If you’re a true audiophile, you’re probably familiar with the Bang & Olufsen brand. They’ve been producing high-end electronics for nearly one hundred years. In a category where performance often comes before aesthetics, B&O has prioritized both, ensuring that their equipment looks as good as it sounds. As 4K TVs have become the standard for home viewing, B&O has integrated its world-class speakers into an all-in-one package. The newest edition is called the Harmony, and it promises to carry on B&O’s tradition of excellence.
Watch Me Whip
While the promise of incredible audio and a perfect picture will be a strong selling point for some, the aesthetics alone will be a significant draw for others. At rest, the Harmony sits squat, with its wings nested in front of the television. Upon powering the unit on, the television begins to rise, while the speakers rotate away from each other. This wing spreading dance is mesmerizing, and unlike any television design we’ve seen in the past.
The television, which upon unfolding, sits atop the speaker set is available in several sizes. Starting with a 65-inch set, you’ll enjoy the inky blacks and brightest colors that an OLED 4K television can offer. Their largest set, measuring 88 inches, offers a full 8K resolution that is sure to deliver a level of detail that you’ve never seen before.
“With Beovision Harmony, we wanted to create a meaningful object for the interior that reduces the visual presence of the TV and transforms it into something that people develop an emotional attachment to,” said John Mollanger, B&O’s Executive Vice President of Brand and Markets in an interview with Hi-Fi.
But the screen is only half the package.
Hear Me Nae Nae
Housed inside wood and aluminum casing is a three-channel speaker system. B&O has always offered a sound that you have to hear to believe, but I can tell you as an owner of some of their cheaper speakers, these are going to be incredible. Each unit has a one-inch tweeter, two 2.5-inch drivers, a 4-inch midrange speaker, and another 4-inch bass drivers. This system can integrate up to eight additional B&O speakers, so if you want to create a surround system in your living room, you can link them up.
For those that want serious performance, the addition of a supplemental subwoofer would be a good idea. This speaker setup isn’t deep, keeping the manufacturer from adding a low-end bass that most will want. However, after reading several first impressions from B&O’s grand reveal in Milan earlier this year, audiophiles are pleased with the range provided by this setup.
Now Watch Me
Are you sitting down? Because we’re about to hit you with the price. The smallest set available, at 65-inches, will set you back $16,600. This setup will net you the OLED television, stand, winged speaker system, and a fancy remote control. The high-end 88-inch setup is nearly thrice the price, at $47,600. But think of how incredible that setup will look amongst your mid-century furniture.
The full Harmony lineup will be available in October, so you’ve still got some time to dump your Tesla stock to buy one of these things. Now you’ll have to decide what size and finish will accentuate your decor the best. Good luck!
