Hello,

Can anyone give a clue about the value of the 608 amplifier. It was constructed between '61 and '64.

TIA
 

It's always extremely hard to put a price on these things.
The Beolab 608 (as it's often called) is a wonderful amplifier
and fairly rare as well but not really considered one of
the classic pieces and not specifically sought after.
Besides, as it is the case with almost any B&O, condition is very important.
A guess for a nice, working example would probably be 200-300 UK pounds
though I have seen them go higher.
A non-working and/or damaged considerably less.

Things like the original box or instructions will add to the value, whereas missing knobs or incorrect internal parts will reduce.

Martin

Hi

I would like to add, the 'Beolab 608' is produced with two different front panels. The most know is the blue version. The most rare is the black version. Which means the price for a black version will be higher.

The FM receiver for 'Beolab 608' is Minette - a very rare product in a god working order. Front panel in blue. (or I have never seen it in black - if it exists - please send me a picture ? ) Minette pricing - like the Beolab 608 - at least. But be very carefull and check functionallity. Restoration can be expensive.

Frede

All correct. There were also a narrow amplifier with black front, it's name escapes me at the moment.

Repair of these vintage things can be expensive, I agree - but not impossible !

I never saw a black faced Minette FM tuner (Minette 609K = produced 1963) but here's a photo of a blue one:

Martin

...And to make it even more 'complicated' :), it also exists in a version with DIN connections or with cinch connections and with dark/light grey knobs (like the shown minette) but also with black knobs with chrome plate....(pics on request).

Pics pics pics !!

Martin

I have a couple of pictures here for imformation.

The small black is one of the first stereo amplifiers of B&O. About 1960/61

/Frede

 

...and this is the Beolab 608 in the two different colours for the front panel

perhaps the two B&O speakers next to the Beolab608 is a bit rare too

/Frede

Yeah Classic, i have a blue version with the knobs of the black one (i asked the 1st owner and he told me he bought it new like this).

I did find a bit more.

I have B&O original product release registration (actually a big compiled list covering 1925 - 1992 by Eivind Johansen)

1959 First release of the StereoAmplifier with the black frontpanel

1960/61 Next version of StereoAmplifier with black frontpanel (se my picture above)

1961/62 Release of Beolab 608 blue frontpanel

1962/63 Release of Minette 608

1964/65 Boelab 608 and Minette still in the delalers handbook but not after this year

/Frede

Yes, the one with black front and 4 adjacent round knobs is
the narrow model, I was referring to.

I still recall the wonderful sound of the Beolab 608. Push-pull output stages and all, very nice indeed.
I always regret selling things but that's life.

The brass tweeters (or dispersers as they were called) are rare to see and a beautiful example of a very early 360 degree treble dispersion, even the Beolab 5 will only do 180 deg...
I remember owning one many years ago but only one.

Frede, maybe you can provide more info as to the difference between
the Dirigent and the Bandmaster receivers ?
We discussed it here some time ago, they do seem very alike.

Martin

Martin, please explaine in danish the [ Bandmaster ] receiver, what is the dansih name for that one? or better the type if possible.

Frede

Frede,

I'm not sure if it has a danish name other than Bandmaster 609K, at
least that's what is printed at it. Not an export model judging from the lettering.
It looks very much like the Dirigent.

I will try to attach photo or two.

Martin

One more photo:

and one more (this one with different knobs and no tuning memory ruler !):

Frede,

Are you sure if the knobs on the little black stereo amplifier are original ?
The knobs look like the ones used on the 607 Present models so
could be of the correct year but I never saw these mounted
on this amplifier before, they look very big. I only ever saw the ones which are also pictured in the Beoworld product browser.

Martin

Martin,

First of all - you are right. The knobs on the small HiFi Amplifer are NOT original. I have been looking for the original for some time without any luck -- I do hope to find them some day. Actually it is the only thing missing at all on my HiFi Amp - or no I do miss one chassis connector female - like for the BM mic's. One of them are crashed.

Thank for all the pictures of the 'Dirigent', because it is a Dirigent for sure, at least all pictures is exactly like mine. (I think I have two or tree, but all the same as the pictures you have uploaded.

/Frede 

a little more from the dealers Handbook:

62/63 --- Dirigent 609

63/64 --- Dirigent K

 

The Beolab 608 with the black front (as in the picture of "classic) is the one I own. My question is: what's the value of this amplifier, as I'm intending of selling it.

TIA

Breeze 

You can read the first couple of posts in this, yours initially, thread.
What's written there goes for both the blue and black versions though
the black version may go slightly higher due to its rarity.
Or simply put it up for sale at Ebay, that will tell you what it's worth.

Martin

Just adding this because i've never seen (or paid for mine for that matter !!) what happened here:

http://cgi.ebay.nl/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=230168430866&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=013

Value is one thing and quite hard to tell with these things but 865,- euro ???

So far i've seen them ''coming and going'' for roughly 100 to 300 euro, i think with auctions people do make each other crazy sometimes..

What i mean is that one time these go for say 250,- and a month later this happens, i really don't understand this but it gives a nice ''mystic'' feeling about the value of old B&O products :)....

A nice price but I am actually not all that surprised.
The vintage stuff are gaining more and more attention and respect,
especially B&O.
Besides, this particular, somewhat rare, amplifier looks to be in superb condition, MINT cabinet and nice interior, you don't see that too often.

Martin

any information especially a schematic - circuit diagram - would be great!

 

I have a heap of the 6GV8 valves all NoS.

 

Timbo 

B&O used european valves for the majority of their production. I never stumbled upon a 6GV8 valve in any B&O. It's more or less equivalent to ECL85 which is used in vertical deflection circuits so it may have seen use in 50's TV's. I have some servicemanuals of B&O's early TV's so I could look it up but I'm afraid there probably won't be a lot of interest on this forum. I would love to be proved wrong, though.

6GW8 would have been a different story. It's equivalent to ECL86 which was in fact used in several B&O receivers/amplifiers. It can still be found but prices seem to be escalating. Good thing that it's a comparatively long-life valve.

Martin

Another 608 amp sold a week ago via ebay.nl, black front and restaured, for 404,- euro.

Hello all !

I have a little problem with a very nice sounding B & O type 610 amplifier (Export version of B & O 608 I think) I got from a friend of mine. The problem is, that when I listen to the Phono output with my turntable (MM system) it is very low and i have to turn the volume to 7 or 8 in order to have the music at acceptable levels. Now with the tape out put I only need to have the volume at 3 or 4 to have the same effect ..... I read what I can find on the internet about this amplifier and came to sites that had the technical data for the Type 608 and there was a description of some kind of "adaptor" with which the output sensitivity of the "Gramophone" input can be changed from Magnetc Pickup 2 mV to Crystal Pickup 50 mV - now i am not very good at this technical stuff, but maybe the low volume when listening to records has something to do with that ? But I cannot find that "Adaptor" - is that a separate unit or something inside the amplifier ?
Maybe you have experience with this or know someone who I can ask ?
Thanks and greetings  from Austria 

Wolf