I was recently given a B&O Overture as a present and was wondering if I am limited to B&O active speakers in order to be able to hear it.  I intend to get either beolab 4 or beolab 4000 speakers at some point in the future but I am still a student and can't afford them at the minute.  Can I get any other type of active loudspeaker or will I need some kind of convertor.

If I can use alternative active speakers would anyone have any recommendations for cheap active speakers that would tide me over for till the end of the summer?

Hi Castor

Welcome to beoworld

You can use spec cables for passive speakers contact Sounds Heavenly there is a link at the bottom of this site

regards

jan

You should be able to use any B&O speaker with that system as far as I am aware. I had one (BeoSound 2300 - same really) with a pair of 8000s but the 4000s would be great. I'd avoid the 4s personally. Especially if you buy them new as for only £100 on top or thereabouts you could get the 4000s which are just brilliant. As a student, and faced with your decision, I would always save until I had enough to get what I wanted. I wouldn't ever compromise.

Simon.

Thanks for the welcome and the quick response.  I have contacted sounds heavenly

Hi Castor

Sorry I gave you wrong information the cables from SH are the other way around the are used to connect b&o active speakers to a non b&o amplifier.but what you could do to use passive speakers with the ouverture are to use the line out on it and connect it to linie in on a traditionel amplifier(maybe you already have one) connect passive speakers to that,set the volume to  what you desire then hide it away.

regards

jan

You do need either active speakers or a power amplifier and passives. The B&O solution is the MCL2P which you could get for relatively little money.

Actually you can use a standard 5-pin DIN to RCA cable to connect any active speaker using the Left/Right IN connections to connect to the speakers. I personally would look for BeoLab 4000s though - fantastic speakers...

Hi Castor,

Hope the info from the guys on the forum and from our conversation have helped?  Basically, you can connect ANY speaker (active OR passive) to ANY B&O system (amplified or otherwise) with the correct cables. (No, that is NOT a misprint!)

Attenuated cables will let you plug active Beolab speakers directly into an older amplified Beomaster, or a Powerlink to RCA cable will let you connect from a newer Powerlink-equipped system or TV to a conventional hifi amplifier and passive speakers (or you can use B&O's own solutions - MCL2P or Beolink Passive).

By the way, please don't try connecting Beolabs to an amplified speaker output without the right cables, the result could be VERY expensive.....

Best regards,

Steve.