This tangential record player was a classic example of Bang & Olufsen’s attention to detail. It had automatic registration of record size and speed, and seven repeat functions. The turntable was based on Beogram 5005.
There was also the benefit of Bang & Olufsen’s patented chassis suspension and special tone arm design, which prevented vibrations from reaching the cartridge during play thus enhancing your pleasure and protecting your records.
The US TX2 had a 110V transformer but had no switching for other electrical voltages. As a comparison, most European models had an inbuilt transformer to allow for switching between other voltages.
This fully-featured radial record player brought an extra dimension to all kinds of music systems.
It was ideal for those who love partying, with automatic anti-skating to prevent distortion, and Bang & Olufsen’s special chassis suspension which made the record player virtually ‘dance-proof’.
There was also automatic registration of record size and speed. Fine quality sound reproduction was provided by the lightweight tone-arm.
This deck was the last of the B&O radial tracking decks and was closely related to the excellent Beogram 5000. This is an excellent choice as a source for vinyl in a modern system requiring very little in the way of set up yet offering good audio performance.
Beogram 5000’s radial-tracking record deck was the perfect match for Beomaster 5000. Operation was entirely automatic. One touch on the PLAY control started the motor and activated the deck’s logic circuits which assessed the size and correct speed of the record and instructed the arm to lower the stylus into the run-in groove.
This was a very fast-acting yet highly accurate control system which gave you music within about 8 seconds – far more quickly and gently than the human hand could guarantee. This system was also error-proof; for example, it was impossible to lower the stylus unless there was a record on the turntable, so expensive mistakes and accidents just couldn’t happen.
At the end of the record the motor automatically switched itself off and the arm returned to its rest position. If you wished, you could hear the same record over and over again automatically; it was necessary to just press PLAY once for each repeat required. Up to 7 consecutive performances could be pre-programmed in this way.
Beogram 5000’s sound quality was everything you would expect from so sophisticated a unit. The ultra-lightweight arm had built-in anti-skating and tracking weight adjustment. It carried the MMC 4 pickup with a framed elliptical diamond stylus that tracked the record groove accurately and with minimum wear.
As a final grace note there was also an interior light that switched itself on automatically when the lid was opened and stayed alight while the unit was in play.
When connected to Beomaster 5000, Beogram 5000 offered the added convenience of full infra-red remote control. The record deck could also be used as part of the Beosystem 5000.
Finish: brushed aluminium, dark grey translucent dust cover
This radial-tracking deck combined ease of operation with superb performance specifications. It featured a new, advanced type of tone arm carrying the remarkable MMC5 pick-up with its unframed, elliptical diamond stylus. The platter was of a lightweight design (400 grams) to reduce torque at starting.
Its carefully milled profile, with large metal surfaces set between slim bands of Nextell, ensured high electrical capacitance between the record and the metal, effectively earthing static charges without actual contact. It was driven by a flat rubber belt from a tacho-controlled DC motor. The belt’s compliance acted as a mechanical filter, preventing motor vibrations from reaching the record and stylus.
To complement this improved arm/cartridge combination Beogram 1800 had a new faster-acting movement control system with separate cam wheels for vertical and horizontal arm movement, so that automatic operation gave you music within a very few seconds. So cueing was really fast, but still careful of your records.
For improved record safety, you could operate normal PLAY and STOP functions while the lid was closed. Just one touch – the rest was automatic. Record size and speed was identified by the Beogram’s logic circuits. Beogram 1800’s slim plinth had a brushed aluminium finish.
Opening the lid gave access to three further function controls: CUE, 33 and 45 speed overrides (for non-standard discs).
Beogram 1800 was designed by Jacob Jensen and at the 1969 Hanover Fair Bang & Olufsen and Jacob Jensen were presented with the iF award for no less than 4 products for ‘outstanding industrial design’ including Beogram 1800.
Types: 5811 (1984 – Aug 1984); USA 5813 (1984 – Feb 1986)
These are probably the slimmest looking record player available. Quite a bit of this is down to clever visual tricks and surprisingly, the decks related to this model all looked thicker. It sold well and may were bought to work with non B&O systems. It shared the excellent suspension of its predecessors and had the new cartridge mounting. Now available for little money, this is a superb sounding deck. Highly recommended.
Beogram 1600 was manufactured primarily for the US and French markets; therefore in the overall scheme of things, there weren’t many of these around. A fairly basic machine, Beogram 1600 was designed for use within the Beomaster 1600 and Beocord 1600 system when it complemented these other products nicely. It fitted with the MMC 20E combined cartridge/stylus.
