Jacob Jensen Archives

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

BeoGram CD 7000

Beogram CD 7000 was distinctive because of its authentic sound reproduction as well as its large dynamic range. It was equally suitable for symphonic music and rock. Its many functions allowed you to pre-programme tracks for playback in any desired order. This CD player was the last in line as far as separates were concerned, replaced with the likes of Beocenter 2300 and Beocenter 2500.

Features:

Exclusive computer-controlled CD loading mechanism with extremely fast access time

CD tray machined from a 4mm solid aluminium plate for maximum mechanical stability and convenient loading

Disc tray cut-outs with rubber lining for 12 and 8cm discs

Spring-suspended CD mechanism and magnetic disc clamp

Special functions, such as scan and sequence programming, were carried out from Beolink 7000

Dynamic readout on Beolink 7000 of all functions, track bar, remaining time, elapsed time, scan, etc.

CD players are now among the simplest constructions in the electronic world and standard players are based on very few components, a simple electronic layout and use of economical materials, both inside the product and in the cabinet. In the construction of CD7000 the main objectives were the achievement of excellent mechanical stability, convincing sonic qualities and easy access to the CD functions.

The loading mechanism, the way the clamp function and the suspension of the CD mechanism were all points that received special attention. The high quality of the mechanical solutions was continued in the electronic circuitry and both were highly integrated and interdependent of each other.

The CD tray was very solid and elegant and the loading mechanism extremely durable. The tray was made from a 4mm thick sheet of aluminium and the conical recess for the CD was milled and diamond polished to the smallest of tolerances – to prevent dust gathering in the recess. The circular rubber profile protected the disc during loading and unloading, while the triangular cut-out facilitated unloading. To avoid static build-up the tray was connected to ground and to avoid ‘ringing’, a damping plate was placed at the innermost part of the tray, inside the cabinet.

The motorised movement of the CD tray was very fast and gentle. The movement was controlled by the microcomputer via an optocoupler and was a very stable mechanical solution with two parallel chrome plated brass rail tubes and precision plastic roller bearings. A nylon coated steel cord wire was applied for maximum duration and quiet transport. The electronically governed transport was very smooth, started the movement slowly, then speeded up very quickly, decelerating when the disc approached the clamp. Furthermore, it secured against possible damage occurring from obstacles either in front of the tray or in between tray and cabinet.

While the tray approached the clamp the disc was gently lifted off the tray and clamped between the CD mechanism and magnet. The magnet was placed on a bridge across the CD mechanism and when it engaged the disc the magnet was lifted away from the bridge. While the disc was rotating, the magnet was not in contact with the cabinet, but only the disc and CD mechanism.

This assembly was insulated very efficiently from the cabinet to prevent vibrations from the outside. A special suspension was designed, with 4 steel springs, encased in rubber. The springs ensured that the CD mechanism was fixed in the horizontal plane (i.e. across the disc), while a certain amount of movement was allowed in the vertical plane (i.e. up and down). Test showed that the servo system counteracts movements in the vertical plane better than in the horizontal plane, and the suspension thus was a good compromise with regard to immunity from external vibrations. The inherent frequency of the suspension was placed at 25 Hz to avoid tracking and focusing errors, which were prone to emerge if the CD mechanism was subjected to vibrations around 100 Hz and upward. Furthermore, at this frequency interference with the inherent frequency of the CD cabinet was also avoided.

The electronics

The CD format is one of the most precisely defined audio formats, but it is still possible to design differentiated products. The electronic solutions in CD 7000 were just as elaborate, the computer controlled loading just being one of the elements. Separate power supplies were available for the digital and analogue parts, and in connection with a careful print layout Bang & Olufsen achieved the most respectable electronic specifications. The digital-to-analogue filtering was special as well. First, a standard digital filtering (4 x oversampling) was applied to filter away the sidebands below 176,4 kHz. The analogue filtering at 176,4 kHz was carried out by a modified order filter. To avoid remnants of the 176,4kHz sideband having an effect on the filtering, a special suction circuit cut off the frequencies above 156,4 kHz. The modified filter was known as a ‘Bessel elliptical filter’. It had a very gentle filter characteristic and was not susceptible to ripple phenomena, phase distortion or ageing.

The functions

As with the other sources, operation was via the Beolink 7000, with full display readout of all functions. Special functions available included: the space function, where a pause of 4 seconds was added between tracks to facilitate track search on a tape recorded from CD 7000. Scan gave playback of the first 15 seconds of each track and was especially useful in connection with a sequence programming.

While you were scanning the CD, tracks could either be selected (compiled) or omitted and when the last track had been scanned, playback of the programmed sequence commenced. Sequence programming could also be carried out independently of the scan function and if you used the select programming, playback could be non-chronological. If you used the reject programming to leave out specific tracks, playback would be chronological.

