Technology

Bang & Olufsen elevates flagship Beolab 90 with atelier Phantom and Mirage editions

Beolab 90 Phantom detail

Bang & Olufsen has announced two new limited editions of its flagship loudspeaker: the Beolab 90 Phantom Edition and the Beolab 90 Mirage Edition. Part of the brand’s Atelier programme, they’re the latest in a series of highly restricted releases marking the audio brand’s centenary, limited to just ten pairs apiece globally.

The Phantom and Mirage offer two distinct aesthetic directions for the same underlying acoustic platform.

The Beolab 90 Phantom Edition is a dark, architectural interpretation of Bang & Olufsen’s most ambitious loudspeaker. Inspired by motorsport via Darth Vader, it’s finished in deep black tones, with semi-transparent black PVD acoustic mesh that reveals elements of the speaker’s internal structure. 

Carbon fibre components are used extensively, including the face mask, shoulder plates and base panels, lending the design both visual lightness and structural rigidity. A pearl-blasted aluminium skeleton frames the form, with precision detailing intended to emphasise its sculptural character.

In contrast, the Beolab 90 Mirage Edition is far more glam. Its most striking feature is an iridescent fabric grille that shifts between sapphire and magenta, depending on light and viewing angle. 

This is paired with gradient-anodised aluminium components, each finished individually in Bang & Olufsen’s anodisation lab. Wave-textured surfaces and hand-polished details are designed to echo the movement of sound and light.

The Phantom and Mirage offer two distinct aesthetic directions for the same underlying acoustic platform…

Features, technical and design innovations

Both editions retain the full acoustic specification of the original Beolab 90, first introduced in 2015. Each loudspeaker houses 18 bespoke drivers powered by an advanced active amplification system, combined with beamforming and room compensation technologies. This allows the Beolab 90 to precisely control sound dispersion, tailoring output to room acoustics and listening position.

What differentiates the Phantom and Mirage Editions is not performance, but execution.

In the Phantom Edition, semi-transparent black PVD mesh creates a subtle, holographic visual depth, while hand-layered carbon fibre elements highlight Bang & Olufsen’s emphasis on lightweight, high-strength materials. The aluminium frame is unified into a continuous structure, integrating beams and joints into a single architectural form.

The Mirage Edition, meanwhile, showcases Bang & Olufsen’s expertise in anodisation. Five aluminium components per speaker are gradient-anodised, each requiring precise control of colour transitions. The result is a surface finish that changes character throughout the day, reinforcing the idea of the loudspeaker as a dynamic object rather than a static fixture.

Only ten pairs of each will be made worldwide, with every set accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, underscoring their status as collectible design objects as much as reference-grade audio systems.

The Beolab 90 Phantom Edition and Beolab 90 Mirage Edition represent the second and third releases in a planned series of five Atelier masterpieces celebrating Bang & Olufsen’s 100-year history.

Pricing hasn’t been disclosed, but both models are expected to command a significant premium over the standard Beolab 90, which will currently set you back £121,400 per pair.

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About Steve May

Creator of Home Cinema Choice magazine, and Editor of The Luxe Review, Steve muses and reviews for Trusted Reviews, T3, Home Cinema Choice, Games Radar, Good Housekeeping, Louder Sounds, StereoNet and Boat International. He’s also the editor of professional home cinema website Inside CI. He's on Twitter/X, Tiktok and Instagram as @SteveMay_UK