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
Why do we stick on to our vintage gear?
Is it for sentimental reasons?
Because B&O gear has gone out of average pricerange?
Simply because the old gear are better quality and sounds better?
Neclecting general progress and improvements over time?
Fear of getting bored with modern equipment like net downloaded music?
Just too futuristic?
I myself havent bought any new gear for the last 33 years(BC7000) What did I miss soundwise?Didn't had the balls to buy that new BS5 and 4 BL6002....Time for regretting that?............Your own expieriences are most velcome..............Hans........
Because it is good value for money, is beautifully designed, is able to be serviced, still looks futuristic, produces excellent sound and is reliable and ergonomic.
Most of the 60s, 70s and 80s equipment can be operated without recourse to an instruction book and is very easy to set up. They will need servicing by now, but once done can be expected to keep working for decades to come. What is more, when the next service comes, most will still be able to be serviced, unlike the newer equipment and their replaceable modules.
Peter
Thanks Peter, - so there really is not much to gain nowadays soundwise, - except sourcing the music and technical solutions has changed?
Try to listen to a full Quad system from 1960 with a Garrard 301 or a Thorens 124 and you will understand...
Also, don't forget that vintage equipment comes cheap, especially when broken. So it gives us the opportunity to acquire once very expensive gear for a very small outlay and still enjoy the quality of it.
This said, some people think vintage means big money, and of course we steer clear of that way of thinking here, just being realistic and enjoy what we can afford.
To me, it's the sheer pleasure of making forgotten ancestors live again!
Jacques
A better question to me might be, "Why do you feel it necessary to build a new stand/cabinet/shelving unit every time you put together another stereo?"
To be semi-serious, though, I don't just buy vintage, and I don't just buy B&O. However, it is true the most pleasure I get from any electronic form of entertainment is listening to LPs on an early 1970s B&O set.
Its timeless design , build quality and sound does it for me.
Why?
I was not into HIFI or had done any experiences that way. I was into guitars, effects and amps sounding right but not the stereo or video department.
In my case it was really not planned that it had to be B&O but in a matter of 3 weeks that changed for good. I got the '80s Beosystem 2000 and an B&O Attyca II stand for it. That was the beginning and I just got a palisander Beocord 9000 a few months before.
Getting into the old school B&O experience that way was cool. Once the many units were serviced the feeling of how right the B&O products were at any given time they deserved to live on for another 20 odd years of great experience for the owner. Be it sound, feling, looks or the technical matter like certain speakers certain age. If you want passive then post '90s unless its CX you want or want to play records or cassete tape? The same thing applies. Sentimential reassons? No with B&O pick the design you want. It will perform well in any case.
B&O to expensive? Well if it is then why bother. Expense of anything is a matter of what you think you can achieve. If it is to expensive it is.
I even have even managed Beolab 6000 and 8000 so far.
Old stuff sounds better?
It sounds good but you neeed to compare it and I had Beosound 9000 at some point. It is not that different.
I grew up with record and cassete tapes with cd comming much later. Why should I change mediums for being able to play music every 10 years or so? Music on pc? Right but that takes to many changes for no real good reasons at all. It depends on what mediums you prefer.
It does not really get better. The grass is not more green with the newer B&O.
Would I go for it? Yes Beovision wise but streaming of music I don't plan to do.
Futuristic
I don't get tired of the sound, looks or the space it takes.
Because I just like it better that's why and I don;t have to explain or justify why either
The Dickster: Because I just like it better that's why and I don;t have to explain or justify why either
Collecting Vintage B&O is not a hobby, its a lifestyle.
I recently saw the movie Objectify which had an industrial designer who asked the same question as to why we would want any product whose design was not contemporary. My response is that with all the technological changes that are occurring at such a rapid pace and with equipment that is only expected to last a very few short years, it is is comforting to have something around you that works and has been around 30 plus years. I am a designer but feel that so much of the products I buy are not meant to last because the technology would very soon make them obsolete anyway. The other reason I think is many of the B&O designs are timeless.
john
mexking:Collecting Vintage B&O is not a hobby, its a lifestyle
I myself maybe because I can hardly expect anything more durable and yet timeless in design and with that warm embrassing crisp sound........As proven........Thanks for all views!
Rich:Shouldn't you be celebrating your birthday?
I did, I did, The crowd was mostly impressed with a working Beocord 5000, of course I had to demonstrate the recording function, then the BM 4000 with the TX2 (the one repaired with kitchen utensils) was brought to life with a 3 pesos, Dixieland Jazz record, blasting from the Beovox 3702, I then went back to the stack and ran my best rocking girls on the BG CD50.
That one reason why I'm into vintage.
