This is what i found yesterday:

A BEOMASTER 6001!!!

The whole story, will come later!

Interesting! But how is it different to the 6000? I was expecting it to be black!

Very interesting. One of my favourite pieces of B&O. I wonder what the differences are.

Here comes the story:

I was looking for some "new" Bang & Olufsen for my collection. The first thing I saw, was a Beocord 5500. I walked over to the Beocord, and then I looked to the left. I thought: "Oh, thats "just" a Beomaster 6000, I already have one of these in White-Edition", or something like that.  As I waited for the dealer, to ask after the price on the Beocord 5500, I took a little closer look, on what i thought was a Beomaster 6000, until I read... BEOMASTER 6001?!?! I read it again, but I still read: BEOMASTER 6001!!! From that second of, I wasn't only waiting for the dealer to ask after the price on the Beocord 5500, I also waiting to ask after the price on the Beomaster. I bought both items, and then I went home with it. As I came home, I almost forgot the Beocord, because this was TOO exciting. I started to clean the Beomaster, and a few minutes after, I plugged it into the mains, and guess what........................ IT WORKED!!!

Today I finished the cleaning, and right after that, I took some pictures. What I can tell you about the Beomaster 6001 is, that the Beomaster 6001 I have, is a prototype of the Beomaster 6000. It came with a prototype Beomaster Terminal, which is identic to the final production Beomaster Terminal.There are only produced a few of these Beomaster 6001! Back in the days, when Bang & Olufsen produced prototypes with red labels, these prototypes were offered for sale to Bang & Olufsens employees. If employees bought one of these red label prototypes, they agreed, that they wouldn't sell them, and if the sometime wanted part with them, they would have to bring them back to Bang & Olufsen.

Best Regards

Dennis

I will take some pictures of my Beomaster 6000, and then of the Beomaster 6001, to show the differences.

The pictures will come tomorrow.

Regards Loudspeaker

Very nice, I look forward to seeing the pictures.

Craig

Interesting !
Can you provide a photo of the typenumber label ?

Martin

Yesterday the wheather was so nice here in Denmark, that I simply couldn't miss it, which is why, the pictures first comes now!

I'll start with some pictures of my White-Edition Beomaster 6000:

Regards Louspeaker

I am a little lazy, so I've just taken some photos of the two Beomaster's on the outside. I hope, that you can find the difference, by comparing the photos to eachother.

There are not many differences from the inside, but there are some special numbers. (There will also come some photos of the inside sometime.) But the big difference is, that it is a protype. But I think, that B&O pretty much knew what they wanted, when they made this prototype Beomaster 6001, because there is almost no differences. You actually can't tell the difference between the original and the prototype Beomaster Terminal from the outside, you will have to remove the battery cover where the typenumber is. On the inside of the battery cover you can see, that the typenumber label is red instead of white. The typenumber label on the backside of the Beomaster  6001 is also red.

Regards Loudspeaker

So apart from the change in digit, there are no differences? Seems very odd. The 4401 I have is a separate model , being fitted with a black fascia. It too has the red labelling and also prototype wiring inside. I don't really understand why this was not simply a prototype 6000 with red labelling. A picture of the label would be most interesting to see the serial number and type number. It seems starnge to call a model 6001 if it comes before the 6000. I wonder if it actually a mark 2 version prototype with some form of improvements.

Once we have worked out the provenance, we shall have to put it on site - you can do the write up!!

One difference I spot is that the scroll wheel is called P manual tuning on the 6000 and P tuning on the 6001. Are they both for manual tuning?

Discussing this with a colleague, we wonder if this was when they were introducing the remote control - the first 6000s did not have this. This may have been a test bed. Very nice condition and beautifully photographed.

Peter:

I think that the "1" instead of "0", must characterize, that it's a prototype and not the final product.

My father worked in a Radio and TV shop from late 70’s until 1981, as the Beomaster 6000 was released, and he says, that it always had been possible to buy Beomaster 6000 with a Remote Control, so I don’t think, that it was a prototype for the Remote Control. And why should Bang & Olufsen change the name on some of the functions?

Beocool:

All buttons and so on, on the front, has the same functions, they're just called something different.

Regards Loudspeaker

Can you show a picture of the label?

First a photo of the label:

And another photo, from the left side on the backside:

Regards Loudspeaker

Interesting! Same type number as an early 6000, described as a 6000 on the label and an early serial number. You are obviously correct that it is a prototype though why relabel it as a 6001 is beyond me! Seems rather complicated unless they were thinking that the previous existence of a 6000 would be confusing. Never stopped them before though! I'll do my 4401 label when I get home!

My Beomaster 6001 has the same typenumber as my Beomaster 6000: 2251

I personally prefer Beomaster 4401 rather than Beomaster 4400! Could you show a couple of pictures of the whole Beomaster 4401?

Regards Loudspeaker

I'll do some tonight though I cannot promise such good pictures as yours! The nut behind the handle needs constant adjustment!

What camera and lens did you use? I take it you are shooting in ambient light with a tripod?

Peter :

The nut behind the handle needs constant adjustment!

They are fabulous pictures.

I'm actually just using my mobilephone  A Sony Ericsson W902 with a 5 megapixel camera.

I'm actually thinking of buying a DSLR camera!

But thanks for the praise. 

- Dennis

Loudspeaker:

I actually just use my mobilephone  A Sony Ericsson W902 with a 5 megapixel camera.

WOW!

burantek:

Loudspeaker:

I actually just use my mobilephone  A Sony Ericsson W902 with a 5 megapixel camera.

WOW!

Wow indeed. I thought you were using some nice DLSR with a 50mm lens for the close shots, but well done to you (and the phone) for such great shots. Interesting how the phone has varied the focus across your shots, almost like you would if shooting manually and choosing to do so. Must just be the idiosyncrasies of the phone camera.

Loudspeaker:

I'm actually just using my mobilephone  A Sony Ericsson W902 with a 5 megapixel camera.

I'm actually thinking of, switching it out with a real camera!

But thanks for the praise. 

Regards Loudspeaker

 

I just got a Sony Ericsson Satio with a 12.1 megapixel camera!! They awesome phones....I'm going to try and take some photo's

Was the camera set on Auto?