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To mark a century of audio craftsmanship, Bang & Olufsen has unveiled The Centennial Collection: a trio of limited-edition pieces that dress familiar speakers and headphones in archival-inspired materials and fresh colorways. The rollout revisits three flagship products with new finishes, letting collectors hear the company’s modern engineering in distinctly vintage tones.
What the Centennial Collection brings to Bang & Olufsen fans
The release celebrates B&O’s 100-year heritage by pairing contemporary audio hardware with historically inspired design choices. The lineup focuses on three products already central to the brand’s catalog, reworking finishes, textiles and detailing.
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- Limited-edition fabric and leather choices drawn from company archives.
- Subtle metal finishing that echoes decades past.
- Branding cues that reference Bang & Olufsen’s founders and origins.
Beosound A9 (Century Blue): the flagship in a new skin
The Beosound A9 returns for the Centennial run in a striking new finish called Century Blue. Known for its sculptural silhouette, the A9 mixes strong audio chops with a design-first approach.
Performance and core hardware
- Five generations of refinement since its 2012 debut.
- Seven individually amplified drivers: tweeters, midranges, full-range drivers and a dedicated woofer.
- Total system power rated at around 1,500 watts.
- High-resolution streaming over Wi‑Fi, plus Bluetooth support.
- Can be paired as a stereo set or integrated into a multi-room system.
Design, materials and heritage touches
For this edition, Bang & Olufsen pairs a brushed aluminum ring and legs with a Kvadrat fabric grille in a checkered Century Blue and Chestnut Brown. The weave nods to decades-old speaker fabrics while giving the A9 a contemporary texture.
Details on the rear include an anniversary mark and a paraphrased founders’ sentiment that speaks to a relentless pursuit of quality. The finish treatment intentionally recalls B&O aesthetics from the 1980s and frames the A9 as both a modern loudspeaker and a collectible object.
Beosound A5 and Beoplay H100: how the other pieces were reimagined
The Centennial Collection rounds out with two other notable models: the portable Beosound A5 and the high-end Beoplay H100 headphones. Each gets its own throwback treatment.
Beosound A5 (Century Weave)
- Released in 2023 as a 360-degree portable home speaker.
- Supports Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth streaming for whole‑home audio.
- Special-edition grille uses a paper raffia weave in Beige and Chestnut Brown.
- The texture recalls the look of 1950s chequered speaker fronts and early radio fabrics.
Beoplay H100 (Century Brown): headphones with vintage flair
- B&O’s flagship noise-canceling headphone model.
- Limited-edition trim uses leather in Chestnut Brown and Century Red contrasts.
- The color pairing and materials aim to create a warm, retro feel without altering the electronics.
Pricing details and where to buy the special editions
The Centennial Collection is available now directly from Bang & Olufsen’s online store. Expect a premium over the standard finishes.
- Beosound A9 (Century Blue): $5,500 — roughly $850–$950 more than the base options.
- Beosound A5 (Century Weave): $1,750 — about $100 above the normal A5 price.
- Beoplay H100 (Century Brown): $2,300 — a $100 uplift versus standard finishes.
Availability is limited to the brand’s channels while inventory lasts. The collection targets buyers who value design provenance as much as sound quality.
Why these limited editions matter for collectors and listeners
Beyond sound, these releases underscore how finish and textile choices shape perception. The Centennial Collection caters to buyers who want a story in the materials as much as fidelity in the speakers.
- Design-led upgrades make each piece suitable for interiors with a retro-modern aesthetic.
- Small production runs create collectible appeal.
- Technical specifications remain those of the latest models, so audio performance is unchanged.
