Bang & Olufsen intros Next Gen Beosound A9 & 2 speakers

Bang & Olufsen has unveiled a new generation of its iconic Beosound A9 and Beosound 2 speakers, built around the brand’s upgradable Mozart software platform.

The Bang & Olufsen Mozart platform is designed to cope with numerous software updates, and represents both a significant upgrade in processing power and storage capacity. What’s more, it’s housed in a replaceable module, which can be swapped out should the need arise, perhaps to cope with new connectivity and streaming technologies.

This is the fifth generation of the Beosound A9. Originally launched in 2012, this latest iteration retains the circular-shaped design, created by Oivind Slaatto, which is uniquely able to fill an interior space with sound.

As well as greater processing headroom, it features a new set of standard finishes, Black Anthracite, Gold Tone and Natural Aluminum. The back covers of the standard finishes compliment the front covers seamlessly, as do the oak legs and aluminum hardware finishes. 

Usability remains a strong sell. The music volume can be controlled by sliding your hand across its surface. A tap on the A9 allows users to skip, play, or pause their music.

The partnering Beosound 2 is a multiroom speaker with a similarly high design aesthetic. Originally launched in 2016 and now in its third iteration, the Beosound 2 is crafted from high-grade aluminium,and stiull looks leading edge. In addition to the introduction of the Mozart platform, the new Beosound 2 features Active Room Compensation, allowing the speaker to detect its position in any space and optimise its output accordingly. Here Black Anthracite joins the classic line up of Gold Tone and Natural finishes.

The Beosound A9 5th Gen pricing starts at £2,899 (€3,299 / US$3,699), and is available this month. The Beosound 2 3rd Gen starts at £2,649 (€2,999 / US$3,199) and ships in April.