It’s better both for your records and for sound quality to play a record the way the master was made – in a straight line from the edge to the centre. This tangential arm record player did just that, giving a far more precise reading of the signals in the groove. The MMC4 cartridge made a vital contribution too; it was feather-weight, with a stylus pressure of only 1,2 grams, giving outstanding sound quality but minimising wear and tear on your records.
There’s more protection too – invaluable for all-night parties. The electronically controlled tangential arm was suspended so that it isolated mechanical vibrations from the cartridge. The suspension chassis was also thoroughly engineered to neutralise vibrations. So keep on dancing – the record player can take it! Beogram 3300 was part of Beosystem 3300 although may be used as a stand-alone item.
One of many tangential decks all utilising the same basic design, the 3300 was noticeable mainly for its grey finish and slightly lurid graphics. Very much a child of the 80s, it was replaced by the 3500 and 4500.
With Beocord VHS 91.2 Bang & Olufsen created a stereo video tape recorder which, in 1987, was close to studio equipment in terms of sound and picture quality. And when it came to design, operation and uses it was a natural, integrated part of home entertainment and communication.
Beocord VHS91.2 could record up to four hours of video or eight hours of stereo hi-fi sound on just the one four-hour tape. And it could of course be remote-controlled regardless of which Bang & Olufsen TV and music system you put it to work with.
The many picture functions included such things as distortion-free single frame pictures, play back just one picture at a time, ‘flickerless’ breaks between recordings and automatic picture search with the help of the tape counter. And Beocord VHS91.2 could also be programmed to record daily or weekly for an unlimited period of time.
With a completely new recording technique and one built-in stereo decoder, Beocord VHS 91.2 provided unlimited possibilities for combining TV, video and music systems, such as recording stereo simulcasts.
In terms of design, colours and uses, Beocord VHS 91.2 was created to harmonise with Beovision MX2000. And the same remote control Terminal could be used to control both units.
Beocord 3500 was part of Beosystem 3500, a budget-priced system for those who wanted to get onto the Bang & Olufsen bandwagon but could not afford, or did not want to have, the extra features that say, Beosystem 4500 had to offer.
It included specifications such as Dolby B Noise Reduction and a Sendust head for longer life of the recording/playback head, otherwise the features were identical to the Beocord 4500. Its only difference was the grey finish instead of its more expensive brother’s polished surfaces.
You had the benefits of the very latest technology with this cassette recorder when it was first introduced. Such as the patented HX Pro recording system which enriched the sound image by giving vastly superior reproduction of the treble range.
You were certain to approve of the wealth of useful features too. For example, if the record finished while you were recording, the tape stopped automatically and restarted automatically when you turn the record over.
When you pressed STOP after a recording, a four-second pause was inserted between tracks with the automatic search system. Clever stuff – all designed to make life easier and more fun. Beocord 3300 was part of Beosystem 3300 although it could also be used as a stand-alone item.
Beocom 2000, the classic telephone from Bang & Olufsen… what else is there to say?
Beocom 2000 was unlike anything which had been introduced by Bang & Olufsen before.
All the parts of the phone were made by the company itself and not imported from other manufacturers. A well-equipped telephone with extraordinary sound quality, a tradition carried on with all of the Beocom range of telephones.
The design is truly timeless. The display gave information on which number your were calling and the time connected. All standard functions were of course, also available, like volume control and numeric memories, and for the more advanced user there was a special headset available!
This phone was also available in a more simple version, Beocom 600, which didn’t have the display but had the same sound quality.
The memory bank of the Beocom 2000 enabled you to store your personal top twenty, and at the touch of just a few buttons you were connected. With display, bass reflex speaker in handset, 20 numbers of memory, quick call key for an often-use or ’emergency’ number, redial of last 3 numbers called, pause function, adjustable volume control, microphone mute (for secrecy), built-in speaker for listening, adjustable tone ringer with 8 settings plus off. There was even a hidden note pad which could be used by raising the lid on the right-hand side of the unit!
Up to 1993 Beocom 2000 was produced with different coloured keys. However, from this time a more mellow design was offered with all the keys complementing each other. On its bright display with large characters the Beocom 2000 could offer you the last three numbers for redialling
Beocord 4500 cassette recorder housed exciting details and distinguished technology. Like Auto Reverse, so you did not need to turn over the tape. Automatic registration of the type of tape, and Bang & Olufsen’s patented HX-PRO recording system that provided optimal sound reproduction. Both in design and technology, Beocord 4500 was a direct extension of Beomaster 4500.
