Posted on May 13, 2024September 28, 2024 by multicare

Wiring Diagrams

All wiring diagrams to plugs and sockets are shown from the soldering side.

MasterLink cable

Note: For older-type ML cable, the colour coding is slightly different. This image refers to current ML cable.

Master Control Link cable

DataLink Cable 7/7 pin A/V Cable

21-pin A/V cable with RGB connection:

Receiver cable

Infra-red eye wiring

Headphones

B&O Motorised Stand

Note that the technical specifications for the motorised stand changed from Product ref. MX6/7 to MX8. Newer models also have a different stand connection

RGBHV Cable (15-Pin D-SUB)

15-Pin D-SUB

Power Link cable with wire for display, also for BeoLab 5

Power Link cable 8/8 pin

(Note: On BeoLab3 there is a blue wire (pin 7) in addition to the wires shown here on the PowerLink diagram. This appears to be a voltage reference for the speakers, and with a single three core wire + screen feeding both speakers, this needs to be connected to the screen.

Failure to connect this pin does not have too much of an effect on the system -UNLESS- you connect up something like a PC2 which ties the stereo to Earth potential through the MasterLink cable, and without the “blue reference” the speaker inputs can float to around 100V above Earth and cause interference between the speakers and the 3000, manifesting as a quiet buzzing noise in the Lab3s. (I rather suspect there was actually an impact on sound quality from no Blue connection but cannot measure it) – Stephen Lewis)

Power Link cable

Speaker Link cable

Audio Aux Link / Power Link connections

Aux Link cable

white	data
blue	left channel input
green	right channel input
shield	ground
red	right channel output
yellow	left channel output
black	data ground

male to male, using unterminated cable number 6250265 and plug number 7220688 or 7220701. For connection between video system and audio system. Maximum length: 100m

Aux Link/Datalink cable

white	data
blue	left channel input
green	right channel input
shield	ground
red	right channel output
yellow	left channel output
black	data ground

male plug to wall plate, using unterminated cable number 6250265. Use male plug number 7220688 or 7220701 and an 8-pin wall plate number 7210473. Used for connecting local sources when MCL 2AV is concealed

Aux Link Wall Plate

	Audio System	Video System
white	data	data
blue	left channel input	left channel output
green	right channel input	right channel output
shield	ground	ground
red	right channel output	right channel input
yellow	left channel output	left channel ground
black	data ground	data ground

wall plate to wall plate, using unterminated cable number 6250265 and two 8-pin wall plates number 7210473. Used for connection between audio and video systems within the wall wiring

Switch for deactivation of MCL

Audio Aux Link

MCL cable from audio systems to terminal

green	right channel hot
brown	right channel ground
pink	DC supply 7.5 – 8.5 VDC
yellow	left channel hot
grey	left channel ground
white	data
shield	data and ground DC ground

MCL cable from audio systems to terminal strip in MCL2 relay box. NOTE: Use pre-made MCL cables for connection to the audio system whenever possible

MCL cable, 2 x 3-pin MCL to 8-pin DIN plug

green	right channel hot
grey	left channel ground
white	data
shield	data and DC ground
brown	right channel ground
pink	DC supply 7.5 – 8.5 VDC
yellow	left channel hot

MCL cable, 2 x 3-pin MCL to 8-pin DIN plug. For connection between audio systems and link system via an 8-pin wall plate. Use pre-made MCL cable for connection to the audio system if at all possible

MCL cable between 8-pin DIN wall plate

green	right channel hot
brown	right channel ground
pink	DC supply 7.5 – 8.5 VDC
yellow	left channel hot
grey	left channel ground
white	data
shield	data and DC ground

MCL cable between 8-pin DIN wall plate and MCL terminal strip. For connection between audio system and link system via an 8-pin wall plate

Speaker link cable from audio system or MCL to 4-pin wall plate

green or brown	signal hot
shield	signal ground
white	display data
shield	data ground

Speaker link cable from audio system or MCL to 4-pin wall plate using speaker plug number 7220040. Use unterminated link cable number 6250246 or 6250267

