B&O Beolab 28 reminds us that good things come in slim packages

Despite the minimalist look, its packed with a variety of sound-shaping tech.

by Justin Choo

When it comes to turning heads, B&O’s speaker designs never disappoint.

And so it is for the Beolab 28, B&O’s latest offering.

The slender column speaker can be placed virtually anywhere in the house with its small footprint and has the added flexibility of being wall mountable. Despite its svelte form, it’s fitted with a custom-made 6.5″ subwoofer, three 3″ full-range drivers and a single tweeter for a full range of sound that is evenly directed. The drivers are paired with its latest generation Active Room Compensation algorithms to optimise the overall sound regardless of where you place it in the room. B&O says that the full-range drivers were developed solely for the Beolab 28 and specifically to create a clear-sounding midrange even at loud volumes.

The Beolab 28 also features Beam Width Control, which lets you choose how you want the sound to be directed. Narrow Mode minimises reflections off walls and focuses the sound on you, creating a ‘sweet spot’ for listening. Wide Mode diffuses the sound evenly so that the tonal balance does not change as you walk around the room.

The stereo speakers are linked wirelessly and are able to support audio playback at 24-bit/48kHz. The Beolab 28 supports streaming via Airplay 2, Chromecast, Bluetooth, the B&O app and Powerlink (and Wireless Powerlink) to a B&O TV. Beolink Multiroom compatibility will only arrive in the second half of this year.

But a big part of why B&O are a thing lies in its brand of functional design: the Beolab 28 gives the impression that the speaker is floating on air.

It also incorporates curtains that open when switched on, or move when the sound beam is toggled (narrow or wide mode).

Elegant and with a slender silhouette, Beolab 28 looks at home anywhere in the living room, whether standing on the floor or hanging on the wall. It comes in three colours: Natural Silver, Black Anthracite or Bronze Tone aluminium. They are matched with a variety of knitted fabric or solid wood covers of your choosing.

Needless to say, this is a rather expensive piece of audio equipment: it costs $17,950 and is available exclusively at Bang & Olufsen’s Grand Hyatt flagship store.