If you're a fan of music, one of the best things you can invest in is a luxurious speaker. The audiophile in you will always thank you, and you'll enjoy your favourite albums in unparalleled clarity.
If your music tastes specifically include the late David Bowie, the latest Bang & Olufsen Beosound A9 is the one for you. Limited to just 30 pieces, the speaker includes an iconic shot of Bowie on the face of the it.
For £3,995 (approx. $5,320 / €4,700 / AU$8,500) users will snag the speaker, as well as a limited edition 12x8-inch print which is signed and numbered by photographer Denis O'Regan, who shot the iconic image. That also comes with a printed box and a Certificate of Authenticity, for provenance.
Using the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A9 David Bowie edition
During an exclusive listening party at the brand's flagship store, I was treated twice. First, I got a listen to the speaker in all of its glory.
The limited edition model sounds no different to the Bowie edition – perfect if you miss out on the 30 pieces, or just fancy saving yourself some cash – and that's a really great thing. Looking like the button popped off of a giant tufted sofa, this is like no other speaker you've seen before.
It's not just for show, either – you'll be met with a full and inviting sound profile which is equally adept at reproducing twinkly high end frequencies and rumbling low-end clout. The seven speakers sat behind the circular cover really do work some magic, but the speaker will also adjust itself based on its position in your room, to ensure you aren't getting weedy or overpowering frequencies ruining the experience.
In conversation with David O'Regan
While the speaker itself sounded beautiful, the dulcet tones of photographer, David O'Regan came a close second. I managed to steal a few minutes with the shot-snapper, to talk all things photography and following Bowie for years.
Conversation wasn't always swift – surrounded by prints and slideshows from his time working with Bowie meant interjections, tangents and side stories were the order of the day. With a remarkable degree of accuracy – or at the very least, conviction – O'Regan recalled shots from Singapore, Berlin and Winnipeg Airport as if they'd happened just yesterday.
My favourite interjection was when, mid flow, Denis stopped talking and signalled for me to turn quickly. A shot of Bowie clad in green, crouched and in centre stage appeared on the TV behind us. "That's Kylie Minogue's favourite Bowie shot," he told me with a mix of pride and excitement.
His time working with Bowie started in phenomenally simple fashion. He recalls buying a £5 camera when he learned the artist would be around later that day, and using the resulting photos to get his foot in the door.
"How soon did you know when a photo was going to be special?" I asked, referencing the snap adorning the speaker beside us. "Often not for ages – back in the day it would be weeks between taking the shot and getting to a big city to have the negatives developed," O'Regan tells me.
And on the pride he felt seeing the speaker produced? "Oh, immense," he says, "I already have mine at home."
