Mr. Niels Møller Nielsen, Managing Director of Expansion Markets, Bang & Olufsen.
Mr. Niels Møller Nielsen, Managing Director of Expansion Markets, Bang & Olufsen.
You have a group that’s more willing to invest in their equipment, but yet at the same time there’s a camp that just wants everything simple. What’s B&O’s take on this?
You’re right. The competition is huge, but I think what people really want is nice sound. Nice sound that is easy to use, and easy to get connected to; that you don’t have to spend too much time on to get the way you want it. For our products, our design is strong and the audio is nice, but we also make it easy for users to get connected to their music – in a way that’s both smart and quick.
Have we reached the pinnacle of audio technology?
Well, we have seen huge developments in the audio industry in the last five to ten years, and there will be more to come still. I can only say that what we have in our roadmap covers a wide range, so I’m incredibly proud of that. However, there will always be greater developments in the future, and things can always get better so I guess that’s lucky for all of us. The problem with audio is that it’s very personal. So what’s good for you may not be good for me. Sound is very individual. That’s why we provide so many different products. If you don’t like the sound of a product for a particular reason, I can’t convince you otherwise, but I can offer you another product.
What do you see as the next trends in home entertainment?
You’ll definitely see more devices linking to each other. I expect home integration to only increase in the future, so I’m glad to already see it in our current offerings for users. When you look at our BeoLink system, it allows even our older products to be integrated with our newer ones. It was multi-room long before “multi-room.” It gives us a unique position, and the main thing is that it keeps things simple. I think that’s what end-users expect, for things to be simple. Also, the nice thing is that we have products to go with you everywhere, so your audio doesn’t stop.
What are the biggest challenges in producing quality audio?
To try to create the perfect sound. That’s why we have tried to make products that have the right specifications, so that they can live up to the needs of the most demanding user. It’s the result of many years of hard work. What would be your personal ideal home entertainment solution? Well, of course I’m biased to Bang & Olufsen products, so I think what we have today in terms of the whole multi-room integration solution, is for me the best example of how you can integrate products in a way that you can benefit all family members. Personally I’d say, having an 85- inch television bundled with Beolab 90s and the BeoSound 35 would be great. To be able to have everything in my home so well designed and so connected would be fantastic!
