DT79
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Hi – I’m gradually pulling together all the stuff I need. I’ve got my BL18s, running off a non-B&O system for now and sounding fantastic. I’ve got a BL19 which I’m using in another system for now and picked up a Transmitter 1 as well. Just waiting for a Beosound Core to come up s/h at a decent price and i can put it all together and try it.
One further question about the Core though and I ask this because it only has one non-B&O analogue input which they’ve idiotically combined with the optical mini-jack input…. Is it possible to plug a non-B&O analogue source into a powerlink input with some kind of adaptor cable?
Thanks!
The ethernet connection on the Chord is for receiving data. The power link sockets on the Beolab 18s are for a proprietary B&O audio input – they just coincidentally use the same type of socket.You could connect an audio only device to the toslink input on one of your beolab 18s (and then another optical cable from the toslink output of that speaker to the toslink input of the other) and operate that device with the Beolab 18s for stereo music completely independently from your AV processor*, however any device connected to the Beolab 18s must have its own volume control.*if both your audio device connected by toslink and the av processor connected via analogue are playing simultaneously then there will be an order of preference, but I don’t recall what that is.OK I am doing my installation later this week! Only question I still have is regarding my digital source. I have the Chord Hugo2/2 Go combo and it has a Gigabit (GbE) ethernet wired connection but I can’t use that, right? Looking at the manual I am getting a little confused since it looks like those speaker ports are only for Powerlink or Service so I guess I can’t wire directly? If I use Toslink for a direct connection to my DAC then it’s fairly confusing. Do I connect the left speaker to the right one and then the right one to the Hugo2? Any advice?
I’m using a 7.2 as a centre channel, wall mounted underneath my TV, driven from an Anthem AVR (used as a processor) with BL8000 fronts and BL6000 rears. It works really well, it’s a great centre channel speaker – very clean, detailed and powerful.
I got the whole lot from a s/h B&O specialist (Quality Dream Audio in the UK) and they made me up an RCA to powerlink cable with integral USB trigger which is connected to the TV so that whenever the TV turns on, the 7.2 turns on.
I always took that to be what they meant by the ‘bass capability’ figure. E.g. they achieve the stated (not that it’s stated to us in the spec sheet for all models) bass response up to that SPL level (inferring that upwards of that the ABL is kicking in to limit it).Edit – turns out I’m totally wrong! See below 🙂I would say these are just marketing statistics? im sure a 200W D-class ICE amp can deliver a lot of “oomfph” thru a 5in driver in the in the 90-250hz range but it will significantly less efficient in the 28/31 to 90hz range especially if that amp has to deliver sound at higher volumes etc….. it’s still there but not at unlimited full-fat, unlimited quantities?
The rotel will be sending a signal to both pre-outs and speaker terminals simultaneously at all times unless there’s a menu setting to switch one or other off. Either way, it will just work if you connect your front L&R via pre-outs instead of speaker terminals. You need to find the test tone in the menu and use that to get all the speakers at the same level. You can do it by ear or preferably with an SPL meter (or smartphone app).OK inching closer thanks to all of you!!!! So use the preamp outs L+R front channels to the speakers and set them to L and R respectively? And for my center channel, sub and rear channels (currently KEF speakers but plan to upgrade to B+O) I just leave them as-is, hooked up to their speaker terminals on my preamp. Will my preamp just know to send the front signals out of the pre-outs and the rest of the speaker signals through the speaker outputs? Will the preamp volume control know how to equalize everything for volume levels or is that a system menu thing on my preamp?
If you plan to run them off your AVP as front L&R in a surround sound system then I think you’re going to have to use RCA. If you connect a SPIDF output when playing multi-channel content the AVP is going to output 5.1 via the SPIDF output and the BL18s won’t know what to make of it. Just connect up the RCA’s to the L or R RCA socket on your BL18s and set the ‘role’ switch to L or R respectively and it should work great.What other speakers are you going to use? I recommend getting some B&O speakers if you don’t already have them and keep the tonal signature the same, especially for the centre.I have BL18s in a stereo system, but in the other room I have a 5.1 system consisting of BL8000 / BL7.2 / BL6000. They all work great together so I expect if you got a BL7.2 centre and a pair of 8000s for rear (or BL3s or 17s if you want small or wall-mounted) that would go amazingly well with the BL18s.So I suppose the RCA inputs are a better choice than using the Toslink in your opinion? I am trying to understand how it all works together. I have a 5.1 setup. My rears, sub and center are still going to run off my amplifier but the 18’s will be independent and run off the pre-outs with their internal amps?