Beogram 7000 could, ideally, be used as part of Beosystem 7000

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

BeoGram CD 6500

If you wanted to indulge yourself with the finest sound quality then you’d do no better than listening to your favourite pieces of music on Bang & Olufsen’s Beogram CD 6500. Beogram CD 6500 was a replacement for its predecessor, Beogram CD 5500.

It played both 12cm and 8cm compact discs, and housed sophisticated and advanced digital technology. And it offered sound reproduction which would satisfy even the most demanding of listeners.

Beogram CD 6500 could be used as part of the Beosystem 6500 hi-fi system.

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

BeoGram CD 5500

The quality of the Beogram CD 5500 CD player took time to fully appreciate. For example, the elegant disc tray with its completely smooth and silent drive. Or the way that the disc drive system was mounted to isolate it from vibrations. Perhaps you were most impressed by the way that a built-in circuit in the player compensated for the tiniest faults on the disc itself (contrary to popular belief they’re not always perfect!). Finding tracks was both fast and easy – it was necessary to just ask the Master Control Panel for the track number you wanted. You could programme tracks to be played in any order, or sample each track briefly. There was a light display which showed you the length of the track you were playing and the remaining time on the disc – invaluable for recording.

Though very similar to look at to Beogram CD 50, this all-new Philips-based machine was a radical departure, both in manufacturing and technical terms. Beogram CD 5500 was the first CD player to be entirely designed by Bang & Olufsen and with the exception of the optical deck, it was entirely made by the company too. The performance and reliability of the Beogram CDX models probably influenced the choice of the Philips radial single beam pickup system and brushless DC spindle motor.

Externally, a slim aluminium plate machined out to the size of a compact disc replaced the Beogram CD 50 door and drawer loading system and it moved quickly and silently, again in marked contrast to its predecessor. The deck was on the right-hand side side of the fascia as opposed to Beogram CD 50 left-hand side arrangement, so that the loading of a cassette into the new Beocord 5500 tape recorder, which you had the option of placing below, was not obstructed. Later versions had a concentric 8cm circular recess machined into the loading plate, to accept CD singles.

With the Beogram CD 5500 there was no infra-red sensor option, and the front panel controls were even more basic, so at very least a Beomaster 5500 and Beolink 1000 terminal were needed to use it properly. On the back panel, there was a 7-pin Datalink socket for Beomaster 5500, and a single phono digital output connection, for which there was never a use within the B&O range.

The performance of this outstanding machine was never bettered, and with the exception of minor styling and software revisions, it remained virtually unchanged until the end of the separates system range with the Beogram CD 7000.

Beogram CD 5500 could be controlled via the two-way Master Control Panel MCP 5500 as part of Beosystem 5500.

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

BeoGram CD 4500

The sound reproduction achieved by Bang & Olufsen’s CD 4500 CD player was truly outstanding.

It played both 12cm and 8cm compact discs and had an ingenious ‘step’ function which allowed you to go straight to a chosen track selected from anywhere on the disc. The CD player was one of the most technologically-advanced pieces of hi-fi on the market at the time and yet was one of the easiest to operate. The explicit display always indicated what the CD player was doing all the time – for example, which track was being played, and how many tracks there were on the played compact disc.

Beogram CD 4500 could be used as part of the Beosystem 4500 hi-fi system.

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

BeoGram CD 3300

It’s a fact that not all compact disc players are ideal for all types of music. Some of them seem to highlight certain parts of the frequency range. But you can be confident that Bang & Olufsen’s CD players never discriminate between rock and roll and classical. They smooth over faults in the CD very cleverly too, because not all compact discs are perfect. So it’s just as well that Bang & Olufsen CD players are!

Beogram CD 3300 was part of Beosystem 3300 although it could have been used as a stand-alone item.

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

BeoGram CD 50

Beogram CD 50 was Bang & Olufsen’s very first CD player designed to be part of a stacking system and first featured in the 1983/84 product catalogue and allowed Beosystem 5000 owners to use all the buttons on the Master Control Panel 5000. Beogram CD 50 was a front-loading CD player.

The disc was placed in the motorised drawer which opened at a touch and closed either by light finger-tip pressure or by operating the PLAY control. If the disc was inserted incorrectly (upside down as compared to most other CD players of the time) the drawer opened automatically to allow the user to replace it.

Although the CD50 is quite limited in operation from the front panel as a stand-alone unit, it is a very nice sounding and very functional machine utilising Burr-Brown decoders and a large array of RAM buffering. RCA outputs are available as well as the traditional DIN connection.