PowerLink cable, male to male

brown	left audio signal
green	right audio signal
shield: brown/green	left/right ground
grey	on/off
yellow	on/off
pink	APHC
white	data
shield: white	data ground

PowerLink cable, male to male, using unterminated cable number 6250277 and plug number 7220345. Maximum length 100m

PowerLink cable, male to female (extension)

brown
green
shield: brown/green
grey
yellow
pink
white
shield: white

PowerLink cable, male to female (extension) using unterminated cable number 6250277, male 8-pin plug number 7220345 and female 8-pin plug number 7220235 or 8-pin DIN wall plate number 7210473. Maximum length component to component: 100m

PowerLink cable, female to female

brown
green
shield: brown/green
grey
yellow
pink
white
shield: white

PowerLink cable, female to female, using unterminated cable number 6250277 and two female 8-pin DIN plugs number 7220235 or two 8-pin DIN wall plates number 7210473

PowerLink 1 & 2

Using a non-B&O sub-woofer

his circuit is designed to use a non-B&O sub-woofer or amplifier with PowerLink sockets.

It’s easy to built and at low cost. In fact that the 5 V DC from the PowerLink socket on pen 4 can’t activate a relay directly you will need a circuit like this.

Parts which I’ve used are easy to buy at electronic shops. You need in total:

1 AC/DC Adaptor 12 V DC
1 IC LM 7806
2 Caps 100Nf 63V
1 Diode 1N4148
1 Resistor 2K2
1 Transistor BC 338
1 Relay 6V DC

Connection of the circuit is as follows:

Connect the adaptor to the 12V and earth of the circuit, connect pin 4 from the PowerLink to the 5V DC PowerLink in of the circuit. When switching on the B&O the relays will switch and connect the 230V AC line into the amp you use. That’s it. For heavy amps you can let the relay switch on a second heavy-duty relay, which will switch on the power line.

Posted on May 13, 2024October 27, 2025 by multicare

BeoLab Penta

These tall and elegant speakers were developed according to a totally new acoustic principle. They sounded just as magnificent as they looked. Because there were no parallel surfaces in the pentagonal cabinet, the design reduced the internal standing waves and reflection; it was a simple and beautifully effective way of eliminating distortion. The cabinet provided the ideal conditions for the loudspeakers. It was an acoustically ‘dead’ construction, with a moulded inner cabinet surrounded by a stainless steel exterior. Whatever the dimensions of your room, and regardless of the furnishings, BeoLab Penta always sounded wonderful. It also needed very little floor space; head room was all that’s required!

BeoLab Penta was the top-of-the-line speaker from Bang & Olufsen. It was around from the late ‘eighties to the mid-1990s and was upgraded several times. The last version of the active Penta was the Penta 3. In the late 1980’s – when the Penta range was introduced – there was also a passive version, Beovox Penta. But since Bang & Olufsen decided in the 1990s just to concentrate on active speakers, these and some other models, such as the Beovox 4500 and most of the RedLine speakers, were discontinued.

Did you know that the display in Penta I and Penta II was orange and and on Penta III it turned green?

Why build amplifiers into the loudspeakers instead of keeping them separate?

Because you can reduce the size of the cabinet volume to one-third of the size of a conventional loudspeaker with the same sound capacity.

The principle is called Active Loudspeakers, and what you get is a compact loudspeaker that can play at high volume without distortion or damage to its drive units. Furthermore, when amplifier, treble and bass units are paired for the same task, they can be tailored to compensate for each other’s shortcomings. What you hear is music that sounds exactly like the instrument it originally came from.

BeoLab Penta had nine individual loudspeaker units that were accurately positioned in a vertical line to produce a sound dispersion which was so precise that reflections from the floor and ceiling were eliminated. Consequently, Penta speakers could be placed almost anywhere in a room, irrespective of its size or furnishings. The operating panel at the base of BeoLab Penta allowed for the fine tuning of the bass reproduction at three levels.

