lovedrummin Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 I'm not sure if this the proper place for my question, but here goes. I have and old (circa 1980) Bang & Olufsen Beogram 1700 turntable. The last time I connected it to anything was about 14 years ago. There is a black input cable and a grey input cable. I know it's crazy but I've forgotten which is the right and which is left. Feeling stupid, but don't want to mess up anything. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Do you mean output cable? From TT? You could CAREFULLY use a meter from cartridge to rca plug to determine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovedrummin Posted May 20, 2014 Author Share Posted May 20, 2014 Yes the output cables that plug into the receiver or amp. What do you mean by " a meter from cartridge to rca plug?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 (edited) On most tt you connect the cartridge to arm with tiny wires (DELICATE) these continue thru the arm and exit becoming the left and right RCA jacks. Just looked and you seem to have a P mount cartridge which un-plugs from arm leaving tiny connectors. Check continuity from the pins on the platter side to the rca jack, that one is right. You won't hurt anything if you plug it in and have left and right reversed Edited May 20, 2014 by USNRET Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 I think he's simply referring to the output cable. Not sure, but I think the B&O carts were permanently attached. Just plug it up. If you have anything orchestral, see to it the violins are on the left. If not, use any record you recall the image on. Can't hurt. If I were going to guess, I'd expect the grey to be right and the black left...but that's just a guess. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jorjen Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Seems I remember it being black is right and grey is left. It has been a LONG time however since I had my B&O gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Dave is right, of course. I wouldn't stick meter probes anywhere in there or use any measurement that sends its own current. Violins on the left has always been my mainstay. Violins on the right would be weird.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Violins on the right would be weird.... Unless you are a flute player... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 Snarky, Bruce, Snarky... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 Seems I remember it being black is right and grey is left. It has been a LONG time however since I had my B&O gear. Jorgen is correct a-mundo, even without the a-mundo. These tables sometimes have arm "dropsy" after sitting so long. If arm won't stay up properly PM me and I think I can can track down the link for you on how to apply some grease/oil to the proper spot to get it working again.l Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 (edited) I looked for manuals on the web. B&O is no help. There are some sites offering free manuals but they want the user to download some loader and I'm suspicious of virus etc. One solution would be a test record which has a left and right channel test. But apparently you don't have one. No criticism. Let me suggest: find some LP in your collection which has identifiable left and right music in tracks. Some Beatles records have these. Bass in one channel for a few bars, or a definite left to right pan, for example. What LPs you might have with this sort of thing, I can't know, of course. Then check YouTube for the same track. I expect that YouTube downloads are from a CD (or maybe you have a CD of the material which you have on LP). My guess is that the You Tube or CD does have the correct left and right. Therefore you'll be able to tell. Addition by edit. I'm sure Larry C. can confirm the following. In symphonic orchestras, the violins are always massed to the left. This might be more apparent with headphones. You probably have some ear buds to check this. Best, WMcD Edited May 22, 2014 by William F. Gil McDermott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 (edited) Addition by edit. I'm sure Larry C. can confirm the following. In symphonic orchestras, the violins are always massed to the left. I don't recall any real life orchestra or any shown on DVDs, Youtube, or the ARTS channel, that doesn't have the FIRST violins massed on the left. Some conductors will put the second violins on the right if the composer wrote them as contrasting or alternating sections where both sight and sound will emphasize the point. However, the first violins almost always have the higher-pitched or dominant part, so classical violins are easily heard and are quite consistently and prominently on the left. Likewise, cellos are more often than not on the right. However, there is considerable variation on this point -- cellos are often seen in the middle of the string array if the conductor wants the second violins on the right for stereo-like contrast. The trouble with that idea is that the output of the seconds is facing toward the back of the orchestra, which makes them harder to hear and diminishes the contrast. Some conductors in some works put the violas on the right. Since their