And it started with a radio
Bangkok gets Bang & Olufsen's first concept store in Southeast Asia
BANG & Olufsen, the Danish maker of high-end audio-visual gear, held a red-carpet party last week for the opening of its first “concept store” in Thailand.
Engineers Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen founded the firm in 1925, having invented the “eliminator” that allowed radio to run on household AC power rather than batteries. The brand steadily expanded and now produces “smart televisions” to match the top-performance audio speakers coveted by audiophiles around the world.
Its distribution network blankets the planet, including Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines, and Thailand got access a decade ago. Thailand’s new authorised dealer HW Trading now opens a concept store at the Gaysorn mall, a first for Southeast Asia.
Set out like a small cinema, the shop is equipped with an 85-inch Beovision Avant 85 smart TV and BeoLab5 speakers. The wall at the entrance carries an array of speakers that customers can test.
“Thais’ lifestyle has changed – they want what’s luxurious, modern and functional,” says HW Trading director Duangkamol Vephula Waagensen, “we’re providing one-year warranties and after-sales service.
“We have a technical team that visit your home to check and maintain your audio-visual system for free. And we’re showing customers how B&O mechanical and electronic merchandise differs from other brands.”
The unwavering approach at Bang & Olufsen is timeless design, cutting-edge technology and top-quality materials. The pieces are visually distinctive enough to double as furniture or decor items.
The Beovision Avant 85 TV set bears a rustproof, anodised-aluminium panel, built-in sound-bulb, ultra high-definition (4K) video, jaw-dropping acoustics and a screen of Swiss glass that adjusts to daylight or night conditions automatically.
The television is “smart” in the sense that it syncs with your iPhone, using Airplay mode, and can play Blu-Ray movies in Oppo mode. It will track down your favourite music on YouTube and more than 8,000 radio stations around the world.
The BeoLab 5 packs a 2,500-watt digital amplifier, built-in subwoofer and acoustic lens to spread out the sound 180 degrees.
Resembling the wing of an aeroplane, the BeoLab 18 wireless speaker combines two custom-made, four-inch midrange/woofer drivers running in parallel and powered by separate 160-watt, Class D amplifiers.
Bang & Olufsen launched a sister brand, B&O Play, in 2010 to appeal to younger consumers, offering a selection of Bluetooth and wireless headsets and portable speakers.
TUNING IN
>>The Bang & Olufsen store is on the first floor of the Gaysorn mall and open daily from 11am to 8pm.
>>Call 656 1017 or visit www.Bang-Olufsen.com and www.BeoPlay.com.
