If you use the Line in socket on the speakers, they recognise when music is playing and switch on automatically. The Beolab 2 could be a problem.

How much of the system and which remote. Varies from £300 if no Beogram and only a Beolink 1000 to well over £1000 if has Beogram, Beolink 7000 and all the boxes manuals and brackets. Good system but getting old and watch the glass panels falling out.

Go on! All mine have them and one enterprising member took to making them from CD jewel cases! And a very good job they were too!

Thanks to Martin (Dillen), we now have schematics for some of the early Reel to Reel decks. The 1000, 2000 and some of the Belcanto models. Also have the T511 but still working out where to put that one!

The amplifiers in the BM7000 and 5500 are really very similar. No difference worth speaking of in power.

I would only be concerned if it happened again. The service manual is available!!

The motor operates a gearbox. I guess a gear had slipped somehow. Clearly your wife has fixed it!!

Beolab Pentas would work well via Speakerlink. Also worth considering would be Beovox S120s.

The remote for the 6000 does operate the basic functions of the 8000 but not all of them. There are differences in the buttons and functions offered. The remote for the 2400 uses Ultrasound as a medium rather than infra red so will not work. (the 6000 quad uses a similar system and the two share some codes - but not necessarily for the same function

Yes but you will need some software - I use a Mac so cannot advise on the best for you. You simply select Phono on the Beomaster 5500 and set the record running. I use CD spin doctor on mine which allows me to set the record level and once finished, I can name the tracks and send it to iTunes or just burn the CD. Have a quick look here for some guidance