The speaker’s cross section was a pentagon. The benefit of this design was that it cannot house standing waves which normally are a problem in speakers. The choice of using polished stainless steel was made to help the speaker blend into its surroundings by reflecting them. This gave the speaker the same colour as the surroundings which helped to make the speaker more of a subtle fixture,

Sound with as many facets as a diamond

The location of the speakers within the column was carefully planned to control the sound waves so that they weren’t reflected by the floor and ceiling. The resulting sound quality simply beggared description.

BeoLab 150: Controlled overdrive

At the base of BeoLab Penta was the BeoLab 150 amplifier with a power output of 175 watts DIN/IEC. This could give your music a tremendous boost, both to the quality and the actual power output. It was ideal if you love partying but had a relatively small music system. Big power needs careful control – so the amplifier was equipped with Dynamic Soft Clipping system. When there was any overloading, the system softly rounded off the sound; distortion becoming a thing of the past.

Speakers that more than measure up

Top quality music systems need the best speakers available – or you’re missing out. BeoLab Penta was the natural partner for Bang & Olufsen’s Beosystem 5000 and Beocenter 9000, with their built in CD players. The laser-pure quality of compact disc makes heavy demands on speakers, and both these systems had extremely fine amplifiers. Using BeoLab Penta with these systems and you’d enjoy some of the best sounds in the world. You’d also appreciate handy features such as the light display at the base of the column, which indicated which music source was being used. Of course this was even more useful if you installed Beolink® to give you music all over the house.

Posted on May 13, 2024October 26, 2025 by multicare

BeoLab 8002

An update of the long running Beolab 8000, the Beolab 8002 introduced new drive units powered by a pair of ICE amplifiers rated at 125W each.B&O themselves commented that sound quality was unchanged and so this can be seen as a rationalising of the range rather than a radical overhaul of a much loved icon.

The mode LED was repositioned, but otherwise it seemed business as usual. A three way switch for room positioning was now included at the expense of the phono socket previously fitted. As before, only one Powerlink socket was provided.

Posted on May 13, 2024October 26, 2025 by multicare

BeoLab 8000

As easy on the eye as they are on the ear, BeoLab 8000 loudspeakers defy conventional thinking in delivering the maximum sound from the minimum of space.

There’s not much point in thinking about BeoLab 8000 in terms of watts, woofers or tweeters. There has never been loudspeakers that look like this – or so clear and rich a sound produced from such slender cabinets. BeoLab 8000 represents both the engineering skills as well as the design capabilities from Bang & Olufsen. Nobody has ever built a speaker with such little net volume, only 5,3 litres, with such an impressive sound.

As with all modern B&O speakers, the 8000s are active, meaning that each element has its own amplifier. In fact, each speaker holds two amplifier units. The biggest advantage in separating the amplifiers is that it enables the loudspeakers the ability to obtain maximum sound pressure from each element without distortion. The 8000s use the same reflective finish as the BeoLab Penta allowing them to blend well into their surroundings. By 2001 BeoLab 8000 became the most popular active speaker to date.

” When it comes to sound reproduction we believe there’s only one relevant parameter: How close can we come to the originally recorded sound. We feel an obligation not to disturb the intentions of the artist by adding unnatural elements to the acoustic image. Therefore all Bang & Olufsen loudspeakers share the same goal. They differ in size and shape and in terms of sound pressure level. But they are all developed to reproduce the natural, unaltered sound as closely as possible ” – Bang & Olufsen catalogue 2001 – 2002

There’s no great secret to creating good speakers – but they do (normally) have to be big. When it comes to speakers, one of the driving forces behind Bang & Olufsen’s product development is combining the most modern of technology with good aesthetics. The result is that the company avoids filling people’s houses with speakers the size of phone boxes; instead replacing them with elegant pillars or beautifully-designed wall-mounted units. Formed from a single piece of aluminium that eliminates the distortion problems of traditional speakers, BeoLab 8000 is mounted on a solid, cast iron base and will create the perfect effect wherever you choose to place it.

Placing the amplifiers directly into BeoLab 8000 not only improves its overall sound performance, it also makes it possible to reduce its size by up to a third. This active loudspeaker technology gives B&O the freedom to combine the purest of sounds with the simplest of shapes. A slim 132cm tall and just 10cm in diameter the graceful column of BeoLab 8000 will never dictate any furniture arrangements.

