A special Bang & Olufsen feature was ‘spontaneous videotaping’. If you wanted to record the programme you were watching it was simply a matter of pressing ‘record’ twice on the remote control handset – and the VCR would automatically find the right channel and start taping.
You could with Beocord VX5500 play back in slow motion all the way down to still. You could use the picture-in-picture module with the VCR and the B&O TV on which you had it linked up to and it was also possible to keep your video tapes organised. By using a graphic ‘notebook’ you could name every video tape you record. Then you use the Beolink 5000 or Beolink 1000 terminal to simply order up the number of your recording.
Beocord V3000 was designed to match Beovision LS5500 in looks and budget in order to allow video programming directly on-screen. It permitted eight programmes to be recorded up to one year in advance and had a superb quality slow motion and freeze facility. It also had twin speed recording and playback.
With the assistance of the Beolink 1000 remote control terminal you could handle complicated programming of the video recorder in the easiest possible way – direct via a menu on the TV screen. Beocord V3000 also had Bang & Olufsen’s uniquely fast access to taping any programme you were watching at that moment.
Press RECORD twice on the Beolink 1000 terminal and the VCR would automatically find the right channel in its memory and commence recording your TV programme. It was a fast mover too, having two winding speeds in both directions for picture search. Four video heads ensured that you obtained still pictures and slow motion in choice quality. Sound quality was in mono.
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.
The idea behind Beovox Red Line speakers was one of flexibility.
A Red Line speaker was so flexible that it could be placed anywhere. On the ceiling, the wall, or on the floor. You could hang them semi-permanently on the wall, and if you had a party you could place them on the floor and thereby add extra emphasis to the bass. The different ways of placing them accentuated different frequencies.
You could also tilt them if you chose to hang them on the wall. This allowed you to adjust the sound image and direct the sound right at your listening position. However, Red Line was more than merely flexible. It was an impressive bass reflex speaker with a revolutionary new cabinet that ‘curved’ round the sound thereby eliminating irritating resonance because there were no parallel surfaces.
Music that never stands still
Red Line loudspeakers followed your music tastes right up the wall if you wanted! All models except the RL35 could be hung on the wall or be suspended from the ceiling; and, if your dancing feet wanted to make the most of the bass notes, then Red Line could be positioned on the floor, supported by the built-in floor stand. By using Red Line speakers, you weren’t plagued by cables that wrapped themselves around your feet like spaghetti either; Red Line’s flexible spiral cables provided the decorative and practical answer.
The shell was cast in a hard synthetic material and the shape that was devised for the range was characterised by the fact that it allowed for practically no resonance whatsoever.
Great and small
You could choose Red Line in four sizes. They started with the baby 35 watt RL35 – perfect for a Beolink round-the-house system where you needed speakers all over the place. Then there was the 45.2, the 60.2 and the immensely powerful 140’s – big and beautiful with it. All the Red Line collection came in metallic grey with a distinctive red line around the edge. A matching cord was available to accentuate the red line after which the speakers were named.
In 1991 the former Redline series – RL35, 45, 45.2, 60, 60.2, 100 and 140 were superseded by the Mark 2 range of loudspeakers: RL1000, 2000, 6000 and 7000.
The idea behind Beovox Red Line speakers was one of flexibility. A Red Line speaker was so flexible that it could be placed anywhere. On the ceiling, the wall, or on the floor.
You could hang them semi-permanently on the wall, and if you had a party you could place them on the floor and thereby add extra emphasis to the bass. The different ways of placing them accentuated different frequencies. You could also tilt them if you chose to hang them on the wall. This allowed you to adjust the sound image and direct the sound right at your listening position. However, Red Line was more than merely flexible. It was an impressive bass reflex speaker with a revolutionary new cabinet that ‘curved’ round the sound thereby eliminating irritating resonance because there were no parallel surfaces.
Music that never stands still
Red Line loudspeakers followed your music tastes right up the wall if you wanted! All models except the RL35 could be hung on the wall or be suspended from the ceiling; and, if your dancing feet wanted to make the most of the bass notes, then Red Line could be positioned on the floor, supported by the built-in floor stand. By using Red Line speakers, you weren’t plagued by cables that wrapped themselves around your feet like spaghetti either; Red Line’s flexible spiral cables provided the decorative and practical answer.
The shell was cast in a hard synthetic material and the shape that was devised for the range was characterised by the fact that it allowed for practically no resonance whatsoever.
The idea behind Beovox Red Line speakers was one of flexibility. A Red Line speaker was so flexible that it could be placed anywhere. On the ceiling, the wall, or on the floor.
