With newer speakers such as BeoLab 3 getting smaller and smaller while still offering superb sound, the BeoLab 4 active speakers too showed too that reasonably good sound and acoustic performance was obtained from something so compact. These pyrimidical-shaped units could be used as part of a Beolink around-the-house scheme, within a smaller home-cinema arrangement or, by perhaps purchasing the specially adapted BeoLab 4PC version, could be used within a computer sound system. BeoLab 4PC was the first BeoLab loudspeaker to have a dedicated computer mode which optimised its sound for integration with a computer setup.

Covering each of its four sides was a durable fabric available in a choice of colours (see below). Using a practical snap-on, snap-off design, a change of covers could easily be made. White covers were introduced for the BeoLab 4 at the end of 2008 together with other products in the B&O range.

The speakers were small and light enough to be positioned on a table, bookcase, shelving system or even hung from the ceiling. Unfortunately with the floor stand there was no way of hiding their cables inside.

Because the speaker was ‘active’, its ICEpower amplifier allowed for high power output with cool operation. Adaptive Bass Linearisation offered enhanced bass performance from its very small loudspeaker cabinets. A switch with three bass settings, known as Adaptive Bass Control, ensured that BeoLab 4 always performed optimally, whether placed in a corner, against a wall, or on floor stands.

Each speaker offered 35W of music power through the 101mm woofer and 19mm tweeter sitting within the bass-reflex cabinet. Power Link connections were provided and a red/green LED showed each speaker’s current power status.

Certain cost-cutting exercices were made with the BeoLab 4 in that as well as the ICEpower amplifier being a ‘cut down’ model, the speakers strangely were not magnetically shielded (odd indeed if they were designed to be positioned either side of a monitor in a computer system, for example). Further, 3,5mm connectors were made for the ‘line in’ instead of the more usual phono sockets. Adequate, perhaps, but this form of penny-pinching does the reputation and quality of these expensive items no particular favours.

BeoLab 4 / BeoLab 4PC technical specifications

Market	Type	Intro. year-month
All	6650	2005-11

 

Details:

Dimensions	Length 21.5 cm
	Width 19.7 cm
	Height 20.5 cm
	Weight 1,7 kg
Cabinet finish	Black, Red, Blue, Dark grey, White
Power consumption	Typical: 7 W
	Stand-by: 0.5 W
Power amplifier, bass	35 W, Class D, ICEpower®
Power amplifier, treble	35 W, Class D, ICEpower®
Effective Frequency range	50 - 20.000 Hz
Crossover frequency	3.300 Hz
Cabinet principle	Bass reflex
Net volume, bass	1.55 litres
Magnetically shielded	No
Woofer	101.6 mm concave diaphragm
Tweeter	19 mm fabric dome
Bass equalization	ABL (Adaptive Bass Linearization)
Input sensitivity (Power Link)	125 mV (88dB SPL)
Input sensitivity (line)	125 mV (88dB SPL) - Auto switch on
Switch off time (line)	3 min.
Indicator	LED for on (green) or off (red)
Operation	Free, Wall or Corner position
	Left, Right or LINE, PC switch
Protection	Thermal protection of tweeter & amplifier/SMPS

 

Connections:

Power Link	1 (use Semi-Balanced PL cable type mkIII, or fully mounted PL cable)
Mains	1 Built-in Switch Mode Power Supply 100 - 240 Vac
Mini-jack (line-in)	Via mini-jack plug 0-1V (Line - automatic on/off) or 0-2V (PC - always on) selected by switch

 

Market specifications:

Type	Market	Voltage
6650	All	100 - 240 V

 

Part numbers:

Cable for PC connection 6270250

Cable Pack (2 x Power Link and 2 x mains) 3375562

BeoLab 4 cover Red: 1604244

BeoLab 4 cover Black: 1604246

BeoLab 4 cover Blue: 1604248

BeoLab 4 cover Dark grey: 1604249

Suspended ceiling bracket: 1217711

Floor stand: 1217811

Wall bracket: 1217911