Vintage Products

Re: Best sounding receiver?

henrik — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 08:05:09 GMT

Thanks! Yes I think the white systems are more common here, they were quite popular in the mid-80's

Re: Best sounding receiver?

j0hnbarker — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 05:36:59 GMT

henrik:

Unfortunately, I'm busy renovating/rebulding my flat, so my white system is almost hidden in a corner in my kitchen and is surrounded by lots of magazines and stuff, but I still managed to take some lousy snapshots from my, at the moment, really messy apartment: http://web.mac.com/henrik.lundstrom/iWeb/slask/beoworld.html

Henrik

Your white Beosystem 8000 is beautiful. I have never seen one in the UK, or else I would have snapped it up. Are these more common in Scandanavia? Also, did B&O make white MS150.2s?!

John

Re: Best sounding receiver?

henrik — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 04:45:59 GMT

johny13:
Henrik, is it possible to post a few hi res photos of your white 8000 system ? It would be a good opportunity for you to gloat and the rest of us to turn green with envy !! John Y

Of course!

Unfortunately, I'm busy renovating/rebulding my flat, so my white system is almost hidden in a corner in my kitchen and is surrounded by lots of magazines and stuff, but I still managed to take some lousy snapshots from my, at the moment, really messy apartment: http://web.mac.com/henrik.lundstrom/iWeb/slask/beoworld.html

Re: Best sounding receiver?

johny13 — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:25:40 GMT

Henrik, is it possible to post a few hi res photos of your white 8000 system ? It would be a good opportunity for you to gloat and the rest of us to turn green with envy !! John Y

Re: Best sounding receiver?

j0hnbarker — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 14:18:42 GMT

henrik:

Actually, picking up top of the line for its time vintage equipment, as long as you don't go too far back, is an excellent bet these days. It's hard to get modern audio components capable of creating anything like the sound you get from such units, without really going overboard with your money. I've had a real education on this topic over the past few years. And the vintage units end up looking unique - easily upgradeable with stand-alone DACs and refurbishment of the electronics.

I think you're absolutely right. I have my BM 8000/BG 4002/BG CDX playing through some mint Beovox Pentas. The setup looks great, always draws admiring comments from guests, and best of all sounds amazing - and after all, why wouldn't it, given that most of the components were once top of the B&O range :)

Re: Best sounding receiver?

Jandyt — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 13:12:46 GMT

Peter:
My 12" one is now a trophy which Lee has!

Did you have to get past a moderator to say that?

Andy T.

Re: Best sounding receiver?

henrik — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 12:42:26 GMT

soundproof:
Rosewood=Palisander. That explains it. Nice.
BM8000 in white? That's going to look modern fifty years from now.
Actually, picking up top of the line for its time vintage equipment, as long as you don't go too far back, is an excellent bet these days. It's hard to get modern audio components capable of creating anything like the sound you get from such units, without really going overboard with your money. I've had a real education on this topic over the past few years. And the vintage units end up looking unique - easily upgradeable with stand-alone DACs and refurbishment of the electronics.

I've also been inspired by Radioraheem. He had mint units in the various rooms of his apartment, picked up for a song by people who would much rather have a compact JVC all in one tin-can with small speakers. There are some real finds out there now, as vintage high-end units are coming on the market.

I've got a full 8000 system - including the SC80-2 cabinet - in white. Although I think the bm 8000 looks its best when in palisander (I like the contrast wood-alu-glass/plastic), I must confess that a white 8000 system also looks great (but in a slightly different way).

I also like the Radioraheem idea, and today I use several old beosystems in my flat instead of having it all beolinked up. I would like to get som great non-b&o systems as well - I am quite fond of some early 80s stuff (my last "normal" hifi before going all b&o was a Luxman/Nakamichi/Yamaha combination, BTW), and I sometimes browse the vintage sections of the audiokarma forums. I wouldn't mind a Luxman c05/m05 amp combo, a Tandberg 3001 tuner (or an early Yamaha) and a hi-end (but old) Sony cd player for the summer house, for example ;-)

Re: Best sounding receiver?

soundproof — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 12:26:44 GMT

henrik:
Soundproof: regarding palisander/rosewood - could it be some kind of language problem between danish and English? In the Swedish B&O brochures, the rosewoodish finish has always been referred to as palisander. BTW, very nice to read about your setups - I love the use of great vintage equipment.

