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.
“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.
Beocenter 4600 was a multi-way combination unit incorporating a 2 x 25 watts RMS AM/FM receiver, an easy to use hi-fi cassette deck and an automatic record player. The lightweight arm had built-in bias compensation and carried Bang & Olufsen’s MMC 20S pickup cartridge with spherical diamond stylus.
The AM radio covered long and medium wavebands. Outstanding reception quality and high selectivity was secured by an Automatic Gain Control circuit, active noise suppression and hybrid filters.
The FM tuner was highly sensitive. Four stations could be pre-set for subsequent instant recall. The hi-fi cassette deck had all the features and qualities normally expected only in a separate deck:
* 3-digit counter with memory function
* electronic tape stop at end of play
* Dolby B Noise Reduction
* chrome or normal tapes could be used
The super Permalloy tape head was hard-wearing and had a long, useful lifetime. The record player too was automated: all functions were controlled by a single button. The anti-skating device worked automatically too. Bang & Olufsen’s MMC 20 S pickup cartridge with a spherical diamond was an integral part of this unit. Two Beovox S40 speakers complete this system if this was your choice.
” 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.
In 1972 and with Beogram 4000, Bang & Olufsen developed the world’s first electronically controlled tangential gramophone. The innovative and extremely stylish record deck was designed with usual flair by Jacob Jensen.
In this pioneering concept, the pick-up moved in a straight line towards the centre of the record parallel with – or tangentially in relation to – the groove. By doing so, the small angular error which would otherwise occur when the pick-up arm moved in an arch on a conventional gramophone was removed. This was possible because the pick-up arm was electronically controlled by a light spot reflected off the record.
This method also ensured that the gramophone started automatically, selected the desired speed – and that the pick-up actually touched the grooves of the record. The combined cartridge/stylus used on Beogram 4000 was the ultra-lightweight SP15 which was engineered by Subir Pramanik especially for this deck.
Yet another sophisticated mechanical design, the double tone arm, demonstrated the break with the past. By using two arms, it was immediately clear that this was a gramophone which worked in a new and different way.
Beogram 4000 was the first of the many tangentially-tracking record players that followed, finished in wood veneer, aluminium and plastic. Designed by Jacob Jensen, Beogram 4000 and seven other B&O products were selected by the Museum of Modern Art in 1972 for its permanent collection of modern design. Jensen aimed at creating a record player which in its simplicity and panache was both timeless and up-to-date in its technical construction. The record player made use of the most advanced techniques; for instance, the electronic tangential pick-up arm, which by moving in a straight angle from the end of the record player always played the record at the correct angle – that which it was created with in the factory. The delicateness of the pick-up arm was also a part of making the design simple and attractive to look at. The same year, Beogram 4000 won the ID Award.
The design and development process of the Bang & Olufsen Beogram 4000 turntable was carried out somewhat different to the normal procedure. Jacob and K G Zeuthen, a civil engineer – who had been one of Denmark’s pioneers in aviation design – developed and constructed a full size working model ready for presentation to B&O. The design incorporated a parallel twin-armed pick-up, one arm for the pick-up and the other arm with an optical device which read the size of the record. Beogram 4000 was put into production without alteration and became a tremendous success. It gained many international design awards and contributed in maintaining B&O’s sharp design profile. In 1972 Beogram 4000 won the iF Design Award and in 1973 it received the Danish ID Award; that same year it was included in the New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Design collection. It also received the English Blue Ribbon award that year for outstanding design who labelled the deck as “the most awarded product within the Radio trade”
With his design work, Jacob Jensen helped shape Bang & Olufsen’s product design with its characteristic use of discrete, clear lines and high functionality. It is a design which has helped manifest B&O’s easily-recognisable product identity. Through the assistance of Jacob Jensen, B&O was awarded the Danish Design Centre’s ID Classic Prize in 1990 for its product design through 25 years.
While the CD player has now replaced the gramophone, Beogram 4000 was regularly updated for many years, bearing different names and Type numbers – for the continued pleasure of music lovers who refused to give up their beloved LP collection.
