Which Beocentre to buy?

Hi there, 

I am looking to buy a Beocentre and would really appreciate some advice on which speaker and Beocentre combination is best. From looking at what's available I am guessing the 9500 with Redline seekers would be the choice but some educated advice would be great. 

Thanks for your time. Grant

Hi Grant,

It depends on what you want to do with it. Do you want to just have an amp with tuner and use any input sockets for tape, CD, phono, AUX for iPad/iPod/phone etc? Do you want an all in one unit with tape and CD inbuilt, do you have space restrictions, do you want a unit where you can use a remote, will you want the possibility of active speakers for the future or just passive speakers?

With more info on your needs, you will get better feedback on the best potential system. The older systems will all probably need some maintenance work due to their age - are you able to do this yourself? How will you be buying the system? Shipping of the old units is fraught with danger and you run the risk of it being destroyed in transit.

The BC9500 has a mighty amp and I love mine but the CD often fails, doors don't work and the tape mechanism needs maintenance to keep it going usually. Another of the Beomaster series may end up being better for your needs - unless it's the looks of the BC9500 series you want. The BM6000 or 7000 series of stackable, the BM4500 wall mountable, older BM3000 or BM4400 are all nice units. It depends on your requirements. Are the looks more important than the sound/capabilities? Budget? Beware of sellers claiming all sorts of things before you buy - best to see and hear the units if you can to avoid disappointment and collect if you can. All older units will need working on.

Take your time and use the 'products' section to search for units and wait for more feedback here.

Dave.

I would, if after one system, () would get a BC9500 with a Beolink 7000 and some really nice passive speakers - if possible I would have M75s. I would get the best I could - I would probably ask Lee to source these to give me a guarantee and I would have a Beogram 4000 (non remote, but you have to clean the record anyway!) for listening to vinyl. I would have a Beoport so I could attach to my computer and would be happy knowing I had the most ergonomic Beocenter made. I would get a lot of microfibre cloths to keep it clean!

 

Yes the BC9500 is a lovely bit of kit combining beautiful user interaction in addition to strong performance. They are of an age now where either many have issues as mentioned above or have already been repaired. It depends on your budget and maintenance skills. Door, tape and cd issues wouldn't bother me as much as overall cosmetic condition as I enjoy taking things apart! There is a wealth of help on this forum to assist.

However, if the repair route is not for you then I would source one from one of the resellers. Member Joeyboygolf is a specialist on this model and also a reseller but I'm unsure if he is still as active in the refurbishment of them.

Thanks for your swift response. 

I fell in love with the Beocentre when It was in a house I stayed in as a kid, it had the mirrored top and always fancied one. I essentially need the amp and remote control with aux to input a laptop or ipod but from the research I have done i didn't see any beomasters with remote controls. The Beocentre would look lovely on my wall too. I'm an engineer so should be able to carry out repairs. 

 

Thanks again Grant

Beomaster 7000 and Beolink 7000 would probably be the best option then - most modern software of this era and will be able to work to control the computer remotely - less to go wrong but not as cool to look at!

 

how long is a piece of cheese....

please also consider how much space you have, ie footprint for the system, the 7000 has a better sound and can include a record deck with the ability to stack the units but the 9500 in my eyes is more stunning and Jensen's better design and half the price ...

I ended up buying both as I could not decide and then the bug bites... but I use the 7000 more often due to it superiority in sound delivery and ability to play vinyl ...

as Dave mentions what is your main use and medium source and do you have a budget and does that include speakers..

ps I've bought a lot of HiFi systems and separates for over 30 ish years and B&O is the only manufacture I have truly enjoyed both in sound and visual pleasure... you really cannot go wrong

pps Lifestyle AV have a nice looking 9300 on their website .

Thanks for all the advice. It has always been the Beocentre I thought of so I will get one of these. Can someone please tell me the difference between the 9300 and the 9500 and anything in between. Also can anyone advise on speakers to go with a 9500, probably just the main speakers for now.

 

Thanks for taking the time to help out in advance.

 

Grant

Hi.

The 9300 vs 9500 discussion has been had many times here before and it really depends what you want from your system. The 9300 is often seen as the poorer cousin of the 9500 and it certainly isn't as well spec'd internally. It doesn't have a phono stage amp to connect a turntable, the tape deck isn't quite as good and it doesn't have 2 way remote control. However, I have had a 9300 for 4 years and am delighted with it. I knew it wasn't quite a 9500 but the 9300 is newer and - arguably therefore - more reliable. The CD player is supposed to be better and I have mine connected to a pair of BL8000 speakers,  this combination is one of the great looking B&O systems. Before the BL 8000 I had a pair of passive speakers connected and never had any complaint with the amp.

All of the 9000 series centres have their faults- cd lasers, tape belts, doors not closing etc. but get a good 9500 or 9300 and I don't think you will be disappointed with either. 

Enjoy your system whichever one you decide on.

Graeme.

 

 

 

 

 

the 9300 was in production between 1993 - 2001, (9500 started production in '89) so basically the run out edition.

to reduce build costs B&O redesigned/removed items like Dolby C, 2-way remote control communication and the RIAA pre amp, I believe also that David Lewis freshened up the looks slightly, but still a good system. Beoworld and Beophile both offer product guides and are well worth taking the time to read and compare systems specifications.

speakers well thats another kettle of fish and I'm sure you will get many differing but valid views, My 9500 is running with wall mounted BeoLab 5000 speakers but due to repositioning I'm going to use the smaller BeoLab 4000's on bookshelves (my 7000 is mated to Penta's which are very period and give off incredible sound, but design wise and physical size may not be everyones cup of tea) but I do like the look of the RedLines you mentioned or how about BeoLab 8000's.

what type of music are you wanting to listen to Grant as this may assist others to offer better advice than just my own.

