It looks like a Dalek from the Doctor Who series!

That's funny. The picture all the way to the right looks like a clucking chicken. Actually they have been around for a couple of years I think. They probably sound amazing, like a better version of Shahinian speakers. 

Let's see, if I sell what's left of my relatives into slavery.....just kidding....😏

Actually, Kenjit might give these a nod.....all that's left is to upload an AI into whatever drives these so's to keep you into the 'sweet spot'.

But yeah, it would be like having a pair of happy Daleks wandering about the house.... ;)

These were released on B&O’s 90th anniversary in 2015.

Don’t know why your article from 2022 sounds like they were just released.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/bang-olufsen-beolab-90-loudspeaker

Easily in the top 1 of most ugly speakers I have seen.

It might sound Awesome, but I would have to turn my back on it. Could be a new trend ....

I believe the motif is called Danish Modern.  Being neither Danish nor modern I am under qualified to comment their esthetics.

But, B&O has designed some of the most beautiful pieces ever created to play music.  I have a couple of non-functionial Beocenters in my storage loft that I’ve considered hanging on the walls of my listening room as wall art.

I’m rushing out to get two pairs for my quadraphonic setup.😁

luxury = marketing to idiots.  It's selling the sizzle with no steak.  It's been around a long time.  

@jon_5912Mr. Bernays’ bio is quite interesting.  The comments under the “Philosophy” heading have present day implications.

jon_5912,

You're really not qualified to say that they're selling sizzle if you haven't heard them, A lot of research went into them, and you may not like the size or the way they look but that doesn't mean that they aren't worth it to the right customer.

The one on the right DOES look like an angry chicken.... 

Looks like something that would come alive, shed its skin and eat you and your family.  Set itself back into your system and no one would know.  My girlfriend thought the Avantgardes are sinister looking.  This one creeped her out.

Not of my money.

They would look right at home in a large ultra modern home along with unual sculptures and paintingsI'm curious how they sound. I agree with kingsluey lol!

@roxy54 i’ve always respected B&Os ability to produce works of art that play music.  When we were a B&O dealer way back when, we unapologetically made the customer aware that a good potion of their investment was in the esthetics of the product.  This aligned with a buyers taste and priorities, or it didn’t.   I’m sure the Beolab 90s are no exception.  
If the speakers are/were a commercial success, that answers a few questions about their value proposition.

This also brings up the classic "Chicken and Egg" question.

Did the industrial designers develop a piece of art, present it to the engineers and say: "Here, make it play music"? Or, did the engineers develop their idea of the "ultimate B&O speaker", hand the design off the the industrial designers and say: "Okay, do your thing. Just don’t mess up the sound"?
I’m thinking the latter. The appearance of the speaker is most likely driven by the acoustical objectives of the speaker.  It "looks like it looks" from a functional perspective -- the packaging dictates its "unusual" appearance.

More like the “Chicken and the entire nest egg” question…

@sfgak good one 😀

@sfgak  +1      

I do remember reading the Stereophile review years ago. A bit ugly for me but I was impressed at the positive listening and findings.

@jon_5912 wrote:

luxury = marketing to idiots.  It's selling the sizzle with no steak.  It's been around a long time.  

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays

I'm assuming you haven't listened to these speakers. The BeoLab 90's are engineering marvels ahead of their time, and at the couple of occasions I've heard them they delivered a rather immensely scaled, stabile, resolved and effortless full-range presentation. I find they're an impressive feat sonically and technologically, and say what you will about the aesthetics part - it's certainly distinct and consciously chosen. 

Mentioning the BeoLab 90's in conjunction with high-end audiophilia it probably riles up some of the audiophile inclined that they're DSP-controlled active speakers with >8kW total amp (ICE-)power per channel and are able to adapt to the acoustic environment (incl. a range different of sounding presets via its DSP), while looking the way (/costing what) they do and coming from B&O no less. I find it ironic almost that a manufacturer so invested in the design of its products is as well at the very forefront technologically - radically, even - realizing the sonic aspects. Perhaps the general segment of the high-end speaker industry may pay a little more attention here..

I haven't listened to them and I wouldn't if I had the opportunity.  They're a product priced at a point where they don't have to compete.  And that's the point I think.  Competition avoidance.  It's super uninteresting.  Throw in a bunch of crazy expensive tech and pretend that makes it great.  

What a myopic viewpoint jon_5912.

Seems  like it will sounds amazing but the looks alone is no no 

kind of like aliens 👽 speakers super ugly 

it’s among four most ugliest speakers in the world 

Tekton speakers, McIntosh speakers , Emotiva speakers and now Bang & Olufsen 

😅😂🤣