To tell my story properly we need to start way, way back ………….
Many years ago I met a young beauty who stole my heart and so we became a couple. I had just left school and begun work and so was loaded (£34 per week!) - there seemed nothing I couldn't afford. As the courtship progressed, I was gradually introduced to her family who seemed able to tolerate me and I began to spend a considerable amount of time at said girl's house. One Sunday I met her Sister and Brother-in-Law who were only a few years older than I was and quite "hip" in a Prog. Rock sort of way - we spoke of all things musical and found we had lots in common. The Brother-in-Law and I got on very well and I was invited to their house the following Sunday afternoon; so started a weekly routine whereby the light of my life and I would spend Sunday afternoons at her Sister's house listening to and talking about music (among other things). The thing that struck me however on that first visit was the long, sleek-looking hifi they had and the quality of its sound, it made my Sharp music-centre of the time look and sound crap. It was, of course, B&O - a 1900 system with S45 speakers, the first time I had seen their like or even heard of the company. It looked like nothing else I’d seen and sounded fantastic - I positively ached to have my own. It was then I received one of life's little setbacks, one of those sent periodically to keep you on your 4rse, I found out how much it cost and my perceived wealth was brought into icy cold, laser sharp focus - I couldn't afford it, even if I saved until retirement age! My burning desire subsided over a period of months into a smoldering longing, briefly fanned by Sunday afternoons and infrequent visits to J.G. Windows of Newcastle-upon-Tyne to stare at the latest product range.
Two years on and I started Polytechnic in Newcastle and so had to walk past the Windows establishment every day, a bitter sweet experience, to see that I yearned for but couldn’t afford. Still the longing wouldn’t go away. I promised myself a B&O audio system as an incentive and a reward if I graduated.
The following year She and I were married (the Brother-in-Law was Best Man) and we moved into our own modest little abode. At this time, we had my Sharp music-centre and a black & white TV (sans remote control or channel presets) of uncertain origin. Then it happened! During my daily trek to college I was immobilized in front of Window’s shop, there in prime position, for all to see, was the 5000 system. I was in love with an appliance! This was the one, the one I would buy after graduation. I took my wife to see it and she too thought it was irresistibly beautiful (she actually said it was nice but I knew she was prone to understatement)! It was agreed (i.e. she never actually said no) that we would buy it when I completed my finals. That settled, it was as good as mine, the only slight inconvenience was waiting for almost a full year. As is always the case in such circumstances, I began to hatch various plans, the aim being to reduce the wait to a bearable period.
I bought my 5000 system in January 1985. I got the Beomaster, the Beogram 5000, the MCP and RL60’s with wall brackets and the redstripe cable. I still had a full term followed by final exams remaining but I had reasoned thus – I already had the final installment of my Student Grant and at the end of term, I was due my travelling expenses. If I bought it with 6 months interest free credit then the expenses would cover the final payments. It seemed perfectly plausible at the time. Of course, none of this mattered because it was mine, I had it at home and it was fantastic, much, much better than I’d even hoped. So began a 23-year long love affair. I played it every day (and almost stuffed my finals because of it), the final two payments both bounced and there was some slight unpleasantness with the shop before it resolved itself but - it was mine!
Later on that same year, we bought an MX2000. It too was beautiful, without peer. So unusual was it at the time that visitors to the house used to ask what it was. Not “Who made your TV”, but “What’s that”? (Nine years later, some would still ask the same).
During the same year my Brother-in-Law (remember him) bought a CDX. This took the sound quality to a completely new level and when the CD50 appeared, I was there to look and listen. Unfortunately, Puncher junior was on his way and She, that had put up with so much, put her foot down. I didn’t get the CD50 it was just too expensive at that time.
That’s it really for my B&O new purchases; they were all over by 1986. Time passed and the MX2000 finally died after 9-years, (the flyback transformer and a charred mainboard). It was replaced by a JVC that was like watching TV through a fish tank after the MX2000, but its equivalent at the time was double the original price, again I couldn’t justify the outlay (and the JVC was just fine for “Thomas the Tank Engine” who was on 24-hour rotation at the time). The 5000 system is still going strong and I did eventually get a CD50 (and a Beocord, although I never use it). I still love my system dearly and could never dispose of it. In many ways it is the best of the stacking systems, the turntable sounds as good as or better than the tangentials and is better put together, the amp is better than in the following models, the cassette is probably one of the best, after the 8000/9000 and the CD50 sounds quite like a turntable. I did toy last year with new speakers; She who must be obeyed has grown to hate the RL60’s (now on floorstands). I couldn’t really justify the outlay for BL8000’s or BL3’s for how often the system is currently used as most listening now is either in-car or iPod based. At the same time, the BM5000 isn’t compatible with the modern systems, it isn’t equipped for active speakers and it does respond to modern remotes, but I've never felt the need for surround sound or all of my TV's connecting together and the kids don't want my music piping into their bedrooms. Some here advised upgrading to a BM5500 or even replacing the whole system. They don’t understand - we’ve lived together for 23-years, the BS5000 and I, it likes all the same music as me; - we’re soul-mates.
Generally speaking, you aren't learning much if your lips are moving.