General Forum

Re: Beolab 5s playing Vinyl?

soundproof — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 14:34:38 GMT

I have a listening room with BL5s in front, configured so that they generate a phantom center channel, and with BL3s as my rear speakers, for surround and multichannel music. To be perfectly honest, the BL3s are a little overkill when used in this manner - you can get excellent results with BL4000s; but I thought it made sense to have acoustic lenses all around. I have tried BL4000s, and they worked very well even for the most action filled of movies.

If you disconnect your front speakers and just listen to the surround channels for a stretch through an action sequence, then you'll realize that you don't need very powerful speakers for surround - just as in a moviehouse: the speakers behind the movie screen are gigantic compared to the smaller surround units placed up on the walls in the cinema.

I occasionally play records through the BL5s, and get wonderful sound. A lot of people are under the misconception that BL5s are "digital and sharp" and that they won't be suitable for vinyl - and they get a fine surprise.

Re: Beolab 5s playing Vinyl?

Carolpa — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 14:30:53 GMT

Strange cycle: how a modern record is cut nowadays or the old discussion - analog versus digital :

1. Analog master tape

2. transfer to high resolution digital domain

3. cleaning and restoring in digital domain

4. new analog master is cut from the digital signal

5. record is made

6. analog reproduction of the record - sound

7. this trough digital amplifiers of the BS5

and keep in mind: the final product can never be better than the steps in between

Re: Beolab 5s playing Vinyl?

beoinbuff — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 14:13:02 GMT

Just wanted to provide an update. I ended up replacing the pro-ject turntable with a VPI classic with a Benz Micro Glider cartridge. I kept the bellari tube preamplifier and have that running to the BS 9000 Aux.

The sound is truly what I've been seeking since I began this silly high end audio obsession. Warm, rich and totally non fatiguing. I'm 100% satisfied.

Now, as circumstances change, I may be moving to a house where I would utilize the beolab 5s and my beolab 3s along with the TV for a home theater/stereo system. I currently have the lab 5, 3, and my home theater system all in separate rooms. I have always wanted to use the 5s and 3s together but my current TV room is too small for that. I would assume that incorporating a beosystem 3 would be the best choice for this, right? I would also assume that I would see no depreciation in sound quality connecting the turntable to the beosystem 3 thru the phono preamplifier? Or is another solution better like getting a Mcintosh AV receiver with built in phono preamplifier. Is this even possible to do given the lab 5 volume adjustments need to be made thru the speakers themselves? Thanks for any input.

Re: Beolab 5s playing Vinyl?

iPoditiv — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 04:32:48 GMT

j0hnbarker:

And snake oil costs $100,000 a litre!

But that's very cheap in comparison to the ink for your printer

SCNR

iPoditiv

Re: Beolab 5s playing Vinyl?

j0hnbarker — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:35:15 GMT

And snake oil costs $100,000 a litre!

Re: Beolab 5s playing Vinyl?

macjonny1 — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:08:18 GMT

Having recently gotten in to vinyl, with a new Clearaudio Concept TT, I was surprised about the sheer amount of $$$ you can spend on equipment. If people think that B&O is expensive, check out the audiophile TT equipment. $150,000 turntables, tonearms and needles that cost over $10,000....crazy!!

Re: Beolab 5s playing Vinyl?

DCI — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:10:12 GMT

Just wanted to post my findings with the BL5 and a tube based phono stage. I bought an EAR 834P, sent it out for a reccomended capacitor upgrade and added some NOS Mullard tubes....the result is nothing short of breath taking!

These speakers are truly incredible, the sound stage is huge and 3D. On well engineered recordings you would swear there is a 3rd speaker in the center on the room and the vocalist is front and center, not coming from either speaker. These old analog records will have you throwing the cds in the trash! Back to spinning....

Re: Beolab 5s playing Vinyl?

DCI — Wed, 19 May 2010 09:14:03 GMT

I have a JLti Phono stage, and I just picked up an EAR 834P tube based stage to try. Both route through the Beosound 9000, I was thinking of getting a preamp with phono stage built in like the EAR 868 and getting rid of the BS9000.

Not sure what to do, I just want to maximize the potential of the BL5s and every review I see has them being run off of high quality preamps.

Re: Beolab 5s playing Vinyl?

adrianb — Tue, 18 May 2010 20:48:49 GMT

BL5s take the analogue input, convert it to digital (via ADC), apply it's sound correction DSP stuff (DSP), then convert it back to analogue (DAC) to make the sound you hear.

Analogue -> ADC -> DSP -> DAC -> Amp/Cones

The ADC (Analogue Digital Conversion) used in the speakers can handle a 2VRMS signal only. Any more than this can lead to clipping/distortion. Having said that, some people do use 2.5VRMS etc. otuputting preamps without problem.

The line-level audio spec was supposed to be 2V RMS in all devices but in the world of consumer audio, grabbing attention is better so the signals are higher. Even CD-players, Blu-Ray etc. are often off the charts (I've seen 5.5V RMS on spec in a well regarded audiophile brand!).

The analogue audio output level should be in the spec sheet for your preamp or phono section.

If it's 2V RMS or less you should be right to connect it up.

Be careful with tube gear especially as 20V RMS max-out on a phono section isn't unusual (but then again some are at or under 2V RMS).

What phono preamp are you using?

Re: Beolab 5s playing Vinyl?

DCI — Tue, 18 May 2010 10:57:10 GMT

Hi Guys,

Wondering if anyone has any advice on using another brand of preamp with the BL5? Im confused with the *must not exceed 2 V RMS...or optional attenuator is needed on line socket? Was considering an EAR 864 pre.

Or, can I connect my Phono stage directly to the analoge inputs, and use the remote to change the speaker volume directly.

Re: Beolab 5s playing Vinyl?

Peter — Tue, 11 May 2010 12:59:04 GMT

jc:

Peter: " B&O no longer make what I would regard as a really high end Hi-Fi audio product - except the Beolab 5! "

Beolab 3 & 9 are not to be regarded as high-end Hi-Fi?

I would probably say no - I am not sure ABL would be used in an audiophile product and the simple three position switch is a bit crude. Hi-Fi, yes. True top end, debatable.

Re: Beolab 5s playing Vinyl?

DCI — Tue, 11 May 2010 12:30:27 GMT

Beoinbuff, make sure you get a good cartridge, it can really make a difference.

A denon 103 or a Dynavector 10X5 would be a good entry level start depending on your phono stages gain. Enjoy!

Re: Beolab 5s playing Vinyl?

jc — Tue, 11 May 2010 04:47:35 GMT

Peter: " B&O no longer make what I would regard as a really high end Hi-Fi audio product - except the Beolab 5! "

Beolab 3 & 9 are not to be regarded as high-end Hi-Fi?

Re: Beolab 5s playing Vinyl?

beoinbuff — Mon, 10 May 2010 18:30:27 GMT

I just bought a TT 2 days ago with a tubed phono preamp. Running that into my BS9000 and then to the lab 5s. I got the pro-ject genie 3 which is a really slick looking TT with a Bellari tubed phono preamp that has a USB out as well.

I haven't had time to listen yet but after hearing DCI's praise I'm really looking foward to it.

Re: Beolab 5s playing Vinyl?

DCI — Mon, 10 May 2010 15:51:02 GMT

Well the BL5s have arrived and I can say they sound great with vinyl! These are some powerful speakers but the have great finesse as well, jazz sounds fantastic on them. One thing I am eager to try is tube based phono stage with them.....but that is down the road.