Why build amplifiers into the loudspeakers instead of keeping them separate?

Furthermore, when amplifier, treble and bass units are paired for the same task, they can be tailored to compensate for each other’s shortcomings. What you hear is music that sounds exactly like the instrument it originally came from (See active speakers).

Deep bass: how to make deep bass with a shallow cabinet

All loudspeakers, regardless of brand, size or construction, make sound by converting electric energy into acoustic energy. They push air in waves, which is what our ears pick up. To get high sound pressure, you need to move a lot of air.

You can use a very large diameter loudspeaker membrane, which moves a very short distance. Or (as Bang & Olufsen prefer), you can make the membrane “deeper”, in other words, make it move a greater distance with a smaller diameter. Imagine two balloons, one round and shaped like a ball, the other long and tubular. Both contain the same amount of air; it’s simply their shapes that are different. A side benefit to the deeper membrane is that it allows a smaller cabinet, with greater freedom as far as form and function are concerned. Since no two loudspeaker units have exactly the same physical characteristics, Bang & Olufsen calibrate them individually to make certain that the sound of each and every loudspeaker leaving our factory is identical.

By employing an active electronic crossover network with equalization, we’re able to adjust frequencies before they’re amplified. The signal from the sound source is shaped before distribution to the separate power amplifiers for bass and treble. In this way, the performance of the various components is “fine-tuned”, until they produce an ideal, harmonised output, which will be the same, no matter which BeoLab loudspeaker you feast your eyes upon.

The custom made driver units of a BeoLab loudspeaker feature extra-heavy membranes with longer movement, which help produce a deeper bass.

Adaptive Bass Linearisation

Adaptive Bass Linearisation (ABL) is a process patented by B&O and is incorporated in BeoLab loudspeakers. The idea is to use the surplus capacity in amplifiers and driver units, arising by normal listening levels, for a bass extension – a sound reproduction with more bass, than the loudspeaker otherwise would be able to produce.

The function is adaptive. This means that the loudspeaker adapts to the signal it receives. Loudspeaker drivers are therefore fully exploited, without suffering mechanical or electronic abuse, and the built in amplifiers are not subjected to signals would otherwise create an overload situation.

ABL gives stunning bass reproduction considering the size of the loudspeaker in which it is incorporated, under normal listening levels.

BeoLab 8000: active loudspeaker, 2 power amplifier modules, adaptive bass linearisation, aluminium cabinet and solid iron (11kg) base.

News: From January 2003, BeoLab 8000 was obtainable with new driver units giving extra bass at low levels. While not delivering as much as a BeoLab 2 (dedicated sub-woofer) the bass drivers with the newer BeoLab 8000 have a marked improvement over their predecessors. The upgrade involved new frequency equalization and improved ABL system. These improvements are mostly apparent at high volume levels. The changes are implemented form serial 16992475 onwards.

Posted on May 13, 2024October 26, 2025 by multicare

BeoLab 6002

An update to the cheapest of the column speakers, this saw the Class AB amplification discarded along with the large heat sinks. Instead 2 cool running ICE amplifiers were fitted, both rated at 125W.

The LED was repositioned and the finish of the foot changed to match the TV range. A three position switch for wall, corner and free position settings was now fitted and the previous model’s phono plug was deleted. 2 Powerlink sockets were still present though.

Posted on May 13, 2024October 26, 2025 by multicare

BeoLab 6000

As easy on the eye as they are on the ear, BeoLab 6000 loudspeakers – designed by David Lewis – defy conventional thinking in delivering the maximum sound from the minimum of space.

There’s not much point in thinking about BeoLab 6000 in terms of watts, woofers or tweeters. There has never been loudspeakers that look like this – or so clear and rich a sound produced from such slender cabinets. BeoLab 6000 represents both the engineering skills as well as the design capabilities from Bang & Olufsen.

