The start of 2012 saw Bang & Olufsen make a fresh comeback into the market by launching B&OPlay, a new line of wireless speakers, which marked a revolutionary development in the direction of the Danish company renowned for its integrated home systems.
Recently, the Beo A9 was added to this range, and has stunned audiophiles with its bizarre, almost UFO-like structure that seems to complement home decor, yet simultaneously stand out. Designed by Øivind Alexander Slaatto, the disk-shaped A9 flaunts a touch sensor that controls volume simply by swiping one’s hand across it (the system also can be muted by resting one’s hand on top of it). Two 3/4 inch tweeters and two 3-inch midrange units – driven by 80 watt class D amplifiers – along with an 8 inch bass unit are packed within the sleek design that produces powerful, yet crystal clear sound that envelopes the space the speaker is placed in.
The A9 comes with three wooden legs in oak, beach or teak, which can be unscrewed to let the 14 kilogramme disk sit smoothly on the floor, or hang like an expressionist painting on a wall bracket. It is also available in a six different colours that range from elegant white to a vibrant red. As with all other B&O Play products, the A9 can be connected to an Apple or Android device and wirelessly streams music using Airplay via WiFi, and is priced at Rs 1.5 lakh approximately.
Text by Aashmita Nayar