Last year, Bang & Olufsen kicked off its centennial celebration by revisiting the Beolab 90, a monumental floor-standing speaker originally created for the brand’s 90th anniversary. Through the Atelier Editions program, we witnessed the arrival of the silver Titan, the black Phantom, and the purple Mirage. Now, the final two masterpieces have arrived to complete this historic five-part series, marking the brand’s 100th birthday with unparalleled craftsmanship and acoustic power.
The Beolab 90 remains a marvel of engineering, featuring eighteen Scan-Speak drivers and 8,200 watts of amplification per tower. Its core innovation lies in beam-forming technology, which allows for precise control over sound dispersion through active room compensation and direction control. This studio-level adaptability is housed in a massive 302-pound frame, a foundation that remains unchanged even as the exterior is reimagined for these limited editions.
The Monarch Edition offers a grounded, organic aesthetic. Utilizing Rosewood Palisander sourced from a long-time Danish partner, the design features hand-carved wooden lamellas that wrap around the aluminum cabinet in a seamless 360-degree flow. The deep grain of the wood is complemented by ochre-colored aluminum and semi-transparent fabric, creating a look that is both traditional and sophisticated. A delicate light-through-wood stripe on the front provides a subtle contrast to the speaker’s imposing scale.
In contrast, the Zenith Edition is a feat of intricate metalwork and jewelry-inspired design. Its cabinet is adorned with 1,734 individual anodized aluminum spheres, each manually mounted using a specialized method to prevent vibration during high-output playback. The aluminum facemask is pearl-blasted to resemble an oyster shell, while the top is crowned with a genuine mother-of-pearl inlay.
These editions are strictly limited to ten pairs each, representing the pinnacle of the B&O lineup. Each set comes with a certificate of authenticity, a miniature aluminum sculpture of the speaker, and a custom delivery box. With pricing starting at approximately 480,000 euros per pair, the Monarch and Zenith stand as the ultimate tribute to a century of Danish audio innovation.
