B&O's BeoLink Wireless 1

They announced it a full ten days ago with exactly zero fanfare, but we're just today getting word about Bang & Olufsen's BeoLink Wireless 1 system, their take on a wireless distributed home audio solution. You'd think that the receivers themselves might have integrated speakers (just look at that picture), but no, you've got to plug them into the wall, and then into a pair of speakers in the room you're transporting your audio to. They use a proprietary 2.4GHs DSSS wireless transport for the audio, and can support up to 21 rooms with three BeoLink transmitters. No word on price or launch time frame, but it's B&O, so it'll cost ya. [Warning: PDF link!]

[Via Sybarites, thanks Stevie J]

[Dan @ Apr 14th 2006 5:20PM]

I know that it is fashionable to rip-on Bang & Olufsen for their admittedly overpriced gear, but I must say that their fantastic (comfortable, acoustically superior, physically durable, and relatively affordable) earphones do redeem the company to some minor degree.

http://www.bang-olufsen.com/web2/systems/product.asp?section=systems&sub=ls&ProdID=33

[dave @ Apr 14th 2006 5:27PM]

Sonos is a way better solution for home music in the house. It works perfectly out of the box -- you can link 32 of them together with a mess network and it just works... Don't bother with this...

[gwiner @ Apr 14th 2006 9:13PM]

This is obviously not targeted at the non-B&O audience. If anyone had RTFA, you would see that this basically extends B&O's Master Link system, which actually can provide zoned audio with the appropriate configuration. Granted their equipment is overpriced in some respects, but it is extremely well integrated and works seemlessly with nearly every piece they've made since around 1985. This will be a big boon to current B&O users, IMHO.

[Perrey Z. @ Apr 16th 2006 7:37PM]

First of all it's not THAT attrative., and knowing how B&O markets it's products, and it's cult following, this puppy won't come cheap.

It's true some of their products are of good quality and seem to be very durable compare to normal gear, and at times like in the case of their telephones are unique in their own style.

An audio or video product regardless of the manufacturer or manufacturing method does not have to be priced base solely on design.

[Derrick @ Dec 20th 2006 2:50PM]

Does this have a hard drive for storage like the Olive Musica (http://www.olive.us) ? Or is it more like the Sonos systems (http://www.S0N0S.COM) ?

[Bad Droid @ Sep 3rd 2007 11:21PM]

This piece of gear is designed to mate to your main B&O audio/video product. Its main purpose is to delete the need for the Master Link cable to the link rooms. You still need an active kit if you are using the Beolab series speakers or an Passive kit if you are using after market passive speakers in those link rooms. I install large B&O systems, even though I'm not a big fan of other B&O products, these seem to work fine and do their job. They are not made to look sexy on your coffee table. You mount them in a cabinet or closet, they are the brains to your link room.