Since Beogram CD 50 was designed as a component of Beosystem 5000, it had a Datalink connection to allow remote control of all functions via the Beomaster’s Master Control Panel. Two phono output sockets and a 7-pin Datalink connection were provided for this purpose. However, since it was the only CD player in the B&O range in 1984, it was chosen for use with other Beosystems. An optional remote keypad – Terminal CD 50 – that could transmit commands to an infra-red sensor on the Beogram’s display fascia was provided to allow remote control of the unit when not used with Beosystem 5000. The optional Terminal was also recommended for those wishing to combine Beogram CD 50 with non-Bang & Olufsen hi-fi systems.

Strengths: the laser device is very beefy with plenty of heat sinking. Lots of shielding and grounding. Burr-Brown IC decoders utilised.

Weaknesses: without the remote control the unit will only carry out a few operations from the front panel: Open, Close, Display options, Play, Skip to selection, and Standby/Off. The CD must be inserted upside down as in some older Pioneer-type CD players.

The SCAN function was a feature unique to Beogram CD 50. You could sample the first 12 seconds of each track and either reject it from your programme or STORE its location for inclusion in a later playing sequence. A comprehensive display capability meant that you always knew what was happening, what CD track was playing or due to be played, elapsed and remaining time of each track, and so on.

Bang & Olufsen CD50 review

” This review was approached with more than the usual interest. B&O announced the fact that they were to introduce a CD player to match their 5000 system in the region of two years ago. For a long time however the promised player was not forthcoming, the main reason according to B&O being that they didn’t think the medium sounded good enough.

A few months back, B&O released first player, the CDX, and just before this went to press the CD50 designed to match the 5000 system was finally announced. The sample sent was a prototype and guaranteed to be ‘in accordance with specifications’. The usual warnings apply with such products and detail findings should be treated as tentative.

The CD?50 is one of the most impressively finished players in group; arguably the most impressive with its acres of brushed aluminium and immaculately moulded plastic parts The machine operates with utmost decorum, but allows the user plenty of thumb twiddling time whilst it laboriously retracts the drawer, reads the contents and initiates play. Tracking performance was good through to exceptional and immunity from shocks even better.

Description

A physically large player, the CD50 is an aesthetic match for B&O’s 5000 system and can be operated by the system remote control, which allows access to the play and programming features – the latter accepting sequences up to 36 tracks long. But it an also be used in foreign, non-B&O systems, either as is, or with an optional remote control. This is the £34 Terminal CD50, which is also advantageous even for 5000 system owners as many functions are not available without its help. System 5000 owners will therefore find themselves in the uncomfortable position of requiring two remote controls. I spoke to the company about this, who tell me that this will be taken into account (whatever that means) in a revamp due probably late 1986.

As a standalone item, the only facilities available to the user (unless I’ve missed something – there are no instructions) are play from the beginning or any other track, but the search is strictly sequential and in the forward direction only. The controls are micro switches behind the front panel: hit the right-hand edge and play starts, hit it again and the track count increases by one, though this can only be done with the disc loaded and table of contents in memory. The middle section toggles the excellent display between various time and track/index indications. The remote control, which was not ready in time for the review, adds the following: intro scan (which plays the first few seconds of each track), cueing (presumably with an audible output), index search, programming controls and a numeric keypad for direct track selection.

The Technical Bit

The CD?50 is based on an Aiwa transport, a fact betrayed by the upside down disc loading requirement. Even for a prototype the insides are a bit of a mess, the unit being crowded with wires everywhere and modifications by the bucket load. Decoding is 16 with 2x oversampling using a Yamaha chip and steep L-C aliasing filters. Component quality is just average. Measured performance is about average too. The frequency response is a bit wayward: there’s a small dip between above 1kHz, recovering to peak at 16kHz before slowly rolling away. Other figures were about average, but the low level waveform was better than usual.

Listening

B&O have accomplished in the CD-50 something which they may not have set out to do: to make a player that emulates much of the euphony and openness of good analogue sources e.g. records and combines it with typical digital strengths – low noise, convenience and the rest. There is a certain consistency, despite the 16KHz output peak, and the overall impression is one of pleasantness and clarity. However, the bass end is not ideally controlled and there was also some masking of fine detail.

Verdict

An excellent but costly player, sound quality is better than average and facilities pretty comprehensive if purchased with the remote control.

Pros…

A very pleasant sounding player that clearly benefits from the change that Bang & Olufsen have wrought to the off-the-shelf components used inside. Styling is excellent if you like this kind of thing – the player will suit those allergic to the knob-bedecked run of the mill.

… and Cons

Good as the B&O sounds, it’s a doubtful proposition in value for money terms ? the price is definitely on the high side. B&O also seem to have got their knickers in a twist with the control system and the 5000 system remote control, which controls every other part of the system, only accesses the most basic of facilities on the CD player. ”

‘Compact Disc Review’, January 1986

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

BeoGram 4000

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.

