Tested B&O Beosound Stage Another sexy Scandi takes centre stage

Hold my Beo…

B&O finally wades into the soundbar scrap with the Beosound Stage –predictably expensive and predictably stylish, which is just how we like it

from R34 000 / incredible.co.za

You can’t rush the Danes –they do things in their own time. This, the Beosound Stage, is Bang & Olufsen’s attempt to bring some of its Scandinavian stylishness to the soundbar… but, like Axl Rose performing live, it’s arrived hideously late.

So does the Stage represent Axl solo (rubbish), or Axl with Guns N’ Roses (epic, but possibly not worth the money)? B&O reckons this is a complete audio system, not just a speaker for your TV, and it will be just as happy streaming music as it is putting a rocket up your favourite Dolby Atmos soundtrack.

In terms of specs, there’s just one model… but it’s available in four finishes, from this R34 000 aluminium/black sample to the R52 000 oak/grey version. Function dictates form with soundbars, though, so there’s not much scope for B&O’s design magic here. This one is going to have to justify its price almost entirely on how it performs.

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Beo belly At 110cm wide and 17cm tall (1), the Stage is a pretty imposing speaker – it’s going to look too big sitting under a TV of less than 55in or so. And though there are cutaways to aid wall-mounting at either end of the back of the unit, it weighs 8kg – so make sure your plastering is up to it. Beo taps The frame is formed of a single piece of very lightly brushed aluminium, and at its top left there are touch-sensitive controls (2) for volume, source selection, power on/off and Bluetooth pairing. And, unlike a lot of touch controls, they actually are sensitive.

GOOD MEH EVIL

Typically elegant design Chromecast and AirPlay 2 on board

Just the one HDMI input

Beo goggles Physical connections include only one HDMI input, plus a 3.5mm analogue input and an Ethernet socket. The app is predictably good-looking, making setup and multiroom integration easy. It also has listening modes, internet radio access, DLNA support and direct Deezer access.

Bluetooth 4.2 is hardly cutting-edge

Choose ‘pricey’ or ‘very pricey’

Supports Dolby Atmos and Vision

TESTED B&O BEOSOUND STAGE

Get the Beos in Any music service other than Deezer will have to be streamed via Chromecast, AirPlay 2 or Bluetooth – and the Stage only uses Bluetooth 4.2, which is a pity. Is this not your first bit of B&O kit? Firstly, someone’s doing alrighty… and secondly, there’s BeoLink Multiroom on board. Ginger Beo Prefer warmer hues in your luxury log cabin? The bronze and taupe version is the same price as our monochrome sample.

Craft Beo

B&O’s accomplished digital processing and judicious layout of drivers produce a sound that’s way wider and taller than the bar itself. Bold, detailed, well organised and decently punchy, the Stage offers more than enough power and dexterity to bring films and music to life.

Tech specs

Output 11x 50W Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, DLNA, Chromecast, BeoLink Multiroom, HDMI, 3.5mm input, Ethernet Dimensions 1100x170x80mm, 8kg

Only here for the Beo

We lift up the Kvadrat grille for a poke around inside

Q Threely given The driver array consists of three 19mm tweeters, four 38mm mid-range drivers and four 101mm woofers. B&O reckons this line-up allows the Stage to deliver a true three-channel (left, centre and right) presentation. Q Totally amped There are 11 power amps inside, one for each driver and each turning out 50W of power. 550W from an enclosure as compact as this is more than enough for movie soundtracks to have all the depth and dynamism they need.

the Beosound Stage’s engine compartment… Q Highly rated A tweeter and mid-range driver at either end of the bar are angled to fire upwards –along with some fearsome B&O digital processing tech, these allow Dolby Atmos soundtracks to enjoy unexpected height. Q Lightly grilled The utterly consistent 2mm gap between frame and Kvadrat fabric grille is deliberate, and is intended to add a ‘floating’ element to the Stage’s appearance. The grille can be removed for a more purposeful, less elegant appearance.

Understated yet opulent, the Beosound Stage has the performance to back up its svelte appearance and premium price. The scale and weight of its sound are at odds with its looks, and this soundbar is just as capable with music as it is with a full-on Dolby Atmos movie soundtrack.