tone quality is a little more omnidirectional than that of the violins, and they often play closely with the cellos, this can work well in works where you want the violas and cellos to reinforce each other. As to the opening question, playing selections from several classical records will quickly make it clear which side is left, violin-wise. It really does sound peculiar if they're consistently on the right. Our friends the flutes and other woodwinds are usually in the middle, where they are nicely distinguished from the strings. Edited May 22, 2014 by LarryC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovedrummin Posted May 30, 2014 Author Share Posted May 30, 2014 I appreciate all of the replies fellows. Sorry it took me so long to get back on here. What little bit I was able to hear it seemed like black was right and grey was left. However the platter itself ceased turning at a proper speed very quickly and it also started vibrating. I'm starting to think it may be time to look for a new turntable that hasn't been sitting in a back room for at least a decade. It would probably be less frustrating. I'm itching to hear some of this vinyl through my RB5II speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 Good luck. Plenty of inexpensive turntables out there and even and old Shure M-44 with a good stylus will amaze if you haven't been exposed in a while. Get anything in good condition. Once you hear it, you'll know what to do... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 I don't know your budget but perhaps you might want to take a look at the Garage Sale forum there might be one there. Oh, wait yes there is it's, it's (cough) mine for sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovedrummin Posted May 30, 2014 Author Share Posted May 30, 2014 Guess I'll have to start looking around, maybe even at the garage sale(s). What led me on this path, was I'd been converting some of my vinyl to digital with an ION usb tt (I know, I know) and even some of that stuff sounded better than what's on CD. I'm guessing because it came from an analog source. That led to me hooking things up so I could try them through my RB5II speakers (instead of my Klipsch pc speakers. I didn't realize what I'd been missing. Are any of you familiar with the Audio-Technica's AT-LP120-USB direct-drive, (usb & analog) tt. I still like to convert some of my old vinyl? It seems to get some decent reviews on Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 Your finding the wonders of vinyl from an ION is a case in point. The increase in perceived quality ramp is long and slopes gently for hundreds of dollars, then begins to become very, very steep at somewhere around a grand. Past 2k for cart and table and the improvements are significant only to those with very vivid imaginations, deep wallets, and/or super hearing. I only have one of the three, and it's neither of the last two. I have 1500.00 into my table and 700.00 into my cart, and it was a major splurge for me. However, I knew that table would outlast me and go to my son. Of course, hard to tell on the cart, but it will likely be supported for the rest of my life. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovedrummin Posted May 30, 2014 Author Share Posted May 30, 2014 Likewise, my wallet isn't deep and I now wear hearing aides.That being said, I still have some ability to tell the difference between crappy sound and decent sound. I also have a fairly large collection of vinyl which will one day go to my daughter, who also loves the classics (as in classic rock) as much as I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 I appreciate all of the replies fellows. Sorry it took me so long to get back on here. What little bit I was able to hear it seemed like black was right and grey was left. However the platter itself ceased turning at a proper speed very quickly and it also started vibrating. I'm starting to think it may be time to look for a new turntable that hasn't been sitting in a back room for at least a decade. It would probably be less frustrating. I'm itching to hear some of this vinyl through my RB5II speakers. Sonds like it needs a bit of lube after all those years. Send it me and I'll probably be able to get it running nice. How old is the cart? That's the main thing with these B&O. Did you ever change it? How many hours etc. Needles do wear out. Most of the USB tables are pure junk, but could probably be improved if you put some money into a cart. Ignore Amazon recommendations on audio, they are mostly uninformed nonsense. IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovedrummin Posted May 31, 2014 Author Share Posted May 31, 2014 The turntable and cartridge both date back to about 1980. Don't know how many hours on it. I know the cartridges for it are fairly expensive. I started it up again later this afternoon and it seemed to be turning ok. I didn't notice any vibration or wobble to it. I tried a couple albums out, including one of my old Beatles albums and it seemed to do ok. It appeared to maintain speed alright and the sound was good. There wasn't any drag or distortion to the sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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