The cassette recorder featured Bang & Olufsen’s own HX-PRO recording system which ensures that recordings are made as perfectly as possible. With the Beolink 1000 terminal or by lightly touching the panel itself, you could select a particular piece of music you wanted to hear. The search system found it automatically whether it was on Side 1 or Side 2 of the cassette. For Beocord 4500 had Auto Reverse so you did not have to turn the tape over.
The recorder was also equipped with Dolby B and knew exactly what type of tape you were using. Beocord 4500 could be used as part of the Beosystem 4500 hi-fi system.
A light touch to the front of the Beocord 6500 cassette recorder released the loader which glided out slowly and silently in order to allow you to insert a cassette. You could use whichever type of cassette you prefer; or choose between Dolby B or C Noise Reduction systems… and rejoice in Bang & Olufsen’s patented HX-PRO recording system which ensured optimal sound reproduction, particularly in the difficult, high-frequency range. And, naturally, Beocord 6500 had auto-reverse so that both sides of the tape played as one.
Beocord 6500 could be used as part of the Beosystem 6500 hi-fi system.
Auto Record level
One of the less-pleasant chores in making a recording is setting level control to its optimum position. Setting it too low raises the level of background noise on the recording. Setting it too high makes the recording distorted at high music levels. With this in mind, Bang and Olufsen introduced an automatic record mode which was called ‘Auto Record’.
Auto Record worked in two steps: when the record button was pressed for the first time, the cassette recorder went into a record pause mode, where the incoming signal was monitored. Under microprocessor control, the highest level was monitored and the record level was set at the optimum level for that music. On pressing the record button the second time, the tape was set in motion and the recording started, but continuing to make minor adjustments. If at any time during the recording, the level of music rose above the monitored level, the level control was lowered by exactly the amount required for the new optimum recording level.
This method of setting the level control closely imitated the action of a highly skilled recording engineer, if asked to set the level for a recording. It was the best that could be done when the full recording could not be monitored before recording started.
This feature incorporated a new method of monitoring the signal, which proved to be a more effective method over conventional methods. It was patented by the company with the patent number 158702.
As part of Beosystem 5500, this advanced tape recorder was as close to professional standard as could be made at the time, bristling with features you just loved to use!
There was Auto Reverse, letting you play or record both sides of a cassette as one continuous tape. And automatic adjustment of sound levels avoided annoying volume changes from one recording to the next. Then there was Bang & Olufsen’s famous HX-Pro recording system which gave vastly superior sound quality on the higher frequencies, creating a richer, more detailed sound image.
Beocord 5500 automatically adjusted itself to match standard, chrome or metal tapes. You had the option of Dolby B or C during recording. During playback, the recorder automatically switched itself to the noise reduction system you recorded with. Automatic track search was also included – just key in the track number and the recorder did the rest.
The cassette recorder could be controlled via the two-way Master Control Panel 5500 as part of the Beosystem 5500.
Auto Record level
One of the less-pleasant chores in making a recording is setting level control to its optimum position. Setting it too low raises the level of background noise on the recording. Setting it too high makes the recording distorted at high music levels. With this in mind, Bang and Olufsen introduced an automatic record mode which was called ‘Auto Record’.
Auto Record worked in two steps: when the record button was pressed for the first time, the cassette recorder went into a record pause mode, where the incoming signal was monitored. Under microprocessor control, the highest level was monitored and the record level was set at the optimum level for that music. On pressing the record button the second time, the tape was set in motion and the recording started, but continuing to make minor adjustments. If at any time during the recording, the level of music rose above the monitored level, the level control was lowered by exactly the amount required for the new optimum recording level.
This method of setting the level control closely imitated the action of a highly skilled recording engineer, if asked to set the level for a recording. It was the best that could be done when the full recording could not be monitored before recording started.
This feature incorporated a new method of monitoring the signal, which proved to be a more effective method over conventional methods. It was patented by the company with the patent number 158702.
This advanced CD player was straight from tomorrow’s world – but it would still marry up happily with any Bang & Olufsen system created over the previous decade. It was as simple to use as a tape recorder. The track search system was invaluable for finding your way quickly around the disc. A display indicated the number of the track you’re on.
Recording was just as straight forward. And you could time recordings to the second – just press the sensi-touch panel and you could find out how much time was left on a particular track or on the whole disc.
This replacement for the former Beogram CDX used at that time, new 16-bit technology and an all-new optical system. The player itself though, was derived from the Philips CD150 machine; the same as that in the Beocenter 9000. After one year the machine was discontinued and replaced by the Beogram CD 3300 – a similar sensi-touch CD player – as part of Beosystem 3300.
