Last week I was invited to come to Struer, Denmark and get to know Bang & Olufsen. Beforehand I knew very little about the brand. I have some vague acquaintances that have paid top dollar to buy a B&O tv-set and I have glimpsed into their store every so often. The new B&O play subbrand had drawn my attention though and by complete coincidence I was invited by their automotive partner Audi to have a look in the factory.
What I have seen there is attention to detail on the very highest level. Every single part they make is constructed with the absolute minimum of tolerance imaginable and quality checked by humans and machines. No low-paid workers. No cutting corners. And that sometimes warm, sometimes eerie Danishness. We had an introduction to measuring and filtering sounds by Geoff Martin in the Cube and got to listen to some speakers in the listening room. The men responsible for getting Audi’s fantastic B&O system just right explained us how their system constantly monitors the engine management, the airconditioning and the sound in the car to change equalizer settings and volume as you drive, making the music sound absolutely fantastic under all conditions.
My story about Bang & Olufsen behind the scenes will be published in Bright #49.