Bang & Olufsen introduces a major breakthrough in wireless sound in three new design icons

DEERFIELD, Ill., and STRUER, Denmark, Oct. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Bang & Olufsen announces the launch of a new range of high-end wireless speakers today. All three speakers are distinctive proponents of Bang & Olufsen's unique design idiom – and unlike anything currently on the marketplace.  The all-digital active speakers leverage the new WiSA standard for multi-channel wireless sound to provide acoustic performance beyond anything you have heard without cables. The untethered flexibility means that adding stunning sound to any room has never been easier.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131030/CG07110)

With the launch of three new wireless speakers, Bang & Olufsen once again confirms the brand's dedication to outstanding acoustics, uncompromising design and craftsmanship, and technological innovation that makes life simpler for discerning users.

The new wireless line-up includes BeoLab 17, an extremely flexible, compact speaker with very large sound reproduction; BeoLab 18, the latest incarnation of Bang & Olufsen's sculpturally iconic audio columns for walls or floor; and BeoLab 19, a radically redesigned subwoofer that pumps refined bass with a visceral punch – and looks too good to hide.

"These new speakers are at the vanguard of a new era of high-end sound," says Lars Fredsgaard, Speaker Category Director at Bang & Olufsen. "Until now, speakers with this level of performance had to be wired. Our latest launch uses a robust wireless standard with enough bandwidth and channels to deliver a listening experience the way the artist intended it. Upgrading to premium sound – without downgrading your decor – is now available in three ways."

All-new, inside and out

While they have integrated the WiSA standard into the new speakers, Bang & Olufsen has also rethought practically everything about exterior design, custom-made components and dedicated digital sound engines.

With an acoustic lens tweeter and 21-lamella front, available in solid oak as well as black or white, BeoLab 18 marks a quantum leap in the evolution of Bang & Olufsen's signature column speakers. BeoLab 17's wedge-like form makes it easy to place anywhere from bookshelves to walls. Additionally, BeoLab 19, the subwoofer, draws on the extraordinary rigidity of a 12-faced dodecahedron and two drivers operating in-phase to eliminate unwanted vibrations.

All three speakers come equipped with new sound engines that include thermal protection, Adaptive Bass Linearization and a room position switch, so they deliver crystal-clear definition whatever you play on them and wherever you place them.

Immaculate Wireless Sound

Bang & Olufsen is launching the three new speakers under its Immaculate Wireless Sound concept.

Sound that is reproduced as the artist intended it to be has long been a Bang & Olufsen hallmark. With Immaculate Wireless sound, Bang & Olufsen brings this tradition of acoustic authenticity into the wireless age for the first time ever.

WiSA – the new wireless standard

Since all three speakers run on the new WiSA standard, all you need to do is plug the active speakers into the mains in a room with any WiSA-compliant transmitter in order to link wirelessly to your TV, Blu-ray player or set-top box.

For example, all Bang & Olufsen Immaculate Wireless Sound speakers work seamlessly, simply and spectacularly with the WiSA-updated BeoVision 11 television. With WiSA-compliant transmitters and receivers integrated into the physical and digital design, Bang & Olufsen now delivers unparalleled acoustic performance in a wireless surround setup. Of course, you can also connect the new speakers with wires, just as you can add wireless speakers to an existing wired setup if so desired.

The Wireless Speaker and Sound Association (WiSA) platform utilizes the relatively uncongested 5.2–5.8 GHz range to avoid interference from other signals, and to provide enough bandwidth to stream 24-bit, uncompressed music at native sampling rates. WiSA is the first wireless system in the U-NII band that provides multi-channel performance – up to a full 7.1 surround configuration.

"Since 1925, Bang & Olufsen has been dedicated towards providing the ultimate sound experience to our brand enthusiasts through our innovations in technology, design and craftsmanship," states Zean Nielsen, President of Bang & Olufsen America, Inc. "With the launch of these three revolutionary products and due to the fact that we are the very first company to market a WiSA certified loudspeaker, we have high expectations for the new speaker platform and look forward to introducing them to the American marketplace."

BeoLab 17, 18 and 19 wireless speakers will be available during the month of November at Bang & Olufsen stores worldwide.

For more press information, images to download please visit:

www.bang-olufsen.com/presskit-17-18-19

Bang & Olufsen was founded in Struer, Denmark, in 1925 by Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen, two innovative, young engineers devoted to high quality audio reproduction. Since then, the brand has become an icon of performance and design excellence through its long-standing craftsmanship tradition and the strongest possible commitment to high-tech research and development.

Still at the forefront of domestic technology, Bang & Olufsen has extended its comprehensive experience with integrated audio and video solutions for the home to other areas such as the hospitality and automotive industries in recent years. Consequently, its current product range epitomizes seamless media experiences in the home as well as in the car and on the move.

For more information on Bang & Olufsen, please visit www.bang-olufsen.com.

Images are available free of charge from the Bang & Olufsen media centre:

http://mediacenter.bang-olufsen.dk. If you are a first-time visitor, please follow the instructions and register as a new user.

SOURCE Bang & Olufsen