Hi all!

I have a pair of very nice teak S75 speakers, I use them with a 1980's beomaster 3000 and the matching beogram 2000.

I'd like to hear from other S75 users, what do you use them with and what do you think of their sound? Or would you rather use some other type of (B&O) speaker?

I am looking forward to your reactions!

C.

I had a rosewood pair for years. These were my main speakers and were used first with a 2400-2, then a 5000 stacking system and finally with a 9500. I loved them. They are not, if truth be known, the most accurate of speakers - the bass is a little loose and the top end slightly strident, but it is a little like having a speaker with mild loudness on! Very attractive sound! My originals were stolen and although I did get another pair, they did not have the gorgeous flame rosewood finish so never meant the same to me.

B&O's rosewood is beautiful! Especially on large speakers like the 75, it probably looks very impressive!

I agree on them not being most accurate, but I too love their sound (and looks!). I used to have a pair of s45-2, very accurate but small, thus great sound but not too big bass tones and a bit shrill to my taste, due to most of the mids and highs coming from the small tweeter.

The big S75 with its 4-way set up sounds more warm to me and the bass is great so I really like them. Though, I wonder, do you think the more expensive uniphase M-range does a better job on accuracy? They sure look impressive...

I have a pair of M100s now - they are better but have a lot of bass so need to be in a big room. They should be better though as they cost twice as much as the S75! I have linked to Beocentral as the speakers pictured are mine - the S75s are the later teak pair I had - gave them to someone but cannot remember who!!

Those M100's are a couple of MIGHTY machines... I just found a picture showing their real size, wow.

I have something new to be on the lookout for now! But first I'll probably need a bigger house

And I'm not in a hurry, I'm really happy with the S75 for now. Maybe if I can get a good deal somewhere nearby some day...

Thanks for your reaction Peter, and of course any other opinions or reactions are still most welcome!

I have a set of S60's (same drivers and such as the S75) together with a pair of S45 on a Beomaster 2400-2 and 8000. The S60's alone sound realy loose and inacurate indeed, there's not much balance in the bass and the mid is "underpowered". BUT, in combination with a pair of S45's next to it they sound realy great. The S45's just ad what the S60's lack. It's a bit experimental, but it works.

Only if I turn up the volume I switch of my S45's and the S60's seem to do a better job when you put some power in it. The balance seems to get better and the bass has more juice to become acurate.

Another thing about the S75's is to be very carefull with underpowered amps. The tweeters and the crossover seem to be very delicate to this mather.

What I don't seem to understand is why people think the S75 is such a great speaker. I think there are lots of other speakers in the same price range that do a better job then these. (the looks are still one of the best though ;) )

Just took this picture last night to send off to a friends who is interested in some vintage audio. BG 3000 BM 3000 CD X and a pair of S 45-2.

Not in view are a pair of S50 Revised series. I bought a set of stands ($38) a few months back and the speakers were thrown in as a "bonus". They arrived with disintegrated foam surrounds (big surprise). But upon exam the drivers were still OK, so I went ahead and ordered a set of rubber replacement surround, not foam, from good hifi. 

While the S50 proved unpopular and was withdrwn after only a year or so I will say the sound is pretty darn good. I had read on Beocentral and on various threads here that the Revised Uniphase Series was actually not to bad once you dealt with the foam rot issues.

I have recently added a set of S80 as well. I like the styling of the revised phase with the dual grill covers a little better. Just my tastes and opinion.

If it sounds good to your ears then thats all that really matters.

Old thread brought back to life!

mormel:

Another thing about the S75's is to be very carefull with underpowered amps. The tweeters and the crossover seem to be very delicate to this mather.

Delicate? In what way, could you explain?

My S75 are still performing nicely, the combination with the BM3000 gives a nice sound, sounds as if the music is drawn by a good comic book artist (no I'm not on LSD or something). Fine combination, but lacks the warmth you get with bigger B&O amps. With a bigger, warmer amp (like 2400 and 8000) the drawbacks of the S75 become more obvious: not very accurate, especially in the highs.

