# Key Post: Bang & Olufsen sound system



## Sim One (25 Feb 2005)

Thinking of getting a new sound system and was recommended by a colleague to go for a Bang & Olufsen one.  

Anyone got one of these - how good is it?

Should I consider any other makes?


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## ninsaga (25 Feb 2005)

*Re: Bang & Olufsen sound system*

... B&O would be on the high end both in terms of price & sound quality.....other players in that arena include.....

- Wharfedale speakers
- Dolbly
- Bose
- Nakamichi (some cool designs)


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## Sim One (26 Feb 2005)

*B & O sound system*

Thanks Nin., 

Are these other makes widely available in Dublin?


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## ninsaga (26 Feb 2005)

*Re: B & O sound system*

Don't know as I'm not from Dublin..seem to recall Nakamichi being sold prev being sold in Brown Thomas. They did sell Bose stuff when I looked before....

ninsaga


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## Monsieur Bond (2 Mar 2005)

*Re: Bang & Olufsen sound system*

* ... B&O would be on the high end both in terms of price & sound quality.....other players in that arena include.....*

- Wharfedale speakers
- Dolby ???
- Bose
- Nakamichi (some cool designs)

I would not rate Bose with B&O.

B&O make high-end sound systems, which do sound very good, but you are paying a lot for the design and "lifestyle" qualities as well as the sound.

Cloney Audio do some similar high end systems which are more reasonable.

Depends on your budget and what you are looking for - wife acceptable hi-fi, budget hi-fi, high end hi-fi with no concern for aesthetics, hi-fi that can be upgraded easily or a system that you buy and keep for 20 years.

Note that B&O are in the latter category - they ought to be, with their prices - you are not going to replace a 10 or 20 grand system too soon. :eek


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## stobear (2 Mar 2005)

*CLoney*

If you are serious about your sounds contact Cloney as they will allow you to demo your music on some suggested systems in one of their rooms, you can get an excellent setup for under 1000 (Amp, speakers and CD player).


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## mcm511 (8 Mar 2005)

*Re: Try richersounds.ie (Belfast).*

If you have the budget, I will highly recommend ARCAM FMJ series. Got it 4 years ago and still gives precise sound - use mainly for listening music. 

Cloney is quite expensive. We are currently setting our Home Theather system and we got competitive prices from richersounds.ie from Belfast with EUR50 delivery to Dublin for the whole system.

Go to avforum.com for serious stuffs about Hi-Fi systems.


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## rainyday (9 Mar 2005)

*Re: Try richersounds.ie (Belfast).*

I think BT have closed their electronics section in Dublin.


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## Monsieur Bond (9 Mar 2005)

*Re: Try richersounds.ie (Belfast).*

*I think BT have closed their electronics section in Dublin.*

Yes they have, which leaves Peats on Parnell st, who are not necessarily the most knowledgable and are definitely not the cheapest for hi-fi - although they do have good January sales.

I would probably go with Richer Sounds, coupled with independent Internet research on the likes of Home Cinema Choice and What Hi-Fi.

Cloney Audio are excellent and really know their stuff, but their gear will be for more discerning ears and will cost more though arguably will be kept for a longer time so may well be worth it in the long-run if the budget allows.

The same could also be said for Bang & Olufsen although your are paying more for the design and lifestyle appeal and of course they will only sell you either own kit.


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## Sim One (9 Mar 2005)

*Bang and O*

Thanks for all of this.  Will be up in Dublin at the weekend and plan to call into B & O.

Have to admit that I'm only looking to listen to radio and play some CDs - I suppose, as Mon Bond says, it's more the look I'd be more concerned about.  Fancy spending money on myself for myself, for a change.


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## Monsieur Bond (15 Mar 2005)

*Re: Bang and O*

*Thanks for all of this. Will be up in Dublin at the weekend and plan to call into B & O.

Have to admit that I'm only looking to listen to radio and play some CDs - I suppose, as Mon Bond says, it's more the look I'd be more concerned about. Fancy spending money on myself for myself, for a change.*

Sim One, how did you get on?

Did you buy anything?


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## Sim One (16 Mar 2005)

*Bang and O*

Trip to Dublin had to be shelved due to last minute game of golf.  

Will get up over the Easter Hols (hopefully) and let you know how I got on.


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## northsideboy (23 Mar 2005)

*Re: teac*

Anyone have experience of these systems as advertised by Richer Sounds?


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## BootDog (26 Mar 2005)

*Systems from Richer Sounds*

Got several bits and pieces off Richer Sounds over the years.

Without a doubt, they sell good gear. Cloney deals higher end stuff, generally a bit more expensive than Richer Sounds. I don't know anything about B&O stuff, other than it looks the business!

In comparison to your JVC or Sony all-in-1, the sound is noticably clearer, with more punch, and you should hear details that you didn't notice before. You'll want to listen to your CDs more often, and you'll probably prefer renting a DVD to watching a film on TV.

The little TEAC units are good for their size and price. I bought an all-in-one CD/radio/amp, it sounded great, but the alarm clock on it wouldn't hold the time, making it useless. I eventuall had to change if for a Denon, which didn't sound as good, but at least the timer worked!

As with anything, you'll get what you pay for. If you're interested in the sound more so than the cooler than cool looks of the Teac / B&O gear, and can put up with several units making up the HIFI (and being reasonably bulky) - then give Richer Sounds a call. 

If it was me, I'd spend about 1000 on a good surround sound receiver (amp and radio built in), 400-600 on a DVD player from the same manufacturer, and about 1500 on speakers. If you want to spend more, you could doubly or treble the amount in Richer Sounds, but have a listen first, and see if the difference is worth it. They should be quite obliging and set up the various systems for you in the shop in Belfast if you give them a couple of days notice.

If you stick to one manufacturer, you should be able to use one remote, otherwise some of the more expensive receivers come with a learning remote, which you can "teach" the controls of other equipment to.

On top of that, you could add a DVD recorder (not something I would bother with personally, Sky+ can record TV for you, and you can buy a DVD-recording PC relatively cheaply from Dell these days).

You could also consider a subwoofer, for the cinema experience (floor-moving bass notes), but they need to be big and bulky to work properly.

If you're into MP3, most new DVD players will play MP3 CDs which you'll have to burn yourself, or there are also hard-disk units that store the data inside, and work through the remote control like a normal CD/DVD player.

Best thing about these systems is that they are modular, and if one part breaks in a few years time, you can replace just it, not the whole system. Likewise, if you want to improve one part, but are happy with another, you don't need to buy a whole new system. The modular thing also allows you to build up over time, you can always add bits later rather than having to pay for it all now.

The folks who run Richer Sounds used to run Lyric HIFI in Dublin. They did custom installs of the real high end stuff, with wall controls, ceiling/outdoor/built-in speakers, multi-room controls, home networking etc. If you're into that, they may still be able to sort it out for you. This shop was more of a competitor of Cloney's though.

There's also Munster Sounds if you're in the Cork area. A sister shop of Richer Sounds in the North. Similar stuff, similar pricing.

I've bought from Peats a few times, and every time, I've been disappointed with the customer service. I've always been left waiting to get served in there, its a bit like ordering a pint in a busy pub, they won't make eye contact and seem to be busy doing nothing!


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## stobear (30 Mar 2005)

*Re: >>Bang & Olufsen sound system*

(Blank reply to fix incorrect date/sequence)


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