BeoLab 6000 is probably one of the most famous speakers around today being a part of the standard exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York along with some other Bang & Olufsen equipment, namely the Beovox Cona (a subwoofer) and the Beocord VX5000, which by the way looks almost exactly as the VX7000 does. BeoLab 6000 is a smaller version of the BeoLab 8000 with the same active construction but with even smaller net volume: 3 litres.

A great advantage with the BeoLab 6000 is the fact that it has two PowerLink connections giving the possibility to loop-through the signal to the second speaker directly. This speaker is used very often as the second pair in a Dolby Pro-Logic setup for example in the AV9000 system.

Features:
BeoLab 6000 fills the room with sound

The choice is simple – you can fill your home with big black boxes, or you can make a stand with BeoLab 6000 and fill it with beautiful sound and beautiful looks.

Aluminium

Formed from a single piece of aluminium, BeoLab 6000 is shaped to stand out from its surroundings, but coloured to match any Bang & Olufsen audio or video setup.

Active loudspeaker benefits

How does B&O reduce the overall size of a loudspeaker, but improve its sound performance? It can only be done by placing the amplifiers directly into the loudspeaker cabinet. It’s called ‘Active Loudspeaker Technology’ and is used to combine the purest of sounds with the smallest and simplest of shapes.

Fits any room

With a height of just 110cm and a depth of 10cm, finding space for a pair of BeoLab 6000 speakers is never going to be a problem. Its superior sound capabilities ensure that its performance will never dictate your placement options. The polished aluminium cabinet is available in a range of colours – black, blue, green, red and natural – that will match any Bang & Olufsen audio or video setup.

Materials and finish

The deliberate choice of material, and the final surface treatment of the products’ finish, are characteristic of Bang & Olufsen and one of their true core competences. B&O’s designers know that people use several of their senses in experiencing a product. They therefore derive great pleasure from tactile experiences, whether they are touching a cold or a warm surface, or one that is smooth or textured. The span of materials used for Bang & Olufsen products is wider than that of any other company within the trade, and they are carefully selected for their high quality and their ability to fit naturally into a home environment. The finish is then refined to perfection and created to provide a tangible experience that supports the visual impression.

Why build amplifiers into the loudspeakers instead of keeping them separate?

Deep bass: how to make deep bass with a shallow cabinet

A side benefit to the deeper membrane is that it allows a smaller cabinet, with greater freedom as far as form and function are concerned.

Since no two loudspeaker units have exactly the same physical characteristics, Bang & Olufsen calibrate them individually to make certain that the sound of each and every loudspeaker leaving our factory is identical. By employing an active electronic crossover network with equalization, we’re able to adjust frequencies before they’re amplified. The signal from the sound source is shaped before distribution to the separate power amplifiers for bass and treble.

In this way, the performance of the various components is “fine-tuned”, until they produce an ideal, harmonised output, which will be the same, no matter which BeoLab loudspeaker you feast your eyes upon. The custom made driver units of a BeoLab loudspeaker feature extra-heavy membranes with longer movement, which help produce a deeper bass.

Adaptive Bass Linearisation

ABL gives stunning bass reproduction considering the size of the loudspeaker in which it is incorporated, under normal listening levels.

BeoLab 6000: active loudspeaker, 2 power amplifier modules, adaptive bass linearisation and aluminium cabinet.

Posted on May 13, 2024October 26, 2025 by multicare

BeoLab 5000 (1969)

Design is a language which is understood by everyone…” as designer Jacob Jensen expressed it and demonstrated it in practice.”

A silicon-transistor high-fidelity amplifier with less than 0.6% distortion at all frequencies and at all volume levels up to 2 x 60 watts of power output. Its signal-to-noise ratio is better than 90dB (linear measurement). It has calibrated graphic controls and is extremely versatile, due to an unusual number of input and output facilities.

The Beolab 5000 is an amplifier that introduces no hiss or hum and reproduces all frequencies of the tonal range exactly as received. It has enormous power, permitting reproduction of even the loudest passages without distortion. Moreover, operation is logical and straightforward; varying or poor record quality can be compensated by means of efficient filters which remove the particular tonal range in which flaws are present; there is provision for connecting several speakers, including centre speaker, as well as provision for channelwise control of programme material. A special feature is a test control to facilitate adjustment of balance between channels. The use of silicon transistors ensures very low noise level, high temperature stability, and a very wide tonal range.” – taken from the 1967

Bang & Olufsen’s Beomaster 5000 FM tuner, BeoLab 5000 amplifier and Beovox 2500 Cube loudspeakers were the first product series designed by Jacob Jensen in 1967.

