ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
Hi everyone,
I've had a chance to listen to a few B&O Beogram turntables, and been wondering if there is any way to use a non B&O cartridge with them? I know B&O uses their own mounting system, are there any adapters or anything available to plug in say a Ortofom 2M Red cartridge?
Regards
Marcocx
Welcome to Beoworld,
the Beograms and B&O cartridges are optimised for each other. I'm not aware of an adapter that will universally allow the use of a non-B&O cartridge on Beograms, however, in an old thread, someone did consider using this:
http://www.needledoctor.com/Ortofon-T4P-PStandard-Adapter on a Beogram 400x series.
http://archivedforum2.beoworld.org/forums/p/11355/99262.aspx
I don't really see much point in using a non-B&O cartridge on a Beogram. Tracking force, angle and length of tonearm and cartridge etc will all need to be adjusted to suit.
There are adapters to use B&O cartridges on non-B&O turntables - a half inch adapter.
Dave.
I modified a tonearm with a Ortofon Concorde. But it's not an adapter, this can not be reversed.
Hi, I have purchased a TX 2 turntable for dirt cheap.
I would like to be able to use it , but as usual, the cartridge is missing. An as I dont want to shed 300€ for a cartridge I kindly aa for more information on how you made the modification and what you used for materials , how you calculated the angle wich wire goes where....and distance from the tone arm to the platter... Etc.
Would you be willing to lend me a helping hand?
This has been done, see here:
https://aminaaudio.com/phono.html
I'm of mixed opinions on this. On the one hand it modifies a classic B&O table, but on the other Grado cartridges sound good and are definitely easier to come by and less expensive than B&O ones.
I've got to take some electronics, including my turntable, to him for repair and such, but I am afraid to do so because he usually has 4000 and 8000 series tables he's rebuilt for sale. I'm afraid I might be compelled to buy one to replace my BG3000 tangential!
Jeff
I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus.
Adrian2b4u: Hi, I have purchased a TX 2 turntable for dirt cheap.
Leaving plenty of money within a good condition Beograms value to get a decent cartridge. Great situation!If you're serious about vinyl get an MMC2/Shibata, you won't regret it.
Martin
Of course, Adrian.
First of all be sure that the tonearm hinge is intact (not flapping around). How have I done this? Strictly speaking, I copied the original position of the pickup. I have several defective pickups to do this. I used a Ortofon Concorde for the modification. You can get several needles for it. Have a look in my profile. I made some pictures of the process. There is a detailed description on this website, https://archivedforum2.beoworld.org/forums/p/16169/139575.aspx#139575
I used copper wires from transformers and liquid metal adhesive (JB Weld)
First. I would like to thank all of you giving me constructive replies.
So nice to see a community that is so active and NICE ! :)
In response to Dillen's post, I am a Audiophile at heart but unfortunately my finacial situation does not allow me to spend lots of cash. ( For me 200 € is a far reach).
I usualy buy older HI FI that need repair or service anf fix them...if possible.
Jeff- thank you - that is a good alternative .
This B&O TX2 is like a " unicorn " for me as I found it at a local market for an bought it for litteraly 5€, and as I can not check if the audio side electronics of the TX2 are OK , I dont want to invest lots of cash to find out that the tone arm has issues or a channel is out or etc.....
Thats why I wanted to try the cheaper alternative. I know I might angry the HI FI purists but I actually have no alternative.
And ProGram, thank you so much for the reply and help , the pictures are a great help. I only need one info. The position of the needle as I understood was off by 3mm (this i can probabli fix ) but I have no way to get a distance measurement between the arm and vinyl disk.
Thank you.
Adrian2b4u: I can not check if the audio side electronics of the TX2 are OK
I can not check if the audio side electronics of the TX2 are OK
There aren't any.
Oh, ProGram I forgot to ask , what model is the Ortophon Concorde - I cant find the model with straight connectors ....
Don't matter, what Concorde. I think, the element inside is nearly the same. All have straight contacts inside, but only some are with connectors, most are soldered to the SME contacts.
