Claus:

I'm sure it's "factory" because the label says "E-4" (where Rosewood/Palisander is "P-3" - and Teak is either "T-1" or "T-2")

god aften claus,

welcome to beoworld and as jaff (burantek) offered welcome to the 5000 club. ;-)

the oak versions original... but frede is the expert on the beolab 5000 system.

what speakers are you using?

best regards

dario

Hello Claus,

Thanks for your input to the survey.

The distribution regarding finish of Beolab - Beomaster 5000 - my guess is:

Rosewood – Palisander: 50%

Teak: 35%

Oak – Eg: 15%

The oak version was released in 1968 and therefore not a part of the original release in 1967.

If you like to get more 'live' to your veneer, you can sand careful and use bee-wax (Trip-Trap here in Denmark is really the best).

If you want to keep the light color on the Oak cabinets, you can find special liquid bee-wax for Oak veneer (Flügger in Denmark).

/Frede

superdario:

what speakers are you using?

best regards

dario

Hello Dario - Guten Abend and thanks,

To answer your question, first I have to admit that I'm mostly into US/Japanese HiFi from app. 1975-1985
So I have a lot of JBL speakers at different stages of restoration (L26, L36, L65, L86, L96, L100 Century, L110, L150A, L166).
Amp/receivers: Harman Kardon 430, 730, Citation 17 & 19, Nad 1300, Luxman C2 & L435 etc.
Turntables: Pioneer, Systemdeck, Luxman & Era etc.
Cartridges: Ortofon MC30 Super, OM10/20, MC3 Turbo, Denon DL-110, Pickering etc.
CDs: Nads and Cambridge.

But recently I started buying B&O - beginning with the mentioned Beolab/-master 5000's - and also a Beomaster 2400-2 (which Martin fixed for me) and a Beogram 2400.

As for the speakers I've until now got:
Beovox S30 - looks a lot better than they sound...
Beovox M75 w. stands - sounds fine
Beovox S45-2 w. stands - sounds great - really GREAT! I'm very impressed with these small speakers. Except for beeing a little sharp in the upper mid/treble, they are doing a lot of things right. And with the Luxman L435 stretching out (2 x 110w) they are able to move some air as well - that little 8" woofers is really busy!*)

Frede - sorry this is a bit OT in your threat, so I'll stop now.

*) OBS: I later found out that the resistors in the cross over almost melted and short cut the wires - so beware when using amplifiers so much over the rated max. power of the speaker
See more at http://forum.beoworld.org/forums/t/32520.aspx

Beomaster Type 2005

No17240

Serie 05

Beolab Type 5303

No 78818

Serie 11

Claus:

superdario:

what speakers are you using?

best regards

dario

But recently I started buying B&O - beginning with the mentioned Beolab/-master 5000's - and also a Beomaster 2400-2 (which Martin fixed for me) and a Beogram 2400.

As for the speakers I've until now got:
Beovox S30 - looks a lot better than they sound...
Beovox M75 w. stands - sounds fine
Beovox S45-2 w. stands - sounds great - really GREAT! I'm very impressed with these small speakers.

did you know that the best results always come from the original-setup? b&o has recommended for the beolab/beomaster 5000 a pair of beovox 5000 or some beovox 3000 connected to the iconic beovox cubes...

the hunting will start... ;-)

I resume this request, perhaps some new owners of the BEOLAB 5000 - BEOMASTER 5000 have not seen this before.

I hope to receive more ID's for the Beolab / Beomster 5000

Please let me have:

Serial no and series found on the original Bang & Olufsen serial no label

/Frede

I believe you have my serial numbers, Frede. I see my Beolab 5000 is a series 4 unit from 1968, nice.

Strangely, B&O discontinued production in 1971. That was the year when Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange was released - the film went on to become a controversial hit movie, and was nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award.

The Beolab5000/Beomaster5000 combo featured prominently in several scenes of a movie where music could also be considered to be one of the protagonists.

Kubrick chose the Beolab/Beomaster because of their sophisticated and futuristic design, though he did have another set of speakers made up, as can be seen in the bottom image below.
The units are seen in Alex' bedroom, including during a sex scene which made censors apoplectic. Could one sensor sex which was synchronized to classical music? Wasn't it art?

Here the Beolab/Beomaster units really come into their own.

When all bad things have come to pass, and the gov't realizes it has horribly mistreated Alex (not really, but politicians never get anything right), the Minister wheels a mobile super stereo kit with the Beolab/Beomaster units into Alex' hospital room to provide him with a much needed Beethoven fix.

This is the kind of product placement that marketers would literally kill for today ... though I do wonder whether Struer felt the product was scandalized by all the controversy?

No matter, when the film was released, they also ceased production - though I doubt the two are directly related.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Clockwork_Orange_(film)

soundproof:

Here the Beolab/Beomaster units really come into their own.

And between the BM and the BL is a Michel Transciptors Hydraulic Reference turntable that looks even more futuristic and its successors are still in production today - a stunning turntable.  See http://www.michell-engineering.co.uk/turntable_picture_gallery.html

Cleve

Hi Frede,

thanks for your help with the slider, hopefully the WD-40 lasts. (you can see my thread under Beolab 5000 system.)

Beomaster: Type 2005, Series 08, No. 52040

Beolab: Type 5303, Series 07, No: 33803

Andrew

Finally got my Beolab 5000 .... now hunting for a Beomaster 5000...

