Bang & Olufsen Beolab 1900/2 (1984)

The Bang & Olufsen Beolab 1900/2 is a loudspeaker system from the Danish manufacturer, introduced in 1984. It was part of B&O's Beolab series, which aimed to bring studio-grade sound into the home. It is an active speaker with the electronics built in, housed in an aluminum and wood enclosure.

Design and Build Quality

The Beolab 1900/2 is easy to spot by its wedge-shaped cabinet. The enclosure has solid teak side panels and a brushed aluminum front baffle. The angled front panel is not just for looks - it was engineered to optimize time alignment between the drivers.

The Beolab 1900/2 stands approximately 85 cm (33.5 inches) tall and is a floor-standing speaker designed for free-space placement. It weighs around 25 kg (55 lbs) per unit. The internal bracing and non-parallel cabinet walls were designed to minimize standing waves and cabinet coloration.

Acoustic Design and Driver Configuration

The Beolab 1900/2 is a three-way active loudspeaker system. Each driver has its own amplifier, and there is an integrated crossover network. This gives precise control over the audio signal, with lower distortion and higher dynamic range than passive speakers of the era.

The speaker is equipped with the following drivers:

• Tweeter: A 22 mm (0.87 in) soft-dome tweeter positioned at the top of the baffle, responsible for frequencies above 6 kHz. The tweeter is recessed into a waveguide to improve dispersion and reduce diffraction.
• Midrange: A 77 mm (3 in) aluminum cone midrange driver handling frequencies between 600 Hz and 6 kHz. The use of aluminum provided stiffness and low mass, contributing to fast transient response and clarity.
• Woofer: A 230 mm (9 in) long-throw aluminum cone bass driver for frequencies below 600 Hz. The large diameter and rigid cone material allowed for deep, controlled bass response without the need for a separate subwoofer in most listening environments.

Each driver is powered by its own dedicated amplifier section inside the speaker. The total system output is rated at 150 watts RMS - 50 watts for the tweeter, 50 watts for the midrange, and 50 watts for the woofer - which gives high headroom.

Active Electronics and Connectivity

The fully active design was the most innovative part of the Beolab 1900/2. Conventional passive speakers rely on external amplifiers and passive crossovers. The Beolab 1900/2 has built-in amplifiers and an active crossover network, which allowed tighter integration between components and more precise tuning of the speaker's performance.

The crossover points are set at 600 Hz and 6 kHz, with steep 24 dB/octave slopes to keep the drivers cleanly separated. B&O's acoustical engineers designed and tuned the electronics in-house, with an emphasis on time coherence and phase accuracy. The result is a transparent, spatially accurate soundstage with good imaging and depth.

Inputs are balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA, so the Beolab 1900/2 works with a wide range of preamplifiers and source components. It also has a remote-controlled volume attenuator, which lets the user adjust speaker-level volume from a distance. That was a rare feature at the time.

Sound Characteristics

The sonic signature of the Beolab 1900/2 is often described as neutral, detailed, and dynamically expressive. The active design contributes to a low noise floor, allowing subtle musical details to emerge even at low listening levels. The time-aligned drivers and precise crossover design result in a cohesive sound image, with instruments and voices rendered with lifelike positioning and scale.

Bass is tight and articulate, extending down to around 35 Hz, so the speaker suits a wide range of music without additional low-frequency support. The midrange is transparent and natural, good for vocal and acoustic recordings. The tweeter delivers smooth, extended highs without harshness, even at high volumes.

Because it is active, the Beolab 1900/2 needs no external amplification. It does need a preamplifier or line-level source. That made it a self-contained package for listeners who wanted high fidelity without matching separate components.

Historical Context and Legacy

The Beolab 1900/2 arrived during a period of rapid innovation at Bang & Olufsen. The early 1980s brought products like the Beosystem 2000 and Beovision Delta television systems. The Beolab 1900/2 was positioned as a premium product for listeners who valued both sonic performance and aesthetic integration in their living spaces.

The speaker was expensive at launch, priced well above most high-end passive systems of the time. It still found a loyal following among audiophiles and design enthusiasts. Many units remain in use today, over four decades later.

The Beolab 1900/2 also paved the way for later active speaker designs from B&O, including the Beolab 5 and Beolab 8000 series.

Collectibility and Modern Relevance

Today the Beolab 1900/2 is considered a classic of 1980s high-end audio, and well-maintained examples are sought after by collectors and vintage audio enthusiasts. Servicing can be hard because of the active electronics. Original parts and technical expertise are required to maintain optimal performance. The sturdy build and modular design mean that many units can still be restored to full working order.

Newer digital speakers offer features like room correction and wireless connectivity. The Beolab 1900/2 is still admired for its analog sound and craftsmanship.

For those who appreciate the fusion of art and engineering, the Beolab 1900/2 is more than just a speaker—it is a piece of audio history.

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