B&O PLAY today introduces a new wireless headphone with a contemporary arch-type design, labelled Beoplay H4. The newly launched wireless headphone is designed by Danish designer Jakob Wagner. As with all B&O products, an emphasis on pure materials, pure design and pure sound set the precedent for creating Beoplay H4. Crafted from quality lambskin, braided textile and aluminium – the final structure is a minimalist design expression with an unmistakable link to the B&O PLAY design heritage comprising Bang & Olufsen Signature Sound for a powerful and authentic music experience.
“Beoplay H4 started as an exciting idea of a new, dynamic arch-type that would give us the opportunity to expand our best-in-class sound, craftsmanship and design language to a much broader audience”, says Global Head of Marketing Jens Jermiin for B&O PLAY.
“Music is an art that explores the aural space. It is meant to stir up emotions and to provoke feelings. Growing up in the digital age, when HiFi listening was replaced with smartphone earplugs, it is easy to forget how immediate and beautiful a piano sounds, how percussion sparkles and how full and tuneful a bass really is. For those who want a way back in, Beoplay H4 is a beautiful and powerful piece of design that will make you fall in love with music all over again”.
A minimalist and pure design expression
Rooted in B&O PLAY’s design heritage, Beoplay H4 has been designed from the bottom up to define a new arch- type for people who value iconic simplicity. Clean lines, a minimalist expression and a focus on pure essentials makes Beoplay H4 stand out beautifully, and a more refined design with fewer visual elements give a sharper impression.
“The core philosophy at B&O PLAY is to deliver authentic sound – considering each part separately to improve and simplify an expression of purpose. So listening becomes an authentic experience for all our senses. Our challenge was to express that through every detail”, says the Danish designer Jakob Wagner.
True materials: Soft lambskin, aluminium and braided textile
The materials used to achieve the build quality of Beoplay H4 are honest, simple and true. Beoplay H4 comes with soft lambskin ear cushions as well as a lambskin covered headband. The inside of the ear cushion is made of memory foam that adapts to the shapes and curves of the ear for a tight yet comfortable fit. The ear cushions create passive noise isolation, which means that the external sounds will not interfere with your music, and at the same time, your music will not leak out to the surroundings.
The ear cup discs are made of aluminium which is stamped, polished and anodised, and you can see how the logo on the plate has been laser-etched in a matching colour, tuned by the laser cut itself. The cord connecting the headphones is encased in braided textile that has been made partially visible between the slider and the headband to add a singular design touch, and sliders are made of stainless steel, PVD coated and hairline brushed, which make them sleek and elegant yet robust in design.
Simple user interface
Beoplay H4 comes with a simple and intuitive user interface comprised of 3 buttons, a Micro USB connector and a 3.5mm jack that integrates seamlessly into the sturdy, but smooth material that makes up the headphones’ housing. Keeping the simplicity of Beoplay H4 top of mind, the user interface is designed for ease of use. Simply press the centre button to answer/end calls, play/pause, press upper or lower button for volume control and to skip tracks and press the upper and lower buttons simultaneously to pair your headphones via Bluetooth.
Beoplay H4 comes with up to 19 hours of wireless music with just a 2.5-hour charge. If Beoplay H4 runs out of power, you can simply plug in the enclosed mini jack cable to keep enjoying your music.
Adjust the sound profile with Beoplay App
Beoplay H4 is compatible with Beoplay App for Android, iPhone and Apple Watch, which gives you a variety of options for personalizing your listening experience:
- Bang & Olufsen sound engineers have created a variety of sound profiles specifically for Beoplay H4: Commute, Clear, Workout and Podcast.
- Users can adjust the tonality and sound staging themselves with the playful and intuitive B&O PLAY ToneTouch. The interface lets users feel their way through different sound settings to find the one that best suits the situation. Once adjusted, Beoplay H4 saves the setting on the product itself until you adjust it again.
- Connected to Beoplay H4, the Beoplay App makes it easy to monitor the battery status of the headphone.
- Users can control the music (play, pause, forward, back) and they can personalize the headphones in the app by giving it a specific colour and name.
- By connecting Beoplay H4 to Beoplay App, users also receive software updates over the air.
Pricing and availability
Beoplay H4 is available in Charcoal Grey with more colours launching soon. The suggested retail price is R5399* and included with Beoplay H4 is a charging cable and an audio cable. The Beoplay H4 is now available in Bang & Olufsen stores in Mall of Africa, Melrose Arch & Sandton City. South African consumers can purchase Beoplay H4 online at play.beo-sa.com.
* Initial recommended retail price, prices may vary due to market conditions.
