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Bang and Olufsen launches beautifully simple BeoSound Essence

Bang and Olufsen launches beautifully simple BeoSound Essence
Bang and Olufsen has released the BeoSound Essence sound system
Bang and Olufsen has released the BeoSound Essence sound system
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Bang and Olufsen has released the BeoSound Essence sound system
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Bang and Olufsen has released the BeoSound Essence sound system
The BeoSound Essence comprises a remote and a hideaway box
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The BeoSound Essence comprises a remote and a hideaway box
The hide-away box connects to the user’s music library or streaming services
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The hide-away box connects to the user’s music library or streaming services
The remote is created from aluminium
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The remote is created from aluminium
The remote allows users to play or pause music, skip between tracks or Internet radio stations and mute or adjust the volume
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The remote allows users to play or pause music, skip between tracks or Internet radio stations and mute or adjust the volume
The BeoSound Essence aims to make playing music as simple as switching on a light
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The BeoSound Essence aims to make playing music as simple as switching on a light
The remote can be mounted on the wall
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The remote can be mounted on the wall
A table-top version of the remote is also available
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A table-top version of the remote is also available
A BeoSound Music app is also available for users to browse and control music
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A BeoSound Music app is also available for users to browse and control music
The system is compatible with AirPlay and DLNA streaming
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The system is compatible with AirPlay and DLNA streaming
Access to Spotify Connect, QPlay and Internet radio stations also features
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Access to Spotify Connect, QPlay and Internet radio stations also features
BeoSound Essence will be available from spring 2014
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BeoSound Essence will be available from spring 2014
BeoSound Essence will retail at US$995, which will include a wall-mounted remote and a hide-away box
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BeoSound Essence will retail at US$995, which will include a wall-mounted remote and a hide-away box
Additional remotes will retail at US$200
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Additional remotes will retail at US$200
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AV design deity Bang & Olufsen has announced the launch of its BeoSound Essence sound system. The system is aimed at providing users with a simple means of listening to their digital music collection and, as ever with B&O, is a thing of beatific beauty.

The BeoSound Essence pairs with any B&O powered speakers and comprises two main components. An aluminium-cast remote, available as a wall-mount or table-top variant, allows users to control their music with one touch whilst a "hide-away box" sits near to the speakers and connects to the user’s music library or streaming services via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.

The system is compatible with AirPlay (certification pending) and DLNA streaming, as well providing access to Spotify Connect, QPlay and internet radio stations. A BeoSound Music app is also available, allowing users to browse and play music from their smartphone, tablet or PC.

A table-top version of the remote is also available
A table-top version of the remote is also available

B&O says that simplicity is at the heart of the BeoSound Essence and is aimed at encouraging users to listen to more music. The remote, therefore, only allows users to play or pause music, skip between tracks or Internet radio stations and mute or adjust the volume.

"BeoSound Essence is all about giving people easy access to their favorite music in Bang & Olufsen quality," the company's CEO Tue Mantoni said in a press release. "By applying our behavioral and ethnographic studies of how people live and live with music we have developed the simplest user interface available in the market for people who do not accept a compromise in terms of quality and performance. BeoSound Essence builds on Bang & Olufsen’s heritage of understanding user behavior and technology and breaking new ground to make things simple."

BeoSound Essence will be available from Q2 retailing at US$995 for a wall-mounted remote and hide-away box. Additional wall-mounted or table-top remotes will cost $200.

Source: Bang & Olufsen

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4 comments
4 comments
Joe F
Looks interesting, till you remember that you can do the same with cheap streamer and free phone app. $1000 = throwing money at designers to create fancy, overpriced crap. Not even a speaker included. What a joke.
mlmcasual
Wow.. a small china made plastic box media streamer and a remote control dial for $1,000 !!!! Sign me up
I mean the knob is made out of "Al you mini um" So ti must be worth that much.. shut up and take my money already!!
Robert Gillis
This latest BEO entertainment system simply attests to on-going research and innovation in the industry. Bang & Olufsen do make quality products, no arguments here! The two previous comments pretty well sums up my reaction, nevertheless!
the.other.will
Simplicity is great, esp. when it comes to remote controls, but it appears B&O has gone too far in the other direction. There's not enough to functions for someone like me who has a large collection of music, for example.