Hi,

I recently purchased a BeoCenter 4000, beolab 5000's, Beolab 4500s and I will soon purchase a Beolab 3500. All 3 speakers will be in different rooms. As of right now, only the 5000s are connected to the BC4000 in the main room.

My question is: what is the best way to wire my home system. I live in an apartment so wiring in walls may be difficult and expensive.  But i still want to know how it supposed to be done if I choose that route. What other units do I need? Do I need to run masterlink cables from every speaker all the way to the BC4000, or to a processor box that is connected to the BC4000 ? Do I need Beolink IR Eyes in every room?

 Also, is it just easier to use the Beolink wireless 1 system? It seems so, but I hear some folk have issues with that system.

In any event, I seriously want to underdstand the hard wire system and all the pieces I need to make that work in all 3 rooms.

Thanks,

Ipy (BostonBeo)

The BC4000 has neither PowerLink connections (usually needed to connect active speakers such as yours), nor any connections for Masterlink or Master Control Link - needed for a wired round the house set up.

Is your main hifi definitely BC4000?

(Edit - do you mean BeoSound 4000, the US version of the BC2500?)

Oops! Absolutely... BS4000

Thanks!

Easiest option is therefore to lay Masterlink cable from the BS4000 to each of the link rooms.  In the main room you'd need some sort of distribution box to split the masterlink to each room, then in each normal link room you'd need a Beolink Active kit including a round IR eye.  Each beolink active then connects to Beolabs with powerlink cable.

The room with BL3500 does not need a Beolink Active oir an IR eye - the Masterlink Cable plugs straight into the BL.

Of course you could do all this with Beolink wireless kits, in which case you'd need one at the BS4000 and one in each link room (incl for the BL3500).

I'd go with the 'wired' option if I were you; just buy a long drill bit, but check for pipes/cables before drilling and be careful!  My current system is MCL based but luckily the rented house I live in has conduit from the loft down to each room hence it's very easy to distribute anything.

I was one of the ones who bought Beowireless and then struggled to get the right combination - but in the end got all the reception working the way I wanted and trouble free.

So it is worth a trial based on a loan from a dealer - but don't part with money until the debugging is done !

As for wiring, you may not know, but the B&O world is starting to switch from MasterLink to CAT-6 cables; so it might be a good idea to look at future proofing the wiring - another reason to get a dealer in for advice .

I use Wireless 1's without any issues now they are set up.

But I had problems to begin with because I bought used and from different sellers and they all had different software versions. It is VITAL all the Wireless 1's are running the same software or they do not connect. Once mine were all updated to the same software they worked like a dream.

I'm running 2 pairs of BeoLab Penta's and two BeoLab 2000's which means I have 5 Wiireless 1's so I know you'll have no issues with your BeoLab 5000's & 4500's (as they are the same era as my Pentas) but you will need to do some research re the BeoLab 3500 and wireless because I seem to remember that there was an issue, either with needing the latest software on the Wireless 1's or a BeoLab 3500 produced after a certain date or the software in that updated (or the Wireless 1's updated AND the latest BeLab 3500)

My BeoLab 3500 is wired in so I can't vouch for how that works.

Take a look here for a portable BeoLab 2000 project I thought up!

Good luck

Stoobie