The traditional style for tuning knobs was replaced by an exact measuring instrument akin to the slide rule which was considered an innovation in changing the future of radios and amplifiers. The interface, in its precision and simplicity, proved to give the user optimal functionality. This solution had never been seen before and laid the foundation for the future form language of B&O. On this basis, Jacob Jensen was asked to design B&O´s audio programme. Beomaster 5000 was an FM tuner, with elimination of static between stations and a built in ‘data base’ which automatically tuned in on stereo broadcasts.

Partner to BeoLab 5000 was Beomaster 5000, an amplifier with the same slide rule interface.

The TV boom of the 1950’s hit the cinemas badly, which meant that the pressure on Bang & Olufsen’s sound engineers became less. The engineers’ love of high class sound reproduction, however, remained undiminished.

As early as the 1950s, they had developed stereo systems for the installation of Cinema-Scope systems in cinemas. In 1958, they were also responsible for the development of equipment for the first stereophonic radio transmissions from Denmark’s very first commercial radio station, Radio Mercur. When stereo started gaining ground, the engineers found new opportunities for a comeback.

The development of High Fidelity had already begun in the US and a number of small companies, headed by Scott and Fischer, had gained a dedicated following. By 1964, Bang & Olufsen was planning to conquer the new upcoming European Hi-fi market, a niche which ideally matched Bang & Olufsen’s survival strategy. Now engineers with more than 30 years’ experience behind them, under the leadership of chief engineer Nikolaj Krebs Sørensen, embarked on the development of the world’s most perfect hi-fi system, the BeoLab 5000 series.

With its ultra selective tuner and a powerful, distortion-free amplifier of no less than 2 x 60 watts, it offered qualities never seen before. The design was equally sensational. In the US, where the production of Hi-fi components had already started, they had found their form in the 19” rack format which was used by the first customers, the radio stations. When Hi-fi enthusiasts wanted quality tuners and amplifiers, they had to accept a design which belonged in the professional world.

Bang & Olufsen’s brief for the designers was: “Create a European Hi-fi format, which communicates power, precision and identity.”

This became designer Jacob Jensen and his assistant, David Lewis’ first assignment together for Bang & Olufsen. They solved it by designing the new linear controls like a slide rule bar in order to communicate the greatest possible precision. Thus began the era of the slide rule bar, a motif which was used and varied in the years to come.

The Hi-fi modules’ handles became countersunk Allen screws and the faceted and framed gold panels, which were the industry’s standard, were, in Bang & Olufsen’s design, transformed into extruded natural anodised aluminium.

BeoLab 5000 became a success, not only as Bang & Olufsen’s flagship, but also in more affordable versions, e.g.. Beomaster 1200 and 3000 and competitors were forced to follow suit. Elsewhere too, knobs were replaced by the linear slides – a development which continued until the mechanical grips were replaced by the electronic ‘easy touch’ controls of the Beomaster 1900.

At the 1967 spring fair in Hanover, B&O received the IF award for BeoLab 5000, Beomaster 5000 and Beovox 2500 Cube for outstanding and user friendly design.

Posted on May 13, 2024October 26, 2025 by multicare

BeoLab 4500

BeoLab 4500 was a wall speaker which was no more than 8cm deep. It had a built-in (active) amplifier and extended bass reproduction, which used the wall as a reflector. The display told you which source that BeoLab 4500 was reproducing at any one time.

There were two versions of this panel loudspeaker. The pure Beovox 4500 loudspeaker (shown here) and BeoLab 4500 with built-in amplifier and Dynamic Bass Equaliser (shown in main picture above), which automatically compensated for the inability of the human ear to perceive deep bass tones at low volume

The design of BeoLab 4500 and Beovox 4500 was based an acoustic principle that allowed the loudspeaker to use the wall to enhance the bass level. The cabinet let the sound waves reflect off the wall and out into the room without delay. This made it possible to reduce the depth of the cabinet to just 8cm, so the loudspeaker becomes a natural part of the wall décor.

