Hello Beoworlders, I am curious to hear your opinion about B&O recievers and amplifiers. What is your preferred choise, and why?

Build quality/reliability?

Sound quality?

Various shortcomings?

-Søren

My favourite is the BeoMaster 3400 Quad. After I restored and aligned it, I have not heard any other receiver which equals its pure, clean, sweet sound.

My only gripe is the tuning section, which is voltage controlled, and uses a potentiometer to tune the stations.

It would have been far more sensitive and reliable, with an air variable capacitor.

Menahem

I really like the 80's BM6000. It may be a cheap 8000 lookalike but it sounds very sweet being bm4400 based, its remote controlled (if the board is fitted) and can be used as a clock radio. It also has a retro appeal with its big red led's. Its also powerful enough to drive most speakers.

Beomaster 4400/4401. The sweetest sounding Beomaster with plenty of power and made of the best materials. Everything after this was compromised in one way or another. It just beats the Beolab 5000 as the circuit design is better and it is direct coupled. The Beolab 5000 is even better made though.

Right Peter,

That's why I like the BM3400 - it came in 1976 just before the 4400, when B&O was still on the up-and-up, approaching the peak of quality, before the bean-counters stepped in.

Menahem

Peter and I tend to agree on these questions...

4400 is probably my favorite and readily available... but I just love the BL5000!

In the "looks" department... I am very fond of the 4000.

I got 3 main types which I like for various reasons.

1: Beomaster 8000

When in order its a classic powerfull sounding beast! The cons is service is complicated, the weight and to wide for placement. To early for the general linking but thats nothing I will see as a fault as it came in later years in future develoments from B&O.

2: Beomaster 6000 '80s

Not the smaller brother of the BM8000. Highly reliable and sounds just as good as the BM8000. I can't really say any cons to this one other than most of them due to age needs a qualified service. The link bit is the same as the BM8000 so does not count.

3: Beomaster 6500

I have only being using Beovox S80.2 but I do like the sound of it. However the BM6000 and 8000 are more dynamic. You get alot of options for the future use of Beolabs, Beovox, Beolink MCL and ML, Several B&O remotes can be used. Cons: Lack the power of 6000 and 8000

It is my 1961 Amplifier 608, absolutley. I like the material, I like the design, I like the sound and I even like the smell of the air coming out when it´s switched on and the tubes are hot...

:-)

Beomaster 8000!!!

Amp608:

It is my 1961 Amplifier 608, absolutley. I like the material, I like the design, I like the sound and I even like the smell of the air coming out when it´s switched on and the tubes are hot...

:-)

I can picture you sniffing the receiver! But I agree - there is somthing very reassuring about the warmth and smell of an old valve device!

Gosh makes me feel bad....I have a mint Beomaster 4400 lying in a cupboard!! I should make an effort and use it occassionally.

burantek:

Peter and I tend to agree on these questions...

4400 is probably my favorite and readily available... but I just love the BL5000!

In the "looks" department... I am very fond of the 4000.

You clearly need a 4401! 

.

Peter :

Amp608:

It is my 1961 Amplifier 608, absolutley. I like the material, I like the design, I like the sound and I even like the smell of the air coming out when it´s switched on and the tubes are hot...

:-)

 

I can picture you sniffing the receiver! But I agree - there is somthing very reassuring about the warmth and smell of an old valve device!

Hey that is empathy at it´s best, you precisely got it!

What a nice feedback, thanks.

My favourite, probably because it was my first piese of B&O is the BM1000. Has to be the one of the white key versions though. Keep saying ill send mine for restoration to Classic Audio at some point. Been saying that for that for the last 3 years though.

Craig

The one I use just about every day is my Beomaster 900M, alarm goes off and I just reach out and switch on.

My other favourite is a Beomaster 2000 which I have paired up with a pair of Type K speakers.

schaibo:

 

I always adored the 6500/7000 system for its über-minimalist design and the MCP. When I bought mine aesthetics were a factor. As I was lucky to find a pair of RL140s for my Beomaster 6500 and finally replaced the Philips active speakers the BM can now live up to its full potential (though I read it's a little weak for the RLs) and it's a great sounding system too!

