To make flat-screen TV really flat, sacrifice has to be made in the area of audio reproduction. The soundbar was created in response to the lackluster sound of flat-screen TVs. All are good with a two-piece basic setup. But then Bang & Olufsen Beosound Theater comes along and wants to put good-sounding speakers back into flat-screen TVs.
While the new Bang & Olufsen Beosound Theater is as good as a standalone soundbar, the true highlight, IMHO, is in its ability to “slot seamlessly with any screen.” That’s right. The Danish audio equipment maker wants the soundbar to be one with the TV.
When combine with a TV, you have a flat-screen TV with a proper speaker that looks like part of the TV and not a separate piece of equipment. And not just any speaker, btw.
It’s a high-end audio system with no less than 12 speaker drivers, backed by 800 watts of amplification power to offer up to 112 dB sound pressure level. The 12 drivers include direct, side- and up-firing speakers, two custom-made long-stroke 6.5” woofers as well as a custom-made center channel for speech clarity.
In addition, the new soundbar touts aluminum “wings” that can be extended, allowing it to continue to be one with the TV even if you upgrade to a large-screen TV.
Another highlight would be the motorized interface bracket – or you may know it as a TV stand – that lets you rotate the TV to the viewing angle you desire as well as hide any clutter, including cables, and even smart TV boxes.
If a soundbar – even with the three-dimensional sound technology – isn’t good enough for you, you will be glad to know that the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Theater has 7 built-in outputs and supports up to 16 external loudspeakers to allow for a full-blown Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 surround setup.
When a 7.1.4 setup is realized, the Beosound Theater will become a center speaker that merges the Dolby Atmos decoding and custom-tuned post-processing with B&O’s proprietary True image algorithm to maximize the capabilities of all Bang & Olufsen loudspeakers, said the Danish speaker maker.
Furthermore, there is a new bass management system that, instead of sending the bass to the most powerful loudspeaker – which is usually the sub – Beosound Theater leverages all Bang & Olufsen loudspeakers in the system to work together as a single unit.
As for the aesthetic, B&O said the design is inspired by the grace of sailboats but TBH, I don’t quite see the connection. My failure in making the connection does not detract from the fact that this soundbar is a strikingly good-looking piece of gadget. And oh, it can be wall-mounted if you prefer it not to have a flooring standing system.
The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Theater will available to buy starting October 01 in two versions: a fabric cover version and a wooden cover version for US$6,890 and US$7,990, respectively.
If you are looking to upgrade your flat-screen TV also, you can pick up the Beosound Theater with a 55”, 66”, or 77” LG screen too, starting October 3rd, online and at brick-and-mortar stores
All images courtesy of Bang & Olufsen.
