Bang & Olufsen's high-end Beolab 8 is a stylish, versatile and compact speaker
Bang & Olufsen has revealed the newest addition to its Beolab range of speakers. The new Beolab 8 is designed to be a versatile, compact wireless speaker, with B&O claiming that the flexible and attractive unit can be used solo, paired as part of a stereo duo, or else linked with other models for an immersive home cinema set-up (provided said models were created in or after 1984).
Featuring a three-driver set-up consisting of a 16mm tweeter, 76mm midrange and a 133mm woofer, the Beolab 8 incorporates numerous smart features for what B&O hopes will be enhanced sonic capabilities. The speaker's beam width control, for instance, allows users to switch between listening profiles for either a narrower listen or a wider, more diffused sound, while the 8's "room compensation" optimises the soundscape based on a given space's acoustic character. There's also wide-band tech incorporated within the Beolab 8, allowing it to direct its acoustic sweet spot based on a user's phone location through the official B&O app.
Speaking of apps, the Beolab 8 uses the Danish brand's Mozart platform as its central operating system, and can connect either to wi-fi or Bluetooth 5.3. Powerlink, meanwhile, facilitates wireless and wired connectivity.
It wouldn't be a new Bang & Olufsen release without some striking, high-end design flair. Using premium materials, the Beolab 8 is another unique piece from the Scandinavian manufacturer, with an aluminium body combined with either wooden lamellas or a fabric front, depending on your choice. The rather attractive glass interface that forms the speaker's top, meanwhile, "creates a perfect curve that guides the user's finger along the surface effortlessly". So say its makers, anyway.
The new model is designed with the planet in mind, too. Using quality, degradable resources that B&O promises can be continuously customised, serviced and/or upgraded over time, the Beolab 8 can adapt to the latest tech standards, something we saw recently with the company's future-proofed Beosound A9 and Beosound 2 wireless speakers.
“Our goal is to create powerful and immersive listening experiences for our customers. Beolab 8 provides this", says Michael Henriksson, Bang & Olufsen's VP of Product Marketing. "It is a scalable speaker that is all about flexibility, performance and innovation."
The Beolab 8 is available now in an array of customisable colourways, including silver & natural aluminium, gold-tone or black anthracite, pairable with speaker covers in either oak, light oak, dark oak or classic fabric. Prices start from £2199 / $2749 (further prices pending).
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