BeoLab 4500 had a display which indicated sound source, volume and which track on CD or tape that you were listening to. In looks, it was similar to the BeoLab 5000 active speaker, but smaller. The display too was in a green-coloured LED as opposed to BeoLab 5000’s orange. Both loudspeakers were available with blue or grey fabric.

Posted on May 13, 2024October 26, 2025 by multicare

BeoLab 4000

Squeeze a pair of BeoLab 4000s into the bookcase in your study and link them to the music system in the living room, via a Beolink® ‘eye’, which responds to your remote control. Whether it’s a matter of placement or simple colour co-ordination, BeoLab 4000 turns flexibility into an art form. Placing amplifiers directly in the loudspeakers themselves not only improves sound quality but allows the manufacturer to reduce the cabinet’s overall size. The result is a compact loudspeaker that can sit on a shelf, bookcase or hang, at almost any angle, from the wall or ceiling. Available in six vivid colours, BeoLab 4000 is equally at home in a stereo setup, a surround sound system or as superior multimedia speakers for your computer.

Features:

BeoLab 4000 fills the room with sound

You can’t see sound, but that doesn’t mean that it has to be totally invisible. BeoLab 4000 is formed from aluminium that’s polished until it shines like a mirror. It also comes in an array of colours – not only to suit your interior decoration, but because life itself is full of colour

Aluminium

Aluminium is the perfect material for BeoLab 4000. It’s light, but offers an impressive stiffness despite a thickness of only a few millimetres. It also makes it easier to obtain the loudspeaker’s unique curved form, which is important for avoiding problems with audible artefacts due to internal standing waves in the cabinet

Active loudspeaker

The equation used to be a simple one; the louder the sound, the bigger the loudspeaker – but not anymore. Placing the amplifier directly into the loudspeaker allows us to reduce the overall size of the BeoLab 4000 to one third of a conventional loudspeaker with the same sound capacity.

Adaptive Bass Linearisation

ABL gives stunning bass reproduction considering the size of the loudspeaker in which it is incorporated, under normal listening levels.

Why build amplifiers into the loudspeakers instead of keeping them separate?

Because you can reduce the size of the cabinet volume to one-third of the size of a conventional loudspeaker with the same sound capacity. The principle is called Active Loudspeakers, and what you get is a compact loudspeaker that can play at high volume without distortion or damage to its drive units. Furthermore, when amplifier, treble and bass units are paired for the same task, they can be tailored to compensate for each other’s shortcomings. What you hear is music that sounds exactly like the instrument it originally came from.

The cube

During the development phase, all BeoLab loudspeakers are put through their paces in ‘The Cube’, Bang & Olufsen’s own acoustic measurement facility. In the 12 x 12 x 13 metre room, the entire audible spectrum is played through the loudspeaker to give a perfect picture of it’s sound ‘fingerprint’.

Performance

To ensure an optimal performance every time you listen to it, a BeoLab loudspeaker constantly fine-tunes the signal received from the sound source before distributing it out to the separate bass and treble power amplifiers.

The listening panel

Since it’s humans that will listen to BeoLab 4000, it’s important that a human ear should also measure its quality. That’s why Bang & Olufsen employs its own Listening Panel to scrutinise every step in a loudspeaker’s development. If any sonic shortcomings are discovered, the whole project is returned to the drawing board.

Individual Calibration

Since no two loudspeaker units have exactly the same physical characteristics, we calibrate them individually to make certain that the sound of each and every BeoLab 4000 loudspeaker leaving the factory is identical.

Appearance

Using aluminium for the cabinets is not just about looking good. Despite a thickness of only a few millimetres, it’s a remarkably strong metal that’s easily shaped to eliminate the problems with audible artefacts due to internal standing waves in the cabinet.