In many ways, the 9300 took an Ouverture and combined it with the 9500 amplifier in a redesigned 9500 box. This has advantages with spare parts! The 9500 is just a bit cleverer and this is what appeals to me. You get more radio channels on the 9300 but the tape is a lot better on the 9500 and the CD is debatable. Both are excellent.

Am I right in thinking that the CD is easier and cheaper to repair on the 9500 (most likely the c2103 cap) against the 9300 which has smd caps and normally is a whole mech swap from a donor?

I note on eBay a lot of Ouverture's for sale with CD faults.

Thanks for all the help. I will get on the case and get my music sounding awesome.

Grant

Please let us know what you choose

There are three B&O products that in my mind, best define the company's history... Beogram 4000 for "vintage" B&O. And Beocenter 9500/BeoLink 7000 are probably the single best embodiment of the most awe inspiring and technically sophisticated era for the company. Period, end of story. 

Combine them with a pair of BeoLab Penta 3 speakers as is the setup that I have, and you still have a system that 25 years on elicits absolute amazement and appreciation from anyone who sees *AND/OR* hears it. 

Much like a fine vintage automobile, all of these products have their finer points which need attention at least once... And carrying the "vintage automobile" theme forward another step, you will be fascinated even in the SERVICING of a 9500 for the first time, how it opens up for service much like a car! Glass panels re-glue will be the most annoying of the common issues to deal with on the 9500. I had a bad CD player in one and just swapped a CD unit from another one. If you use it close to some plasma televisions, the remote control range will be adversely affected as I found when I had my F8500 Samsung plasma turned on (it was always right underneath it). The 7000's primary fault lies in the capacitors for the IR emitter/receiver section that go bad, and the electroluminescent backlight that sometimes dies. The battery is replaceable with relative ease. There are a few people around the world who are capable of repairing these (and other B&O vintage items). The Pentas will often need the mid range speaker section refoamed. 

The 7000 is, unfortunately, not the most practical in daily use as it is just fun to play with and look at. You will achieve the most function with a 7000 remote if you can get the ultra rare charging stand. Otherwise it will just sit around on your coffee table where its easily at hand and discharge over time. Keep a Beolink 1000 around, they're dirt cheap and handy to have.

Note about the 7000 stackable system. I had the primarily desirable components to this (CD player and main amp unit) except the Beogram turntable that matches at one point. It has a considerably more powerful and CLEAN amplifier than the 9500 internally which made it a FANTASTIC pairing to my JBL XPL140 speakers. However, for any purpose other than the internal amp, the 9500 will provide more daily enjoyment with its plethora of technological goodies connected to a pair of active speakers, for which my recommendations would be the Pentas first, and the Beolab 8000 second. I had two pairs of RL6000 (the last of the "red line" series mid-tier) and consider them only serviceable in sound quality. These are more of a "party" speaker designed to sit on the floor at an angle and really emphasize the bass frequencies. The Beomaster 4500 in my opinion is only useful if you have space considerations or are just trying to avoid the moving parts in the 9500 and... what is the fun in that?. Early models of the 4500 did not have two way communication, either. 

I agree completely with all that is said by Playdrv4me - very well put. I still use Pentas and love them. Cheap now!

Peter -

Im loving my BC9500 with floorstand/Beolink 7000 with floorstand/Penta I system. I have a BG9500 that once repaired will join it on the floating shelf. It will be the center of a whole house MCL system.

How do I connect the ML beoport to it? With the ML/MCL convertor? The BL7000 doesnt have N.Music or N.Radio.

Very comprehensive thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge.

Grant

Stonk:

Am I right in thinking that the CD is easier and cheaper to repair on the 9500 (most likely the c2103 cap) against the 9300 which has smd caps and normally is a whole mech swap from a donor?

I note on eBay a lot of Ouverture's for sale with CD faults.

 

I will agree with you on the CD mechs. The one in the 9500 is mechanical "solid as a rock". When it fails it is often because of the c2103 cap - or a few other components on the servo board. The newer CD mech in the 9300 is not as solid build - and more difficult to repair if we're talking about changing caps, because of the (as you mention) smd components. But - the good thing is that you can still buy a complete cd- mech for the 9300 (not from B&O, though).

Gregg:

Peter -

 

Im loving my BC9500 with floorstand/Beolink 7000 with floorstand/Penta I system. I have a BG9500 that once repaired will join it on the floating shelf. It will be the center of a whole house MCL system.

 

 

How do I connect the ML beoport to it? With the ML/MCL convertor? The BL7000 doesnt have N.Music or N.Radio.

I have a converter and the 7000 will have Tape 2 which works as N.Music

 

Hi Grant,


use the information provided here in the forum and then listen to your heart which Beocenter to take. BUT - as many Beoworld members will know - sometimes you'll need earplugs to stop listening to your heart, because it will love MANY Bang & Olufsen things and keeps telling you
"Hey, you NEED to buy this one, too!". 
That's the dark side of Bang & Olufsen... it's like a virus you don't want to be cured from.

The infection has had a name for a few odd years: it's called the beovirus. It has also been known that there is no cure.

And the decision is?

Dave.

chartz:

The infection has had a name for a few odd years: it's called the beovirus . It has also been known that there is no cure .

Jacques

I thought the cure was to buy a bit more B&O?! That explains a lot.

Since B&O stoped producing sound systems made of aluminium, I would also consider the Beocenter 2 as one of the last design pieces from a previous time period...

if this website ever gets hacked like that dating one I'm in trouble as I've listed all my equipment...

taxi .......