Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Bang & Olufsen’s BeoLab 50 speakers are a dream for minimalist audiophiles

Brendan Hesse
By

When we saw Bang & Olufsen’s BeoLab 90 at CES 2015 and were (rightfully) floored by the sound, outperforming even top-tier audiophile setups with multiple speakers. The only problem? The hyper-engineered BeoLab 90 sold for just under $80,000 for the pair upon release. To make its incredible tech somewhat more obtainable, Bang & Olufsen has introduced the BeoLab 50 loudspeaker, which is outfitted with some truly impressive trickle-down tech from its predecessor, and sells for “just” $38,000 (technically $37, 710) per pair. Sure, $20,000 per speaker is still a massive price tag that most anyone aside from yacht-owning hedge fund managers will balk at, but if you’re an absolute sound nut, that dent in your retirement savings may just be worth it.

It reads a room’s acoustics and modifies the sound output to suit its needs

Recommended Videos

Each Beolab 50 speaker is equipped with seven drivers, and each of those drivers has its own 300-watt amplifier built in (yes, you read that correctly), which makes for an incredible amount of control over the sound. Further, the BeoLab 50’s trio of ten-inch woofers, each of which can emit bass in different directions, can fill an entire room with incredible, uber-tight bass.

A pair of the powered speakers can be linked up into a master-slave configuration to source wired audio directly, but each individual speaker also features WiSA technology for high-resolution wireless connectivity. Developed as a standard for high-performance, wire-free surround sound audio, WiSA delivers lag-free, high resolution audio from compatible source devices. You’ll be able to connect high-end equipment like a WiSA-equipped Blu-ray player up to the BeoLab 50 and get perfect playback with no latency.

The hardware in the BeoLab 50 is certainly impressive, but Bang & Olufsen’s room tuning software included in the speaker is equally powerful.  The system reads a room’s acoustics and modifies the sound output to suit its needs, giving the user a remarkable amount of control and, if our experiences with the Beolab 90 speakers is any indication, immaculate clarity in almost any listening environment. Most impressively, the software allows you to place the sweet spot anywhere in the room, and thanks to all those independently amplified drivers, you can still have an incredible sound stage and imaging even if you can’t sit front and center. Better yet, if you’re listening with a group of people, the sweet spot placement is flexible enough that you can widen it to a larger area.

As mentioned above, many may find the price tag difficult to fish out from between the couch cushions and piggy banks, but in the world of audiophilia, it’s not all that outrageous — especially considering these powered speakers are virtually all you’ll need to power the listening room of your dreams, matching up (and even coming well under) many multi-component audiophile systems.

When it comes to design, these speakers live up to their regal price tag as well. While not as outlandish as the BeoLab 90’s downright surreal design, the BeoLab 50’s slender, silver-polished aluminum frame and oak wood lamellas are striking. To take things further into wealthy Bond-villain mode, the circular section on the top of each speaker unfolds when you power it on for some mechanical visual flair.

The BeoLab 50 is available from authorized retailers for just under $20,000 for one, or $38, 710 for a pair.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Brendan Hesse
Brendan Hesse
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Brendan has written about a wide swath of topics, including music, fitness and nutrition, and pop culture, but tech was…
Best refurbished AirPods deals: Save on Pro and Max
AirPods Pro resting on an iPhone with open charging case nearby.

If you're an Apple fanatic on a budget, refurbished AirPods are a great way to save money. Yes, they're technically used, but we're not talking about thrift store headphone deals here. These AirPods have all been professionally refurbished and tested to make sure they work just like they would straight out of the box. All of the AirPods deals below are from a site called Back Market, which has 30-day free returns on all of their AirPods offers. Plus, if your refurbished AirPods end up having any mechanical faults that affect their ability to function, you have a one-year warranty you can invoke. Every model of AirPod still being developed currently has a refurbished model on sale. Check them out below.
Apple AirPods 2 -- $89, were $130

The good old AirPods 2 won't let you down. They are the cheapest AirPods still being manufactured, and buying them refurbished brings the price well below $100. They don't have noise cancelling or some of the other models, but they still pair well with your iPhone, iPad or MacBook and have good sound. A pair in fair condition with a charging cable is pretty cheap. If the superficial scratches turn out to be too much for you, you can return them within 30 days. If the damage turns out to be technical rather than cosmetic, they have a one-year warranty so you can send them back or get a replacement for free.

Read more
Best soundbar deals: Save on Bose, LG, Samsung, Sony, and Vizio
Bose Smart Soundbar 900.

If you're just purchased a new TV but you're not impressed by its sound, the quick solution is to buy from soundbar deals. The slim design of new TVs leave little space for powerful speakers, so you'll need to augment the audio with a soundbar. The boost that they provide can create an immersive cinematic experience, so if you're interested, you should check out the offers that we've rounded up here. You have to make a decision soon though, as we're not sure when these discounts will get taken down. For additional help, check out our guide on how to buy a soundbar.
Insignia 2.0-channel Mini Soundbar -- $45, was $80

For a cheap soundbar that still gets the job done, go for the Insignia 2.0-channel Mini Soundbar. You'll have your choice between three different sound modes -- theater, news, and standard -- and you can also stream music to it from a mobile device through a Bluetooth connection. The soundbar's compact design also means that you can make it fit into tight spaces.

Read more
Best Buy expands its affordable Xumo TV lineup with Pioneer-branded models
A Pioneer Xumo TV from Best Buy.

Best Buy already has an exclusive on ultra-affordable smart TVs powered by the Xumo TV streaming platform and manufactured by Hisense, and now it plans to add additional Xumo TV models from Pioneer. The Pioneer Xumo TVs will be available in-store and online in November, in sizes ranging from 43- to 65-inches in size and from $270 to $500 in price.

Like the Hisense Xumo TVs, the Pioneer models will be loaded with the Xumo TV software that acts as both a smart TV platform, with support for a variety of apps, as well as the TV's default streaming service, Xumo Play. The latter is a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service with hundreds of ad-supported linear channels and on demand options.

Read more