I drove to Beverly Hills Wednesday harboring mild feelings of uncertainty, even skepticism. Audio/video product manufacturer Bang & Olufsen, however, swiftly alleviated me of those sentiments. That afternoon, the Danish company hosted a select group of A/V journalists to witness the launch of its newest TV, the BeoVision 4, and we are only the second group in the U.S. to behold the sight—a similar event took place in New York about two weeks earlier. My skepticism to the launch was derived from the fact that the BeoVision 4 utilizes Panasonic’s 103-inch plasma display panel, and my cynical journalistic intuition told me to be weary of an $111,000 aesthetic redesign. My instincts, however, proved contradictory to reality. The BeoVision 4 is far more than a simple redesign of Panasonic’s behemoth plasma. B&O has implemented a whole slew of jaw-dropping functions and, when the black silk cloak was removed and the capabilities toted, reactions ranged from simple oohs and aahs to flabbergasted open-mouthed gawking.
The BeoVision 4 is a testament to the incredible industrial designs for which B&O is known. When turned on, the 600-pound monitor rises silently from about three inches to about two feet off the floor, exposing the triangular BeoLab 10 center channel speaker, which moves forward once the monitor has reached its peak. A fail-safe tension sensor ensures that pets—or small children—will not be crushed when the weighty monitor lowers. The same motor that operates the TV’s elevator mechanism also enables it to rotate 20 degrees to the left or right, and tilt it four degrees forward or backward. The TV’s base weighs another 600 pounds, though it is possible to have just the monitor mounted on wall if the client so chooses. (Priced at $96,000 without the base.) The BeoVision 4 is equipped with a color-management sensor that automatically measures and adjusts color contrast and brightness according to the amount of light in the room. It has a 100,000-hour screen life and comes with a three-year warranty.
When a client expresses interest in purchasing the TV, representatives from B&O’s international network of dealers and installers take him or her through an extensive process to ensure that the installation environment is adequate to support all 1,200 pounds. Once the checklist is completed, the TV is built to fit the client’s specific needs, and B&O’s white-glove service delivers the TV to its new owner. It is indeed a product that requires a certain standard of living. Dave Zapfel, B&O America’s product manager, reiterated one of the company’s slogans: “Customize your environment to fit your lifestyle.”
The event:
About $1.3 million worth of British steel and automotive engineering greeted me as I approached the Aston Martin dealership where the launch took place. Aston Martin and B&O have an established partnership—Aston’s DBS model, which sat waiting inside the dealership where the BeoVision 4 unveiling would shortly occur, is equipped with a top-notch B&O sound system. In terms of quality and performance, the two companies have achieved a smashing bond. (Puns intended—Daniel Craig’s stunt driver totals at least one Aston in each of the two most recent 007 films.)
The event itself was prepared in typical Beverly Hills fashion. Lunch included an array of sautéed veggies, gourmet sandwiches, and desserts. A bartender served up complimentary beverages, of which a Perrier-Jouët cuvée was the most notable. It was a little early for me to start imbibing, plus I never drink on the job unless it’s to partake in one of Brett Andersen’s famous wine parties—our editor-in-chief is an international wine connoisseur who often rewards his hardworking editorial staff by sharing the surplus of his extensive collection. B&O’s new media server, the BeoSound 5, provided the background music prior to the unveiling (see the September “Wired” issue of Robb Report Collection), while industry journalists exchanged A/V gossip. Robb Report’s home electronics expert Brent Butterworth was in attendance. He shares his thoughts on B&O’s new super TV in our Web site’s New & Noteworthy section.
Since Panasonic’s $50,000 massive monitor was first unveiled at the Consumer Electronics in 2006, the Japanese electronics superpower has sold thousands of units to professional and consumer clients alike, indicating that there is no such thing as “too big” in the display panel market. Thus, the product development team at B&O deemed the Panasonic plasma a worthy platform from which to build the BeoVision 4. Zean Nielsen, president of B&O America, thanked the group for coming to the event as we took our seats in preparation for the unveiling. By way of introduction, he explained his company’s reasoning behind launching such an expensive product in the economic recession. “Why the hell not?” Nielsen asked just before removing the silk sheet. (847.590.4900, www.bang-olufsen.com)