Frede, numbers are:

Type Nr. 5303
Serie 03
Serial 14852

Best regards

Ralf

Thank you very much Ralf, I have now records of nearly 100 Beolab 5000.

My estimated production level of Beolab 5000 is: 15000 pcs (total) from 1967 to 1972

´/Frede

Frede,

just stumbled across this one

Beomaster 5000, Serie 04, 17184

Ralf

And I have currently on the bench:
Beomaster 5000 serie 04
no. 16920
Palisander

Martin

Hello Frede,

here is the information from my Beolab 5000:
Serie 02
No 66530
Palisander

Bought it from the original owner, the manual came with it (but not the test certificate that I understand was delivered in original).
The front is in good shape (no text is missing, the sliders are nice). The wood panels have some marks and spots. How thick is the faner? What is the best way to clean and polish it?

/Magnus

Hello Magnus,

Congratulation with your fantastic Beolab 5000 and thank you very much for the ID.

The veneer is relativly thick. When I am restoring the wooden top cover I am sanding carefull to remove all scratches. Then I am using a very fine sanding to "smooth" the surface. The final treatment I use is bee wax (I use the product from the Danish company TripTrap).

/Frede

Hi Frede,

Here is one more for your database..

Type 5503 84248 Serie 09 T1

Best regards,

Colin.

Hej Frede

I have 14 pair og Beolab/Beomaster 5000 - her comes data from labels:

 BM 5000 type 5303         Beomaster 5000

   Serie    serieno.                Serie.   Serieno.

1.  10    57533                   (uden label)

2.  10    57531                    05      17737

3.  08     47477                   07       33959

4.  03     14573                   03       16930

5.  03     14602                    (uden label)

6.  11      79333                   03       62295

7.  03      14176                   03       61981

8.  (uden label)                    11        80415

9.  10      57567                   10        12593 

10. 03     14455                    03       61737

11. 01      88711                   07        33536

12. 11      79084                   10        12571

13. 03       14245                   10        12403

14. ?          52954                  05         17444    (vedr. Beolab er der ikke synlig serie på label)

Kind regards

Alex 

It would appear Martin has a rival! Welcome to Beoworld!

Thought I'd give you my serial numbers as a first post.

Beolab 5000, type 5303, serie 02, No 65395

Beomaster 5000, type 2005, serie 01, No 15492

They are both just gathering dust at the moment, along with a Beogram 1000.

The beomaster and Beogram were completely dead when I tested them recently. The Beolab was in use until not so long back, but only one of the four speaker channels is working now. Not sure what to do with them, any idea what they are worth or how much to get them serviced?

Peter :

It would appear Martin has a rival! Welcome to Beoworld!

Indeed another collector !
And Alex happens to be a very good personal friend of mine as well. 
Nice to see your first post after lurking around for years, Alex.

Also a welcome to Spanner. 

Martin

Hi Alex,

Welcome to Beoworld !!

Rudy

Spanner:

Thought I'd give you my serial numbers as a first post.

Beolab 5000, type 5303, serie 02, No 65395

Beomaster 5000, type 2005, serie 01, No 15492

 

They are both just gathering dust at the moment, along with a Beogram 1000.

The beomaster and Beogram were completely dead when I tested them recently. The Beolab was in use until not so long back, but only one of the four speaker channels is working now. Not sure what to do with them, any idea what they are worth or how much to get them serviced?

Hello Spanner,

Welcome to Beoworld !

Thank you very much for your Beolab - Beomaster serial numbers. As you can see I am trying to find out how many are produced of these classic products so every individual product id is important and helps to get closer to the true quantity.

/Frede

The Beomaster and Beolab are well worth having restored - many of us have done just this and Classic Audio, run by Frede, specialises in exactly this.

You did however ask what these are worth. In non working order, very little - tens of pounds. A fully restored and certified pair will cost many hundreds. Whether it is worth this is clearly debatable. One does not see restored vwersions appearing on the market as on the whole they are restored to order and those ordering them would never part with them! You will find many owners will have the very top of the range modern equipment but keep a Beolab 5000 system as well.

The Beomaster 5000 is a broadcast quality tuner and the Beolab is an amplifier that is still well worth listening to with plenty of power. You could do with a better turntable though - B&O did supply a couple of decks to match the system - confusingly both were called the Beogram 3000, and even more confusingly, neither were fully B&O products!

Peter :

The Beomaster and Beolab are well worth having restored - many of us have done just this and Classic Audio, run by Frede, specialises in exactly this.

You did however ask what these are worth. In non working order, very little - tens of pounds. A fully restored and certified pair will cost many hundreds. Whether it is worth this is clearly debatable. One does not see restored vwersions appearing on the market as on the whole they are restored to order and those ordering them would never part with them! You will find many owners will have the very top of the range modern equipment but keep a Beolab 5000 system as well.

The Beomaster 5000 is a broadcast quality tuner and the Beolab is an amplifier that is still well worth listening to with plenty of power. You could do with a better turntable though - B&O did supply a couple of decks to match the system - confusingly both were called the Beogram 3000, and even more confusingly, neither were fully B&O products!

Thanks for this advice. I just raised a new topic on my dilema, you must have replied while I was writing it. This does answer a few of my questions so cheers.