Beocenter 3300 combined a powerful AM/FM stereo receiver with an automatic record player. Technically identical to the Beomaster 2200, the receiver section offered programmes on FM, long and medium wavebands and up to 2 x 40 watts RMS amplification with low distortion levels. It also had the same logical operation facilities.
The record player had a spring-suspended rotatory mechanism and an electronic servo drive system which ensured accurate turntable speed – even during variations in the mains current supplies. A special pendulum leaf spring suspension made the arm and platter immune to external shock and vibration which causes most other record players to mistrack and damage the record and sometimes even the stylus.
All functions of the record player were operated by touching a single button. The start/play/stop cycle is entirely automatic and moves, lifts or lowers the arm much more delicately than could the human hand. The MMC 20E cartridge carried an elliptical diamond stylus.
Beocenter 3300 had sockets for a tape deck, an extra record player, headphones and two sets of stereo speakers. The unit could be made up as part of the Beosystem 3300, when linked together with other compatible Bang & Olufsen products.
Beocenter 2600 consisted of a 2 x 25 watts RMS AM/FM receiver and a hi-fi cassette deck. The radio section covered Long, Medium and FM wavebands. A red/green LED indicator made recording easy and accurate, whether your sound source was the radio or a microphone (not supplied) connected to the hidden socket. A separate record player could be added if required.
For the cassette section, you could use both ferric and chrome tapes. The Dolby B Noise Reduction circuits ensured clean, noise-free recordings every time and the Super-Permalloy tape head was hard wearing with a long service life.
Beocenter 2600 could be made up as part of the Beosystem 2600, when linked together with other compatible Bang & Olufsen products.
There was a 7,5cm mid-range/phase-link unit combined with a 20,5cm woofer and 2,5cm dome tweeter to provide a wide frequency response and no audible phase distortion. Overload protection was automatic. The cabinet was of pressure chamber construction. Optional pedestals and wall-fixing kits were available.
Beovox S80-2 speakers gave neutral sound reproduction with the added realism afforded by depth definition and perspective.
There was a 7,5cm mid-range/phase-link unit combined with a 20,5cm woofer and 2,5cm dome tweeter to provide a wide frequency response and no audible phase distortion. Overload protection was automatic. The cabinet was of pressure chamber construction. Optional pedestals and wall-fixing kits were available.
This portable radio has a specification superior to those of most mains table models and is elegantly styled, with all the controls placed on the top panel.
The Beolit 1000 offers outstandingly fine reception: on all its five bands, distant stations tune in without noise and interference even when located on adjacent frequencies. The FM section features a separate dial drive and additional push-button selection of up to three pre-tunable FM stations. The extended Long Wave band includes the navigation bands, and on the SWII band (the ‘Europe’ band) you can find all the popular European entertainment stations. The built-in Short Wave expander permits you to spread stations for supreme ease of tuning. There are sockets for connection of an external aerial, extension speaker and external power supply.
The Beolit 1000 brings you external tonal quality. Audio output is 2.5 watts on the internal dry cells. Via a suitable mains converter the Beolit 1000 will deliver no less than 7.5 watts of audio output, making it ideally suited to use as a home radio set. It has individual bass and treble controls and gramophone and tape-recorder jacks.
You can use the Beolit 1000 in a car, with the specially designed lockable car-mounting bracket which operates on 6 or 12 volts and negative and positive earthing, and incorporates filters to suppress ignition interference. The bracket automatically cuts out the built-in power supply of the Beolit 1000 and cuts in the car battery, the car aerial and an extension speaker. When powered from the car battery the set will deliver 7.5 watts of audio output.
Available in teak, Brazilian rosewood and black goatskin finish. Dimensions: 201 mm high, 359 mm wide and 70 mm deep
In 1972 the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA) chose seven Bang & Olufsen products designed by Jacob Jensen to be included in their Design Collection as representing excellent examples of the Museum’s criteria for quality and historical importance; design, in fact, which had influenced the twentieth century. Beolit 1000 was one of those seven products.
In 1968 Beolit 1000 won the prestigious iF Design award.
“One of the best semi-professional fully transistorised hi-fi stereo tape recorders. It has professional data for speed, wow and flutter that meet international standards for studio tape recorders. New modern design concepts distinguish the Beocord 2000 de Luxe K from conventional tape reorders. Here are some of them: 4-track recording/2-track and 4-track playback; built-in 4-channel mixer section with twin faders for both mono and stereo recordings provides individual control and mixing of microphone, gramophone, radio and line signal inputs.
These faders make it possible to balance channels during recording. An aurally compensated twin fader makes it possible to balance playback volume levels, too. These features permit recordings of every kind, such as Multi-playback, or sound-on sound; that is, rerecording from one track to another whilst making another recording on the other track.
Synchro-playback – this feature consists of synchronising two recordings on separate tracks which you do wish to mix by recording, and may be used for language laboratory purposes and for automatic control of lantern slides. Echo – adding echo to both mono and stereo recordings. The amplifier equipment is an outstanding new system consisting of no less than seven fully transistorised easily replaceable amplifier units.
