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 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.
Beolit 707 received radio programmes on FM, long and medium wavebands. This portable radio was Bang & Olufsen’s handiest music system. Its sound reproduction quality was so outstanding that it invites even critical music lovers to listen to music programmes when they are away from home.
Power input was specified at a pure 1 watt and frequency range was 65-20 000 Hz: exceptional for a transportable radio receiver. A large tuning scale with thumb wheels made tuning easy. Bass and treble was adjusted separately and there was an AFC facility to keep FM stations correctly tuned.
Beolit 707 could be plugged into the mains supply or run from batteries. The cabinet was finished in coloured Nextel – a synthetic material with a suede-like finish which is washable ands scratch-proof. It was designed by Jacob Jensen, the same as its FM-only sibling, Beolit 505.
The Beolit was one of the very few portable radios that were suitable for reproducing more than just news broadcasts. Sound quality was so good that music programmes could be reproduced with a quality that made them worth listening to. The Beolit was fitted with a mains transformer and a detachable lead. Operation was simple and problem-free. And since portable radios can end up in unenviable situations, the Beolit was constructed to withstand some rough treatment.
A robust chassis protects the internal circuitry and a special surface treatment protects the radio from scratches. Dirty marks were easily removed with a damp cloth.
Beolit 505 was a pure FM radio with AFC facility to ensure clean, sharp reception. It had an in-built large, high quality speaker together with a built-in telescopic aerial. It had six programme indicators (affixed to sliding tuning scale) and connection for a tape recorder. It was designed by Jacob Jensen, the same as its FM and AM bigger brother, Beolit 707.
The Beolit was one of the very few portable radios that were suitable for reproducing more than just news broadcasts. Sound quality was so good that music programmes could be reproduced with a quality that made them worth listening to. The Beolit was fitted with a mains transformer and a detachable lead. Operation was simple and problem-free. And since portable radios can end up in unenviable situations, the Beolit was constructed to withstand some rough treatment.
A robust chassis protects the internal circuitry and a special surface treatment protects the radio from scratches. Dirty marks were easily removed with a damp cloth.
A thoroughgoing ‘black box’. Nothing in the shape of the device revealed how it worked or what it was. Only the inscription on the top of the unit told the user just how the black ‘magic mirror’ was brought to life so it could show which function has been activated. The unit was Bang & Olufsen’s first remote-controlled hi-fi system.
Beomaster 6000 History
Beomaster 6000 was the realisation of the Topline prototype on which work had progressed over the preceding years. The long flat cabinet of the Beomaster 1200 with its operation from the top and the depressed knobs was repeated. But the Beomaster 6000 is the first representative of a new phase in Jacob Jensen’s oeuvre. The slide rule motif symbolised mechanical precision, but now the entire idiom is adapted to the abstraction it was necessary to submit in communicating using electronics.
The visually, symbolically and tactilely easily understood slide rule operation belonged to the age of mechanisation and must be understood in extension of the modernistic machine aesthetics of the 1920s. The design of the Beomaster 6000 emphasises that it belongs to the electronic age and that it is part of the virtual, digital epoch. The volume is regulated stepwise by pressing one button to increase volume and another to reduce it. The buttons are gathered together in one large steel sheet, in which ‘tongues’ have been cut. These each have a play of less than half a millimetre as they are electronic micro-switches. The depressed adjustment knob, which made its first appearance in the General Electric radiogram study model around 1960, is an electronic tuner.
” The great quality of the slide rule motif was that it showed both the user’s input (setting) and the device’s output at the same time. The logical consequence of micro-electricity is a division of input and output – the electronics differ from mechanical operation in that their function is invisible. Jensen does what he can, nevertheless, to make it easy to understand what is happening. Input is placed in a silver-coloured control panel, while output (displays) is gathered under a sheet of dark glass. This magical black sheet, ‘the magic mirror’ that lights up while in use, is to give an extra experience over and above the purely aesthetical. The Beomaster 6000 is a very easy advanced quadraphonic radio. In view of the development team, four sound channels required your being able to adapt the sound to your position in the room. In this way, the first remote-controlled hi-fi system became a reality. ” – taken from ‘Jacob Jensen’ by Christain Holmsted Olesen.
