The Danish company Bang & Olufsen has introduced a compact wireless audio system Beolab 8 , which can work as a monoblock, play in a stereo pair or be part of a home theater surround sound system.
The versatility and technology of Beolab 8 is in some ways reminiscent of Apple’s HomePod. Like HomePod, Beolab 8 can automatically calibrate sound using its built-in microphone to the acoustic characteristics of the room and create a more diffuse sound field that fills the room. However, the analogies with HomePod end when it comes to the choice of construction materials and finishes, as well as price.
The Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8 wireless audio system is equipped with a 5.25-inch bass driver, a 3-inch midrange driver and a 0.6-inch tweeter. The new product features channel-by-channel amplification – the mid-frequency driver and tweeter are served by 50-watt amplifiers, and the bass is powered by a 200-watt amplifier. All of them operate in class D. The audio system supports Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6 (IEEE 802.11ax) wireless standards.
Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8 features UWB (Ultra Wideband) technology, which allows you to dynamically change the focus of the acoustic sweet spot depending on the location of your phone. This technology only works in stereo pair mode and only with iPhone 11 or later smartphone models from Apple.
The Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8 wireless audio system can be integrated with Bang & Olufsen TVs and the Beosound Theater soundbar and act, for example, as the rear speakers of a surround sound system or the front pair of a home cinema. They can be connected using Powerlink cables or wirelessly via WiSA. It is not possible to connect them directly to TVs of other brands, since Beolab 8 does not have an HDMI input.
The Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8 wireless audio system can be placed on a table or shelf, on a wall, on a ceiling or on a proprietary floor stand. The aluminum body will be available in natural aluminum, gold and black (from February 2024). Prices for the new product start from 2,499 euros/2,749 US dollars/2,199 pounds sterling and depend on finishing materials. Sales in Europe and North America are scheduled to begin on October 30.