Monitoring: separate records and playback heads with individual amplifiers permit both before-the-tape and off-the-tape monitoring. Power output is 2 x 8 watts undistorted.
Recording level is indicated by two illuminated V.U. meters which indicate the sum of signals in each of the two tracks that can be recorded simultaneously.
Slack absorbers: Two smooth-running specially engineered slack absorbers take up slack, ensuring absolutely smooth starting and stopping at all tape speeds.
Electronic protection circuit prevents damage due to electrical overloads. No other tape recorder in this price bracket has these professional standards for electrical and mechanical specifications. Fine low-noise tape drive motor mounted on rugged non-torsion steel chassis. Four tape heads, 4-track recording but – a remarkable feature – the instrument plays back both 2-track and 4-track tapes.
The erase head (long-life dual-gap ferrite erases “right to the bottom” (70dB). The 2000 de Luxe permits recording from one tape recorder to another, parallel recording on a number of tape recorders, and simultaneous copying of both tracks. The Beocord may also be used as: public address system, permanently installed hi-fi control centre, and orchestra and guitar amplifier.” – taken from the 1967 – 1968 Bang & Olufsen product catalogue .
Beocord 1600 matched the Beomaster 1600 and Beogram 1600 both physically and technically. It combined high performance with easy, straightforward operation.
Ferric, chrome or metal tapes could be used. The Sendust tape head, Dolby B Noise Reduction circuits and Peak Programme Meter all contributed to high quality recording and playback. You could switch between all modes of play without fear of tangling the tape or damaging the mechanism.
This highly specified top-loading cassette deck closely matched Beomaster 2300 both in appearance and technical compatibility. But it was also worth serious consideration for use with any good hi-fi system, especially if ease-of-use was one of your demands.
Ferric, chrome and metal tapes could be used and the Dolby B noise reduction system kept your recordings clean and hiss-free. The large split-channel VU meters made it easy to set optimum recording levels using the input slider. The combined record/replay head was of long-life Sendust.
The 3-digit tape counter had a press-button reset; a memory function aided easy location of favourite tracks for repeat playing.
Piano-key controls separated all tape-transport functioned: these included a very precise pause control and a double-key record control – a safety check for preventing the accidental erasure of tapes.
Tape speed was highly accurate with deviation of less than +/- 1% and wow and flutter below +/- 0,15% DIN.
Beocord 2400 measured 40cm wide, 8cm high (11cm with cassette holder open) and 25cm deep. The slim cabinet was finished in either natural teak or rosewood.
At the 1969 Hanover Fair Bang & Olufsen and Jacob Jensen – designer of Beocord 2400 – were presented with the iF award for no less than 4 products for ‘outstanding industrial design’ including this sleek cassette recorder.
Beocord 1200 Type 4207 was a reel-to-reel tape recorder. Among its features it had sound-on-sound, automatic recording level control and mixing. The in-built PA amplifier could be operated without the motor running.
Beosystem 1200 – made up of Beomaster 1200, Beocord 1200 and Beogram 1200 was Bang & Olufsen’s B&O’s first designed system. The design ‘kinship’, which emphasised the interdependence between B&O’s various products, became a characteristic of B&O for many years. Beosystem 1200 was one of the first products selected by New York’s Museum of Modern Art for the museum’s permanent collection (not exhibition) in 1972.
In 1969 the Danish Society of Industrial Design awarded Bang & Olufsen and Jacob Jensen the ID prize for the Beomaster 1200 radio/amplifier, Beogram 1200 turntable and Beocord 1200 tape recorder for unusually beautiful and user friendly design. The jury emphasised in particular the Beomaster 1200 receiver which pointed in a new direction for the design of radios.
The 1200 series represented the logical continuation of the line of development and design which put B&O at the forefront of manufacturers of entertainment electronics.
Beocenter 4000 was an elegant combination of an AM/FM stereo receiver (in effect the Beomaster 2200) and a high quality cassette deck whose performance levels matched those of more expensive separate decks. The Sendust tape head ensured the best possible playback and combined long life with optimum frequency response characteristics. There were two motors – one for fast wind, the other for normal play – so tape transport was smooth and stable at all times. A Dolby B Noise Reduction circuit ensured high quality, low-noise recordings. Despite its many technical refinements and comprehensive facilities, Beocenter 4000 was simple to operate.
Beocenter 4000, in which all parameters concentrate on the quality of radio and tape reproduction, was an unusual alternative to a disc system. The addition of a matching Beogram from the Bang & Olufsen range, plus two Beovox S45 bookshelf or P45 wall-mounting speakers converted it into the complete top-quality Beosystem 4000.
Beocenter 4000 comprised a 2 x 40 watts RMS amplifier, an FM, Long and Medium wave radio and a stereo cassette deck incorporating all the features you would expect to find only in separate high quality decks.
