Harmony MKII – is it due?
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Hello all,
With the Theatre being such a big step up (and successful now already), I’m wondering if and when there will be a new mk2 soundcenter for the Harmony with the same technology (bass management) and sound capacity as the Theatre?
not sure what sound capacity precisely means, but they surely cant add up and side firing speakers to the existing Harmony design.
I can see the Harmony perhaps being updated to process Atmos etc, and perhaps Mozart. But I wouldn’t expect anything more than that.
Just my opinion though.
I doubt Harmony will get such a deep upgrade in the future.
My feeling is that Beovisions are over and Theater is the way found by B&O to externalize all concerns about video processing in a technology which moves too fast for their industrial and financial capabilities.
I’m not happy with that but it’s a sensible move.
Regards,
Yann.
I can see all Beovisions above 55in EoL soon because of the Theatre. Harmony is a very complex TV setup, the Eclipse with motorised stand slightly less so but rationalising to a single Beosound would save a significant operating cost I would assume?
I could also imagine the Stage going EoL in its current form with a new mini Theatre taking its place in the 48 to 55in range. Simplified and cheapened (no powerlink) but with similar mounting options.
All speculation on my part.
The most interesting would be the speakers Phase integration to improve bass management and perhaps an hardware upgrade for Atmos processing … of course we’re not talking about adding upfiring speakers to Harmony ?
The Harmony is big money – all in the motorised stand and it does not have Atmos (I think it is limited to 7.1?)
Apart from the showmanship of the speakers, the Theatre is a more capable product. I can’t see Atmos coming to Harmony but if the did, you would almost have to stump up or re-task surrounds……again, boosting the overall price point.
My feeling is that an upgrade for the Harmony is not so complex as stated here. There is plenty of room in the wings to add upfiring speakers. Only challenge could be the woofers, they can be positioned in the current place and with making the back a bit deeper it can accommodate bigger speakers. The Admos processing, Mozart etc is just a mainboard thing and way more space available in it then theatre. So imo it should be rather simple to make a theatre comparable harmony mk2. I would only be needed to replace the sound center, re use my speaker grills, TV and motorized stand. The Harmony then stays above the Theatre again in the portfolio, with the moving wings it adds the B&O magic. Now the Harmony is way too expensive and is in no ways better then a Theatre.
My feeling is that an upgrade for the Harmony is not so complex as stated here. There is plenty of room in the wings to add upfiring speakers. Only challenge could be the woofers,
OK, but here’s the thing. Beoworlders keep saying these things are never complex but with the exception of (I think BL8002 to BL18), I don’t recall any B&O design getting a technological update. sure there’s a MK1, 2 and 3 on a few models – probably internal parts sourcing. So like where was the 32in Avant with LCD screen?, BC2 with BR?, BS5 with touchscreen, BS9000 with BR compatibility? Upgrade the BV7 with BR? Eclipse with interchangeable Panels?
Lots of great ideas here….but none of them ever happened. I doubt B&O will update or redesign the Harmony (other than for spares replacement). They are more likely to bring a whole new class of model out instead revamping old models looking at past form.
Also, with the so-called Cradle to Cradle philosophy, they may revamp but the Harmony was never designed that way. Then again, Cradle to Cradle may just mean modular servicing of swap parts for +10years rather than anything more dramatic.
Just adding to my comments above. The real game changer for me with the Theatre (and why I’m smitten with it) is that from BV7-55 to Avant 65 to Eclipse 65, B&O was costing me probably a clear £2 to 2.5K per year in Beovision ownership. That is big cheddar. That is for technological issues, screen burn-ins, DVDs, ML then NL/ML then NL, now Mozart and the interconnectivity of everything else (speakers, sources etc…). Replacing the G2 screen – assuming all else stays the same every 5yrs cuts that cost to less than £400/year.
The Harmony is not going to be a cheap TV (even though the screen panel can be easily replaced) to make and sell. Sure, there is £2-6k in LG C2/G2 panel but then another £15/17/40k in motorised mount depending on chosen screen. There may be a lot more margin for B&O in selling big-screen Harmony’s but I’d wager that there are 20 – 30 -50 Theatres leaving Struer right now for every Harmony built?
Like Beoplay….volumes count.
So I agree that the Harmony is properly not getting a change like more speakers.
But if they want to keep it, they will upgrade it to Mozart.
You do have upgraded products through time, like the Beolab 9 to 20.
But also the A9, which is on MK 4, and have got more speakers than MK1. We will also see a MK5 with Mozart for sure, as it is their bestselling product. I also have an Idea that we are going to see Beosound 2 with Mozart.
Just because they sell 50 Theatre for every Harmony, it is not an argument of discounting the model. They still have BL90 even though they are outsold by all other models, by a large margin.
Harmony is a flagship product, and if there is good business in the number it is selling, then it is good. And I personally hope they keep it, and upgrading it, even though it would be a small upgrade.
I agree with the arguments against an update but then the Harmony must EOL soon I think. It is not the better product anymore, where the 90’s are best of class by any means. I really like the design magic of the Harmony and for that reason there should be a mk2 to be considered that can somehow compete with the Theatre. Not only sound, mainly the bass management is my personal priority
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