If you want superior sound, but not the size, and a full array of functions but without the complication – then take a look at the BeoSound Century. Designed by David Lewis, it has a very slim depth and brings together CD, tape and FM radio into a slim-line form that can stand by itself or hang from a wall. Everything is operated by buttons that light up to guide you quickly through the various playing options.
BeoSound Century is a clever combination of excellent performance and ease-of-use. This system is known in fact by two different names – BeoSound Century in Europe and BeoSound 2000 in North America. With everything built in, this is the perfect stereo for those who with a limited space as it’s only 11cm deep. It’s for those who don’t want Beolink® capabilities and can be equipped with a handle with a built-in active antenna making it very portable. The speakers use the active construction as that of all BeoLab speakers. In the late nineties the Century was released in a special limited series with polished aluminium instead of the black plastic on the CD holder. This became so popular that it became the standard! There are two different stands available: a wall stand and a special table stand. The unit may also be controlled by the optional Beo4 remote control.
Deep bass
BeoSound Century integrates a powerful sound reproduction system: two active loudspeakers with electronic crossover network and Adaptive Bass Linearisation, for the optimum relationship between bass reproduction and sound pressure level. The very small two-way bass reflex loudspeakers comprise a net volume of only 1,1 litres, but the large front grille gives room for fairly large woofer membrane diameters.
Bass and treble have separate power amplifiers, which means that they can be tailored to compensate for one another’s shortcomings and deliver a sound spectrum as close to reality as possible. On top of that, BeoSound Century can play at high volume, but cuts out before it has an opportunity to burn out its units.
The fine art of control of BeoSound Century
The backlit push buttons of the BeoSound Century are cast in opalescent plastic, painted black on the inside and the text is then burnt away with a laser. The light of a diode behind each button is muted for even distribution, and the button is hinged in four places. A sturdy and relatively inexpensive construction, but it takes just a bit more work!
Operation of BeoSound Century
How do you make operation easy when there are 26 buttons to push? On BeoSound Century, only the buttons you need for the specific function will light up and guide you step by step through operations.
BeoSound Century was awarded the Danish Design Centre’s IP Prize in 1994.
Mounting Options
Supplied with a table mount foot for mounting on top of a cabinet. The optional wall mount bracket allowed for wall mounting.
BeoCenter AV5 was, at first glance, merely a television set. However, what you saw was just half the picture. The AV5 was in fact a fully integrated, compact digital home entertainment system, comprising a CD player, FM radio and powerful loudspeakers… as well as a television!
On top of the AV5 a CD player elegantly lifted open to allow you to drop in your CD and listen.
BeoCenter AV5 therefore offered the best of both worlds and allowed you decide. At the touch of a button, two motor-drive loudspeakers stretched silently out to each side of the TV set. It was a simple, welcoming gesture but one that also ensures a special performance every time you switch on. The extra width allowed the loudspeakers to combine with the ear-shattering centre bass to produce optimal stereo sound in its full perspective. It was something you could hear – and feel – every time you watched a movie or listened to the in-built radio or played a CD. Indeed, BeoCenter AV5 was so versatile that at the time of its introduction, it could also play CD-i discs.
Devoting efforts in creating the perfect sound didn’t mean that Bang & Olufsen had forgotten what they knew about creating the perfect picture. On the contrary. The AV5’s 63cm super flat picture tube, combined with the contrast screen’s anti-reflective coating, delivered a sharper picture, with more depth and perspective, than you had ever seen before. So when the AV5’s electronic curtains glided open you could be sure that what lay behind them was pure entertainment.
Another original Bang & Olufsen feature added to daylight viewing comfort. It was a small electronic sensor that registered the prevailing light conditions in the room and adjusted the picture, so that it was always sharp, no matter whether a reading lamp was lit or sunlight suddenly poured through the window.
Touch CD on the Beo4 remote control and the AV5 moved on its motorised stand to face the viewer’s favourite viewing position. And active speaker stretched out from each side. On top, a CD player elegantly lifted open to allow you to drop in your CD and listen. The superior sound of the AV5 was made possible by the creation of a ‘soundscape’ that widened the perspective of the sound to make each individual instrument clear and distinct. Combined with an inbuilt, ear-shattering centre bass, the AV5 delivered a sound so rich and true that the effect was remarkably similar to a dedicated surround system.
