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.

With BeoLab 2000 the customer is able to extend choices with a range of dedicated Beolink® products. These offer the maximum convenience when it comes to moving and controlling sound and vision around the home.

BeoLab 2000 is the second speaker from Bang & Olufsen specially made for the Beolink® system, MasterLink, the first being BeoLab 3500. This product was designed by Anders Hermansen. All its required electronics are housed within the speaker and the only thing needed is a cable to be plugged in. As with all MasterLink products, BeoLab 2000 is totally auto-configurating.

On the front of the speaker there are buttons to select which source to listen: CD, tape and so on, as well as track selection and on/off. There is also a volume control of course. The speaker can also be operated via a remote control – for example the Beolink 1000 or Beo4. The sound is really impressive considering the very small net volume. This speaker is best used in smaller rooms such as kitchens and bedrooms.

In the kitchen, a BeoLab 2000 connected to the BeoSound Ouverture or BeoSound 3000 in the living room will give you hands-on control of various sources. Via the link to the Beovision Avant, you can follow the news on TV and only watch if something catches your interest. In the kitchen, the bathroom or the garage this little active loudspeaker gives you the option of remote or hands-on control of tape, CD, radio, timer and volume.

“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 2000 is a flexible Beolink loudspeaker which is easy to accommodate and gives you the option of hands-on or remote control. On the front panel you choose between CD, tape or radio, turn on & off, up & down. A bracket for wall or corner mounting is included

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 fine art of control of BeoLab 2000

A control knob on the front of the BeoLab 2000 allows hands-on operation, when or if a Beo4 remote control is not at hand. A perforated disc inside the knob breaks a beam of light in front of a sensor that counts the number of perforations and adjusts the sound level accordingly. No wear and tear and no distortion from worn out resistors.

” This title and the picture of Beosystem 1700 might suggest a paradox to many readers. And in a way you are right. But there is a reason why Bang & Olufsen has separated this otherwise perfectly integrated high-fidelity system. The combination possibilities in Beosystem 1700 are so numerous that for many people the entire system is unnecessary. The essential part of the system is BeoLab 1700: a 2 x 20 watts RMS amplifier with ambiophonic stereo facilities.

BeoLab 1700 type 2605 was an amplifier designed to be used with Beomaster 1700 tuner.

The tuner, Beomaster 1700, the cassette-recorder, Beocord 1700 and the record player, Beogram 2000 (not shown) cover nearly all existing programme sources for the reproduction of music. Beovox 2702 loudspeakers complete the system. Beovox 1702 are recommended as side speakers for ambiophony, if this extra sound experience is desired. Now it is up to you to put your ideal Beosystem 1700 together. ”

The unit was a high-fidelity stereo amplifier whose technical specifications exceeded the DIN 45500 high fidelity norms by a wide margin. Frequency range was 20-30.000 Hz and power bandwidth was 10-50.000 Hz. Harmonic distortion was less than 0.1% at the normally used output (50 mW) and less than 0,5% at maximum power output (2 x 20 watts RMS). Music output was 80 watts total. With four loudspeakers – two front and two at the sides, ambiophony (an extension of stereo reproduction) could be achieved.

Apart from loudspeaker connections, there were sockets for tuner, tape recorder, record player and headphones. BeoLab 1700 had slider controls for volume, bass, treble and balance. A push button for LOUDNESS facilitated switching between an objective and a subjective linear reproduction. Monitoring (AB switching) could be carried out on BeoLab 1700 if the connected tape recorder had separate record and play-back heads.