Hello -

I recently acquired a Beomaster 4400 and Beocord 1900.  They were well cared for by their owner (the original one, I was told), and are both in extremely good shape.  I would appreciate the Forum's advice on two issues:

1. When I turn the Beocord off I get a popping sound through the speakers.  I sometimes get the same effect when I turn it on, although this is not consistent.  The popping occurs whether the Beomaster's tape button is depressed or not, i.e., even when I'm simply listening to the record deck or the radio.  It also occurs even if the receiver's volume is turned all the down.  The tape deck is connected to the receiver with twin sets of RCA plugs, rather than a DIN plug.  I doubt if I will use the tape deck regularly, if at all.  I'd like to know, though, whether the popping is normal, and if not, can I simply ignore it without fear of doing some damage to the receiver or speakers when I turn it off and on.

2.  My second question is, what is the recommended maximum length for speaker wires?  I'd like to try the ambiphonic sound some time, and this will require the use of wires 30 to 35 feet long so I can run them out of view.  Will that effect the signal quality?  Would I benefit from the use of a heavier gauge wire, rather than the gauge used in the standard B&O speaker wires?

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

John

The popping is common - mine does it too - make sure the volume is not too high wjen swutching sources and you will be fine.

That is quite a length of wire. However I would use the B&O wire if you have it as the ambio speakers will probably not get used that much! Stereo sounds better in my view!

John

 I suspect most of the early B&O kit pops when you turn it off. My Beolab 1700 does and I remember my fathers system doing the same many years ao.

My father was advised by his dealer to turn the volume down before turning the unit  off. I have no idea 30 years on  if this was sound advice or not but I have always done what he suggested! 

Simon

wirralsimon:

 I suspect most of the early B&O kit pops when you turn it off. My Beolab 1700 does and I remember my fathers system doing the same many years ao.

I have two similar Beomaster 2000s (the 70s type). The better one of them does the shutoff "pop", but funnily, the "junk" piece does not! I thought this was due to the positive and negative power supply decoupling caps having different characteristics, so the +/- supplies don't "die" at the same pace. The early amps have a single sided power supply and the speaker is coupled through a cap, biased at half of the power supply - once you turn off the amp, the remaining voltage in the cap is discharged through the speaker, causing a pop.

I think most modern amps would pop as well actually, but they have muting circuits to keep that from coming out of the speakers! 

Thanks for all the prompt and informative responses.

John

Jacoll96:

When I turn the Beocord off I get a popping sound through the speakers. John

You could switch off the left button (1 or 2) on your receiver before you turn it on or off. And there will be no any popping sound