Like every other Bang & Olufsen product, Beovision AV5 was designed and crafted with the greatest care. To ensure that the powerful centre bass unit didn’t interfere with the steadiness of the picture, it was mounted on an intricate suspension system, which in turn was anchored to a special aluminium chassis. The CD unit was perhaps the most robust then, on the market, to allow it to cope with the demanding environment – electronic noise, hot air and interference – in which it had to perform. And on top of all that, the entire unit was ‘torture tested’ hundreds of thousands of times to make sure that it could cope with the rigours of daily use!
Beovision AV5 construction
The rear of the AV5 is removed by undoing four screws. It may have taken some 150 tools and six construction engineers to make the parts and components, but as far as possible, one size of screw was used to assemble the AV5. The result was, up to 1999, the most advanced piece of electronic design ever to leave the Struer assembly line. Yet everything follows a strictly modular pattern, making maintenance and servicing logical and straightforward.
How can 15 centimetres make a world of difference if you’re already sitting in front of the television, ideally positioned between the stereo loudspeakers?
If you want the full perspective of, say a symphony and you want to be able to identify each instrument in the orchestra, a distance of 80 centimetres is the absolute minimum. You must also make sure that the loudspeakers deliver exactly the same performance and have the same harmonic balance. This can only be obtained by the painstaking measurement, trimming, and pairing of every single tweeter and baffle that goes into the AV5 (or into any other Bang & Olufsen loudspeaker for that matter). Some manufacturers obtain “spatial effect” by reversing the signal phase on one side. This creates a broader perspective, but makes it impossible to locate voices or single instruments.
Flat as a pancake
The picture tube was a new 25″ ‘super-flat state-of-the-art’ tube. It delivered excellent focus, which, combined with the anti-reflective coating of the contrast screen, was experienced as a sharper picture with more depth and better resolution.
The antlers
The fact the loudspeakers disappeared into the front wall, calls for a special bearing structure. In the AV5, the heaviest component was the picture tube, which was fixed to a set of aluminium “antlers”, a moulded aluminium space-frame which also carried the loudspeakers and most of the wiring. Cast in two pieces, it was custom-designed to hold wiring and fixtures that traditionally, would have been mounted with additional clamps and screws. Aluminium has the advantage of being light, but rigid and non-vibrating. It will not conduct sound or allow oscillations that could affect sound or picture reproduction.
‘Dance steady’ is a term that B&O takes dead seriously. It refers to a product’s ability to perform effortlessly, no matter how animated the surroundings. The company’s secret remedy is rubber suspension. Inside the AV5, almost every vital unit was isolated from the bearing structure by little rubber sleeves. The transformer, the CD print card, the CD drive and last but not least, the centre bass, since it was the source of a sizeable proportion of the vibration pattern. Dance steadiness is measured on a vibrating table to determine the design of each individual rubber sleeve.
On and on and on…
Imagine that you’d turn the AV5 on and off maybe 10 times a day over the next ten years and multiply that by 5 for safety. That’s equivalent to turning it on and off 180,000 times over 10 years. In B&O’s torture chambers in the dungeons in Struer, the loudspeakers on the guinea pig AV5 were stretched well beyond the first 500,000 times!
“It can’t be done”
Buffers, shielded cables and a couple of brave hearts went into one of the most challenging technical solutions in the AV5. To make room for the CD player in the upper corner, it was necessary to separate the drive from the control unit. In an environment as compact and loaded with “electronic noise” as the AV5, a lot of sources could create interference and laser is a fragile technology. Servo signals have to travel a longer distance and streams of hot air will not make working conditions any more stable. As a result, the AV5’s CD player was one of the most robust on the market at the time of the AV5’s production.
Battery chargers for mobile phones are not the most exciting objects in the world, but Bang & Olufsen have a continual habit of making a virtue out of what others see as ordinary. By combining the battery charger with a specially designed holder, BeoCom 9800 suddenly became a mobile phone that users really wanted others to see!