I recently bought the M100, the difference is big: more accurate, more warm, more detailed.

There are better speakers then the S75, sure. But still, they sound nice and look incredibly good (not too small, not too big)! I like them more then the S45 I have, that, although very good, sounds a bit shrill to me due to having most of the mids coming from the small tweeter. S75 sounds alike, but warmer due to the extra midrange driver.

S75 do a good job in combination with the hybrid chip amps: BM3000,3300,3500,4500 and BC9500 series.

Eugene, that BM3000/BG3000/CD-X combi looks very sweet! I love the touch control on the BM. If only it would have better sound quality it'd be my amp for life!

I have started with a pair of S-60's with my beomaster 5500. They are on my office desk close to a wall, the bass is loose, but they sound great. I had later added a pair of S-75's on square stands, much more controlled bass, the high frequencies have more room. together, they compliment each other very well. I have tried the setup on my Beomaster 2400-2, but the amp is far to underpowered, the sound is more controlled, but the nice warmness isn't there. Before my Beomaster 4400 died (one output transistor failed...), I tried the setup there as well. Nice warm sound, but i think that it is more related to old capacitors.

With delicate I mean that they burn out quit easely.

Wonderful you've found a pair of M100's! Still looking for a set myself. :) . I know someone who has redisigned the crossover and I'm going to listen to them in a few months. He says they now sound even better! He's a very nice guy and I hope he'll be able to show me the crossover layout (if I think it's an improvement). Keep you up to date when I know more.

@Eugene, why replacing the foam with rubber? I think you change the caracteristics to much by doing so. New foam will last another 20 years. After that period of time you'll be having other speakers I think. ;). But then again, if you hear no difference it's all good. :)

Nice set by the way. With what TT do you play your records(sorry, off-topic...hehe)? EDIT: Oops, didn't pay attention. The answer is already there.. sorry..

I've got some major issues with "standing sound-waves" (not sure how you call them in english). The bigger the amp the bigger the issue gets. I've been experimenting with the speaker placement and it seems that the standard stands are just to close to the ground. The sound improves very much when you place them higher (about 40-50 cm). The major drawback is that is not very nice looking, because they are rather big for doing so and the B&O cabinet in the middle looks a bit odd then. I had to put them back on the original stands to please the enemy..uuuh.. girlfriend. :)

mormel:

With delicate I mean that they burn out quit easely.

OK, just sounds a little unnatural to me that amplifiers with little power burn out crossovers! My intuition says big amplifiers at high volume would do that, but then again, my intuition told me lots of things that weren't really feasible after all

Do post your experience with the modified M100's! I am very curious, especially as my M100 still need recapping. Also, what stands did you use to make your speakers higher? (My M100 lack their original stands, so I'm looking for a pair)

Girlfriends... they just don't seem to understand us beophiles! They're not particularly fond of M100's too, by the way, watch out!

Actually .... I have a pair of CX-100 repaired with foam surround and a second pair repaired using Rubber surrounds. All from Good Hi-Fi over in the Netherlands.

I honestly cant tell the difference in sound between the two. They  folks at Good Hi-Fi put out a good product.

Where it changes is when I rebulid the crosses using new poly foil audio caps and higher watt resistors. For the better.

But to answer your question I play my vinyl on this set up right now. the S-80's are for fronts and and I use one of my CX-100 sets for side speakers.

@Primium,

just don't underastemate the effect of a clipping amp on a speaker and of course an overpowered amp can destroy anything, but then you hear it more easyly when you're pushing it to far.  On my search for S75's I've seen several burned out speakers on the tweeter part (without the owners to know themselves, they even think the speaker sounds great..without the tweeters working! ).

My Girlfriend is maybe an even more Beophil then I am. That's why they had to get back on the orinal stands. :p . I had placed them on a small table and on the stands. (table was about 40 cm ;) ). It wasn't pretty, just experimental.

I am about to make some new stands. I can because that what I do for a living.. working with steel. I can make some extra, but they might become rather expensive (about €50,- a pair I think). Don't know if your interested.

