Maybe everything old really is new again. Bang & Olufsen has just announced that it’s selling a new version of its six-disc Beosystem 9000c CD player. The high-priced audio system isn’t just a straight remake, either. Instead, the Danish sound specialists have found ways to subtly upgrade the device for today.
If you care about music in 2024, chances are you listen to it in one of two ways: on your streaming service of choice or, if you’re a hi-fi-obsessed purist, on vinyl. Despite this, the compact disc is making something of a surprise comeback. After two decades of decline, CD sales actually increased in 2023 thanks to its popularity as a merch item at concerts (though the format was still outsold by vinyl), according to Billboard. It only stands to reason that people will need something other than their old dust-covered Walkman or boombox to play those discs on.
Well, B&O is here to help. The brand has decided to bring back its most famous CD player from the dead as part of its Recreated Classics Program. The company tracked down 200 examples of the original device, which debuted almost 30 years ago in 1996, and had them shipped to its factory in Struer, Denmark. Each of the old 9000s was then stripped down to its core elements and all the parts that still worked were fully refurbished while everything that didn’t was replaced.
Some small tweaks were made to the reborn device. Its deep black and natural aluminum finishes have been inverted to bring it closer to David Lewis’s original design (which is said to have been inspired by display in a record store). There is also a new anodized floor stand and fabric cables. Finally, it’s been equipped with the company’s Beoconnect Encore wireless technology which allows the 9000c to link up seamlessly with a pair of Beolab 28 floor speakers that help deliver the “unbeatable” sound fidelity that CDs were once known for.
Intrigued by the prospect of a new device to put six of your favorite CDs into? Prepare to fork over some serious dough for the 9000c. B&O is selling the limited-run device for $55,000, which is about $48,000 more than it cost in the mid-1990s. It does come with a pair of B28s, though, and a set of those retail for $20,250.
Previously published on Robb Report USA
Photography: Bang & Olufsen
