Sometimes it pays to open your mouth - I just got a free, 100% working Beocenter 9500, complete with BL1000 remote from my mother in law, who had "forgotten" it under her bed for a few years. She didn't quite understand why I was so enthusiastic about this "old piece of junk" that doesn't even play MP3:s...

In any case, the metal panels on top of it are scratched. A couple of the scratches seem fairly deep. I'm very familiar with polishing metal to mirror finish, having done that to a number of aluminum and stainless steel items, but now I have to ask for help before I screw things up. I tried the search feature for ideas and techniques, but nothing useful came up.

How should I proceed? All tips and hints are very welcome - including "buy new panels" if nothing else helps. Someone must have done this before.

Dear Henri,

The panels on the 9500 are anodised aluminium, any attempt to polish out a scratch simply removes the anodised surface and you will be left with a greyish patch. I dicovered this the hard way! For a modest investment ( £100.00) you can buy replacement panels and restore what is one of the best B&O systems ever made. Replacing the panels is not a difficult DI Y job, or should only cost about an hours labour at a B&O workshop. Hope this helps & good luck.

Afraid I agree. Only problem may be the supply of panels.

Believe me it is impossible to reproduce the original finish.

Even B&O can't reproduce it so they sell the new panels in sets of three. They don't match otherwise. Been there, done that!

New panels cost less than £100 and are readily available from your dealer.