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
The Story of the lonely Type M speaker or "probably the longest and sentimental story of a loudspeaker"
MR Type M was borned out of its mother , B&O Factory´s, womb somewhere in the 60th and put on sale , probably with its brother as set of two in a radio store in the small city of Kolding of Denmark.
My father walked in to this radio store and bought ONE speaker.
Without better knowledge, his purpose with this speaker was to use it as a orchestra speaker amplifying a clarinette.
As I remember he told me this speaker toured with him all over Europe with a danish entertaining orchestra. NATO militray bases, spanish restaurants, exotic stages on famous Reperbahn.Mr Type M has quite a unique history as being a clarinette speaker. He has seen alot.
Homespeakers are not designed to be used as as amplifying intruments on stage.Its a pure miracle that Mr Type M survived, still lives without ever having elements blown
Somewhere there I was borned, and our family ended up in south part of Sweden.
I was somewhere..maybe 3 years old when my first memories emerged of that one single speaker standing stored in the hall behind the door to my room.
I had alreday by then become somekind of neird, already by then crawled behind every single stereo anyone owned, our family visited. I already by then knew there where supposed to be two speakers connected.
Type M stood there alone behind the door and was alone to no use.This hurt me, the lonely abandoned speaker.I grew older as a child and started to get serious into sound equipment.Got old reel tape machines and radios from the 50s by parents friends
Digged into dump containers screwing out speaker elements out of old TVs and radios.Problem here was again, I always got ONE single speaker to build a box around.
I was dreaming dreams at night about finding matching speakers inthe dump containers or two identical TVs to dig out two identical speakers.
I ended up with around 14 single loudspeakers built by plywood and leftover wood.Still no two matching.
By now it more or less a trauma for me, not having a matching set.
And the best speaker of all, Mr Type M was screaming of loneliness, this hurt me most as my dad had told me that Bang & Olufsen was the best brand in the world
Years passed on, I eventually got my stereo with matching speakers,but by 13 already a Hifi neird, changing underlay on my vinyl players, changing pickups when I could afford, changing filter components inspeakers, adjusting levels and bias in cassettdecks, became religios pro vinyl against CD aso aso. Though Bang & Olufsen was still way to expensive to be realistic part of my world
So my carrier was set. became PA mixingengineer, music recording engineer and finally ended up as re-recording engineer and sound designer in Film TV business where I am today.
Working with speaker sets in studios that cost enormously amount of money is my day to day life.
My parents moved several times, but I have constantly forbidden them to throw mr Type M in the garbage.
Now when more time has come to my life, I have now many PAIRS of B&O speakers,,and yes from that particular time period when I wanted them the most.
MY CHILDHOOD TRAUMA IS GONE NOW
Mr Type M is still alone. he sleeps in my storage in a box..
Still alone, he was separated from his brother in that day in that store in Kolding some 50 years ago
I blamed my dad as child until he was so fed up.
Of course I have today seen pairs of Type M for sale. but Mr Type M in my storage is looking for a single brother or a sister. type M.
So yes,the day I will see ONE type M for sale somewhere on a fleemarket, I know Mr type M wont be lonely anymore. Mr Type M will have someone to talk too.
I do thanks Mr Type M for being part of my life, my life would have been very different if we never met.
My re-capped M75 are my precious diamonds.
A lovely story.
I thought I would have one to match (when I saw the title) but I am sorry I can't top this one .... or even come close !
But I do wonder what the production line planners thought when they came to shut down that line ... and found one lonely unmatched speaker sitting at the end of the line having had its partner shipped off to Kolding
BeoNut since '75
Touching story in a style that I like (anyone remembering my BM4000-travelling story in the beoworld-archive?)
I'm sure Martin (Dillen) will have something in his dungeons.
On the other hand ...
Here's Mrs. M who came in touch with me some months ago together with another lonely Mr. Vox2702.
I had to give them shelter - they might meet their companion(s) maybe later on.