Beomaster 6000 features
At the centre of the Beosystem 6000 was Beomaster 6000, a 4-channel amplifier with an FM tuner. Beomaster 6000 had a built-in SQ decoder (4-channel matrix) and was a full remote controlled system. Five FM stations could be pre-selected and there was manual tuning on the large illuminated FM scale. The FM tuner covered 87,5 – 104MHz. Tuning was carried out via feather-touch controls. The amplifier section was designed to cope with all sound reproduction systems: one, two or four channels. It produced 4×40 watts RMS (4 ohms) or 300 watts total music. 4-channel sound reproduction from records was popularly represented by two systems: CD4 discrete and SQ matrix.
CD4 (Compatible Discrete 4 channel) enabled high-quality sound reproduction with a high degree of separation between the four channels. CD4 was called at the time ‘TRUE 4 channel system’. However, many companies chose the SQ system because it was easily transmitted over FM and SQ records could be played on a high quality stereo record player. However, the price of convenience was less channel separation than the CD4 system afforded.
An SQ matrix decoder was incorporated in Beomaster 6000. Basically, its job was to reconstruct sound information for the two rear speakers. For CD4 records this reconstruction took place in the record-player, Beogram 6000.
Operation
Operation of Beomaster 6000 was child’s play. The large flat operation panel had logically grouped controls for all essential functions. Primary functions (e.g. programme source selection, volume, balance, bass and treble controls) were large, prominent, yet unobtrusive easy-touch buttons, while secondary functions (e.g. loudness, hi and low filters, etc) were smaller push buttons. Volume, balance, bass and treble controls were executed by a feather-touch of the finger tip. A servo-motor did the real work. An illuminated scale indicated position and control levels. There were facilities for frequency correction on all 4 channels. Each channel had a frequency range of 20-30,000 Hz. Distortion was lower than 0.1% at full power output.
Remote Control
The cordless (ultrasonic) remote control for the receiver could be bought as an accessory. This unit put you in true control of the music system. All the following functions could be controlled: volume, balance: left and right speakers; balance: front and rear speakers; five pre-selected FM stations; selection of external programme sources: record-player, tape/cassette-recorder; switching on and off (stand-by).
Connections
All necessary connection facilities were incorporated in Beomaster 6000: 4-channel record player, 2 or 4-channel tape-recorder. 4-channel headphones or two sets stereo headphones.
Beomaster 6000 was perfectly matched to partner the Beocord 5000 cassette recorder (introduced 1975). Beomaster 6000 was featured in an exhibition at New York’s MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) in 1975. At the time of its release it was the flagship of Bang & Olufsen’s hi-fi product range and was quite expensive to purchase. The UK price in 1978 was £581.50.
Accessories:
FM room aerial
An FM aerial type 8902010, was designed for use with Beomaster 6000 to be used in the home, within a certain radius of the radio transmitter. It was easily positioned at the rear of Beomaster 6000 and its two telescopic elements could be extended.
With BeoLab 2000 the customer is able to extend choices with a range of dedicated Beolink® products. These offer the maximum convenience when it comes to moving and controlling sound and vision around the home.
BeoLab 2000 is the second speaker from Bang & Olufsen specially made for the Beolink® system, MasterLink, the first being BeoLab 3500. This product was designed by Anders Hermansen. All its required electronics are housed within the speaker and the only thing needed is a cable to be plugged in. As with all MasterLink products, BeoLab 2000 is totally auto-configurating.
On the front of the speaker there are buttons to select which source to listen: CD, tape and so on, as well as track selection and on/off. There is also a volume control of course. The speaker can also be operated via a remote control – for example the Beolink 1000 or Beo4. The sound is really impressive considering the very small net volume. This speaker is best used in smaller rooms such as kitchens and bedrooms.
