How do connoisseurs view Bang & Olufsen, the leading Scandinavian audio brand? Vol.1 Takahiro Goko

How do connoisseurs view Bang & Olufsen, the leading Scandinavian audio brand?
Vol.1 Takahiro Goko

Since its establishment in 1925, the Danish luxury audio brand "Bang & Olufsen," commonly known as "B&O," has combined a commitment to sound with a futuristic, solid, and beautiful appearance. In the late 1990s, B&O made a name for itself as a cutting-edge audio brand that was coveted by those interested in interior design and fashion. At that time, it was a kind of status to have a home theater with a speaker sound system by one's favorite brand. Since then, audio products have become more compact as they have become lighter and sleeker. We will now talk about the newly released Beoplay HX headphones and the Beosound A1 2nd Gen portable speakers, which have already become the new face of Bang & Olufsen, even though they have only been on the market for a short time,This columnIt is well-known for its "Swimsuit DepartmentWe asked Mr. Takahiro Goko of "Bang & Olufsen" to review the latest Bang & Olufsen products. How did the latest Bang & Olufsen products look to Mr. Goko, who lives a dual-location life in Tokyo and Dazaifu?

Photo_Masayuki Nakaya

Text_Gyota Tanaka

Edit_Ryo Komuta

PROFILE

Takahiro Goko

President, Swimsuit Department

After working for United Arrows and Landscape Products, he established Swimsuit Department in 2010. In September 2015, he presided over the first modernism show in Japan.
swimsuit-department.com."

The quintessence of Danish design.

Beosound A1 2nd Gen portable speakers, what are your honest first impressions?

First of all, I was surprised by the packaging. There is excitement when opening the package, and the sophistication of the body material, design, round punching, and use of leather is outstanding, and there is not a single unpleasant thing about it. Like Louis Paulsen, George Jensen, and others, I felt that this is something that can only be found in Denmark. It seems to fit in well with not only Scandinavian goods, but also with Japanese antiques and any other items.

Portable speaker ".Beosound A1 2nd GenThe "Mere Old Man" weighs in at 558 grams. It offers up to 18 hours of playback for its size, a built-in voice assistant, and is completely waterproof. 3 built-in microphones make it ideal for online meetings and hands-free calls.

I think the design is really sophisticated. By the way, have you ever owned a portable speaker?

It's my first time. At first, I put it on my dining room table at home, but I had the impression that the sound was unexpectedly muffled. But when I used it outside in a large parking lot, it was great. I used them at a garage sale I held in Dazaifu and they worked great. My personal impression is that if the speakers are placed in the line of sight, the sound will be muddy, so I prefer the image of placing them on the floor in a spacious area and having the sound fall (radially) from above. Besides, the dedicated Bang & Olufsen app has an equalizer, so it's convenient now. I remember that a long time ago, I wanted a "Kenwood" equalizer.

That's a nostalgic episode (laughs). (Laughs.) So what about modern Bluetooth controls, such as smartphone connections and app equalizers?

I actually resisted Bluetooth connectivity for audio, including earphones and amplifiers, but I regret not having used it before, or rather, I wish I had used it earlier.