over the years, I think the A9s would probably sound better, but I’ve never really listened to an A9 too closely since they don’t really fit into the places where I want speakers. They take up a lot of space.
I also agree with MM. Wait for the BL8s…
Completely agree that the VHNWI’s will not stand for the current software quality. Heck, my wife (not a VHNWI) gives me crap every time the system hiccups – “when are you going to buy something that just works?”. B&O support? Ha!
Now, my “defense” is that nothing works now days. Every company has crappy software (even Apple has been disappointing lately), but part of me knows I’m stuck with B&O because I have too much invested, and it will be far too expensive for my non-VHNWI household to replace everything with Sonos (for example). If I was VHNWI, I’d probably pitch it, tell my all my friends and buy something else (and if my theory of everybody is bad is true), repeat.
In defense of B&O… As bad as we think their software is… I’m talking about NL beosounds, not the Theater and BL50/90… their competitors seem to be mostly worse. Reading reviews about Kipsch and other competing wireless speakers sound like these are worse. I think B&O has been at this longer so they are a bit more mature, but let’s see if they can keep their head start.
I wasn’t expecting that! Then again, the B&O site says you need a Beoamp 125.4 which doesn’t seem to exist so who kows what is going on here.
I also noticed that if you download the manual, it is branded as “B&O | Origin Acoustics”
Agree that this looks like a nice speaker.
With all the talk of VHNWH, they are actually somewhat reasonably priced (on the B&O scale, of course). Similarly priced to a pair of Balances. Yes, the Balances have more drivers per speaker and more powerful amps (100W vs 50W for midrange), but they have similar spl levels so chances are they will sound similar… maybe.
Assuming they sound similarly, I may have gone for them instead of the Balances that I bought as I like their style better. Then again, maybe not, since they don’t have an analog line-in for my turntable.
It also would have allowed me to test pairing with my Eclipse (unsure about stability of WISA or speaker placement in my weirdly shaped room). I guess I can still do that next time I find ~$7K under the sofa cushions :D.
I have a gen1, but it is currently being used. I have a gen2 that is available. I don’t really want to buy a 2nd hand gen1 because of age/battery life. However, it is good to know that analog input to the gen2 is not an option.
Thanks for the answer. Not the one I was looking for but confirmed I’m not overlooking anything. I was hoping to avoid Bluetooth because it can be flakey, but it looks like the way forward… at least until she decides to upgrade to something better.
The mk11 actually includes mk11 in the product name on the product information sticker. An essence mk1 just says “essence”. An essence mk11 says “essence mk11”. There should be no confusion so long as you can see the sticker with the product name, model, serial number on the bottom of the unit.
Thanks for the clarification and warning. I guess I didn’t read the listing close enough. Given the price, I thought it might be used but missed it anyway.
It says there are 2 black balances for ~1600. Get ’em before they are gone.
I’d be interested to know who looked at it in Chicago. I’m in the area and my BS9000 is broken. I’d prefer not to ship it to get fixed.
I don’t have a Core, but on my Essence, when I check the local sources, they immediately show up in my sources pick list
The fact that you’re not seeing B&O Radio, maybe you need to upgrade your app? Also, go into the TuneIn/B&O Radio tab on the app (the little transmit icon in the lower right corner of the app), and click on the B&O Radio tab, this might prompt for a TuneIn -> B&O Radio upgrade.
Yes, it’s been officially discontinued a few months ago.
Replacements are the Level and the new A5 – both sound much better than Beosound 1 to be fair, even though in terms of design they’re far less iconic.
I have to disagree on this point. I tried a BS1 head to head with the Level, and the Level was not that much better to my ears. I know initially, the BS1 was pretty weak, but I believe it got much better sounding as it matured (and B&O upgraded the software). In my testing, yes, the Level sounded better when you were in its not very large “sweet spot”, but otherwise was comparable to the BS1. At least in my kitchen with my ears. I’ve had one for about 2 years, and I agree it works great in the kitchen.
Some people prefer warm and fuzzy. Nothing wrong with that. The BL3s are not as warm as the BL4000s. Sometimes it takes a little while for our ears to adjust.
Sometimes the additional resolution provided by newer/better speakers expose the weakness of the content or upstream hardware. Again, sometimes, it just sounds different (not necessarily better or worse).
I never had a problem with Spotify sound quality until I got a pair of Balances. Chromecast audio connected to BS9000 + BL1s sounded fine to my ears. Spotify streaming directly to Balances seemed to be missing something so I stream with Deezer mostly, but also listen to my digitized CDs more often.
All you can do is experiment because you are the only one the hears like you do. You don’t mention what you are currently using for streaming, but IIRC, the Airport Express is supposed to be provide reasonably good audio quality.
I don’t think there is a one size fits all solution. First, I might try a different audio source – maybe give Deezer a try, or better yet, if you can somehow stream digitized CDs via DLNA (for example), you’d be working from a known source quality. See if it sounds better. Try a new DAC (make sure you can return it if it doesn’t help).
If nothing helps, maybe buy a pair of BL4000s. They are pretty cheap now days.
With respect to the question of will PL cables sound better then line-in RCA cables, the answer is “it depends”. I don’t believe there is a hard and fast answer because the RCA cables are of an unknown quality. Let us know what you think.
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