Well, one of them could be lucky if only there wasn't that distance to Germany
She's missing the DIN Plug but is playing well respecting her age. The plug thing is easy to fix but it isn't original then.
But then, who of us can claim this for himself
hx
Aaaaaaw..and she really looks like Mrs type M, compared to Mr Type m in my storage with his ruff body
Christian Christensen:with his ruff body
Well, like women do she has had some cosmetical treatment
But sometimes that's ok with men, too
Meanwhile dressing up (with bridal expectations? ):
Much too new but you have to go in style nowadays...
She insisted not showing her side panels - close-up photographs do show her age
Wonderful, funny or odd story about a B&O product?
The story that comes to mind as far as wonderful goes and it also has an odd part in it is my Beosystem 6000.
It was the fall of 2007. I had my Beogram 8002 at Martin (Dillen) and it was the very first time I used him. Meanwhile I was on the Lauritz.com auction website looking at B&O and one day I came across this lot:
What I noticed was very nice original condition of the Beosystem 6000 units and it came with what you see such as cables + manuals. So that was the main thing to go for. The Beolit turned out to have a broken antenna. No replacements at that time and it was a heavy load to get home.
I got to the auction house to pick it up after I got the highbid. After putting the 6000 units in the box it was heavy enough so I took the reel to reel tape and put the rest in a new auction. On the way home I notice that the Beogram 6006 had a very nice MMCL20EN on it.
Needless to say all of it was nearly DOA. Martin had brought my Beogram 8002 back to new working condition so it was time for the Beosystem 6000 units to be serviced one by one.
I had to find matching Beovox's and one of the manuals was acutally for the SC60 stand which was not included. It did gave me the feeling of the system had more or less being complete at some point. By 2008 I had found Beovox S80 and S120 and Martin brought me the matching SC60 stand.
The funny bit came from the trip home with the 2 pairs of Beovox from Martin. Heavy rain but wellpacked and I had gotten a tool for transport to ease the load. I got to the main central train station in Copenhagen. I found the train I had reserved a seat for and got to the platform in time. The train arrived or was there. I took the top speaker as they were stacked and went in to find my seat. I found the seat but then the train started to move! Yes the 3 other speakers were left behind. Some panick later had the speakers saved and me taking the first train back to the main central station. I found the place that had gotten the speakers saved and went to the platform for the 1 hour later train back home about 1-2 minutes before leaving. The train conductor was not pleased but I got on and carefully put it all in smaller pieces. It was a better ride as it was less crowded. Here are the S80s and S120 after I got home:
Why 2 pairs? Well I had gotten S80.2 to Martin and then the S120 came up near him so why not get them?
So the Beosystem is actually still complete to this day and working great thanks to Martin. As for age I would say 1981 but the Beogram 6006 is bought as a seperate unit later somewhere else as it still has the label from the store it came from.
The odd bit came from that reel to reel tape I had gotten but never played. It was just in the box and rarely looked at. I did look one day an noticed a name clearly written in the box. Maybe it is the former owner? Sadly no and while I got the right person out of 1 option he said that the tape had been stolen from a public rehearsel space. I then offered to send it and he accepeted so I did the very same day.
The odd story is about my Beosystem 2000 ('80s).
This was my introduction to a B&O system and happend rather oddly and I just went along.
Back in 2003 I had a JVC 3 disc stereo system with a Beogram 1202 from my parents. When I saw a Beogram 2000 in the other end of town with an good mmc4 for sale I went and got it. I guess I tried to update at the time.
My parents wanted me to find a cheap stereo system. So I looked at ads and my experience with B&O being working the most I saw a Beocenter 2000 for sale. I called and asked: how does it look? Flat and silvery (like my beogram 2000)? I have it but does not work came the reply. Well back to the Beocenter then. In the end we agreed to the seller comming by with Beocenter and the flat, silvery 2000 that did not work.
I went to have a meal thinking what am I going to do with 2 Beograms. I did not ask what the 2000 units were. Low and behold it was the BM2000 and BC2000 in non working condition but nice enough. I brought it around to a local service repair the next day. After a week he had it figured out and I asked if it was worth it? Yes then do it then.