Rule of thumb

Substitute cabinet volume (the amount of space a loudspeaker takes up) for amplifier power (which doesn’t take up much) and cabinets like that of the BeoLab 4000 can be reduced to one-third the size of a conventional, passive loudspeaker with the same sound capacity.

Flexibility in placement

You can use BeoLab 4000 as your main loudspeakers or as extras in a Bang & Olufsen surround-sound set-up. Their ability to fit into the smallest of spaces, or to be hung on the wall at almost any angle, also makes them the perfect loudspeaker for the Beolink® system. BeoLab 4000 owes its shape to the fact that active loudspeakers produce heat if they have to play for a long time without a pause. Squeeze it into a bookcase and it will still have sufficient cooling air around it, no matter how many books it shares its space with. Raised on the optional stand, BeoLab 4000 presents itself at the same angle as BeoSound Ouverture.

Even Cooler?

2007 saw the introduction of the Beolab 4000 Mk2 . Almost unheralded, the main change was the use of ICE amplifiers to replace the AB type. At first glance it would appear that the amplifiers from the Beolab 4 were being used. These offered a power output of 35W each with 2 being used. This was remarkably similar to the real output of the older amplifiers and not surprisingly the maximum sound levels achievable were not changed. Indeed it was unlikely that any customers would have noticed the change if not told.

Part numbers: BeoLab 4000 front covers

Green 1603894
Grey 1603895
Black 1603896
Yellow 1603897
Blue 1603898
Red 1603899

Mounting Options

Wall mounting brackets were supplied with this model. Pole mounted Floor Stands were the only other option.

Posted on May 13, 2024October 26, 2025 by multicare

BeoLab 3500

BeoLab 3500 was the first-ever dedicated Beolink® speaker ever released from Bang & Olufsen.

At first it was designated LCS 9000 (Local Control System 9000 from 1992 to 1993) and was manufactured for the old Beolink® system, Master Control Link. But since one of Bang & Olufsen’s great advantages is compatibility it was of course already prepared for the new Master Link system.

Being a Beolink® speaker it houses all the electronics within it required to work as a part in a Beolink® system. No additional boxes are needed – only a cable between the hi-fi and the speaker. Even an infra-red transceiver is built in. BeoLab 3500 also has a display and a digital clock built in.

BeoLab 3500 is an active loudspeaker with two speakers for stereo sound and an integrated Beolink® receiver-unit complements the unit. It has been specially designed for the distribution of sound to rooms in which one moves around a lot, such as the kitchen. For the bedroom, a workshop, basement or even a children’s room, a BeoLab 3500 could be the right solution with full remote control via Beo4. A dedicated Beolink® loudspeaker, it fits into its standard bracket on the wall, on top of a book case, or over the door in the dining room. Its red LED display keeps you informed about which source you are playing.

With two bass and treble loudspeakers, each with its own amplifier, the sound level can be adjusted independently of the other loudspeakers in the system. Hang BeoLab 3500 on the wall on its standard wall bracket or use the optional polished aluminium stand to display it on a shelf or table.

“When it comes to sound reproduction we believe there’s only one relevant parameter: How close can we come to the originally recorded sound. We feel an obligation not to disturb the intentions of the artist by adding unnatural elements to the acoustic image. Therefore all Bang & Olufsen loudspeakers share the same goal. They differ in size and shape and in terms of sound pressure level. But they are all developed to reproduce the natural, unaltered sound as closely as possible ” – Bang & Olufsen catalogue 2001 – 2002

BeoLab 3500 as part of a Beolink® system:

BeoLab 3500 is an integrated link-room active loudspeaker comprising a Master Link (ML) connection, an IR receiver and a digital display. BeoLab 3500 also has Master Control Link (MCL) connection and a built-in clock.

BeoLab 3500 is supplied with a mains lead, a Master Link cable and a bracket for wall mounting is available as an optional accessory.

Application

BeoLab 3500 is used in link rooms where you wish to have an integrated active speaker. From the BeoLab 3500 it is possible to listen to both audio and video sources from the main room. There is built-in sound control, which means that tone, volume, balance and loudness controls can be adjusted independently of the main room.