You could hang them semi-permanently on the wall, and if you had a party you could place them on the floor and thereby add extra emphasis to the bass. The different ways of placing them accentuated different frequencies. You could also tilt them if you chose to hang them on the wall. This allowed you to adjust the sound image and direct the sound right at your listening position. However, Red Line was more than merely flexible. It was an impressive bass reflex speaker with a revolutionary new cabinet that ‘curved’ round the sound thereby eliminating irritating resonance because there were no parallel surfaces.
Music that never stands still
Red Line loudspeakers followed your music tastes right up the wall if you wanted! All models except the RL35 could be hung on the wall or be suspended from the ceiling; and, if your dancing feet wanted to make the most of the bass notes, then Red Line could be positioned on the floor, supported by the built-in floor stand. By using Red Line speakers, you weren’t plagued by cables that wrapped themselves around your feet like spaghetti either; Red Line’s flexible spiral cables provided the decorative and practical answer.
The shell was cast in a hard synthetic material and the shape that was devised for the range was characterised by the fact that it allowed for practically no resonance whatsoever.
Beocenter 2300 was dedicated to the CD enthusiast who, for example, like to store the titles of favourite CDs, or permanently skip unwanted tracks. It was known as Beosystem 2300 when connected to the BeoLab 2500 active speakers. It was eventually surpassed by BeoSound 3000 when it included more features and received a facelift in 2001.
Beocenter 2300 was developed from the idea of a flexible music system that could compete with the sound quality of heavy music systems. Thanks to the advent of active speakers, this was a possibility with both Beocenter 2300 and its similarly-equipped sibling (which also had cassette tape recording and playback) the Beocenter 2500. With active speakers, each of the powerful bass and treble units were equipped with their own separate amplifiers. In addition, the electronic cross-over network ensured full bass reproduction.
The loudspeakers were located on both sides of a centre console, where two clear glass covers automatically glided to the side when a hand was passed in front of them. Behind the glass covers there was access to the operating panel, receiver, CD player and a cassette recorder.
The receiver allowed the option of presetting 2 x 20 FM/AM radio stations. The cassette recorder featured Auto Reverse, Automatic Recording level, search function and Bang & Olufsen’s HX-PRO recording system, a system which ensures that the sensitive treble range is captured in recording. The memory in Beocenter 2300’s CD player allowed you to edit up to 100 CDs.
Both systems could be operated via their operating panel or a Beolink 1000 or Beolink 5000 remote control. There were sockets for headphones and connection to additional sound sources; extra loudspeakers can also be connected.
Beocenter 2300 was available with loudspeaker panels in cobalt grey, black, white, cerise or jade and could be made up to the Beosystem 2300 when incorporated with the BeoLab 2500 active loudspeakers.
Mounting Options
This classic design was reincarnated over a 21 year period with various mounts and stands. Floor stands were available with a pole stand or CD and tape storage, wall mount solutions allowed for the Hi-Fi only, or with BeoLab2500 speakers until these were discontinued
The final incarnation of the MCP style, this was a re-badged 5500 with no new features.
As with all the MCP panels, the LED display was greedy for power, and the D batteries did not last long if used regularly. The replacement, the Beolink 7000, made the move to rechargeable batteries as well as a far more advanced specification.
Beocord 7000 was a high-quality cassette recorder used specifically with Beosystem 7000. When playing cassettes, the order of the tracks could also be changed and the recorder could also find a specific track on a tape. Other functions included Auto Reverse, Auto Record levels, Dolby B and C as well as Bang & Olufsen’s recording system HX-Pro, which ensured that the sensitive treble range is captured in recording.
Beocord 7000’s features were supplemented by an abundance of special features. Space available precludes a more full description of elements such as the design of the peak programme meter, locally operated functions such as microphone recording, memo set/go, adjustment of the maximum record level and so on.
Main features:
Auto record level
Auto track search/auto reverse
HX Pro
Auto Dolby B-C
Auto tape switch
All operation available from Beolink 7000, with full display readout of track bar, counter, record level, Dolby NR, auto reverse functions, sequence programming etc.
Recording with Beosystem 7000 was a system feature, with benefits such as automatic signal routing, record lock, etc. Beocord 7000 contributed a lot to the convenience of the system and the unique auto record level was the feature that made remote controlled recording a real possibility – without compromising the quality of the recording. To further ensure a high and consistent sound quality level Beocord 7000 was equipped with HX Pro.