Then I had to find some thing to put the units on. It turned out to be B&O Attyca II only a few kilometers from where I lived at the time. I also got the Beovox X35 but the horrible sound let me to find something else. I did keep though as the condition was very nice.
So in a space of 3 weeks I had my first B&O system + a Beocord 9000 which I was introduced to at the same time not really looking for one. I ended up selling the 2000 system in 2006 but enjoyed it the 3 years as my main system. Also around that time I found Beoworld so it was like Ah it is a system.
Another odd story?
I had gotten interested in the Beosystem 6500 and I did get a BM6500, Beogram CD6500 + a BC6500 with a Beo4 from Lauritz once more. The Beomaster had out put trouble but otherwise the units were acutally working fine. It was black and chrome looking nicely enough.
I got it to 5 units with a matching Beogram 6500 and another Beocord 6500. Martin serviced the units that needed it. So there I was with the 5 units full system and using the Beovox S120.
Nothing really odd yet but I must admit I have a fondness for white and so I was thinking: perfect system? Sort of are you happy now? The answer? Maybe a white 6500 system?
Well I did not think of it any further though I did have few pictures of how that would look. Anyway I kind of kept looking at B&O for sale but not a 6500 in white. Not rare and the price is up there too. I saw a defective Beocenter 9500 near Martin. A lousy cell phone picture but the price was cheap and I could see not that the condition bad despite the picture.
Now it becomes odd as I did not expect it at all but I get to the seller near Copenhagen and I see the Beocenter 9500 with lights but stuck drawers. For the price I bought it but seller mentioned something else. A full Beosystem 6500 in white! Are you interested? It did service but the price was very fair to cheap. I did not see it and went home with the 9500. Martin got the 9500 and sold it on for me. Meanwhile I was dealing with selling the 6500 I had and other bits.
I did get my share of single Beovox with this system as a bonus. CX50 and CX100 both waiting for a mate before being renovated.
So this wonderful system is from 1991 and is still complete and working exept a few small details such as. The MCP needs hinges. The Beocord needs small adjustements and the MMC2 needs a rebuilt.
We are twins, Beolab 8000 they call us. Leaving the factory in Struer DK 2001, we were shipped to a shop in San Francisco, after a short time in the shop we got sold to a guy who wanted to use us for his MP3 player, from some fruit company. He kept us for a couple of years, and beginning of 2004 he placed us for sale on Ebay. A Danish guy from Mexico bought us, I think he bought us more for our fine looks than for the sound. We got a little worried about the long journey, but were happy that at least we would come to a home where our language was spoken. The seller found some fitting boxes, and without taking off our feet, wrapped us in bobble wrap, showed some foam material loosely around us, and off we went with UPS, Soren our new owner let ship to his customs agent in Laredo TX. We got banged up a lot during the long trip, the foam material inside the boxes started to turn to small pieces, but the boxes did stay whole and closed. I damaged my upper right plastic corner, my fabric was hurt in the same place, my brother fared worse, his stem, where it is connected to the foot, was bend, and the nut that held the foot, came loose.
The agent in Laredo called Soren and told him that he would take us in his private car down to Mexico city, this was before the free trade agreement, and a lot of paperwork was needed to import anything to Mexico, not to speak of the fees and taxes. We were now smuggled into Mexico in a big Chevcrolet Suburban. The agent asked Soren for some "mordida" (bite) money, I wondered what that could be, because Soren never got a receipt for the amount.
Arriving in Mexico city, the agent loaded us on a small lorry, and told the driver to leave us at Sorens house, the agents instructions to the driver must have been very bad, because, as nobody was at home, he left the boxes at the sidewalk, this in Mexico city where anything not nailed or bolted gets stolen within minutes.
After about 2-3 hours Sylvia, Sorens Mexican wife, came home, and wonders happen, the boxes with us in them, were still there, she got us into the garage and left us until Soren came home.
