Hardware

Published on April 3rd, 2014 | by Admin

BLACK IS THE NEW BLACK – BEOPLAY A9

When BeoPlay A9 was unveiled in November 2012 it took the world by storm. Both critics and audiences around the globe were left stunned by the iconic shape, elegant appearance and outstanding sound of the sound system that has already been labelled a design classic less than a year after its launch.

One of the greatest features of the BeoPlay A9 is the timelessness of its appearance – its ability to change expression depending on the cover and legs you chose to put on it.

Today B&O PLAY adds a subtle but significant change to the product: a black back side coating instead of the regular white back side coating – and a black anodized aluminium speaker ring instead of the previous silver metallic natural anodized aluminium speaker ring.

This gives you another – more dramatic – perhaps even masculine dimension to BeoPlay A9 – a sound system that was designed to look beautiful from all possible angles.  It’s also a discrete nod to a point in time where every stereo and speaker had to be shiny black and bulky.  But that is also about as retro as the sound system gets – the inside is filled with best-in-class technology and with the recent addition of Spotify Connect BeoPlay A9 gives you on-demand digital access to more than 20 millions songs at the touch of a single button. 

ONE-POINT STREAMING

BeoPlay A9 is a one-point music player that streams through both AirPlay with iOS devices and DLNA with Android devices.  The sound system packs a hefty 480 watts digital Class D amplifier system with separate amps for each of the 5 built-in speaker units. Included in this is an imposing 8-inch unit that lays down authoritative and tightly controlled bass through the bass port reflex construction hidden behind the unit.

Thanks to Bang & Olufsen’s patented Adaptive Bass Linearisation technology BeoPlay A9 delivers accurate and powerful bass at all listening levels. The digital algorithm constantly monitors and adjusts the bass signal to root out distortion and protect the drivers inside.  And, with 3 pre-set room-positioning options to choose from, you can easily optimise the sound according to the speaker’s location.

FULL FLEXIBILITY

BeoPlay A9 both fits in and stands out. Use the wooden legs to place it on the floor – or the wall bracket to mount it on the wall. You can also change the front cover in a snap – and make it match your mood and interior.  Whatever your taste and preference BeoPlay A9 can be customized to adapt to it.

Choose from 10 different front covers and 6 different types of legs. A full list of customization options can be found at www.beoplay.com/a9.

CHANGE OF MATERIALS

Going forward B&O PLAY has decided to change the selection of wood to reflect the current trends of the market. This means that teak tree will be replaced with walnut tree – and that beech tree will be replaced with maple tree in the future.

The characteristic of walnut is that the heartwood colour varies a lot. It ranges from light to yellow/grey/brown to an almost violet colour tone. The structure of the wood makes the tree’s growth rings quite visible, although they are not sharply defined. They are often fluctuant and uneven in both width and flow. Walnut is a popular choice with those who prefer a darker interior styling.

The characteristic of maple is a very white to slightly yellowish and ivory colour. In structure, the growth rings are only slightly visible with a weak brown line.

It is a bright wood sort with a Scandinavian look – and maple from Denmark is actually perceived to be the best quality in the world. 

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

BeoPlay A9 is designed by Øivind Alexander Slaatto, a young award-winning Danish designer known for his emphasis on clean lines, elegant functionality and expert use of materials. 

PRICING

BeoPlay A9 Black Edition is priced at AUD $2690, NZ $3650

Now available at Bang & Olufsen stores, and selected design and department stores.

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#BeoPlayA9


About the Author

andrew@impulsegamer.com'


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