Because they have that character
blah-blah and photographs as needed
Ricardo: - I was merely trying to open up a friendly discussion in order to establish why people stick to what they have incl myself........
You certainly don't have to explain or justify to me, - that's for sure!
beotoss: Ricardo: - I was merely trying to open up a friendly discussion in order to establish why people stick to what they have incl myself........ You certainly don't have to explain or justify to me, - that's for sure!
The men in the white coats - they'll be coming to take us away.
Ricardo:The men in the white coats - they'll be coming to take us away.
I love those men, in their pretty white coats
Søren Mexico: Ricardo:The men in the white coats - they'll be coming to take us away. I love those men, in their pretty white coats
I, for one, welcome our new white-coated overlords.
I imagine the reason are as varied as we all are. For some, it's an affordable way to get a high style audio setup. For some it's nostalgia, for some a preference for older media types, tape, LP, etc. For those who were original owners, it may be that they still fully meet the needs of the owner so why change?
I think my experience is not unusual. In the 16 or so years after college, I went thru 4 pairs of speakers, 2 turntables, 3 CD players, 2 cassette decks, and at least 4 or 5 amps/receivers/integrateds. In the 15 years since I've gotten my BS9000/BL8000 setup and went back to my Beogram 3000, nothing changed in my audio setup except adding a PC music server. I've had no reason to change anything, as I've been completely happy with the B&O. I think that's a lot of B&Os philosophy, sell you something that is satisfying to your senses, all of them, and that performs well and is easy to use. It's also part of the difference between B&O owners in general and audiophiles, I doubt most B&O owners churn equipment like most audiophiles do. We tend to get what we want, and just use it to listen to music.
For many it's also a way to work on old gear and restore something they feel is actually worth restoring.
Jeff
I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus.
This is of course the beauty of B&O for us, and its curse for B&O! If you sell something that lasts 30 years, you don't get as many repeat sales! Take the iPhone - nicely made, easy to use, high quality materials. But a new one every couple of years! B&O on the other hand keep a similar look for years even if the mechanics actually change. Much less incentive to change! The US car industry also used to have the regular change of design for each model year, even if the car actually stayed pretty much the same.
Jeff: ...er. I've had no reason to change anything, as I've been completely happy with the B&O. I think that's a lot of B&Os philosophy, sell you something that is satisfying to your senses, all of them, and that performs well and is easy to use. It's also part of the difference between B&O owners in general and audiophiles, I doubt most B&O owners churn equipment like most audiophiles do. We tend to get what we want, and just use it to listen to music. For many it's also a way to work on old gear and restore something they feel is actually worth restoring.
...er. I've had no reason to change anything, as I've been completely happy with the B&O. I think that's a lot of B&Os philosophy, sell you something that is satisfying to your senses, all of them, and that performs well and is easy to use. It's also part of the difference between B&O owners in general and audiophiles, I doubt most B&O owners churn equipment like most audiophiles do. We tend to get what we want, and just use it to listen to music.
Right, I have had my BS4500 for 22 years now, exterly happy with it, and no reason to change.
I've never ever thought of not having loads of B&O stuff around, its just normal, and everyone else is weird.
Rich: Søren Mexico: Ricardo:The men in the white coats - they'll be coming to take us away. I love those men, in their pretty white coats I, for one, welcome our new white-coated overlords.
We are nuts, we are nuts, we are not crazy, but-- we are nuts
Every single person I invite home comments on my B&O, it's guaranteed every time and it's always positive. They are often surprised when I tell them how old it really is (all my friends are in my age bracket, 18-22) and are amazed when listening to a good analog source or even their own digital player. I have convinced many people to buy used B&O and they all enjoy it
The quality/cost-ratio is the best, it is always a joy to repair and restorate and be proud that a Beomaster from the 70's will sound and look as good as any modern systems at much higher cost.
The B&O brand is atypical compared with other brands, the only real survivor of the Danish radio industry of dozens of similar companies. It really was the "Danish Quality Brand."
Vinyl records, cassettes, open reel, valve amplifiers and film photography.
Peter: This is of course the beauty of B&O for us, and its curse for B&O! If you sell something that lasts 30 years, you don't get as many repeat sales! Take the iPhone - nicely made, easy to use, high quality materials. But a new one every couple of years! B&O on the other hand keep a similar look for years even if the mechanics actually change. Much less incentive to change! The US car industry also used to have the regular change of design for each model year, even if the car actually stayed pretty much the same.
True that, and considering price and style both limit B&Os appeal that can be an issue I'd think. B&O is a personal style statement and decorating item as much as an audio system. Lots of people over this side of the pond want Bose because it's invisible, B&O is not invisible but rather a statement piece and focal point in a room. It's also not a cheap, get it at the local big box store tin box either.