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:After about 10 years of ownership and not using my turntable very much, I have found a local technician who seems to be game for looking at a few things that were getting in the way of my enjoying it. He has I think licked the main issue (there was a buzz that was getting in the way of the sound, he has traced this to a couple of things).He is also working on a problem with 45s where after playing partway through the record slows down and speeds up, and he is hoping to add a bit of lubricant and help this out.My question:The needle seems to drop abruptly onto the records, and I am not sure if this always was the case. Is this normal? Or is it supposed to lower more gently? If it is supposed to lower more gently, can anyone tell me what to pass along to him about what to fix? He is game to try to figure it out, but is not familiar with this model.Thanks for any thoughts.jlsoaz
I have my Tandberg 9000X reel-to-reel in a shop I have high expectations there from like you, however if you are not certain about this shop, your 4002 is best taken elsewhere. Trust me on this!
The buzz was likely a ground situation and easily correctable.
Now the tonearm’s drop rate is fully adjustable and it should NOT be dropping like a guillotine, which is hard of the stylus.
I apologize, although I adjusted my 4002 (took forever) I simply can’t remember how I did it at this juncture in time.
The full shop manual is available here and is well worth the effort to download and then give to your repair shop.
With a little bit of luck someone else with a more comprehensive repair knowledge of the 4000 series Beograms will respond to your questions, if not, I will do my best to answer your questions.
I responded in part because I am in a similar situation vis-à-vis my Tandberg with a shop that has never seen a reel-to-reel.
My tech has become mesmerized by the Tandberg and I have high hopes that his amazing enthusiasm will trump his lack of practical knowledge.
I hope the same will hold true with your repair shop!
Jeff
Beogram 4000, Beogram 4002, Beogram 4004, Beogram 8000, Beogram 8002, Beogram 1602. Beogram 4500 CD player, B&O CDX player, Beocord 4500, Beocord 5000 T4716, Beocord 5000 T4716, Beocord 5000 T4716, Beocord 8004, Beocord 9000, Beomaster 1000, Beomaster 1600, Beomaster 2400.2, Beomaster 2400.2, Beomaster 4400, Beomaster 4500, Beolab 5000, Beomaster 5000, BeoCenter 9000. BeoSound Century, S-45.2, S-45.2, S-75, S-75, M-75, M-100, MC 120.2 speakers; B&O Illuminated Sign (with crown & red logo). B&O grey & black Illuminated Sign, B&O black Plexiglas dealer sign, B&O ash tray, B&O (Orrefors) dealer award vase, B&O Beotime Clock. Navy blue B&O baseball cap, B&O T-shirt X2, B&O black ball point pen, B&O Retail Management Binder
Piaf:My tech has become mesmerized by the Tandberg and I have high hopes that his amazing enthusiasm will trump his lack of practical knowledge.
LOL. You're probably better off with him than Peter L. @ Soundsmith. He knows Tandbergs (Peekskill isn't far from Armonk) but would probably take 6 months to fix it and charge you a fee close to what you originally paid for it. I have the opportunity to purchase a top-of-the-line Tandberg 1055 receiver from the mid 1970's for a meager $100. Totally superfluous to my needs but I might just go for it because it still works perfectly and is beautiful - more beautiful than B&O and more reliable to boot. I've previously owned both a TR 2075 and TR 2080 from circa 1980 but never one of the earlier Tandberg models.
Thanks, I actually have I think the original paperwork, but will mention the forum to my repair guy he can download if he wants.I think the answer on the tone arm drop rate is the main thing, I'll let him know it simply shouldn't be doing that and to keep looking for an answer on that point.
On the arm carriage module you'll see an air dampening cylinder that ensures a slow and safe descent. I've bought many "non-working" Beogram 4002's and fixed them with just taking that cylinder apart and relube it. I advise to do the same with yours and then adjust it (there's a set screw) to a drop rate of 0.5-1 second. Remember to apply some nail polish so the screw can't move.
Vinyl records, cassettes, open reel, valve amplifiers and film photography.
MediaBobNY: Piaf:My tech has become mesmerized by the Tandberg and I have high hopes that his amazing enthusiasm will trump his lack of practical knowledge. LOL. You're probably better off with him than Peter L. @ Soundsmith. He knows Tandbergs (Peekskill isn't far from Armonk) but would probably take 6 months to fix it and charge you a fee close to what you originally paid for it. I have the opportunity to purchase a top-of-the-line Tandberg 1055 receiver from the mid 1970's for a meager $100. Totally superfluous to my needs but I might just go for it because it still works perfectly and is beautiful - more beautiful than B&O and more reliable to boot. I've previously owned both a TR 2075 and TR 2080 from circa 1980 but never one of the earlier Tandberg models.
Hi Bob,
That is both good to know and interesting at the same time.
I have received some excellent advice on the Tapehead forum and each tip, suggestion, or “must do” procedure my tech had already acted upon….. down to using deox on the non-functional tape counter.
I am thoroughly impressed with the thorough work thus far….. everything is done except the capacitor replacement. It has taken a few months, but my tech became seriously ill, and even prior to that, the Tandberg only gets worked upon in-between the paying jobs.
Søren Hammer: On the arm carriage module you'll see an air dampening cylinder that ensures a slow and safe descent. I've bought many "non-working" Beogram 4002's and fixed them with just taking that cylinder apart and relube it. I advise to do the same with yours and then adjust it (there's a set screw) to a drop rate of 0.5-1 second. Remember to apply some nail polish so the screw can't move.
Hi Søren,
That is a GREAT tip to offer vis-à-vis the nail polish.
My Beogram 4002 while a superb machine was far and away the WORST turntable I have ever, but ever tried to adjust. Each adjustment through something else off, even unrelated features.
I would finally get it right, but the adjustment wouldn’t “last,” that is until someone suggested the nail polish to me…… haven’t had to adjust it again and it has been several years.
jlsoaz: Thanks, I actually have I think the original paperwork, but will mention the forum to my repair guy he can download if he wants.I think the answer on the tone arm drop rate is the main thing, I'll let him know it simply shouldn't be doing that and to keep looking for an answer on that point.
I sincerely believe that you should not depend on your repair shop to download the shop manual.
The learning curve on a Beogram 4002 is a long one, and in the end, you will pay for a good part of that.
You are therefore well advised to download it yourself from BeoWorld, print it out, and deliver it to your shop. You will save them and yourself a whole lot of grief! (If they use email, you could save the trip and email them the manual and they could then print it out.)
The 4000 series is a masterpiece and you really don’t want someone with less than optimum knowledge working on it.
I once entrusted an enthusiastic shop in Surrey BC with my Beogram 8000 and they returned it to me beyond repair.
Good luck with your 4002.
Hi everyone:Just a note here that my technician was able to repair the problem with the needle dropping abruptly onto the record, and he fixed the buzz as well. These were I think the two main problems, and so I am back to enjoying my turntable. He was not yet able to cure the problem with the speed varying on 45s, but we decided to ignore that for now, as I don't really have any.Thanks for the various points.