hello:  I have a beautiful condition 1700 that I recently aquired.  I'm going to get the stylus redone (mmc 20en), but I also need to take the deck to get serviced.  When the arm is in resting position, it plops onto the aluminum, sitting on the tip of the needle, and there is some rust inside that needs scrapping.  So my question is:  avoid shipping it and take it somewhere local, or ship it to b and o service center?  I just think shipping it adds too much stress to the unit and taking it locally would mean I could baby it on the way home so as not to disturb whatever adjustements were made.  Does this make sense to anyone?  Will a beogram 1700 with a MMC 20EN sound similar to my beogram 5000 with MMC 3?  is one better than the other?  and finally.....sorry about so many questions.....  will the 5000 perform better with a different MMC and can the MMC 3 be turned into something else?

Hi Paul,

I also had similar problems with a BG1700 when I bought it a few years ago.  There are a number of threads on this site about making adjustments to and lubricating the arm lifting mechanism on arms like the one on the 1700.  It is a relatively straightforward job which even I managed to do successfully and I am totally inept! You may not need to take it to a dealer/repair shop at all. 

If you don't have the original box, entrusting a radial-armed turntable to a carrier can be a risk, although once again there are a number of threads on site with very helpful suggestions.  I sought advice on transporting mine by car (see link)

http://forum.beoworld.org/forums/t/26284.aspx

As for comparisons between it and the BG5000,  they are both excellent turntables. Arguably, they are the best sounding radial-armed Beograms.  (I'm not including the Thorens-based 3000 here!).  I've not heard a direct comparison, but I would suggest the major differences are more about facilities on the BG5000 (light, remote capability) rather than sound.  Also, most of the advice on site says the the BG5000 was much better made than its replacement, the BG5005 and all the subsequent tangentials up to the last, the BG7000.  

The BG1700 is really robust, as well as being in comparison to the 400X Beograms very straightforward and uncomplicated.  I have an MMC20EN in mine and I couldn't tell any difference between it and my BG 4004 with the same cartridge. 

Lastly, I can see reason why the BG5000 shouldn't work with an MMC2, but if you are going to get the stylus redone anyway, it probably wouldn't cost much more to have it done to MMC2 specification.  

Cleve

i'm where you were 3 years ago and I love how all of this information gets passed along like this.  Such nice people :)  speaking of nice people, do you have a link to the fix crippled arm?

i'm very jelous about your BG 4004 and am in a completely different world now that you told me you couldn't tell the difference between the BG 1700 and it.  So very happy and yet still so very curious.  I'll want to get there and I will

by the way, how is your record collection going?  did you find yourself drawn to music you never knew you liked?  Is your taste in vinyl the same as what you would listen to on cd or other formats?  Speaking of audiophile quality vinyl, I  thought you all might enjoy this:  http://www.musicstack.com/articles/vinyl-record-sound-quality-thrives-at-us-plant

Thank you very much

Paul

Hi Paul,

Here's the link to the advice on sorting the arm positioning.  My 1700 has been playing perfectly since this adjustment and some work on the motor a couple of years ago.

Try this link

As far as any audible differences between the BG4004 and the 1700 with the same cartridge, I am only saying that I cannot hear any - others with better hearing may, although even Tim Jarman in his piece on the BG1700 on the Beocentral site makes the same point, and he's a lot younger than me and knows a bit about B&O!

As far as my taste in music is concerned, I can't say I've noticed an expanding interest in different music as a result of rediscovering the joys of vinyl.  I do find that I'm often paying a lot more for it, though, particulary some of the high quality 180/200gm pressings!

Regards

Cleve   

I am in complete agreement. The Beogram 1700 really is an excellent deck. I think it probably is the best of the radial decks - it has a decent platter, the arm is the new type but using the MMC20 range so not quite as ultra lightweight - I think B&O went a little too far with the later ones - is beautifully simple for a fully automatic deck and looks great. I am with Cleve on the sound quality as well - I have used a 20CL in this and the sound is just as good as my 4004. It is also slightly quieter as you cannot hear the carriage during the gaps!

From a technical point of view, the 4000 has a better bearing and the arm is stiffer, and in my view the 4000 is also the most beautiful record deck made, but blindfold, I could not tell the difference.