In the kitchen, a BeoLab 2000 connected to the BeoSound Ouverture or BeoSound 3000 in the living room will give you hands-on control of various sources. Via the link to the Beovision Avant, you can follow the news on TV and only watch if something catches your interest. In the kitchen, the bathroom or the garage this little active loudspeaker gives you the option of remote or hands-on control of tape, CD, radio, timer and volume.
“When it comes to sound reproduction we believe there’s only one relevant parameter: How close can we come to the originally recorded sound. We feel an obligation not to disturb the intentions of the artist by adding unnatural elements to the acoustic image. Therefore all Bang & Olufsen loudspeakers share the same goal. They differ in size and shape and in terms of sound pressure level. But they are all developed to reproduce the natural, unaltered sound as closely as possible ” – Bang & Olufsen catalogue 2001 – 2002
BeoLab 2000 is a flexible Beolink loudspeaker which is easy to accommodate and gives you the option of hands-on or remote control. On the front panel you choose between CD, tape or radio, turn on & off, up & down. A bracket for wall or corner mounting is included
Why build amplifiers into the loudspeakers instead of keeping them separate?
Because you can reduce the size of the cabinet volume to one-third of the size of a conventional loudspeaker with the same sound capacity. The principle is called Active Loudspeakers, and what you get is a compact loudspeaker that can play at high volume without distortion or damage to its drive units. Furthermore, when amplifier, treble and bass units are paired for the same task, they can be tailored to compensate for each other’s shortcomings. What you hear is music that sounds exactly like the instrument it originally came from.
The fine art of control of BeoLab 2000
A control knob on the front of the BeoLab 2000 allows hands-on operation, when or if a Beo4 remote control is not at hand. A perforated disc inside the knob breaks a beam of light in front of a sensor that counts the number of perforations and adjusts the sound level accordingly. No wear and tear and no distortion from worn out resistors.
” 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.
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.
This deck was a variant of the Beogram 4002 but fitted as standard with a CD4 decoder. As with the 4002, there were two clear models , the earlier with the AC motor and the later with a DC motor.
The DIN plug was unusual in that it carried 4 discrete channels and was therefore best suited to the Beomaster 6000 or 3400. It did have a built in RIAA though and would play stereo records perfectly happily as the rear channels could be switched off.
The cartridge specified was the MMC6000, the ultimate cartridge in the range designed by and bearing the name of one of B&O’s pre-eminent engineers, Subir Pramanik.
Beogram 3400 was designed to play back quadraphonic-encoded records and incorporated an MMC 5000 with a Shibita diamond stylus. An optional CD4 decoder could be specified to allow play back of that type of LP as well SQ discs which could be played by any record player.
Quadraphonic sound
Bang & Olufsen produced two quadraphonic systems in the 1970s. The top model was Beosystem 6000 which comprised Beomaster 6000 and Beogram 6000. Beogram 6000 was a development of Beogram 4000 in that it was a tangential tracking turntable. It had an inbuilt CD4 decoder which was switchable. When ‘on’ it would detect the presence of the carrier frequencies and a display would illuminate on the record deck’s display as ‘4ch’.
The output of the Beogram was at line-level whether in 2- or 4-channel mode. The deck was attached to Beomaster 6000 via a 5-pin DIN lead with all the pins being wired. In Beomaster 6000 there was a replaceable board with a SQ decoder as standard. This was manually switchable. The operator therefore still needed to know the type of quad recording that was to be played. The purpose of the removable board was to allow upgrading should the record industry ever get its act together and find a common standard!
The second system was based on Beomaster 3400 and Beogram 3400 which had a radial deck and a smaller and simpler receiver. This again had similar functions. Beomaster 4000 and a few others had a facility called Ambiophonics which used a system of simulated four track sound from stereo records. Two Bang & Olufsen cartridges were made for playing CD4 records:
MMC5000 used a fairly standard Shibata profile
The top of the range MMC6000 used a profile designed by one of their own engineers – Subir Pramanik – and which bore his name
