Denmark-based Bang & Olufsen, world renowned for their combination of stylish flair and high end audio technology, recently introduced a new compact audio system which sports a CD player, FM radio and Secure Digital media card slot for music recording and playback. The new BeoSound 4 is, like other Bang & Olufsen products, only available for demo in an official company retail outlet.
The Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 4 rests on a conic foot of polished aluminum and has an angled zinc body which places the display and dark glass panel directly in front of its owner. Wall and floor stand options also exist for better presentation. When one first approaches the BeoSound 4, the panel is closed. A quick movement of the hand in front of the player changes this however, raising the panel up to reveal 23 control buttons and two navigation wheels.
Also revealed by the raised glass panel is a SD memory card slot. Working in conjunction with the BeoSound 4?s CD player or radio, users can record audio directly to an inserted SD/MMC card for later playback on the audio system or a similar compatible device. The BeoSound 4 is also capable of handling MP3 and WMA music files stored on a SD/MMC card and can display song information on the large text display as music plays.
Use of the built-in CD player is done through a press of the ?load? button, which raises the glass panel further to reveal the CD playing mechanism. After the CD has been put in and the music started, the glass panel closes again to remove the distraction of the spinning disc. Navigation of song selection, as well as control of functions like volume, is handled through the silver colored navigation wheels.
As far as FM radio broadcasting goes, the BeoSound 4 is capable of supporting FM with RDS for displaying information such as station name or program type and DAB for the transmission of near CD quality sound with additional radio and data services in compatible markets. 99 radio presets with naming are also supported.
Other features of the BeoSound 4 include dimensions of 11 1/8? x 12 1/4? x 9 1/2″ when the lid is closed, a weight of 8.8 pounds, optional Internet radio support and audio auxiliary, FM aerial and headphone connections. The BeoSound 4 is also compatible with Bang & Olufsen?s BeoLink solutions for wired and wireless in-home audio delivery across multiple rooms.
More details on the BeoSound 4 can be found at Bang & Olufsen?s Web site.