@Eugene,

Looks realy nice. Too bad the Ipod doesn't come in rosewood.

mormel:

just don't underastemate the effect of a clipping amp on a speaker

Ah, I see! Little amps that users want to go as loud as they can will clip and mess up the speaker! Quite logical. I understand now, thanks

mormel:

My Girlfriend is maybe an even more Beophil then I am. That's why they had to get back on the orinal stands. :p

Lucky you! That is great, usually I hear very different stories here on site!

I'll send you a PM concerning the stands!

Eugene, that setup is real good looking. BM4000 is said to be a marvellous warm and fine amplifier, I bet you really enjoy it.

I am about to make some new stands. I can because that what I do for a living.. working with steel. I can make some extra, but they might become rather expensive (about €50,- a pair I think). Don't know if your interested.

Eugene1960:

 

I am about to make some new stands. I can because that what I do for a living.. working with steel. I can make some extra, but they might become rather expensive (about €50,- a pair I think). Don't know if your interested.

That doesnt really seem to out of line or pricey. I work with steel as well. Fab work is never cheap..even when you do the fab yourself. 

 

It's rather on the cheap side indeed, but I feel making stands for speakers is most part hobby so I'm not willing to charge the full..  otherwise it will probably cost double I think...hehe

I've placed my S75's (on S45 stands) on a small table again. I've convinced the enemy that they do sound better that way

mormel:

I know someone who has redisigned the crossover and I'm going to listen to them in a few months. He says they now sound even better! He's a very nice guy and I hope he'll be able to show me the crossover layout (if I think it's an improvement). Keep you up to date when I know more.

Mormel, have you got a chance to hear and examine the redesigned crossovers yet?
I've found that a big improvement can be made from just changing the capacitors to a more audiophile/ear-friendly type.
So a x-over redesign might be a even bigger improvement - but also more of a job (and in general, B&O X-overs seem to be better designed than most others of their time).
A hint in which direction to start the experiments (or avoid...) will be welcome.

Premiumverum:

And I'm not in a hurry, I'm really happy with the S75 for now. Maybe if I can get a good deal somewhere nearby some day...

I had a pair of S75 which I bought for a very little money, replaced the caps in the crossovers, sanded-and-oiled the wood and repainted the stands that had rust on them. I used them with older amps (BM3000, BM901) and later some weeks with a BC9000. Great speakers. Eventually I had to sell them; a friend of mine was selling a pair of Beolab Pentas...  and I paid part of them by giving him the S75. 

Claus,

Not yet, sorry :( . I haven't had the time so far, but I'll post my findings as soon as possible. You are right about the crossovers beeing build in the M100's looks very good, but in the S75's however... that was a great dissapointment how it just been sticked on a paper board when I first saw them, but it does the trick.

I have a pair of MS 150's in my living room atm. I want to replace the elco's too in a while. I'll keep you guys posted as well about this.

Can someone confirm if the S 75 were rubber or foam rings.

Beovox S75 are rubber both for the woofer and phase unit (where the M75 are foam for both)

On the S75 rubber indeed, but the rubbers on the phase unit is 9 out of 10 not in good shape and little cracks can be seen when paying a close look.

Mormel - you're right: The rubber on the phase unit tends to develop small cracks. Probably because the rubber dries out over the years.

I've treated mine with my "miracle rubber revitalizer" (a rubber conditioner product made for rubber boots...).

It doesn’t remove the cracks – but I think it stops the cracking process. And it definitely makes the rubber surrounds more supple and soft. Makes it look better as well.

Nice tip, but I think it's better to replace the rubber when they are already cracked though. I've already done some foam replacements and it's relative cheap and easy to do so yourself. Got my parts from www.audiofriends.nl. He knows what he's talking about and very cheap.

I still need to replace my rubbers on my S60's.

By the way... I've got my S75 for sale for parts. One tweeter is broken and the cabinets are not the prettyest. The rest is fine though. :)

I had the phase link unit on the M100s replaced - apparently these are an unusual size and it necessitated doing a cut and shut with a rubber surround. No problems since though - these are wonderful speakers - superb bass control and the wood finish is beautiful.