Hi,

I'm sure these questions have been asked many times, but I can't seem to find definitive answers.

I have a BeoSound 3000 with BL (active) 6000 speakers and would like to add a couple of Beovox passive speakers to the rear of the same room.

I can do this with my BeoCenter 9500 as it has both Powerlink and passive speaker ports (and sounds great!) but, of course, the Beosound doesn't have passive ports.

I've asked my B&O dealer and they say I need the Beolink Passive, which I can see does the job but is really designed for a separate room and controlled with an IR eye. However, what is confusing is that the MCL2P and ML/MCL also seem to suit the bill. Bearing in mind I don't need independent remote control of the passive speakers, (and the Beolink can be sited next to the BeoSound) which BeoLink converter is most apt for passive speakers in the same room as the active speakers?

One other question if you don't mind. Is it possible to connect a Beogram 4500 turnatable (or any other turntable with an integrated RIAA amp) to a Beocenter 9500 or 8500? Is there a cable available that, in effect, cuts out the amp signal from the deck, or does the deck have to be dismantled and the RIAA amp disconnected? Is there a simple workaround? I have most Beolink remotes but haven't found an option.

Thanking you in advance.

Rob

Any of the Beolink type amplifiers you mention will do the job. Buy whichever you can buy at the cheapest price. If it comes with a IR eye simply don't plug it in!

To use an RIAA equiped Beogram with Beocenter 9500 or 8500 you must disable the RIAA in the deck. You should also change the datalink cable from pin 7 of the DIN plug to pin 6 (or maybe the other way round!)

You can use a RIAA deck with the 9500 if you remove the 6 and 7 pins in the DIN plug and plug it into the Tape 2 or Aux socket. No remote control of the record player though. I would suggest selling the RIAA equipped Beogram and buying a non RIAA one - you should make a reasonable profit.

Thank you for your answers.

My main query was regarding the IR Eye, as in some references it almost sounded like it was required to configure the Beolink as it was designed for remote installation and not in the same room as the master unit. If there's an Idiot's Guide To Beolink Converters out there with "if you want to do this, then you need this" scenarios, I'd appreciate a point in the right direction. Meanwhile, I'll take your suggestion and look for the cheapest of the passive Beolinks.

Re. the Beogram 4500. I've read about "disabling" the RIAA but nowhere have I actually seen how to do it. If it was a case of flicking a switch, or an option on the remote, I'd do it, but if it means opening it up... I just couldn't. It's perfect and I'd hate to risk damaging it.

However, on the plus side it looks like you've given me the perfect excuse to buy a Beogram 3300.

Thanks once again!

Rob

You will need to open up the Beogram - I also wouldn't!

Graham is quite right about the amplifiers. You really need a MCL2P which will effectively make you passive speakers behave as if they were active. The MLC/ML converter and Beolink Passive are really the same thing but with other features you don't need. Essentially the same thing though. The ML Handbook has a few bits regarding these but nothing that useful!

To connect your Beosound 3000 to the passive/MCL2P/ML/MCL converter or whichever you end up with you will need a Fully Wired (used to be called Mk2) powerlink cable.

Nothing else will do the job!

You could solve the RIAA problem externally with a thing called an "inverse RIAA" box. As it doesn't need to amplify the signal, it can be implemented completely passively and won't even need a power supply. I've seen these for sale somewhere, as well as DIY schematics (it's not very complicated).

But, in this case the audio chain with the RIAA amp in the deck - inverse RIAA - yet another RIAA amp in the Beocenter gets quite silly and I'm sure you'd hear the deterioration in sound. In addition the remote control problem would need to be sorted with custom cable adapters. Therefore, I heartily do not recommend this solution for anything but testing

Thanks Mika, however I won't be going down this path - as you say it's a silly chain of amps to put together with no discernible benefit. Better to just use an non-RIAA turntable.

The reason why I bought the 4500 is precisely because it has the RIAA and will plug directly into modern B&O systems, so it's going to stay connected to the BeoSound 3000. 

Of course, the one feature that is missing by plugging a deck into the Aux of the 3000 (or the Aux ports on the 8500 and 9500 for that matter) is the remote control. You can change volume - which let's face it is the main requirement - but not move from track to track, start/stop, which is possible using a non-RIAA deck connected to a dedicated Phono port.

I've always felt that B&O (most unusually) missed a trick with this one. After connecting a piece of equipment to the Aux port it is possible on 2-way remotes like the Beolink 5000 and 7000, to programme the remote to add usage of the Aux port, but not what specific device is actually connected to the Aux port, i.e. have the functionality of a contemporary remote like the Logitech Harmony 1000. 

It should be possible on a remote as amazingly sophisticated as the 7000 to not just add A.AUX but also say 1/. it's a piece of B&O kit (or not) and if yes, that it's a PHONO, TAPE etc. all the pins are present so it should be possible to add remote control functionality. Of course, if this actually possible, I'd be happy to stand corrected!

Rob

Rob:

I've always felt that B&O (most unusually) missed a trick with this one. After connecting a piece of equipment to the Aux port it is possible on 2-way remotes like the Beolink 5000 and 7000, to programme the remote to add usage of the Aux port, but not what specific device is actually connected to the Aux port, i.e. have the functionality of a contemporary remote like the Logitech Harmony 1000. 

I quite agree here. It could work along the lines of the TVs, where you can assign a source designation to an input connector (more or less flexibly). But, configuration would get tricky without a menu based user interface, and this kind of trickery is something many B&O customers just don't expect...

I believe B&O's vision with these devices was to do most interconnecting via Masterlink, so the AUX port wasn't given that much thought. Two-way IR with the "intelligent" remotes was on the out as well.

Once again I have to call on your expertise - I thank you in advance.

I purchased a Beolink Passive and, for once, read the manual. So, following the instructions therein I've:

1/. Connected the Beolink Passive to the BeoSound 3000 using a Masterlink cable (new, from the fine folks at Sounds Heavenly). The manual states that I should use Masterlink and not Powerlink: "The socket marked POWERLINK should not be used in a BeoLink Passive setup."

2/. Connected two Beovox RL passive speakers to the Beolink Passive.

3/. Followed this instruction: "On a Beo4 Hold the • button while pressing LIST. When the Beo4 display reads OPTION?, press GO. – Press LIST to display L.OPT and then key in the appropriate number (0, 4, 5 or 6)."

I opted for 4: "Option 4: To be used if you install the BeoLink Passive in the same room as your main system (e.g. in a large L shaped living room with two separate listening positions)." As this is my scenario.

However, the passive speakers aren't working. The red standby light is on on the Beonlink Passive, the Beovox cables and their cables work (I've tested them directly connected to an older system), so it's something to do with the 3000 and the Beolink Passive.

Graham stated that only a Mk2 Powerlink cable will do the job, but the AUX socket on the 3000 is used to connect a Beogram.

what am I missing out here? Do I need to connect an IR eye to the Passive to make it work? It seems unnecessary in the same room, and the manual would suggest otherwise.

Thank you once again for your assistance.

Rob

You read the instruction manual, that was probably your first mistake!

If you use masterlink you must use the ir eye.

Alternatively, If you use a Mk2 powerlink between the 3000 and the passive instead, you dont need the ir eye and the powerlink will switch the passive on and sound will come from your passive speakers. Plug the other end of the powerlink into one of the powerlink sockets on the 3000.

Now either daisy chain the 6000's from the other powerlink socket on the 3000 or get a powerlink splitter so both speakers can use the same socket.

Leave the beogram in the aux socket

Graham,

Many, many thanks. Wish my local B&O service centre had your expertise.

(And I'll go back to not bothering to RTFM).

Rob