Beosound Balance vs. Beosound 2

Today we have presented a new member of the Bang & Olufsen Family: Beosound Balance. Due to the sound, size and price, we would like to compare this new wireless speaker with one of our best-selling products in the same category, Beosound 2. We will try to clarify the similarities and differences of these two very exciting B&O products.

THE DESIGN

Beosound Balance and Beosound 2 are designed to fit anywhere. The days of wanting to try and hide your large stereo system are over. No matter where you place Beosound Balance and Beosound 2, they will look beautiful and elegant. But the expression of the two products is very different.

Beosound 2 is designed in pure aluminum, giving a cooler and simpler look. If you choose Beosound 2 in the aluminum color, it will also reflect the surroundings, blending in but at the same time, due to the naturally anodized, tapered and slightly curved cabinet, it creates a compact visual expression, which gives the edge and style to the interior.

Beosound Balance is designed in warm materials such as oak and woven fabric, giving a softer yet more marked expression. Beosound Balance is inspired by furniture, and the use of soft, exclusive materials such as natural solid oak, woven fabrics and aluminum components, made with great precision, is the manifestation of the perfect balance between elegant, beauty and unspoiled, pure sound.

THE SOUND

Beosound Balance offers an incredibly powerful and voluminous sound. With a total of 7 amplifiers and 7 driver units, Beosound Balance will deliver a powerful, dynamic yet sophisticated sound experience for larger living rooms.

Balance offers different audio experiences in one device. From sound that fills the entire room to directional sound. When raised from the floor and positioned close to the wall, the Beosound Balance delivers precisely controlled beams of sound for a clear audio experience in front of the speaker and rich sound behind the device. The result is an impressively great sound experience compared to its size.

Positioning against the wall is ideal for optimal listening experiences, whether it is sound that fills the whole room or sound that is aimed at the listener. With Beamforming technology, Beosound Balance delivers directional sound for focused listening experiences from multiple positions. And if the home, on the other hand, is full of guests, the unique acoustic configuration of seven units will deliver deep, precise bass and great sound that fills the entire room – all in one solution.

Beosound Balance has also been equipped with “Active Room Compensation”, which ensures that your Beosound Balance not only looks good, but also sounds good. The technology comes from the creation of our proudest speaker to date, Beolab 90. Reflections from furniture and wall surfaces affect the room’s acoustic properties and distort the sound of your speakers. The Active Room Compensation technology analyzes your room with an internal microphone and creates a set of custom filters that compensate for these reflections. The result is perfect, tailored sound in all your favorite listening positions.

Beosound 2 also offers an absolutely stunning sound. Using our Acoustic Lens Technology, the tapered speaker creates a 360-degree sound image that fills the entire room wherever you place it. The acoustic lens spreads the high frequencies of the sound in a horizontal range to cover a wider listening area while reducing floor and ceiling reflections. If you move around the room, you will find that Bang & Olufsen sound remains unchanged. The lens is beautifully crafted in extruded aluminum. Carefully processed and acoustically well thought out.

Beosound 2 offers slightly fewer speaker units than the Beosound Balance. A total of 5 amplifiers and 4 speakers. But don’t be fooled by the technical data, Beosound 2 no doubt offers a great and powerful sound experience, while the acoustic lens provides an incredibly clear and precise sound.

STREAMING

Beosound Balance is the first in a generation of products based on a new, advanced platform that will change our perception of what a sound product can be. Balance is a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connected speaker that allows you to easily stream from your favorite music services via AirPlay 2, Chromecast or Bluetooth. Beosound Balance does not have Bang & Olufsen Multiroom, but can seamlessly interact with the entire portfolio of 18 speakers in the Flexible Living category and deliver audio to TV products via AirPlay 2 and Chromecast.

Beosound 2 is also a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connected speaker, which allows you to stream via AirPlay 2, Chromecast or Bluetooth, but unlike Beosound Balance, Beosound 2 also offers streaming via Bang & Olufsen Multiroom which gives you the possibility to use the Bang & Olufsen app to start your music via Deezer or radio via TuneIn, as well as touch to join if you have multiple Bang & Olufsen multiroom products in your home installation.

Both speakers offer Voice Assistant through Google Assistant.

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