Release Date: 1971

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BeoMaster 3000-2

BeoMaster 3000-2

Beomaster 3000-2 was a solid state FM stereo receiver. The receiver was the kind of product you wanted to both look and to listen to.

It delivered 2 x 40 watts RMS at 30-30.000 Hz and whose distortion was less than 0.5%. With additions to the receiver like Beogram 3000, a fully automatic record player whose operating functions were executed by one master control, and two Beovox 3800 pressure chamber loudspeakers, Beosystem 3000 formed a complete high-fidelity system which deserved to be included in serious evaluations by those who felt that a quality hi-fi system must be chosen in separate units.

The unit was a high fidelity stereo amplifier in which emphasis was placed on specifications, frequency correction and connection facilities. The LOUDNESS feature permitted switching between an objective or a subjective linear reproduction and the LOW and EH filter controls gave a sharper regulation of frequencies, in addition to the normal bass and treble controls. The LOW filter helped reduce rumble resulting from a poor or defective record. At 80Hz its slope was 12dB per octave. There were sockets and push buttons for two pairs of loudspeakers. The headphone socket was situated on the front of the receiver. The tape connection facilitated AB monitoring and there were two record-player inputs: a high and a low impedance. All input sockets could be adjusted from the receiver’s base so that all signals had the same sound level. This was an extra convenience because one needed not adjust the volume control on the amplifier when it was switched between programme sources. The FM section had six pre-set stations. A light indicator assisted accurate tuning and the indicator registered the signal strength of a station. The FM section was extremely sensitive (better than 1.4 uV, I.E.C.) and harmonic distortion was only 0.4%. Field effect transistors, ceramic filters and integrated circuits were used.

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. Beomaster 3000 was one of those seven products. Two years’ previously Beomaster 3000 won the iF Design Award.

Beomaster 3000-2 was introduced in 1972. Both units could be used as part of Beosystem 3000. The two models were visually indistinguishable except for the model number, but the Beomaster 3000-2 contained a few minor technical improvements. The effect of these was not visually or aurally evident; the improvements were seen as Bang & Olufsen’s desire at that time to offer the customer the best components and aural experience.

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BeoMaster 5000 (1967)

Bang & Olufsen BeoMaster 5000 1967

Highly selective and sensitive FM stereo tuner with low-distortion multiplex adaptor featuring a high degree of channel separation. It has a 4-section gang-tuned radio-frequency amplifier with separate oscillator, five-stage intermediate-frequency amplifier, automatic frequency control, and automatic stereo/mono switching.

Large tuning meter facilitates pin-point tuning and provides relative signal-strength indication. An automatic data-processing centre switches from mono to stereo when the signal-to-noise ratio permits stereo reception (and if the set is tuned to a stereo broadcast). Moreover, it automatically cuts out the signal if the field strength drops below the critical level – and between channels, during tuning. The automatic frequency control circuit also ensures that the set stays accurately tuned at all times. The remarkable sensitivity of the Beomaster 5000 is due to the use of multi-stage radio-frequency and intermediate-frequency amplifiers, and the large number of intermediate-frequency circuits provide knife-edge selectivity. An amply-dimensioned true slide-rule dial with station markers ensures easy and rapid tuning.” – taken from the 1967 – 1968 Bang & Olufsen product catalogue

Bang & Olufsen’s Beomaster 5000 FM tuner, Beolab 5000 amplifier and Beovox 2500 Cube loudspeakers were among the first product series designed by Jacob Jensen in 1967. The first was Beomaster 1000 in 1964.

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. 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 Beomaster 5000 was Beolab 5000, an amplifier with a similarly-designed slide rule interface.

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

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BeoMaster 900 RG

Bang & Olufsen BeoMaster 900 RG

No other stereo radio gramophone with low, modern, yet reasonable dimensions is so beautifully styled as this. It incorporates a Beomaster 900 all-transistor stereo radio and the semi-professional Beogram 1000 stereo record player. There is space for installation of of tape recorder and a record and tape storage compartment. Pneumatically damped twin lids. Two B&O pressure-chamber speakers. 2 x 5 watts output. Dimensions: 585mm high, 1293mm wide, 510mm deep. Choice of teak or Brazilian rosewood finish. – taken from the 1967 – 1968 Bang & Olufsen product catalogue.

Radiogram Beomaster 900 RG Compact included a record player – either a B&O or Garrard auto-changer – within the combined unit.

Beomaster 900RG Compact was a high-quality radiogram and included the company’s first transistorised mains receiver – Beomaster 900. It was finished in either a natural teak or a rosewood veneer. It had two built-in stereo pressure chamber speakers rated at 85 Watts output. The transistorised circuitry included 26 transistors and four diodes. The radio section within the Beomaster 900 receiver had an internal FM antenna (an optional FM stereo decoder could be fitted). The receiver included an FM, MW, LW and SW radio, together with the Beogram 1000 record player. The space next to the turntable was for the storage of records, but if you had a Beocord 1500 or Beocord 2000 reel-to-reel tape recorder then the space was designed to allow this to be slotted in.

