Hi Graham: You can make your own former! Go to a hobby shop and buy similar diameter acrylic rod and cut to length. You can then saw off the two end caps from the old former or find appropriate sized plastic washers. Glue on both ends of the acrylic rod and wind your coil. You can also use a copper tube. The model aircraft people will have them. For

you can replace the plate :)

Has anyone reproduced the plastic sheets for the balance, treble and balance controls? Is this something that can be scanned and reproduced on a laser printer? Have some lenses that are peeling with age. Thanks, Derek

Leslie: I haven't tried this. But here are my thoughts. Apple IPODs have metal backs that scratched very easily. Many IPOD owners have devised techniques and even "kits" to repolish the back. Try googling "removing scratches from IPOD" and see what solutions are out there. Many of these guys have posted before and after pictures

Beogram 3400 and 3404 have different tone arms. The 3400 has a black rectangular tone arm. The counter weight is also hidden in a compartment at the back of the arm that you slide to adjust. The 3404 has a cylindrical tone arm with a large cylindrical counter weight that you rotate to adjust. The pattern on the platter also differs, but that's stylistic

Hi Martin: When I was younger I built power amps as a hobbyist. There was one design that I had a lot of problems with becaused I used metal resistors which caused lots of oscillation. It was rather catastrophic as it blew itself up. Derek

Tape mechanism is basically the same. BC 2500 used the CDM 4 (radial pickup) BC 4000 used the CDM 12 (linear pickup) Some slight changes in Radio Programming features and on the display. I have both units. I prefer CDM 4 as it is the better mechanism. Mine will play CDRWs. I also think the 2500 has better sounding DACs, but that's a personal preference

Hi Graham! I am well, thanks for asking. Good stuff...glad it works. Don't throw out CDM 4s! The radial arms are the best pick ups. They are becoming very rare. Should be kept for parts. Most of the time the B&O service center just swap and toss out the mechs because of the bad cap when the laser was perfectly fine. This has depleted all of

Graham: What exactly are you trying to do? Just have a number of CDM 4 off the shelf drop in spares? Why are you swapping non B&O mechs into an 8500? From experience the easiest thing to do is: 1) Replace the filter cap on the original mech. (which you have done). 2) If 1 doesn't work and you've determed that you have a weak laser, then

Umm Double double triple check polarity on the electrolytic caps. Verify with schematics! A few times (don't recall if it was on this unit) I have found incorrect silk screening on the PCB for the polarity. Have you tried different cassettes? What is condition of pinch roller? Are heads and tape path clean? Is capstan bearing lubricated? Check metal