maxg Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 I only ask as I am about to buy one - ebay permitting. Looks as cool as hell - just not sure what I am gonna do with it!! Ah well - should be good for a play - if I can figure out a way past the DIN plug output it seems to have, and if the cart is in reasonable condition - and probably if pigs can fly.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Turner Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 I had one until recently and so did several of my friends back in the 80s. The one in the picture appears to be the higher end model with the lateral tracking tonearm. Their claim to fame, besides being easy to set up and use, was you could bang your hand on the chasis and barely get a rumble. The only negative I know about them is you are locked into one cartridge which used to cost $125-300 dependent on the tip. I never had any problems with mine but I'm not sure objectively how they compare to other tables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lon Armstrong Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 I've inherited an early nineties B&O system that has a different (not linearly tracking tone arm) turntable . I haven't used it too much, but I have found it to be quite a nice turntable. . . best I've ever owned (though I've never owned any GREAT turntables). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hardy Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 That looks to be a b&o TX-2, one of their later tangentials. I have one of these (purchased for $7 with a bad stylus). I bought the entry-level b&o MMC-4 cartridge for it (still available from b&o at that time) and it quickly became my main tt. The subject of tangential (linear) tracking is something of a hotbed. Many 'audiophiles' feel that most (affordable) linear-tracking designs do more harm than good. See this thread for a good example: http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=vinyl&n=342459&highlight=linear&r=&session= The b&o's (especially the later ones, like the TX-2) fall into the "cheap" catagory by audiophile standards, but based on my experience the TX-2 tracks quite well. I note space and clarity around and between instruments and voices that no other tt/cartridge I own is capable of (disclaimer: all the tt's and cartridges at my house are "midfi" by audiophile standards). ALso, I note a near-complete lack of inner groove distortion. The TX-2 is certainly not as well built as earlier b&o tt's, but it is nice looking and mine's working fine as found after replacing the cartridge. One drawback to the TX-2 is an inability to play warped records. Vertical travel of the arm is extremely limited, so keep a swingin' arm tt for those warped records (whump... whump... whump...). As you probably already know, the worst thing about the b&o tt's is their use of a proprietary cartridge. Of course, that's also a benefit, as the arm and cartridge really ARE made for each other, and the mass is incredibly low. Fortunately, the b&o MMC-2 and MMC-4 are pretty good sounding cartridges (if a little dry), so this isn't (IMO) such a bad deal. B&o is now apparently no longer making any cartridges, so one is left to old stock (which can be expensive) or a third-party supplier: http://www.sound-smith.com/cartridges/index.html. b&o info also available here: http://www.beoworld.co.uk/ Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wardsweb Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 These are nice tables, but with two known problems. One is the plastic gear on the drive screw for the tonearm breaks. Only cost $10 for the gear but it is a PITA to replace. The other problem is the hall effect sensor that regulates the speed of the platter opens. Luckily it's a dual module, so you can just move the wires to the other terminals. You can find out lots from this guy: http://www.beomuse.com/home.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Born2RockU Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 How would my Bang and Olufsun Beogram 8002 classify ? (I bought it in 1982) Still works like a charm ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hwatkins Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 Many audiophiles look down their nose oat the B&O stuff, but I am a big fan of the late seventies through late 80's stuff. My old Beogram keeps chugging and is very nice to the vinyl - they have excellent tracting capabilities. Cartidges are hard to come by for those years, but lots of reputable players to help out. I am a fan and suggest folks give a critical listen to them. Max - as to which model - I am not sure, but the Tx seems like a reasonable call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted September 13, 2004 Author Share Posted September 13, 2004 Interesting feedback - thanks all - bit more on the unit: Well the model is the 3300 and it is fitted with an MMC cartridge of some description - but we dont know if that is DOA or not. I am trying to figure out how to connect this to my phono stage. I will probably get a reciprocle 7 pin receptor and wire out to RCA's rather than simply cut off the DIN plug end and replace it. I am trying to make sence of the wiring diagram I got from the www.beotech.co.uk site. I think this refers to av equipment - does any one happen to know if the record player is wired similarly? File is attached: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg928gts Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 I've got two. One I just purchased is the Beosystem 7700, an all-in-one system with turntable, tape player, and tuner with the remote and speakers. I always looked at these systems, and wondered who bought them. They didn't sound all that great, and they were expensive. But they looked really cool! The turntables on the other hand, were well made. Not only could you bang on the B&O turntables, but the mass of the tonearm is such that feedback occurs at a frequency below 20 hz, which effectively means they don't feedback, even when cranking Jethro Tull at some ridiculous DB. At my local Hi Fi store back in the late 70's, the guys had lot's of different and interesting methods of showing off the gear. One favorite was to gently toss the B&O turntable back and forth between two of them while it was playing. Most of the time it wouldn't skip. Pretty impressive. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hardy Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 As to the DIN plug: all's you need is Left and Right out and the grounds. The other stuff should be N/A if that cable diagram is in fact generic to all b&o gear of the era. Sorry I mis-ID'd your tt. Sure looks like my TX-2! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted September 14, 2004 Author Share Posted September 14, 2004 Well - its mine now. I did win the auction after all. Just waiting for the seller to get back to me with some idea of shipping costs. Hopefully I will have it within the week and then be able to get it up and running. If it works and I dont like it I should be able to sell it locally for more than I bought it for - so a result is expected either way. If it is a DOA of course - I will lose out, but such are the risks of on-line trading... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Blacksmith Posted September 14, 2004 Share Posted September 14, 2004 I have a B&O 1900 that I bought new in 1977. It has been a good, relyable tt ever since. I recently traded "up" to a Regga Planar 3 but the B&O is still in my backup gear stack. It has a good motor, light tonearm and low mass setup. I like it a lot. The only problem I have with it at the moment is that the spring that holds the lid up is broken and there are some wear scratches on the dust cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IB Slammin Posted September 14, 2004 Share Posted September 14, 2004 Dont know about the TT's but I LOVED the carts back in the 70's. I cant remember the model number. The cartridge I used had a sapphire cantilever. Had an adapter to fit the Empire TT. Made Shure and Ortphon(sp?) sound like a railroad spike. IMHO tc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyKubicki Posted September 15, 2004 Share Posted September 15, 2004 Hi Max! I have an earlier Tangential tracking B&O and it's been in storage for many years..so many that the lubricant has dried up and I had to "unfreeze" some parts. But she's working very nicely now. In addition to the inability to play warped records, I will add that I have one where the hole is off center and as it gets closer to the inside groves, wow and flutter get terrible. But that's the only record I have like that and no other problems to report with just the tangential tracking. My TT has been through a couple rough moves with me (I didn't think I would be resurrecting my TT) and I had to have things realigned, and on the 4002, there were a lot of adjustments. As to performance, I can only compare it to the cheap Scott I bought a while back, it kicks the Scott's light little arse! How much does that think weigh? Mine weighs a ton! BTW, here is a forum where you can learn more about B&O: http://www.beoworld.co.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted September 15, 2004 Author Share Posted September 15, 2004 IB, I'll let you know on the cart - it has an Mc one fitted that sounds promising if it is still in working order. andy, Thanks for the link - I had already found that site and browsed it. The playing of warped records is not going to be an issue for me - I only have one (and a copy of the same record not warped) and to my knowledge no records with off-centre holes. This is merely a toy at this stage - if it proves itself to be better than what I have that will merely be a lovely surprise. Otherwise - playtime and sell time lie ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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