Rosewood=Palisander. That explains it. Nice.

BM8000 in white? That's going to look modern fifty years from now.

Actually, picking up top of the line for its time vintage equipment, as long as you don't go too far back, is an excellent bet these days. It's hard to get modern audio components capable of creating anything like the sound you get from such units, without really going overboard with your money. I've had a real education on this topic over the past few years. And the vintage units end up looking unique - easily upgradeable with stand-alone DACs and refurbishment of the electronics.

I've also been inspired by Radioraheem. He had mint units in the various rooms of his apartment, picked up for a song by people who would much rather have a compact JVC all in one tin-can with small speakers. There are some real finds out there now, as vintage high-end units are coming on the market.

Re: Best sounding receiver?

henrik — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 11:47:24 GMT

j0hnbarker:
You should definitely get a BM 8000 if you come across a nice unit! Mine is part of my main system in my living room and is in daily use. I absolutely love every single feature, from its massive size, weight and power output, to the lovely small details like the oil damping on the volume control (very necessary when visitors want to play with the volume, believe me).
Mind you, I am very envious of your Beolab 5000 system and am saving hard for one of the rebuilt systems like you have from Classic Audio :)
In fact, I like it so much I have posted a picture below:

I've got two (one in white, one in palisander) and I really, really love them. The palisander one is connected to a pair of mid-80s JBL's (in the L series) in my bedroom, and the white one is used with S45-2s in the kitchen. Both setups sound terrific.

The oil damping is gone in both my bm8000s..... ...dangerous!

Soundproof: regarding palisander/rosewood - could it be some kind of language problem between danish and English? In the Swedish B&O brochures, the rosewoodish finish has always been referred to as palisander. BTW, very nice to read about your setups - I love the use of great vintage equipment. Regarding your BS7000: I've hade the same thoughts (especially since my palisander bm8000 got a complete overhauld and got re-capped), I wonder how much the sound of my BS7000 would be improved if an experienced b&o technician would re-align (and maybe re-cap) it

Re: Best sounding receiver?

Peter — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 10:44:39 GMT

The Thorens certainly does have more bass. I used mine with a SP12 cartridge as it is the best one but I do think the arm is probably the limiting factor. My 12" one is now a trophy which Lee has!

Re: Best sounding receiver?

soundproof — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 10:16:45 GMT

Well, you know how to put a tear in someone's eye. Looks wonderful, doesn't it?
And at the time it was the best sound one could get for decent money.
Somehow I find that the Beogram 4000 fits better than the more authentic Thorens player (which I also understand has better bass?)

Looking forward to hearing a record through that setup at home.

Re: Best sounding receiver?

Peter — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 10:02:54 GMT

Definitely the system to have for all B&O! Or get the Beogram 3000 Thorens, like Frede! I used the 4000 with my Beolab 5000 system. The 5000 is a very lively amplifier and I preferred it to the 7000 as well.

Re: Best sounding receiver?

soundproof — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 09:41:49 GMT

The Beolab/Beomaster have black, laquered metal sides (something you don't see in photos).

They're teak, but this Beogram 4000 is quite dark, palisanderish in the wood. (Claimed by seller and appears to be in photo - though they're supposed to be available only in Rosewood and Teak finishes according to Beocentral. Palisander would be perfect given those black side panels).

Re: Best sounding receiver?

j0hnbarker — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 09:00:03 GMT

soundproof:

Looks beautiful.
Tomorrow I'm picking up a Beogram 4000 - think it will go very well together with the Beolab/Beomaster.

I'm sure it will - does the trim on the BG 4000 match the finish on the Beolab/Beomaster? My BG 4002 is teak and doesn't match up 100% with the BM 8000, though I kind of like the mix and match combination in my case.

Re: Best sounding receiver?

soundproof — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 08:02:03 GMT

Looks beautiful.

Tomorrow I'm picking up a Beogram 4000 - think it will go very well together with the Beolab/Beomaster.