REVIEW them as they faded away. Some other composed nature, yet pick out loudspeakers make them sound like everything lurking in a recording. rusty dustbin lids by comparison. I cannot think of too many other At the bottom end, the loudspeakers, at any price, that serve combination of ten inch driver and up the midrange and treble of these 500W amplifier makes itself known units. in a surprisingly subtle way, as the Starting at the top, the treble is Beolab 9s have an aura of effortcompletely free of the sometimes slightly ragged nature that can arise lessness about them. Should you from devices that spread output over so wish, they are more than happy a wide area. Deflectors and omnito headbang or turn your lounge directional designs invariably generate into a nightclub, yet the bass drum a commensurate sense of space rolls across the soundstage of Steve and atmosphere, but sometimes fall Earle's 'Copperhead Road' had down with detailing. The Beolab 9s realism and an underlying authority are truly accomplished in this area, that is usually only achieved by which speaks volumes regarding the cranking up the volume. The Beolab design and implementation of the 9's bass has no colouration or boom acoustic lenses that they use. and is a testament to the cabinet A prodigious soundstage design and construction This also emanates from the Bang & Olufsen have designed has the advantage of adding to the Beolab 9s and no a loudspeaker that makes superb feeling of realism that they generate matter what material use of their technologies, from - once again you are left with the you put through the highly efficient and powerful instruments and no unpleasant side them, they disappear ICEpower amplifiers at the bass end, effects. more effectively to the Acoustic Lens technology than most other that lifts treble performance CONCLUSION loudspeakers I can comfortably above the rest of the Let's start with the obvious point think of, leaving crowd. The Beolab 9s are superbly straightaway - yes, you can buy a very you alone with engineered and built loudspeakers impressive amplifier and loudspeaker the music. with each area of the frequency combination for the Beolab 9's Even more range expertly integrated to, and purchase price of £5,000, however I uncanny is thus complementing perfectly, the suspect you would struggle to find the way you other areas. Not only are they a seven hundred genuine watts for this can move amount and, to be frank, I think this is technical accomplishment but, more away from importantly, are a musical delight missing the point. With loudspeakers what would Yes, we're a serious hi-fi like these, you are paying your normally be magazine, but these are serious money to buy not only top quality considered loudspeakers that add another nail drive units and amplification, but the as the stereo to the coffin of the idea of Bang & knowledge that they have all been hot spot, and Olufsen equipment being 'all style mated together properly and set up the image and no substance'. for optimum performance. stays rocksolid. You have to be quite a long way off-axis before the band or orchestra vanishes and the two loudspeakers reappear, meaning that these 'speakers are an absolute must-audition for those who prize imaging and realism above all else. Of course, imaging is all Output from the Beolab 9s remains increase the bass rolloff point. As a very well but if instruments generally flat across the frequency result, this will be useful for fine-tuning are not faithfully conveyed, range, with a rise in output above the loudspeakers' output depending on then all that hard design work 10kHz. This will mean that the Beolab their positioning, without just 'killing off' ends up ruined. This most 9s should have an even, but clean and low bass output. certainly is not the case with crisp sound with good high frequency AS the Beolab 9s, as instrument detail. representation was impeccable. FREQUENCY RESPONSE The Acoustic Lens on the tweeter During auditioning I found spreads the output from the dome very myself searching out tracks that effectively and measurement shows incorporate lots of percussive very consistent results off-axis - this will work wonders for the imaging and elements, as the Beolab 9s have astonishing powers of revelation mean that the Beolab 9s should not have a narrow and distinct 'hot spot' with such items. Drum kits had Bass output from the sealed depth and power to them, with ten inch driver is good, with rolloff each stick strike having real commencing at around 40Hz. The three Green - 'Free' position feeling. Cymbals were the best position location switch introduces Red - 'Wall' position of all, however, with a beautifully cuts of up to 2 and 4dB in the 60metallic ring and an almost 100Hz region, but does not appreciably Blue - 'Corner' position shimmering sense of decay to
".the Beolab 9s have an aura of effortlessness about them." MEASURED PERFORMANCE
P10-P13§ subbed.indd 13
Superb loudspeakers with first-rate sound and genuine technical innovation, wrapped in B&O's trademark stylish package.
BANG & OLUFSEN BEOLAB 9 £5,000 Bang & Olufsen (UK) +44 (0)118 969 2288 www.bang-olufsen.com
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www.hi-fiworld.co.uk
VERDICT
FOR - stunning treble clarity - stable soundstaging - overall integration
AGAINST - connection to non-B&O equipment could be easier...
JUNE 2007 HI-FI WORLD
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