Even my brother, who is a die-hard KEF enthusiast had to agree :)

 

I think the BM6500 is fine to drive RL140s. These are good amplifiers - not as powerful as the 8000 etc but a good design and able to produce plenty of power. My 7000 drove my MCL system wonderfully - far better in all honesty than a ML/MCL converter that does the job now. My only quibble with these amplifiers is B&O's insistence that they were 110W per channel and the 5000 was 55W. As the power amplifier circuit was almost identical, it was down to a different way of measuring and this means you cannot compare outputs with earlier amplifiers. Figures don't really mean a huge amount though - ears are a better measuring tool, and the 6500 is pretty good!

i'm very happy with my beolab 5000 (1967). even without restoration, the sound quality is really good... imagine how much better would it sound with a professional restoration e.g. by classic audio (frede). 

unfortunately i don't have comparisons with other vintage receiver/amplifier, this amp is my first and only vintage b&o amp.

regards

dario

p.s. my digital music collection/backup sound more analog now... ;-)

Well, if you are only going to have one vintae B&O amp, this is the one.

Looks a little lonely without the Beomaster though.

The beolab 5000 is one of the favorite items of vintage beo lovers. Its sound quality is outstanding. Owners told me so, I do not own this amplifier, its a pity...

It is extremely rare and comparatively expensive. It was expensive then: 1995 Deutsche Mark in 1969! How many pounds might that had been...?

Congratulations, you should be really proud owning this fine gear! Casdave is right, try to find a beomaster 5000 in similar condition to complete the item.

Take much care of the inscription on the front, it is very sensitive and impossible to replace when damaged.

Looks great Dario :)

My Beolab 5000 isn't serviced either, but still sounds great. I think it's testament to how well built and designed they are that they can survive 40 odd years into the future and still function to a high standard!

To be honest, they are not that rare and Frede can replicate the front panels. The huge advantage of the earlier B&O (pre 80s) is that most is built at component level and will be able to be repaired almost indefinitely. Use the right speakers with a 5000 and it is great. The 4400 benefits from more modern circuit design and is direct coupled so controls bass better. I like both though - and indeed have both! My collection is now very small but I have kept the essentials - and these are two of them! 

Beolab/Beomaster 5000s are regularly on eBay - just keep an eye out. I would however recommend visiting Frede's site - his systems are simply the best. 

This lot. Both arrived in wrecked condition. In the case of the S50's I bought a pair of stands and the speakers were thrown in. The surrounds were shot.

Upon testing the drivers seemed to be OK. So I ordered a pair of rubber replacement surrounds from Good Hifi and voila I have a pair of "very nice" sounding S50's with stands all for $80

The Beomaster 4000 arrived with a bent chassis a broken off side panel and no sound from the right channel. Rebent the chassis, reaffixed the side panel. centered up the balance comtrol slider and pushed the loose pontentiometer back into place. Both Channels come in loud and clear. I seem to remember I paid about $100 for the Beomaster. Love it. I will always own a BM4000.

My first exposure to B&O was a BM4400 that my brother in law had, that I later breifly had and then my nephew had. I am no longer sure of its whereabouts.  Unfortunately it was mated to a pair of really cheap undersized speakers. Technics I think or maybe Kenwood

I check out vintage B&O regularly every week for five years now on German Ebay and there beolab/beomaster 5000 are absolutely rare, I havent seen a single one for more than two years.

I cannot imagine how missing letters or words can be replaced on the front panel - but if it is possible, thats fine.

Regards

casdave:

Well, if you are only going to have one vintae B&O amp, this is the one.

Looks a little lonely without the Beomaster though.

truth! but i'm not really the radio listener... ;-) the next step is to restore my beolab. not by myself, because i'm not the expert. i've refurbished only my beovoxes, optically and technically. it was my first work, a lot of fun and i've learned a lot about hifi-speakers. thanks to the people here on beoworld especially dillen and frede.