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

BeoGram 4002

The replacement for the Beogram 4000, this deck actually existed in a number of forms, the first using the AC motor of the 4000 and later ones using a DC motor. Simplified compared to the 4000, it was cheaper to produce, if not buy, but maintained a very similar performance.

In terms of concept, performance and technical design, this record player was very much ahead of its time. All functions were governed by computer-like logic circuits. You just pressed START, that was all. Through the unique detector arm (parallel to the pickup arm) these circuits could judge the size of the record, determine its normal playing speed and instruct the pick-up arm to lower the stylus into the lead-in groove. Within a few seconds you would hear the music. If there was no record on the platter the stylus could not be lowered, so the system was safe as well as simple.

Records could be tracked more accurately because the tangential arm traced a straight line from the record’s edge to its centre, instead of tracing an arc as radial arms do. This method entirely eliminated inward bias (skating effect) and tracking angle error was almost non-existent.

The naked elliptical diamond stylus in the MMC 20EN (former MMC 4000) pickup cartridge helped ensure that Beogram 4002 got all of the information out of your record grooves while handling them in the gentlest possible way.

Bang & Olufsen’s Beogram 4002 turntable was awarded the ‘Gold Sim 74’ and ‘Top Form 74’ prizes in the category of electro-mechanics.

Beogram 4004/4002 could be made up as part of the Beosystem 4400 or the quadraphonic Beosystem 6000 when linked together with other compatible Bang & Olufsen products.

Beogram 4004/4002 was an electronically controlled stereo record player with tangential arm. The unit utilised a belt drive system to control the record deck. Thanks to the incorporation of advanced electronics, several advantages were gained from this new concept in record-players: high specification, supreme automation of all functions and the most gentle treatment of records. The tangential arm moved the pick-up in a straight line towards the centre of the record, reducing tracking error to a mere 0.04%. The record player was fitted with the MMC 4000 pick-up cartridge (later MMC 20EN) which had a frequency range of 20-25.000 Hz ±1.5 dB. It had an integrated, elliptical naked diamond stylus with a stylus pressure of 1g. Rotation of the turntable was governed by a synchronous motor which was power-driven via a stabilised oscillator which made it independent of mains voltage and frequency fluctuations. Wow and flutter was less than ± 0.05 % and rumble better than 65 dB. DIN B weighted. A photocell in the record-player’s second arm registered the size of the record and the speed at which it should be played. Advanced electronics governed the actions of the pick-up arm: lifting, lowering, etc. However, the record-player could be operated manually by use of the large “easy-touch” control plate. Operation of the record deck was very easy as all functions were governed by computer logic circuits. With its tangential detector arm that was parallel to the linear tracking tonearm, the unit could sense the size and speed of the record to be played and lowered the stylus into the lead-in groove. It had cueing controls to raise and lower the tonearm to where you wanted it on the record. If there was no record on the turntable and you pushed START, it would not lower the stylus on the turntable. Manual selectors to determine the speed of the record player were incorporated; however, the turntable was fully automatic so all you had to do was put on the record and press START.

Beogram 4004/4002 was fitted with a hinged dust lid which could be opened to any angle up to about 60 degrees or completely removed by easy sliding action.

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

BeoGram 4004

Beogram 4004/4002 were two integrated record players with identical technical specifications and performance, but Beogram 4004 had additional convenience in that it could be operated by remote control when coupled to the Beomaster 2400 receiver. It could also be linked to the Beosystem 6000 as part of a quadraphonic system.

In terms of concept, performance and technical design, these record players were very much ahead of their time. All functions were governed by computer-like logic circuits. You just pressed START, that was all. Through the unique detector arm (parallel to the pickup arm) these circuits could judge the size of the record, determine its normal playing speed and instruct the pick-up arm to lower the stylus into the lead-in groove. Within a few seconds you would hear the music. If there was no record on the platter the stylus could not be lowered, so the system was safe as well as simple.

The naked elliptical diamond stylus in the MMC 20EN (former MMC 4000) pickup cartridge helped ensure that Beogram 4004/4002 got all of the information out of your record grooves while handling them in the gentlest possible way.

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

BeoGram 4500

In building the Beogram 4500 turntable, Bang & Olufsen applied all its classic principles to ensure reproduction as close to perfection as possible.

The electronically-controlled tangential arm played each record exactly as it was recorded. And there were built-in systems that helped prevent vibrations reaching the cartridge or turntable. Beogram 4500 employed a finer, ultra-light MMC2 cartridge that combined distinguished sound reproduction with maximum protection for your records.

Beogram 4500 could be used as part of the Beosystem 4500 hi-fi system, and – having an inbuilt RIAA pre-amplifier can be plugged straight into the AUX port of your modern B&O equipment and enjoyed with the minimum of fuss!