Controls: volume, bass, treble and tuning. Push button controls for on/off, gramophone, tape recorder, AFC circuitry, SW, LW, MW and FM wavebands. It had a ‘stereo’ indicator (optional module) and a tuner indicator.

Dimensions: (WxHxD):156.0cm x 68.5cm x 52.0cm

Weight: 54kg

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BeoGram 1800 (1968)

Bang & Olufsen BeoGram 1800 1968

This was a rare and interesting model. It boasted a new arm and motor compared to the Beogram 1000 but retained quite a lot of the design and the uninspired rubber mat.

It also had a most unusual dust cover with a metal surround with only the top panel being transparent. This design was to be seen also in the prototype Beogram 6000 but not in any production model.

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BeoVox 3000 (1967)

Bang & Olufsen BeoVox 3000 (1967)

Beovox 3000 was the ideal smaller loudspeaker for the Beolab system: it had a special bass unit, a separate mid-range and two high frequency units. There was provision for individual adjustment of mid-range and high-frequency levels, and a socket for a high-frequency diffuser (Beovox 2500).

Beovox 3000 type 6220 and 6238 was a pressure-chamber loudspeaker with a specially-designed bass unit, a separate mid-range speaker and two high-frequency speakers – a total of four units. There was a crossover network and provision for individual adjustment of mid-range and high-frequency levels. There was also provision for the connection of a high-frequency diffuser. The maximum power handling capacity was 50 Watts.

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BeoVox 2700

Bang & Olufsen BeoVox 2700

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. Beovox 2700 were one of those seven products. That same year Beovox 2700 won the iF Design Award.

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BeoVox 2600

Bang & Olufsen BeoVox 2600

Rated at 30W, the Beovox 2600 was powerful enough to be used with the Beomaster 3000, though it was also recomended for use with the Beomaster 1000, 1200 and 1600.

Slightly larger than the Beovox 1200 of the same year, it was fitted with an 8” woofer with a rubber roll edge and a 1.5” dome tweeter. Befitting a loudspeaker to be used with the excellent Beomaster 3000, the Beovox 2600 met all the conditions of the DIN 45 500 “hi-fi” standard.

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BeoVox 2500

Bang & Olufsen BeoVox 2500

Beovox 2500 Type 6211 were ‘cube tweeter’ speakers, launched at the same time as the innovative BeoLab 5000. The Beovox 2500 Cube loudspeakers were developed to complement both the Beomaster 5000 and BeoLab 5000 in order to spread the high tones. For decades, controlling the directivity and dispersion of particularly the higher frequencies has been a key concern for loudspeaker designers worldwide.

The ability to control the higher frequencies is crucial, as they carry the majority of sonic information about what you are listening to, and where the sound is coming from. During the 1960s, Bang & Olufsen’s Acoustic Engineers were just as concerned with creating a “quality stereo” experience. Whereas it did not matter just how bass frequencies were distributed (as the human ear cannot differentiate the direction of low frequencies) the problem of ensuring good dispersion of midrange and treble frequencies has always persisted.

The problem back then was the same as today; whereas there is no directional problem with the bass, how to ensure dispersion of the midrange and treble? The focus was on the treble, as the higher the frequency range, the narrower the field of dispersion. Beovox 2500 Cube, released in 1967, was an attempt at an omni-directional treble loudspeaker, where the six driver units in the cube-shaped cabinet overlapped to cover all fields. The six driver units, one on each face of the cube, presented a rather special placement problem, which was solved by balancing the loudspeaker on one of the corners. It could therefore rest on a stand or hang from the ceiling.

Of course, with the overlapping fields and reflections from walls, floor and ceiling, the solution wasn’t perfect, but the Beovox 2500 Cube received universal acclaim from audiophile circles at the time for its ability to provide omnipresent sound. Its compact proportions and design, as well as the idea behind it have all contributed Beovox 2500 Cube’s current status as a cult product.

With its six high-frequency tweeters radiating in all directions, Beovox 2500 could be base- or wall-mounted, or even mounted from the ceiling. The compact speakers ensured complete spatial distribution of the highest notes, and its maximum power handling capacity in the range above 2000 Hz was 60W. The speaker was the ideal tweeter for a Beolab system. It could be connected to Beovox 5000 and Beovox 3000.

At the 1967 spring fair in Hanover, B&O and Jacob Jensen – the designer of the speakers – received the IF award for the Beomaster 5000, BeoLab 5000 and Beovox 2500 Cube loudspeakers for outstanding and user-friendly design.