Weighing less than 100 grams and able to fit snugly in a pocket, the BeoCom 9800 mobile phone was one of the world’s smallest cellular phones when it was introduced, with an equally impressive list of features. Tell it the name of the person you wish to telephone and BeoCom 9800 dialled it. The inclusive BeoCharger combined holder and battery charger in an attractive package.
Features:
Caller ID; Call Forward; SMS; Voice Dial; Call Duration; Call Hold; redial function for last 10 numbers; 90 minutes’ battery talk time with 100 hours standby; graphic display; keypad lock; clock; data/fax connection; 100g with standard battery
BeoCom 5500 was a cordless telephone that allowed you to have a telephone conversation where you were, or wanted to be, and not only where your telephone was.
outdoor range of up to 300m · indoor range of up to 50m · 5 hours of talk time · 40 hours of stand-by · memory for 20 numbers · redial function for the latest 4 numbers · keypad lock · built-in speaker in base · volume control
With BeoCom 2500 means of communication couldn’t be simpler. The display on the phone allows you see the caller’s number, the time of the call and even the caller’s name if it’s listed in the 121-number memory. And if you can’t get to the telephone, or just don’t want to be disturbed, BeoCom 2500 can act as a passive answering machine registering the numbers of the last 24 callers.
BeoCom 2500 also has optional volume control for recent B&O AV equipment and is available in a good choice of bright and bold colours.
BeoCom 2500 features:
The display informs you of the duration of a call and gives status information on the functions available
All primary functions are available directly from the keypad of the BeoCom 2500
the ultra-light handset weighs only 115 g and is comfortable to use even during the longest conversations
Good business is also about good communication. The telephone and the computer are important work tools for any business. As they sit side-by-side on your desk anyway, it makes sense to connect them and extend the capabilities of both. With BeoCom 2100, when a customer calls your business, his file on your computer’s database is automatically displayed. (The phone was not available in the UK).
BeoCom 2100 has a capacity for up to 250 individual entries, dependent upon the length of the telephone number and name. These can also be accessed and edited directly via the computer screen. The Caller ID function requires connection to a direct line
A matter of choice
BeoCom 2100 is a telephone for the home office, the small business or anything in between. It’s the first telephone to be built specifically around the services offered by the telephone companies and gives you one-button access to the services and functions you use the most
Functions and options
But it’s not only the improved access to external services that makes BeoCom 2100 a special telephone; it contains its own 250 name and number electronic telephone book and includes a headset connection and the opportunity for hands free operation
ISDN enhanced by Beoline 1200
The role of BeoCom 2100 in an office setting is further enhanced when it’s combined with a Beoline 1200 adapter. This makes it possible for traditional analogue equipment to communicate digitally via an ISDN connection Available in: Denmark, Netherlands and Sweden (2001) – Not available in the UK
BeoCom 1600 was a tabletop telephone which combined a modern design with ease of use and was the same telephone as the BeoCom 2400 but without the alpha numeric memory functions. It however, did have the normal numeric memory functions. Using this phone was easy.
As with all other Bang & Olufsen telephones, BeoCom 1600 was equipped with a bass reflex speaker giving clear and easy recognisable voices. An infra-red module was available as an optional extra, giving the user the ability to control the volume on other Bang & Olufsen audio and video products. It was designed by the Swiss industrial designer Martin Iseli.
The vertical placement of the BeoCom 1600 handset made it easy to answer a call. Making a call was equally simple due to the position and curved surface of the keypad. The ultra light handset ensured that even long telephone conversations never seemed tiring.
Design
Reach out to towards BeoCom 1600 and enjoy a telephone that was simple to understand and easy to use. The ultra light handset weighed only 115g – which made it comfortable to hold even during the longest of conversations. The intelligent layout of the sloping keypad also ensured that your fingers moved intuitively and easily from button to button and from function to function.
Features
With BeoCom 1600’s built-in memory you could store the 10 telephone numbers you used the most and enjoy quick one-button access to them. As well as a volume control that allowed you to adjust the sound level during a call, BeoCom 1600 also offered a built-in loudspeaker function and the possibility to mute the microphone in the handset.
Colours
There was a choice between black, blue, red, yellow, green, terracotta, and grey.
A/V Control
With an optional A/V volume control incorporated into BeoCom 1600, you could adjust the sound on your Bang & Olufsen audio-video products directly from the telephone.