As Soren saw the banged up boxes, we could feel his sentiments, very worried he opened the boxes, the foam stuff was now all very tiny pieces and we were practically loose in the boxes. He carefully took us out and stood us upright for inspection, except for my upper right corner, I was OK, but my brother with a loose foot, and listing some 10° to the right, Soren nearly got tears in his eyes, we now heard him speak for the first time, very loud he spoke a lot of words we never had heard before, and a lot of them. I discussed this later with my brother, a little worried that Soren wasn't Danish at all. Sylvia explained it, Soren was cussing in five languages.
Soren tightened the loose nut on my brothers foot, that brought the listing to some 5°, he then sat down on a chair, with a cup of coffee and just stared at my brother for some 5 minutes, he then stood up made a cross sign with his hand, put a foot on my brothers foot and pressed carefully on his head, to bend him back in shape, he did that 2-3 times until my brother was back to original, nothing broke.
We were now lifted into the living room, to my surprise I saw a Beosound 3000 and another set of twins Beolab 4000, Soren connected us to the Bs 3000 and the power outlet, then checked the right/left switches was set correctly, turned on the radio and lowered the volume to nearly nothing, he let us play softly for some time, then started feeling us up everywhere and sniffing around us, both of us felt the joy of power in our circuits and longed for more, the volume was turned up a little, and for the first time we saw this big ugly man smile. We survived.
We are now settled in our new family, the Bs 3000 told us that he and the twin girls 4000 also came into Mexico illegally, directly from DK, smuggled in 2 backpacks.
2008 Soren and Sylvia bought a new house just 2 houses down the road from the old one, we all moved in there, and Soren got infected with some virus, he cant seam to stop collecting vintage B&O, we are now a very big family, Soren works a lot on these old items, but my brother and I are still the main attraction when people come visiting. (Some women said we looked sexy, whatever that means)
Collecting Vintage B&O is not a hobby, its a lifestyle.
Living Room: Beosystem 4, Beolab 7-2 (Center), Beolab 9 (Fronts), Beolab 8000 (Rears), no Subwoofer. Screen: Sony KD-85XH9096Dining Room: Beosound Essence MK II with Beolab 4000 on stands, fed by Amazon Echo Show 8Home Cinema: Beosystem 4, Beolab 7-4 (Center), Beolab 1 (Fronts), Beolab 4000 (Rears). Projector: Sony VPL-HW55Home Office: Beosystem 3, Beolab 7-4, Beolab 5000, Screen: Sony KD-55XH9005 on Beovision 7-40 stand, ML to Beosound 9000 MK3 and Beosound 5/Beomaster 5 (1 TB SSD version)Bedroom: Sony KD-65XH9077, Beosound Essence MK II with Beolab 6002 and Beolab 11 (all white, wall-mounted)
In storage: Beolab 5000/Beomaster 5000 (1960s).
A RARE BUSINESS & AN EXCLUSIVE RETAIL OPPORTUNITY
Bang & Olufsen is the world’s leading premium audio-visual brand, whose products have long been synonymous with quality, style, elegance and performance. It represents one of retailing’s most exclusive business and retail opportunities.
An exciting future built on a proud heritage
Since 1925, when the company was first founded in a small attic room in north-west Denmark, Bang & Olufsen has remained a successful beacon of innovation, quality and individuality, its products expressing a combination of outer beauty and inner performance that, to this day, remains unrivalled.
Bang & Olufsen first introduced its products to UK buyers half a century ago and established its own UK subsidiary in 1974. It's reputation for combining aesthetic design with technical excellence was significantly enhanced throughout the '60s, '70s and '80s and continues now with products such as its BeoSound 5 digital music system, its pioneering BeoLab 9 loudspeakers with ICE Power and Acoustic Lens technology and its 55" 3D Television, the BeoVision 11-55.
To complement the Bang & Olufsen product line-up, and to further stay ahead in technology and design, the B&O PLAY product range was introduced in 2012, aimed at the digital generation of consumers.
