Bang & Olufsen product owners likely value aesthetic presence as much as they value high-quality audio reproduction. Having this in mind, the Danish manufacturer unveiled its BeoLab 11. Its striking, sculptural aesthetic was conceived by longtime B&O contributor David Lewis—who, like all of the company’s designers, B&O employs on a freelance basis in order to impart a creative freedom conducive to developing outside-the-box designs.
Visually, the BeoLab 11 is certainly a departure from the insipid cube chassis of traditional subwoofers. While users are generally inclined to hide such subwoofers in a corner or behind a couch, homeowners will want to show off the sculptural BeoLab 11, which can be easily mounted on a wall—a rarity in the realm of subwoofers because the significant vibrations they typically produce require them to be sturdily grounded.
Auditorily, the BeoLab 11 comprises dual facing 6.5-inch driver cones that omit minimal vibrations for crisp frequency responses down to 33Hz. While the BeoLab 11 is able to connect with products from other brands, it is best suited to be paired with other B&O products—a fact that will inspire current B&O product owners to add the BeoLab 11 to their collection. B&O has also made the new subwoofer’s anodized aluminum shell available in several colors to match a variety of interior-design schemes. Prices for the BeoLab 11, which arrived in U.S. showrooms in May, start at about $2,000, depending on mounting and color options.
