Hi Beoworld.

I just got my hands on a Beomaster 901. And alltough this isn't the beefiest of BO products I, as Zodiac also on here, is really driven by it's design. 

I'm not looking for a cracking audio system, but just some background music via my computer or Ipod-dockingstation.

When I got it home I connected it to my speakers - Gale 4020 series - and the radio played nicely. The green lamp doesn't seem to work, but the red one does - Where can I get bulbs for this?

But the most important problem is that when I connect my ipod to the tape or even phono input the volume is REALLY low. I need to cranck it up to 12 and then it's not even playing louder than my built in iphone speaker.. 

What can be the problem? And just as important - is this fixable by me? I called a serviceshop and they said it would cost a minimum of about 100€ if it was just a minor fix... That's like 5 times what I paid for the amp so that's really not interesting. 

Should I just deliver this back to the guy I bought it from or is it fixable? 

Thanks!

Welcome to Beoworld !

Wonderful Beomaster and of course it's fixable. Aging capacitors as a cause for strange faults shouldn't come as a surprise in
any 20+ year old B&O but are you sure, you are using the correct pins in the DIN plug ?
There are five pins. The center one is ground, the outer pairs are left/right and playback/record respectively.
You will be using the tape input for any line-level source.
Try switching to the tape input and insert a tiny pin, a straigthened paperclip or similar into one socket pin at a time
and you should be able to tell which pins are inputs by listening for a healthy buzz sound.

I can supply correct lamps and also a capacitor kit if need be.

Martin

Dillen:

... but are you sure, you are using the correct pins in the DIN plug ?

Hi Martin. thanks for the quick reply.

I'm not sure of anything :) But I have purchased a jack to 5pin din plug at elfa which I use to connect my dockingstation to the 901.
Not sure if I understand what help there will be in inserting a paperclip, is it to identify something?

I'm not an electrician but have some years of experience with radio controlled cars and soldering. 

asuming I understand what the problem is - I need to change capasitors?  

I forgot to mention that the radio is playing well, so no problem there. The only volume that is really low is when connected via tape or phono.

I put the "pin" in and here's a list of what's happening.

Here's what happens when I put a paperclip in the back of the amp:

From the left:

1. Nothing

2. Nothing

3. Nothing (center - ground?)

4. Right speaker makes a buzzing sound

5. Left speaker makes a buzzing sound

But what does this say to me?

Your body acts as an antenna and by inserting a paperclip or similar to reach
the contacts in the socket, you transfer noise from yourself to
the amplifier input. This will produce a buzzing sound from the speakers.
An easy way to tell which pins in the socket are inputs.
After that, you can touch the plug at the other end of the cable, the one that will go into
the source, with your fingers the same way. This should produce the same buzz.
If it doesn't, the cable is not correct.

Did it work well with the docking station ?
If it did, it must be your new source that produces a low output.

Martin

Ahh... When I touch the other end of the cable, which has a jack connection it doesn't make a sound, well a small clicking sound perhaps but not the same buzz.. 

So you're telling me that the problem is just the cable? How do I change this? Buy a 5 pin din plugg and solder a jack cable left/right to the inputs only?

EDIT: But looking on Wikipedia I found this: Holes on female connectors are also numbered 1-4-2-5-3, but from left to right (facing the holes). and if the BO is connected in the same way it seems that either the cable has a new standard or as I fear for - the capasitors are broken or worn out... 

Just how many capasitors needs to be replaced if I were to do it?

Don't worry about the Beomaster yet, you apparently just have a cable that is wired for output from the DIN, not for input. It's not a faulty cable, just not the one you need for this purpose.

You could open the DIN connecter (if it's possible without ruining it) and swap the two signal pins over, or get another cable. I always buy adapters from 5-pin DIN to 4 x RCA, then you can use them for both directions.

This fixed it.. I was seriously thinking of giving it up since even the B&O distributor and serviceshop here said I had the right cable and the Beomaster seemed correctly wired.

But Tried tearing the DIN apart and soldered the wires differently! That solved it and now I'm enjoying my superb setup! 

Thanks a bunch - both of you.

Now to make this perfect - where can I get a hold of the bulbs in this? 

Good job ! 
Always a pleasure to assist in keeping the older things running. They deserve it. 

Your last question was already answered.

Martin

On my Beomaster 901 one of the channels is weak when using the tape input. When I press the mono button I get full volume in both speakers.

I guess a DC blocking cap at the tape input has dried out. I'll have to look at it when I have time.