Bang & Olufsen Beolab 600 (1986)

Name: Bang & Olufsen Beolab 600
Brand: Bang & Olufsen

The Bang & Olufsen Beolab 600 came out in 1986 as part of B&O's premium Beolab series. The series was built around active loudspeakers, which means speakers with amplification built in and matched to the drivers. That gave B&O tight control over the sound, and it fit the company's engineering approach.

Design and Aesthetics

The Beolab 600 stands out immediately for its striking, minimalist design. Crafted from high-quality aluminum and available in finishes such as silver anodized or black lacquer, the speaker exudes a futuristic, almost architectural presence. Its tall, slender profile—measuring approximately 105 cm (41 inches) in height—gives it a commanding yet elegant stance in any room. The cabinet is sealed and internally braced to minimize resonance, contributing to clean, accurate sound.

The driver layout is the interesting part. The Beolab 600 uses a vertically aligned coaxial configuration, with the tweeter sitting at the center of the midrange cone. Highs and mids come from the same point in space, which improves stereo imaging and gives a more cohesive soundstage. A removable fabric grille covers the drivers and comes off for easy cleaning.

The base has adjustable spikes for leveling on uneven surfaces. The unit is made for floor-standing placement, ideally away from walls to help the acoustic performance.

Technical Specifications and Active Electronics

Unlike a conventional passive speaker, the Beolab 600 is an active system, so each speaker carries its own dedicated amplifiers. Each cabinet houses two amplifiers, one for the midrange and one for the tweeter. Total output is 150 watts per speaker (300 watts total for a stereo pair). The amplifiers are B&O's own design, known for low distortion and high damping factor, which keeps a tight grip on the speaker cones.

The internal crossover is active and electronic, and it works at line level before amplification. That allows much steeper and more precise filtering than a passive crossover, which reduces intermodulation distortion and improves driver integration. The crossover frequency is set around 3 kHz, chosen to suit the coaxial driver.

Bass comes from a separate, downward-firing 25 cm (10-inch) woofer in the base of each speaker. It works in a sealed enclosure and is actively driven, with its own amplifier channel. Firing down lets the floor act as an extension of the speaker baffle, which improves bass coupling and smoothness. A ported chamber beneath the woofer helps tune the low-frequency response and gives extended bass down to around 35 Hz.

Each Beolab 600 is bi-amplified for the mid/tweeter section and includes a third amplifier channel for the woofer, making it effectively tri-amplified per speaker. The amplification is powered by a switched-mode power supply, which was advanced for its time, offering high efficiency and stable performance under varying loads.

Connectivity and Integration

The Beolab 600 was designed to work with other Bang & Olufsen components. Dedicated input terminals on the rear panel connect to B&O preamplifiers or control units such as the Beomaster 6000 or Beovision systems. The input is a proprietary 5-pin DIN connector, which carries both audio signals and power control data. That let the speakers switch on and off automatically with the source component, which was a sophisticated feature for the 1980s.

Because the connector is proprietary, hooking the Beolab 600 to modern non-B&O equipment takes an adapter or a custom interface. Some audiophiles have retrofitted the speakers with standard RCA or XLR inputs and external active crossovers to keep them working while allowing broader compatibility.

Sound Characteristics

The Beolab 600 has a balanced, detailed and dynamic sound. The coaxial mid-tweeter unit gives exceptional clarity and precise imaging, which suits critical listening. Vocals and acoustic instruments come across with lifelike presence, and the active bass section gives deep, articulate low end without bloat.

The soundstage is wide and three-dimensional, with instruments placed accurately in space. The active design minimizes phase errors and driver interaction, resulting in a transparent and natural tonal balance. While not as bass-heavy as some modern subwoofer-augmented systems, the Beolab 600’s integrated woofer provides more than adequate low-frequency output for most listening environments.

Legacy and Collectibility

The Beolab 600 is now considered a classic of 1980s high-end audio. Advanced engineering, premium materials and its design have made it sought after among vintage audio collectors and Bang & Olufsen enthusiasts. Units in good condition, especially those with original finishes and grilles, command high prices on the secondhand market.

Later models like the Beolab 8000 and Beolab 5 added digital signal processing and further refinements. The Beolab 600 was one of B&O's first fully active floor-standing systems with integrated tri-amplification.

Maintenance and Considerations

A pair of Beolab 600 speakers today needs some technical awareness. The internal amplifiers and power supplies may need servicing after decades of use, particularly capacitors, which can degrade over time. Restoration is best left to a qualified technician who knows vintage B&O electronics.

The speakers are heavy and large, so they need sturdy flooring and careful placement to avoid tipping. They are also highly sensitive to placement, so room acoustics play a significant role in getting the best sound.

Conclusion

The Bang & Olufsen Beolab 600 is more than just a speaker—it is a statement of design and engineering philosophy. From its sleek aluminum enclosure to its sophisticated active electronics, every aspect reflects B&O’s pursuit of perfection. While no longer in production, the Beolab 600 continues to impress audiophiles and design lovers alike, standing as a testament to the golden era of high-end audio. For those who appreciate the fusion of form and function, the Beolab 600 remains a pinnacle of 1980s audio innovation.