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There’s been plenty of speculation about what the third loudspeaker in B&O’s acoustic lens range will look like. The fact that it is under development is well-known, as is the fact that it will be positioned in the range between BeoLab 3 and BeoLab 5.

Here’s my concept, which mixes features of BeoCom 2 and the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai! Forming the aluminium enclosure may be problematic as it is curved and has a variable diameter. However, B&O have manage this on a smaller scale for the BeoCom 2, so it would be a good way for them to demonstrate how far their expertise in aluminium manufacture extends.

How did I come up with the concept?

B&O’s designs used to be composed entirely of straight lines, but recently they have become more defined by curves. New designs also seem to be quite different from current ones. A decade or so ago, new designs appeared to evolve from existing ones, but now each new product seems to have an entirely individual appearance, whilst still somehow being instantly recognisable as B&O.

So it seems clear that any new speaker design would have an entirely new appearance, making plenty of use of curves. The inspiration for this design was to attempt to integrate the curves of the acoustic lens into the design as fully as possible.

Viewed from the front, the contours of the acoustic lens are picked up by the edge of the black speaker fret. This describes a smoothh loop which arcs from the top of the lens, almost to the bottom of the speaker, before returning to the opposite side of the lens.

From the side, the back of the lens continues the line of the back of the main enclosure, while the front makes a smooth transition into the side of the speaker fret. How these lines resolve themselves in three dimensions is conveniently left out of these drawings - they are just intended to be a rough concept!

Position in range

• ‘Mainstream’ acoustic lens loudspeaker (BeoLab 5 is too expensive to be mainstream).
• Able to be used as main speakers or front speakers in a surround sound system (BeoLab 3 is too small for this).
• May eventually be seen as a replacement for BeoLab 6000 or BeoLab 8000, assuming B&O speaker design is moving towards acoustic lenses.
• Acoustic lens speakers are priced at a premium, so it will be more expensive than BeoLab 6000 or BeoLab 8000, possibly priced within 5% of BeoLab 1.

Implications of acoustic lens on appearance

• The lens must be mounted on top of the speaker enclosure.
• The top of the enclosure must be flat as it forms part of the lens. I don’t know what the constraints are on the shape of this surface, but round-ish or square-ish are good guesses.
• The lens must be at about the same height as the listener’s ears, when the listener is seated.
• I am assuming that the speaker will only have one acoustic lens, like BeoLab 3, rather than 2, like BeoLab 5.

Assumptions - form

• Separate visual identify from BeoLab 3 and BeoLab 5 - all B&O speakers in the current range have their own identities, so an existing design (BeoLab 3 or BeoLab 5) will not be scaled up or down.
• This speaker is a possible replacement for BeoLab 6000 and/or BeoLab 8000, so it will almost certainly be floor standing. (This has been confirmed since I originally wrote this.)
• Because the acoustic lens must be approximately ear-height when listener is seated, this indicates the the approximate height of the speaker - no taller than BeoLab 6000.
• The speaker is likely to be relatively narrow to allow one to be placed on each side of a TV screen. However, it’s likely to be wider than BeoLab 6000 and BeoLab 8000 to allow sufficient cabinet volume, given the reduced height.
• Not too deep, so as not to protrude too far into the room when placed next to a wall-mount flat panel TV.
• No cooling fins because of icePower - all outside metal surfaces can be smooth.

Naming

• BeoLab 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7-1 are taken.
• Possibly not BeoLab 4. 4 is considered unlucky in Japan - I assume BeoVision 4 is not sold in Japan…
• Maybe BeoLab 6.
• Maybe even BeoLab 7 if it is to be linked with surround sound, but confusion with BeoLab 7-1 is inevitable.
• Only other single-digit possibilities are 8 and 9 - not used other than A8 headphones and A9 keyring.
• My guess: BeoLab 6.

Unknowns

• How many drivers in the main cabinet? Probably more than 1.
• Cabinet principle? Pressure chamber? Bass reflex? Passive radiator?
• Drivers concealed behind cloth or perforated aluminium or in open air?
• Finishes, colours?