Hi,
I don't want sound like a whiny crying person asking for a handout but like I said my financial situation does not allow me to buy a 300+ Eur cartridge and stylus..... I make 150 Eur a month.
I just want to be able to use the TT... and afford a new stylus in the futrure when the old stylus breaks or givers up.
TY.
Just for reference:
MMC4 rebuild or exchange EUR 146MMC4 rebuilt (sale) EUR 213
These MMC4 are 4-sided (new shape!) eliptical. Better than the original MMC4.
Rebuilt -cant cartridge an stylus are completly missing.
MMC4 - can you PM me a link ?
Adrian2b4u: Hi, Rebuilt -cant cartridge an stylus are completly missing. MMC4 - can you PM me a link ? TY.
Email sent.
Welcome to the forum. I'm trying to fix it my
Beogram 5500 and change B&O cartridge. Will this cartridge be good?
Ortofon Concorde Mix MKll for rebuild.
Great idea Mr ProGram congratulation
the DJ Concordes may be ok but not advisable. They have spherical tip and a tracking force of 3g. But the body will do its job and the needles are interchangeable. So you can use a better one like theOrtofon stylus 20 or 30
I have just adapted my Beogram 1102 arm to accept any OM stylus. A tricky little job but with a little patience it all worked out fine.
Would be nice to see it mounted to a deck.
This is how my trial with a radial tonearm looks like:
Alignment is probably off. The sound will be highly distorted as a result.
Jacques
Surely if you buy a Soundsmith you are still not using an original, so what's the difference. I have one Bang & Olufsen with a Ortofon OM modification and it works fine.
I have just sent off my MMC2 for my Beogram 7000 to be repaired and we will see how it goes. If unsuccesful I will do a modification. I have done a Beogram 1102 Ortofon OM Modification. It was just a prototype on a pretty tatty deck but it worked out fine. Nothing can be sustained forever.
I wouldn't bother - you risk damaging the tone arm and this will reduce the value of the turntable. You can get decent second hand retipped cartridge's on ebay - I bought one for my 4002 until I can afford to get a really decent one. That cost me £150 and works really well and I can keep it later as a spare.
The other problem as others have mentioned will be the alignment, the arm mass maybe unsuitable and depending on the Beogram you may not get enough tracking force. There is over hang to consider and all sorts of other techie stuff which is why a Beogram is so appealing - you have none of that to consider just press play and away it goes. No alignment issues or setting up of the cartridge either - just plug it in, set the tracking weight and away you go.
On sound quality my BG4002 sounds just as good as the Linn LP12 I was previously using which has a rega tonearm and £300 rega cartridge - which by the way cannot have its stylus changed either. My Beogram 3000 from the late 60s even sounds fantastic with a second hand SP12 and I'm using them with a decent front end and speakers that are quite revealing.
I think my only other comment would be that it would bug me that the turntable is not as it was intended - I think its fine to change some components internally in old equipment so that it is brought up to date, but with turntables where the cartridge is on display and part of the design I think it should be left alone. But these are only my comments and at the end of the day it is your property and upto what you do with it.
If it were me I would just wait and put any money you would spend on modifying the turntable towards a B&O Cartridge.
I am at the moment waiting for my MMC4 for my Beogram 7000 to be returned afer repair. It cost me €300 to have it done.
I do think th B & O's are a great design but I am 73 years old and have had many, many turntables in my time. Bang & Olufsen are not in the running for some of the turntables I have had. This 7000 in no way as good sounding as my Revox B790 linear deck or even my Mitsubishi LT20 linear deck, and definatley no where near my Mission 775s belt drive or my Victor QL-10 with UA-7045 tonearm with Ortofon Red fitted.
It all boils down to personal taste and when my cartridge arrives, the whole 7000 system will be complete, all original and working.
I am sure I will be very happy with it, but having had better systems and still have better sounding gear we will see how long it get's used as my main system.