Join Us & Share Our PassionJoining Bang & Olufsen represents a unique opportunity to work alongside a company that is justly proud of its history but equally determined to grow the business into an even more successful global powerhouse brand.
Our aim is not just to find serious business partners, committed to investing a minimum of £125,000 in their new enterprise, but individuals who share our passion and brand values and, as a result, are rewarded for their dedication and high levels of service.
How We Will Support You
Bang & Olufsen has a focussed and targeted approach to supporting its network of Retail Partners.
The owner, along with their sales force, and installation team, will benefit from a comprehensive induction training and pre-opening programme that will help the new business to hit the ground running and become successful and profitable as quickly as possible.
Bang & Olufsen has an extensive ongoing training programme for both sales and technical staff carried out via an advanced e-learning platform along with virtual and physical classroom sessions.
A team of specialist consultants is available to offer expert help on business advice and analysis, staff coaching and development, marketing, and general/technical sales support. Retail Partners can call on this experienced support team at any time to help with their day-to-day running of the business as well as taking advantage of national marketing programmes designed to drive footfall and increase profitability.
What does a Bang & Olufsen franchise cost?
Opening stock / Working capital
100,000.00
Working capital
25,000.00
Shopfitting & build-out avg cost, 1,250 Sq Meters- estimate based on 100 sq M
125,000.00
Legal and Bank costs
8,000.00
Travel and Accommodation
3,000.00
Computer System & software packages
10,000.00
Total Investment
£271,000.00
VAT
54,200.00
Total Funding Required
325,200.00
Funding (50% from banks)
162,600.00
Minimum Cash Injection by Owner
108,400.00
* *Cost are an indicative indication of business set-up but costs can vary based on location, size and condition of the store and final agreed stock package for the store**VAT is cost neutral, although short term borrowing or further investment will need to be sought to fund cash flow requirements
What Makes An Ideal Bang & Olufsen Partner?The Bang & Olufsen network comprises many different individuals with varied backgrounds, but all display passion, pride and persistence. The following attributes will assist you in determining whether you feel you should apply for a role as a Bang & Olufsen Retail Partner.
Business Attributes
Personal Attributes
Our ideal retail partner will also be ‘brand aware’ possibly owning Bang & Olufsen product(s), be quality oriented & appreciative of the finer things in life
We recognise that finding the right location is a key ingredient in the success of every Bang & Olufsen retail enterprise. We therefore assist with a full location evaluation programme and use the latest research and profiling data to provide a full demographic analysis of potential territories, enabling comparisons to be made with the known Bang & Olufsen customer profile. Assistance also includes support in business planning, funding from the major clearing banks to set a firm foundation for business success. At every step of our recruitment process, and store opening phase, we ensure that our future business partners are given all the support required to succeed and grow.
The Next Step…
If You Feel That You Have The Required Passion, Drive, Ambition & Necessary Finances to...
Here's my story.
Before 2006 I have not been very aware of Bang & Olufsen.I had seen their products at some relatives' homes but due to their price tag they were out of reach.
In 2006 I came across an add, someone advertised Beolap (!) 6000 speakers for 250 Euro. I picked these up from a very friendly elderly couple who had moved to a smaller home and was selling there old tv/music equipment. When I loaded the speakers into the car, they said, that there was more, in storage.
We arranged a date where I could have a look.I arrived at an old barn - completely in chaos, it looked like this:
The couple had no idea, where the TV and Radio plus another taller speaker might be, so we had to look through lots of stuff (cupboards, tables, boxes, chairs, sideboards, even two old cars where in there).
After more than an one hour, we found:White Beosystem 6500, complete with Beolink 7000Beolab Penta 3Beovision AV9000
All of this was offered to me for about 800 Euro.I kept the Beosystem, had to sell the rest after a while (no wife approval for the Pentas or the AV9000, Beolink 7000 too complex).I bought a used Beovision 3-32 plus Beolink converter to attach the Beolab 6000s and the Beosystem.
In total I did spend less than 200 Euro for our first B&O system.
The rest is BeoVirus.....
Ralf