I don’t think there is an automated way to have a sub added to the room compensation. The closest is having the Beosound Theatre handle all speakers and measuring the room by sweeping with the microphone for creating listening positions. A Wisa streamer connected to a TV with smart apps or Apple TV can send the signal to all Wisa speakers like the soundsend wisa transmitter or axiim link, but those remain very manual equalizers. tried playing around with them before the Theatre was available but it’s no comparison to the Theatre’s flexibility and capability. Maybe just go for the 8’s for now, who knows B&O will develop a new streaming hub or device in the future to handle wisa speakers / wireless power link without integrating this functionality in a full sized soundbar…
Thanks for your reply, that’s what I feared. I think I’ll just stick with what I have for now and see if they do bring out such a device as you mention in your last paragraph, which it seems they really need to.
I was just toying with the idea of 8s & a 19 as they seem more attainable than what I really want which is a pair of 28s.
I had a listen to the Beolab 8 in our local B&O dealer today. Very impressive even just on their own as a stereo pair.
Got me thinking…. At the moment I have 18s paired with Lyngdorf subs driven by a Lyngdorf amp using its room correction, which is essential for my room. Sounds fantastic, but the whole solution is not very elegant. Would there be a way of using 8s and a 19 in a wireless B&O-only set-up, with the whole thing room corrected? I know the 8s have the ‘adaptive room compensation’ built in, but it there any way of hooking it all up and running the room compensation in such as way as to encompass a 19 as well?
The lugs that clip the top part down can easily snap when you try to flip it up to remove the grilles. I’d seen it flipped up easy as you like on a YouTube video, but as soon as I did it, I heard something snap. So if they won’t stay down in place then chances are the lugs have been snapped off previously.
Luckily in my case I was removing the original grilles to install some (BL18-esque) wooden fret ones, so wasn’t so bothered.
Wasn’t clear which article you referred to, so: Reference #1: It’s in the comments/Q&A: Search for the string “< 5 ms” (note spaces) Reference #2: It’s in the table: search for the string “4.4”
Thanks, it was the first, I hadn’t been through all the comments.
Hi – thanks for that. I’ve already got the latency of the 18s plugged in, so it’s the 5ms for the Transmitter 1 that I will need to add.
Just out of interest I cannot find the reference in GM’s blog article (I had already read that), can you direct me to the section where he talks about the delay please?
5 milliseconds, based upon: a) B&O’s WiSA product release info as reported by https://www.flatpanelshd.com/review.php?subaction=showfull&id=1383642616 , and b) Geoff Martin’s blog Q&A about matching delay for a Transmitter 1’ed subwoofer (scroll about half-way down http://www.tonmeister.ca/wordpress/2014/01/10/bo-tech-subwoofer-tweaking-for-beginners/comment-page-1/ ) where he says to move one of the speakers speed-of-sound x 5msec meters forward or backward. Please note that is not the total latency, because the speakers themselves have some built-in sound processing, though very short in the case of Beolab 18s: 4.4msec, again per Geoff Martin (https://www.tonmeister.ca/wordpress/2017/12/06/bo-tech-beolab-loudspeakers-and-third-party-systems/)
The manual, on page 4 states that volume must be controlled by the source. The Beosound Moment was wireless-enabled. Yann.
Thanks, I’ll check it out.
Hi, The Transmitter acts as a bridge between a wired source and wireless-enabled speakers. So in my opinion, it does not act like a preamp and volume control is not supported. Here is the user manual of the transmitter: https://support.bang-olufsen.com/hc/fr/articles/360041404192-Beolab-Transmitter-1 Kind regards, Yann.
ok thanks for confirming. Seems strange for a product with multiple inputs. Don’t suppose B&O has an audio oriented device which combines the functions of the Transmitter and the Core?
Actually Does the Transmitter act as a preamp (control the volume)? It’s not obvious one way or the other reading the B&O product page.
OK thanks @BeoMatthew, with your help I’ve figured out that what I would need is a Transmitter 1, not a Beosound Core. I need to connect my turntable and although I didn’t mention it, I have an Oppo UHD player that I can connect for Roon and then transmit to the 18s/19 wirelessly.
In terms of going wireless, you’ll need the BeoLab Wireless 1 transmitter that will connect to the Core. The Core doesn’t output WiSA itself. Otherwise I’ve found that to be a perfectly stable connection and the sound is great.
