There is no sound from my left speakers when playing LP's since I installed a used mmc20en stylus I bought on eBay.  The perspex cover that is normally firmly attached at the front of the stylus and over the stylus (not the separate loose dust cover) had been detached.  I could not re-attach it, so I installed the stylus without the perspex part. It look like it is purely there to protect the stylus, but now I'm wondering if it actually froms part of the circuit.  Does anyone have any knowledge about whether this plastic piece is an integral part of the stylus or if there could be any other reason why the left sice audio is silent?  

Welcome to Beoworld !

The perspex part is only for protection.

Will your Beocenter play in both channels on other sources (radio/tape)? If so, the cartridge is probably dead.
Do you have another cartrige to try with ? If not, take of the cartridge, play a record and
touch the cartridge socket contacts on the tonearm and listen for a healthy buzz from both channels.

Martin

Hi Martin,

Thank you for your speedy response.  Yes everything else plays fine. I tried to "play"    a record without the stylus fitted, like you suggested, but the turntable would not turn. There must be some kind of safety cut-out. I touched the contacts with my finger, but there was no sound but I don't think there was meant to be as I think the system prevented it.

It won't start without a record.
Just put a record on, it won't lower the tonearm onto the record without a cartridge.
Press play, catch the tonearm when it would normally have lowered, touch the contacts and listen.
If you are treated with a healthy buzz from both channels the Beocenter is fine and the cartridge is bad.

Martin

Thanks again. That's really exactly what I did but there was no buzz - just silence. But I can't really tell if I'm touching the contacts. There's a flat piece of metal where the stylus fits and that's all that I could seem to touch - my fingers are too large to get any further in. Maybe I should try gently poking a small screwdriver into the area? I could try that tomorrow. Would that be safe?

There are four tiny bronze leaf contacts at the underside of the black plastic tab
that grips into the upper part of the cartridge. These are what you should touch.
The tiny bronze leaf that sits alone near the bottom of the socket, is for grounding and
won't produce any sound when touched.

Martin

Thanks again for your help Martin.  However, there is a new problem!!!  As you know, last night, I tried touching what I thought you meant by the contacts, (but I see from your new post it wan't the right area).  So, as I was getting a bit frustrated last night, I gave up on fiddling around with the cartridge.  This morning, I decided to listen to the radio for a while.  But now I am sad to say, the radio doesn't work either! I'm sure it can't be anything serious because it was working perfectly yesterday before I started messing around with the cartridge.

Anyway, back to the cartridge - I think that I have proved there is a fault with it by another means.  I also have a 2nd B&O  - a Beocenter 5000 - that has been sitting in the cupboard under the stairs.  I dug it out this morning and tried the stylus in it.  The result was the same as in the 7002 - sound from one side only.  I assume this proves the stylus is faulty? 

As regards the radio, can you make any suggestions as to what I might have done to stop it from working?  I hope I am not being too much of a pest!