A SIGN OF DESIGN Home Entertainment
Cambridge Audio’s CXC CD transport Style as well as substance
One brand that has made a virtue out of outré design is Bang & Olufsen, and it’s not uncommon for it to launch new design iterations that harbour significant technology upgrades.
It recently relaunched two of its most iconic wireless speakers, the Beosound A9 and Beosound 2. Not only do they usher in a flurry of new finishes, they also utilise the brand’s upgradable Mozart software platform.
March 2023
ertonline.co.uk
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“Timeless design isn’t just about making products that are built to last, it’s also about creating designs that people will be captivated by and that they’re proud to own,” says Bang & Olufsen’s Vice President of Product Marketing, Michael Henriksson. This is now the fifth iteration of the Beosound A9 (above). Originally launched in 2012, its iconic circular design, created by Oivind Slaatto, seems just as fashion forward as it did more than a decade ago. For 2023, it comes with a new set of standard finishes: Black Anthracite, Gold Tone, and Natural, complemented by matching covers and stylish oak legs.
Meanwhile, the Beosound 2, now a third generation product (pictured below left), is getting a new black anthracite option, in addition to the existing gold tone and natural aluminium finishes. It’s also going to benefit from Active Room Compensation, which allows the speaker to detect where it’s being used in a room, and thereby optimise its performance accordingly. The adoption of the brand’s advanced Mozart processor brings with it a big increase in processing power and memory capacity. This allows the speakers to cope with whatever performance enhancing firmware upgrades are developed down the road. Mozart is also installed on a removable module, and can be upgraded if there’s a demand for new connectivity or streaming technologies. Bang & Olufsen has never been averse to using
a cosmetic refresh to rekindle consumer interest. Late in 2022, it collaborated with street artist Fin DAC, to produce a limited edition of the A9. His artwork featured a masked woman rendered in spray paint. The A9’s rear leg was finished in the same turquoise as the subject’s mask, while anodized brass aluminium was applied to the speaker rim. Previous A9 limited editions from the brand featuring work from French graphic designer, Alexis Jamet, and digital creator Manon Cezaro.
Back to black
Likewise, British Hi-Fi specialist Cambridge Audio has similarly injected new life into an existing range, specifically its award-winning CX Series 2 audio components, with a new limited Black Edition of its CXA61 and CXA81 stereo amps (pictured on pages 20-21), CXN network player and CXC CD transport. The separates benefit from a stylish aluminium
front plate in a matte black, enlivened with black gloss spot ‘CX Black Edition’ lettering. This new Black Edition range is expected to attract both the brand faithful, looking for a reason to take the plunge on an upgraded system, as well as appeal to hi-fi enthusiasts who merely want to add a new colour-matched kit to their existing stack of black-clad components. Adding urgency is the fact that only 1,000 units of each unit will be made available worldwide. Every purchase comes with a certificate of authenticity. These limited Black Editions will sit alongside the regular Lunar Grey models, which continue as standard. “Since we stopped making black hi-fi products, people have been asking us to bring them back. We decided to do this limited run, in response to that demand. This finish takes it to the next level,” says Cambridge Audio CEO, Stuart George. Design trends may be changing, but buyers are always ready to get back in black, it seems.
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