Thanks – that is a key detail that I had misunderstood!
1) Need to connect up my turntable as this is my main and most enjoyed source. It’s on the other side of the room from where the speakers will be and can’t be relocated. Ok. 2) I use Roon for streaming. As I understand it the Beosound Core will show up as an audio device via Chromcast in Roon so all good there. Correct. The Core is not Roon Ready, but would use Chromecast as you describe. 3) Does the Core have its own in-built volume adjustment? I.e. I can connect my phono preamp into the Core’s analogue input and control volume in the Core via the B&O app or a B&O remote if I get one? That’s correct. It’s a fully integrated audio system in that regard. 4) What are opinions of the quality of the analogue to digital conversion in the Core? Am I still going to get a high quality result from my analogue front end? I use a BeoCenter 6500 with one of mine and the sound is terrific. 5) What’s the best way of connecting from Core to BL18s assuming the Core is positioned near the TT and optical isn’t an option*? Would I be right in thinking I could use the Cat6 as a power link cable, so I could go from Core to right hand BL18 (this would need a short RJ45 female to RJ45 male extension to get to the speaker) then another Cat6/powerlink cable between the speakers? Is there any advantage to going wired vs Wireless these days? There are a lot of correct answers to this, because the BL18s have a wide variety of inputs. You categorically CANNOT use Cat6 as a direct replacement for PowerLink (such that you would connect it to the RJ45 ports on either the core or the speaker, however you can use RCA baluns to get your signal to the other side of the room using a Cat6 cable. You’d go RJ45PL to RCA adapter -> RCA balun -> Cat6 -> RCA balun -> RCA cable to each speaker 6) I believe the powerlink cables even the new RJ45 style connections send an analogue signal, is that right? They send an analog L+R signal, plus turn-on voltage. The speaker line-senses when connected via RCA 7) *It’s a bit convoluted but if having a wired digital connection is the decisively best option then I could go Core>optical to coax converter>coax cable>installed coax cable>coax cable>coax to optical converter>BL18. Not sure if it will even work through all those connections. You’re not going digital to the BeoLab 18s. Don’t worry about this step. You’re analog from the time you leave the Core. 8) Are there any decent 3rd party alternatives to the Core that will be Roon compatible and allow the connection of an analogue source? Any streaming preamp I suppose, which is essentially what I already have, but I presumably wouldn’t have any option to run the BL18s with a BL19 in optimal/intended fashion. The Bluesound Node is a terrific option and dispenses with having to translate PowerLink adapters and such. So long as you don’t care about the BeoLink Multiroom ecosystem it would be a great alternative. 9) Does anyone know if there are any plans to update the Core as it’s very highly priced for what it is, has limited input options (just 1 really, a choice of analogue or optical), so if there’s a chance it will be updated then I’d hold off. Only the faintest of rumors as far as I can tell. Since they’re moving to more “intelligent” speakers I almost wonder if they’ll phase that sort of product out eventually, but it would be ludicrous considering they’d need something to drive in-walls/in-ceilings, etc. to complete a whole home. But definitely nothing worth waiting for.
Great, thanks, very useful info and advice.
It seems that going wirelessly from the Core to the BL18s/19 is going to be the easiest option. Is there any downside quality wise vs wired? In the past there would have been but not sure whether that still applies.
2. Roon / Core – Yes the Core will show up as both a Chromecast endpoint and Airplay endpoint. Enable either or both in the Roon settings. 3. Volume control – yes the B&O app has volume control for the Core. You can also use the Beoremote 1, though thats predominately a Tv remote, so might be overkill if you don’t have B&O tv. But both options are available. 4. no comment on this – high quality means many different things to different people. 6. Yes. 8. There will doubtless be alternatives. But if you use case / demands are straightforward, the Core is quite a neat solution. Non-straightforward demands being things such as having a Roon Ready endpoint as opposed to a (Roon visible) but only Airplay / CC endpoint. Or a streamer with native Tidal Connect, etc etc. Or something with a very high end DAC on board. But for perfectly fine streaming, a bridge for your turntable, and ability to connect and setup/control 18s+19, the Core is a neat solution. Personally I’d say one of the high end streamer/DAC units would be somewhat wasted / unnecessary for speakers like the 18s. (I had 18s and a 19 for 7 years)
Great, thanks for your help.