BeoCord V8000 video tape recorder matched the Beovision MX range of Bang & Olufsen televisions in looks as well as performance.
You could store a channel on the Beovision MX TV and it was automatically communicated to the V8000. Recording was a simple matter of selecting the programme directly from Teletext using the Beo4 remote control. It could be positioned by using one of the stands as part of a Beovision TV.
BeoCord V8000 rewound a three-hour tape in 95 seconds and it shifted from fast forward to play in a split second.
Other features included NTSC stereo playback. Looks-wise it embodied a black fascia with a choice of cabinets in pearlescent shades of blue, green, red, grey and black, plus glossy grey and glossy white.
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
“BeoSound Ouverture: the design may be a Bang & Olufsen classic, but BeoSound Ouverture and BeoSound 3000 refuse to rest on their laurels. Access to new musical sources and fresh loudspeaker options ensure that the concept remains an open invitation to make something special out of your music” (B&O catalogue 2001 -2002)
This stereo has two different names: BeoSound Ouverture in Europe and BeoSound 4000 in the rest of the world. This is the only stereo system, so far, to support the new MasterLink system without any add-ons. It’s really a follow up to the Beocenter 2500 which was the first and original stereo with this somewhat different look. Along with the launch of this unit in 1991 (as the BeoSound 2500) Bang & Olufsen also started selling the new remote control – Beo4. The difference between the Ouverture and Beocenter 2500 is that the newer model doesn’t feature two-way communication and it has instead a completely new CD mechanism. It also holds some new features when it comes to the CD. But the most important difference is the MasterLink connection. With this system you can connect the unit to, for example, a BeoLab 2000 or BeoLab 3500 without any further electronics. Reach out and the doors glide quietly aside, while a gentle light spreads from within. It’s BeoSound Ouverture’s way of saying, “welcome” and part of the experience every time you put on a new tape or CD. CD player with programming, tape recorder with auto reverse, FM/AM radio with pre-set, timer function, optional Beo4 remote control operation, connections for Beolink® and headphones, optional wall bracket and floor stand. BeoSound Ouverture’s unassuming rubber key pad hides a contact foil, which, in turn, covers a matrix of vertical and horizontal cords. When a control is pressed, the cords connect and the microprocessor is activated.
Design
Music is more than just something you listen to, it’s an emotion you experience. So isn’t it time your favourite music was played on something that lets it express itself to the full? BeoSound Ouverture stands up and invites you to make something special out of your music – over and over again.
Features
Bring new life to old CDs by changing their track sequence with the Random Play function. Or programme it to skip over any unwanted tracks and to play the ones you want in the order you prefer. Transferring the music of a CD onto tape doesn’t have to mean poorer quality. The Ouverture constantly monitors and adjusts the signal during any recording to ensure a uniform sound level throughout – and will automatically stop recording when the CD finishes playing. There’s room for up to 30 pre-set stations on the Ouverture’s intelligent AM/FM radio.
So how do the sliding glass doors work?
The glass doors on the BeoSound 3000 and BeoSound Ouverture are opened and closed by steel wires driven by an electric motor via a gearbox. The motor is triggered by an infrared system that detects your approach… Why wake up to an annoying alarm clock when it could be your favourite piece of music instead? The timer function on the Ouverture can be programmed for the entire week and will automatically turn itself off again after playing for any length of time you choose.
Specials
Just raise a hand and watch as the glass doors glide silently aside. It’s the Ouverture’s way of saying “welcome” and reveals that a special experience is about to begin. Of course, a simple on/off button would do, but then what would be so special about that?
Easily Placed
It’s a dream come true – a music system that can fill your life with music without filling your home with equipment. The flat upright design of BeoSound Ouverture means that it’s slim enough to sit by itself upon the narrowest shelf or light enough to be hung directly on a wall with a pair of loudspeakers.
Use
With its mix of glass and aluminium, the Ouverture grabs the attention without shouting out loud. Its compact size and visual presence ensures that it enhances rather than dominates the surroundings in which it’s placed – which makes it the perfect audio system for the home and place of work. The stereo can also be controlled by the optional Beo4 remote control.
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
