Hi, I'd like to start using my LPs again.  Which BeoGram would you all advise to be acquired today?  I have a BeoSound 9000 to connect the BeoGram to and I'm sure will hear great sound from my BeoLab 1's.

A Beogram 6000 Quad.  It has the required RIAA preamp built in and is plug and play with a Beosound 9000.

Sound quality is up there with the legendary BG4000 but without the hassle of a separate preamp.

Slightly more modern but a grade down in sound quality would be any from BG 3500, 4500, 6500 or 7000. Basically all the same deck except for their aesthetics.

Thanks so much Graham!  Great info.

So, there are BG6000's that are NOT Quad?

Ahmed Elnaggar:

So, there are BG6000's that are NOT Quad?

http://www.beoworld.org/prod_details.asp?pid=300

You don't see those too often. (And it's definitely not the one Graham was referring to.)

The earlier 4002/6000 series 6000's all have the quad decoder (which doubles as a preamp).

You can use the BG6000 QUAD as a regular stereo record player without the quad capability, by just selecting the CD4 switch to OFF.

The sensor for the 30kHz CD4 carrier signal is thus disabled, and only the stereo RIAA function of the preamplifier will operate.

Think of the 6000 as a 4002 with one extra - the built-in RIAA amplifier.

If your main amplifier already has a phono-stage RIAA preamplifier, then there is no reason to buy a 6000; the 4002 without the RIAA amp will be just fine.

Menahem

I'll connect it to a BeoSound 9000, so do I need a 6000 or a 4002 would be fine.  Are same sound quality, stylus wise (not quad wise)?

Your Beosound 9000 does not have RIAA preamp built in. The Beogram 6000Quad has RIAA buiilt in so is a straight plug and play with your 9000.

Other similar decks such as Beogram 4000 or 4002 do not have the built in preamp and a separate one would be required.

The sound quality from the 6000Quad is as good as you will get from a B&O turntable especially when fitted with a decent cartridge such as MMC20CL.

The cartridges can be refurbished and the sound quality is every bit as good as the original.

The only snag with this plan is finding a good 6000. Took me a while - and mine is no longer good, having been stored in a damp basement. Working, though it no longer has the RIAA built in!