I did an A/B comparison of my newly purchased Beogram 8000 with MMC 20CL cartridge with Rega 25 table with Benz Micro MC cartridge loaned from my friend.  Unfortunately Beogram didn't fare very well.  Rega just sounded better in all areas.  The sound from Rega was proverbial "veil was lifted from the speakers".  I'm wondering whether there is any room to improve the sound.  I love my Beogram, and I would like to keep it if the sound can be as good as aforementioned setup.

If you have any tips on improving the sound, please share with me.  I've briefly played with the VTF setting from 0.5 to 2.0g, and I don't think I heard much difference.  But then I'm pretty new to the vinyl, and I don't have a lot of good sounding records to do serious comparison.  Also if you have compared Beogram with non-B&O tables, let me know what they were and which one you liked.

If you want it to sound like the Rega, you need a new cartridge. A SoundSmith one will sound much more like what you expect. Not cheap though. I could lend you one to try - though it is away just at the minute!

Hi,

At present I am in the same situation, Beogram 8000 (or 6006) with MMC20EN.

It sounds almost dull high up, but very dynamic otherwise, obvious with piano.

Bass is very good too, much better than my SL-1200/rega RB300-Heavyweight/1022GX set-up, which itself is otherwise very nice and detailed.

I use valve equipment throughout, not B&O.

I am expecting my new SMMC20EN to arrive in the next few days... I'll let you know how it fares!

Peter, I have considered Sound Smith cartridges, but I wasn't sure if the dull sound was due to the cartridge, and also I don't particularly like the looks of Sound Smith cartridges..  If Sound Smith cartridges are noticeably better in terms of detail retrieval, I am definitely willing to try them out.  They are not cheap, but Beogram + Sound Smith combo still costs less than Rega + basic MC cartridge anyways.  If the sound is comparable I'll definitely go with Beogram route.

Chartz, please keep me posted in the comparison between Sound Smith and B&O cartridges.  It does sound like the problem you have is quite similar to the problem I have, somewhat dull and veiled sound.

Hello!

I have just received my SMMC20EN and I can tell you my Beogram 8000 now sounds superb, dynamic, vivid in its presentation, excellent extremes, oodles of solid, low bass, and a very detailed sound high up. Imaging is great too. Now my 1200 mkII/RB300/1022GX is put to shame and sounds dull and boring by comparison!

Firmly recommended if you crave a modern, dynamic sound with more subtlety than CD. Digitally recorded LPs sound like CD! Bright analogue records sound... bright! But that's one man's opinion of course... 

Oh, I can tell you now, I got it on Ebay, for $ 100. Brand new and unopened! Lucky me.

Wow, that's great to hear.  My 7 year old broke the cantilever of MMC 20CL the other day.    I went ahead and ordered SMMC cartridge direct from Sound Smith, but according to them it will take up to 20 days to receive it.  Apparently they custom make all the cartridges on each order.  I'll have to do without vinyls for a couple of weeks, but at least I know it will sound better than before.  You were indeed lucky to find one on eBay!

Hmmm... The irony is that I bought mine from a bloke who lives in San Rafael. Man!!

I'm listening at an old Byron Janis recording (200 gr reissue) and it's pure bliss!

The cartridge also tracks well  at the recommended 1.2 gr VTF.

For me, listening to a record with the possibility of listening to the last track as well is  great. On classic deck/arm combinations it's difficult to get this right. Either the first tracks sound good, or geometry is set for the end of side minimal distortion, in which case the first tracks don't sound so great.

No such compromise with a 8000! It sounds good right across the entire side!

Yeah, what an irony.  San Rafael is within driving distance from where I live.  Also that's where I bought my Beogram 8000.

Two quick points...

The first won't apply in California, but the MMC cartridges were incredibly temperature sensitive, the top end drooping very audibly if the ambient temp goes below 20 degrees C. The Soundsmith models may have different damping/suspension material.

The second point refers to LP contact area. The 8000 and its predecessors used thick hard plastic ribs to support the LP and these give next to no proper support (like the "studs" on some earlier Beograms). My advice would be to see if you can get either an 8002 platter disc, or remove the studs on your platter and replace with either a Rega P3 wool mat, or one of the other after-market types (Herbies mat?). The 8002 got a good review in specialist UK mags for sound, so I suspect that attending to the second point above at least should improve things no end..