Beocord 1700 was a high-fidelity cassette recorder which combined quality with the convenience of compact cassettes.
The tape-heads in Beocord 1700 were high density ferrite heads which offered high sound quality and a longer useful lifetime than any other type of tape heads available in the mid-1970’s. There was a push button for switching between chromium dioxide and normal tapes in order to secure the best performance from either type. There were two VU meters with dB scales: one for each channel. Recording levels could be accurately adjusted by using the two independent sliders for right and left channels. There was an automatic stop at the end of the tape.
The 3-digit tape counter had a supplementary memory function which automatically stopped the tape at a ‘0’ reading. Sockets for mono/stereo microphone and headphones were hidden under a sliding panel on the top of the unit. Frequency range was 30-14.500 Hz and signal-to-noise ratio was better than 52dB with chromium dioxide tapes. This figure could be further improved by the Dolby noise reduction system which was available as an optional accessory.
The plug-in unit fitted inside the cabinet and after the necessary adjustments, the “filter” button was replaced by a “Dolby” button which was used to switch the system IN or OUT as required. Wow and flutter was less than ± 0.12 % (JIS) or ±0.2 % (DIN).
Beocord 1700 could be used as part of Beosystem 1700 together with suitable speakers.
Top of the range monitor speaker, these were much more like the Beovox S60 than the Beovox M75 that replaced them.
They were 4 way speakers with the tweeter and midrange level with each other and the Phase link and woofer below. They could be fitted with the dramatic trumpet stand and were the speakers specified for the Beosystem 6000.
Beovox Uni-Phase P30 loudspeaker handled up to 30 watts RMS power and reproduced sound with neutral, linear phase quality.
They were panel speakers designed to be hung on the wall and are therefore ideal for rooms where space was limited. Only 9cm deep, its volume was 12,9 litres. Fitted with a 16cm woofer and a 2,5cm tweeter. Frequency range 49 – 20000Hz.
The Beovox P30 were effectively a wall mounted S30. They appeared very thin though were in fact slightly deeper than one thought as the resin back protruded a fair bit at the back. Sound quality mirrored that of the S30 with generally good quality sound though they are bass light and must be wall mounted to achieve their best.
Beovox Uni-Phase P45 loudspeaker was a revised version of the Beovox P50 and was a high fidelity panel speaker for wall-mounting.
Weighing only 8kg the P45 had a net volume of 25 litres. Frequency range was 40 – 20 000 Hz with less than 1% harmonic distortion. There were two 12,5cm woofers, a special 8cm Phase Link unit and a 2,5cm dome tweeter.
Beovox Uni-Phase P45 loudspeaker was a revised version of the Beovox P50 and was a high fidelity panel speaker for wall-mounting.
Weighing only 8kg the P45 had a net volume of 25 litres. Frequency range was 40 – 20 000 Hz with less than 1% harmonic distortion. There were two 12,5cm woofers, a special 8cm Phase Link unit and a 2,5cm dome tweeter.
“A sound panel in which high-fidelity reproduction and compactness were successfully reunited” – 1974 Catalogue.
Beovox P50 represented a new concept in the design of pressure chamber loudspeakers. They were developed with convenience and homeliness in mind. Their remarkable design provided the sound quality of a “large” speaker without the dominating size and appearance which speakers of this standard had hitherto necessitated. It was possible to place even four top-quality speakers in your living-room without inconvenience.
Beovox P50 could be easily mounted on a wall where their presence would not obtrude upon their surroundings, yet they presented the most excellent sound quality. Frequency response was 40-20 000 Hz with distortion less than 1%. The “P” stood for “panel” and “50” signified power handling capacity – 50 watts RMS (or 80 watts music power). The speaker units were two 12,5cm woofers, a 8cm mid-range dome and a 2,5cm dome tweeter.
Beovox S30 and S40 both used a two-unit configuration and pressure chamber design to reproduce music faithfully and clearly.
They handled up to 30 watts and 40 watts respectively and were ideal for mounting within a shelving system. Beovox S40 worked in conjunction with Beosystem 2300 if that is how you wished to use them. They featured a 20cm bass driver (woofer) and a 2,5cm dome treble unit (tweeter) offering wide frequency response and clean, clear sound reproduction.
The amplifier section of this receiver had outstanding technical data: harmonic distortion was less than 0.1% at maximum power output and 0.06% at 50 mW. Frequency range was 20-30.000 Hz and effective bandwidth 10-35.000 Hz.
Frequency correction facilities were the LOW filter which reduced rumble on records (12 dB per octave at 80 Hz) and the HI filter which damped hiss (12 dB per octave at 4000 Hz). With the LOUDNESS control you could switch between objective and subjective linear reproductions. Beomaster 4000 had facilities for stereo and ambio reproduction. There were sockets for a record player and two tape-recorders, one allowing A\B monitoring. The headphone connection was placed on the receiver’s front. All inputs could be adjusted to give equal volume from all programme sources. The FM section had six pre-set stations. A light indicator assisted accurate tuning and an illuminated meter indicated the strength of a station. Field effect transistors, ceramic filters and integrated circuits were used.
When combined with a built-in record deck, the music centre was known as Beocenter 3500.
Receivers and amplifiers with the ambio function were products which, apart from stereo, could also reproduce the ambience or sound information of a room. Ambient information was included on most stereo vinyl recordings but could not be reproduced by a sound system with two loudspeakers or an ordinary stereo amplifier. Bang & Olufsen systems with the ambio function had facilities which electronically subtracted the difference signal (i.e. the difference between left and right channels) which contained ambient information. This information was fed into two extra loudspeakers which were placed as side speakers in a room. Ambiophony was an extension of stereo reproduction and enhanced the sense of realism. It could be used with nearly all stereo programme materials.
“Ambio is an extension of the type of sound reproduction known today as stereo.
Ambio is reproduced through four loudspeakers – two more than required for stereo.
Ambio is sensed as being more spatial and acoustically more life-like than conventional stereo. The sound picture has greater depth because you get the added feeling of being present of the concert hall, listening to the actual performance. Ambio is based on the principle that in the concert hall you not only receive sound impressions directly from the performing group, you also get reflections from the wall and ceiling. The spatial sensation is instrumental in providing the auditory experience and even a two-speaker stereo system will not bring it out fully. And you cannot accomplish the effect by connecting additional speakers to a conventional stereo amplifier because you still have the same left and right front signals merely distributed to more speakers.
In the Beomaster 4000 the left and right channels are subtracted from each other electronically and the resulting difference signal contains a certain amount of spatial information which is fed to the two new side speakers.
Many existing stereo records, FM broadcasts and tape recordings contain this spatial effect to a greater or lesser extent. In a concert hall, room acoustics will be recorded together with the actual programme material, appearing as time-delayed signals in both left and right channels. Recordings made in a strongly damped studio contain few time-delayed signals and the spatial sensation will therefore depend on how the producer mixed the sounds from the various instruments, perhaps adding acoustical effects by electronic means.
Multi-channel records such as SQ records, which are intended for use in a four-channel matrix system in order to bring out the sound effects , can be played successfully through the Beomaster 4000.
A good quality stereo turntable will provide ambio reproduction of both stereo and SQ records through your Beomaster 4000″
