DESIGN CONNECTION

The camera and lights had been set up and filming was already underway as I slipped through the heavy glass doors of the Bang & Olufsen showroom at the Fashion Show Mall, desperately trying to be as quiet as possible.

The owner, Art Elliot, whom I’ve known for some time, had told me when I called to schedule an interview with him that he would be taping a show that morning to air on the Ion cable channel. That was lucky for both of us (I later realized) since Art only had to be interviewed once that day and the producer asked such pertinent and interesting questions, that my job fell mostly to taking copious notes and marveling at the wealth of knowledge at Art’s fingertips. Not to mention the tremendous technology that has been developed by the great Bang & Olufsen since their beginnings in Denmark way back in 1925.

Yes, B&O is no doubt a venerable European company, as Art pointed out, but its mission right from the start has been to “humanize technology.” They have always concentrated on the human factor and how to make life easier and more enjoyable for people through technology. To this day, the company holds patents on the technology it has developed through the last 80 years—from its first work in radio and phonograph players that utilized the science of moving wires to record sound (a precursor to the tape machine), right on up to today’s digital and high-definition audio and visual components for which it maintains a preeminent position in the industry.

What sets Bang & Olufsen so apart from a host of would-be competitors, Art initially pointed out, is the fact that it has long prided itself on taking technology and using it in a way that others haven’t used it before. He cited as an example of this genius, B&O’s use in 1966 of the wheel technology as a tuning knob for radio stations, with this same technology being used today in the Apple iPod.

It’s not unheard of for new product development to run anywhere from one year to five and even sometimes 10 years when new technology isn’t ready yet as a product progresses from model stage to fruition. Art stressed that no matter what, the emphasis at B&O is placed on technology working for the end-user rather than the other way around. B&O has always believed that “no matter what you are operating, it should be smooth, seamless and easy—with less definitely being more.”I learned that B&O has never developed a product to meet a specific price point, but rather aims to make a product to incorporate the features they want. A product is always developed from the point of view of what they want it to ultimately do and not at the price at which they need or want it to sell. “A dedication to understanding how man and machine interact is, after all, the cornerstone of the B&O philosophy,” says Art.

He went on to say that there are five key points that help to make B&O unique among audio-visual specialists: core design, user interaction, materials, sound quality and picture quality. And that’s a wonderfully succinct way of getting to the heart of Bang & Olufsen’s greatness; with the subject of “core design” as the chief motivating factor for my visit that day and, as a designer, for my long-held admiration of their products.

There are only two showrooms in Nevada: the original at the Fashion Show Mall, and the newest, which just opened in Boca Park. Art Elliot has been the holder of the exclusive B&O license for the state of Nevada since 1999.

For any layman out there unfamiliar with B&O products and design, a first trip to the showroom might prove a bit of an unusual experience. Still, it is the very uniqueness of the designs that has made me such a devotee.

I love the fact that if not for a beautiful plasma screen seen here and there in the showroom, there are many who, I believe, would look through the windows (or be brave enough to enter) who wouldn’t actually realize that this was a company in the business of selling audio speakers and TVs. The designs are so visually stunning and unusual, most speakers appear more as sculptural, three-dimensional art rather than actual working audio components.

Art pointed out during his interview that from its start, B&O’s products have been designed to appear as “artifacts to be displayed proudly in the home—to show them off as one would a piece of art or sculpture and not be hidden in a cabinet or closet as so many other products are.” As a designer myself—and one who on more than one occasion has certainly dreaded incorporating the average speaker and subwoofer into my custom-designed cabinetry—I embrace the magic and beauty of Bang and Olufsen technology. And I can fully appreciate why it’s featured in a Museum of Modern Art exhibit wherein its philosophy of “the art of sound” is explored; i.e., how electronics meets mechanics in the art of controlling sound, picture and light.

Art was asked to walk around the showroom and demonstrated some of the newest technological advances from B&O. He began be reiterating once more the fact that B&O always tries to incorporate a certain amount of “magic” in their products, and offered as his first example the incredible BeoVision 7-40 featuring the patented Vision Clear technology that provides great color and contrast, while Automatic Picture Control continually adjusts picture brightness to compensate for a room’s changing viewing conditions. So, for example, if the picture appears washed out on a very bright day, the BeoVision 7-40 will enhance the color accordingly—all by itself!

Art demonstrated that no mater where your television is positioned in the room, you can sit back in your favorite chair and simply command the TV to turn toward you. With a tap of the remote, its motorized stand can rotate as much as 70 degrees.

As if all of this wasn’t enough, Art pointed out (as a final touch) that beneath the 7-40’s ultra-thin LCD screen there is a discreetly positioned cabinet that houses a built-in DVD player. All one has to do is to simply press the button under the screen and it swings out ready to load. Of course, you don’t have to turn on the lights in the room and possibly spoil the “theatre” mood; a small light automatically comes on to allow you to see what you’re doing. As a final, triumphant touch, the electronic screen will “part”—much as a theatre curtain would—to signal the start of the performance. Add to all of this the amazing power of Acoustic Lens Technology for total clarity and a guarantee that sound is distributed evenly around the room. The folks at B&O have once again created “the perfect storm” for television viewing.

All you need add to this mix is the newest remote control, the Beo5, which is the result of 15 years of research and offers true “total control” at a single touch. It looks like no other remote control you’ve ever seen and can also be used to direct the lights and curtains—and even many heating and air conditioning systems—as well as all of your audio and visual entertainment sources. It offers total control of your audio/visual domain with a single touch, much like any monarch might rule his kingdom—holding the orb of his staff—which, Art explained, was the inspiration for its unique design.

Add any one of my favorite speaker designs, such as the BeoLab 5 (a small robot?), the BeoLab 8000 (an inverted pencil?) or the BeoLab 3 (a skyscraper?) all of which will deliver a sound that will “astonish you with its power, passion and depth.”

The goal of Bang & Olufsen is to create an experience that will absorb you totally, no matter what you’re viewing. The company prides itself on the best picture and best sound available today. This, along with the company’s dedication to the importance of human interaction with its product so that it’s made easy enough that anyone can understand its operation, assures B&O’s foremost position in audio/visual design for a long time to come.

Stephen Leon is President of Soleil Design Intl. Inc. and has been designing and manufacturing custom furniture and cabinetry for over 25 years. He is currently on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) serving as Communications Director for the Central California-Nevada Chapter. Stephen can be reached at soleildesign@cox.net or 702-873-5358.