Auto record level
Auto record level is a unique Bang & Olufsen feature and ensures a uniform and optimal recording level from all sources, from tape to tape, without overload. Major benefits of auto record level are:
all tapes recorded with auto record level have the same optimum level, without overload and therefore without distortion
a recording can be started immediately and directly, without any pre-adjustments
you do not have to supervise a recording to adjust record level and the system recording even stops the recording when the source runs out, or stops the source when the tape runs out
if auto record level interferes and adjusts the recording it is done in such a way that it is not noticeable in playback. The dynamic range of the recording will not be impaired and the adjustments are carried out so early that overload is precluded.
The assets of auto record level are obvious when a comparison is made between those carried out on a standard recorder without auto record level and those with.
Recording on a standard recorder requires you to supervise the recording in order to step in if the manually set input level is too high. In this case you would have to adjust the record level down when a signal with a high dynamic content is to be recorded. If this is not carried out the tape will be overloaded and the music distorted. Without auto record level, copying is in real-time, which means that you will have to pay attention all the time you are recording (or risk a distorted recording). And when a very wide dynamic signal threatens to overload the tape being recorded, the record level must be lowered quickly, which will often be audible in subsequent playback, either as a suddenly lowered output volume or as a distorted signal because the record level was lowered too late.
Auto record level is an efficient remedy to this problem, without both disadvantages mentioned above. Primitive solutions reduce the record level when powerful signals are recorded and increase the record level when weak or no signals are recorded. The result can be a fluctuating dynamic range with, for example, pauses between tracks causing the recording level to rise dramatically and the noise level with it.
The Bang & Olufsen solution
The auto record level in Beocord 7000 was monitored by the microcomputer interacting with the peak programme meter indicator on the front of the cassette deck. Auto Record Level only reduces the record level and only if the signals exceed the set value for a certain period. In this way brief noise pulses, such as the ones resulting from scratches on a record, do not lower the record level. When a signal of more than +2 dB above the set value is encountered, the microcomputer lowers the record level with 2 dB. The recording continues at the lowered level unless even louder signals appear and trigger new reductions.
Other advantages of auto record level are:
it is applied to all sources, even if you record sound from a video source
the preset values can be changed, e.g. if you use special tape formulas
auto record level can be overridden while you are recording, or you can make a recording with manual adjustment of the record level
You did not have to pre-adjust Beocord 7000 before you started a recording. Another feature was the auto tape switch, i.e. an automatic adjustment to the three tape types, metal, chrome and ferro, by means of three electronic sensors located in the cassette holder. Auto-reverse was the default mode both in recording and playback, i.e. Beocord 7000 automatically continued the recording (and playback) on side two, when side one ran out. The turning time from side one to two was very short, because an optic sensor registered the lead-in tape and executed the 180 degree turning of the tape head immediately. Auto reverse could be cut out manually to protect side two from being recorded. This had to be done prior to record start.
Track Search
Beocord 7000 featured track search, based on pauses between individual tracks. You could also make a sequence programming, operated just like CD. Track search was available no matter if the track was on side one or two of the tape. Even if you executed a manual TURN function (i.e. change playback direction) the microcomputer registered the turning point and if you selected a track after the turning point the search for this track would be initiated at the turning point. Track numbers could be displayed on Beolink 7000.
Auto Dolby
Another convenience was the Auto Dolby function. All tapes recorded on a Beocord 7000 contained inaudible information as to whether the tape was recorded with Dolby B, Dolby C or no Dolby noise reduction. The registration of noise reduction type was dynamic and in case the circuit registered a change during playback the reduction was automatically changed. If no signal was registered, e.g. on a pre-recorded tape, the noise reduction last selected would remain active, until altered manually (see more below).
HX-Pro
Beocord 7000 was equipped with HX Pro, like all other ‘stackable’ Bang & Olufsen audio tape recorders. HX Pro is an acronym for Headroom Extension Professional and tapes recorded with HX Pro give a better reproduction quality on playback, no matter which tape deck they are played on. Both the dynamics and the the signal capability in the treble range is improved. The improvements are most noticeable in the reproduction of treble signals, but also the midrange will be influenced in a positive way. At 10KHz the signal loading capability is improved by approximately 8dB for chrome tape, 5dB for ferro tape and 3dB for metal tape formulas.
Beocord 7000 could ideally be used as part of Beosystem 7000.
For rooms where you didn’t need so much power, Beovox Penta was the little brother which suited you down to the ground. It didn’t have the built-in amplifier or the light display, but it was identical to BeoLab in all other respects.
