Art and Function Fused
Written: Jan 09 '00 (Updated Jan 09 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Elegant Art, Superb Functionality, Great Stereo, Unique, Sliding panel, Wow factor
Cons: Sliding panel is prone to breaking over time, Price (but you get what you pay for)
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| eeks's Full Review: Bang and Olufsen BeoSound Century Home Theater Min... |
Function and art do not have to be separated and the BeOS (the OS of the NEXT Millennium) 2000/Century is testimony to this fact. The Bang and Olufsen line is the fusion of electronics and aesthetics in interior decorating (at least in theory). I remember when I arrived in my dad's condo (we needed to spiff it out for renting out) to find my sister Vanna Whiting this funky glass panel speaker set-up. She waved her hand in front of the glass panel...and it it just slid to the side as a lid raised, revealing a CD player, with a cassette deck below it. Once I lifted my jaw back up, she told me that she had also bought one for herself after getting her first bonus check (must have been some bonus). These things have not ceased to impress me.
Sounds
This is a stereo unit that plays CD's, tapes, and radio as it comes with its own FM/AM tuner. The cassette player supports auto-reverse, you can dub from CD to tape and it comes with a fully functional remote. It features two speakers each with separate power amps. The site claims that the Century also possesses "electronic crossover network and adaptive bass linearisation. In plain language; the sound is impressive, even at high volume." Or so the BEO site says.
It has neat little extras like when you are using one component of the system, only the buttons pertinent to operating that component will be highlighted on the control panel. The sliding door is, of course, elegant and always interesting.
The sound sounds great. Its fairly full and rich, and can handle bass all right. I don't think it is as impressive as a fully modern THX certified, Dolby Surround 5.1, theater system with a giant subwoofer, but that is not the idea of this BeOS model. Its function within the context of aesthetics, and for such a beautiful device, it produces crisp, clear and rich sound.
Looks
Elegant, modern, and it could be out of place in your home, depending on how you furnish it. It has a lot in common with Fusian gourmet in my opinion. The unit is very thin at about 2 inches at its widest, and it is (and has been) hangable prefacing the emergence of Philips lovely hanging flat screens Televisions. The glass panel is simple, yet impressive and is probably the most striking feature in the design; it underscores the combination of subtle elegance which the Century is bringing to quality electronics, while it still has the wow factor of its provocative technology. This piece enhances a room's elegance. How many stereo's can lay claim to that?
Marrs
Over time the glass door encounters problems. As edr mentioned in his review of the BeOS Overture the glass develops docking problems and will start to be "off" a little bit. With my sister's 2500, after 5 years, the sliding glass panel does not respond to movement anymore and in order to get to the CD player or Cassette Deck, you have to nudge the glass door to side and/or hope that it responds and moves too(like when you nudge a CD tray until it shuts on its own). Another thing is that the technology used to build it, has become increasingly old, and does not measure up to high tech (but ugly) systems at the same price level.
Ends
This is all electronics should strive to be - the fusion of functionality and aesthetics. It is amazingly cool and it is much more than just a stereo. Yes, it is pricey, and I could never afford it, but I am lucky enough to be related to people who could, and in my opinion, if you have the money, and you treasure beauty, then it would be hard to resist the BeoSound Century.
The BeoSound Century win 5 Eeks and the Eeks' Seal of Approval
Note:
It must be great just because it incorporates BeOS into its name. ;)
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
eeks
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Member: Willy Holt
Location: Boston, Mass
Reviews written: 58
Trusted by: 157 members
About Me:
Wow--looking back on this half my articles were atrocious and embarassingly titled--all for the bling-bling.
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