Hi everyone.

Sorry this is my first post as have just found the website!

Im hoping somebody can help me with something Im totally stuck with. I have a pair of be0lab 8000. My problem starts here, I do not have a B&O system. (at the moment) I also have a pair of beloab 6000. I want to use the 8000 with my MP3 player. I have a surround system in the lounge this is fr music in the home office. I have ust plugged them in to my MP3 using two rca leads going into the jack socket on the MP3. Turned them on and my god it was loud, so went in to the menu on the mp3 and changed the output to Headphones and all was well. My guess is that doing this im using the amp in the MP3, when I change the output to "lineout: its using the amps in the speakers. Thats what I want obviouly but I cant get any control over the volume? Has anyone any help or suggestiong how I can run the speakers using an MP3 but use the amps in the speakers and have control of the volume? As I am sure the sound would be much much better?

Any help appreciated as im a total novice when it comes to all this cabling! but want to get the best out of the 8000's

Many thanks

j 

B&O's active speakers (incl. the 8000's) require a variable (volume controlled) signal to operate correctly from a non-B&O source. A non-controlled line out (constant amplitude) signal from any source will sound at full volume as you've already discovered.

Either carry on as you are (the headphone out setting will give a variable level output using the volume control of the MP3 player) or look out for a cheap B&O amp/receiver (Beomaster) to use as a preamp to the speakers with the Line out setting of your MP3 player.

Hi j,

Welcome to the forum! Yes, you can use the headphone socket of a non-B&O device to connect to the Beolab 8000's and/or 6000's by switching each speaker into "Line" mode using the switch near the socket panel.  Avoid connecting the speakers to Line Level "Audio Out" sockets on a TV, as these are not volume controlled (ie. permanently at full volume as Puncher mentioned!).  Please have a look at my link at the foot of this page if you need any help with finding the right cables.

Puncher is quite right that you can use an older B&O Beomaster receiver as a pre-amp, although you need to bear in mind that up to around 1990 these units only had amplified outputs for passive speakers.  Hence, you would need to use special Attenuated Cables to safely connect your Beolab speakers (I have designed these cables with electronic circuitry miniaturised inside the plugs for exactly this application).

Hope this helps!

Steve.

I agree on getting a second hand beomaster...

look for:

Beomaster 5500 (or 7000 or 6500) and maybe start a timeless stackable system.... with an MCP or a Beolink 1000 remote

Beomaster 3500 or 4500 (can be hung up the wall) - later add a beogram cd 3500 / 4500, a beocord 3500 / 4500 just for the looks ... with a Beolink 1000 remote

Ralf

What exactly do you mean by "my MP3 player"?

Thanks for all the suggestions and will look into doing it that way.

You ask why I mean by my MP3 player? Well its an MP3 player that I own? So I guess thats what I mean! Im using a sony MP3 as I find it just easier that way to flick through. Im looking into a sonus as a more modern way of doing things though.

cheers

Well, I should have asked clearer – sorry: I was thinking if you use your MP3 player in combination with your computer, which thus probably serves as your home ‘MP3 player’ and music library, maybe the (inexpensive and relatively modern/flexible) way to enjoy your B&O speakers could be to get BeoPort . You just download the free software from B&O’s website connect your speakers to it and could even add the IR eye and Beo4 eg to control it remotely…