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Does anyone know if the pre-amps in the Beomaster 6500/7000 and the Beomaster 4500 are of a significantly different design?
I am considering using one of these between a DAC and a pair of Beolab speakers in order to control the volume and sound settings, and to trigger the speakers on/standby via PowerLink.
As I am considering BL9 in this setup I was wondering which Beomaster would have the most transparent pre-amp.
Many thanks!
Basic circuitry and design idea is very similar. They use different chips for volume & tone control though, but I have no idea which ones, if any, would be better. Also, both properly use the pre-amp outputs for Powerlink signals (not attenuated power amp signals) so there's no difference there either.
I think it will be safe to make the choice based on which one you like better. 4500 has the advantage of close-up controls, and it might use less power as well with no passive speakers attached.
6500/7000 would have one more useable input - TP2 and phono share the same socket on the 4500.
--mika
Many thanks Mika, much appreciated
Unfortunately, the Beomaster 5500 do not have proper preamp outputs: the "preamp out" is in fact taken after the power amp, and attenuated down to line level. Therefore sound quality will suffer if you intend to use one of those as a preamplifier. I verified this and rewired these outlets to be after the preamp section. Sound quality improved a lot, but this is fiddly I admit. I use Beolab 6000s.
Why B&O did that is beyond my understanding!
Jacques
chartz:The Beomaster 5500 do not have proper preamp outputs: the "preamp out" is in fact taken after the power amp, and attenuated down to line level.
This is true and very much worth keeping in mind if you end up using a 5500, but just to clarify to other readers, it doesn't apply to the Powerlink outputs of 6500/7000 the OP was planning to use. They are tapped between the preamps and the power amp inputs.
Many thanks to both of you, very helpful.
Just one more question: given its age, would the pre-amp of a Beomaster 6500/7000 or 4500 need a complete service to sound its best again? Would replacing/servicing specific components be required and improve the sound through PowerLink?
Thanks again!
Does your line-out still adjust with the volume control after this modification?
"You think we can slap some oak on this thing?"
From my own experience, a 6500 would probably benefit from a service - mine has always sounded (to me) slightly muffled wether driving Penta 2's or S60's. It sounds fine though through the link room TV's - so I use a BM2402 in the main room which sounds good. I don't know about a 4500. I did have a 9500 and that also sounded muffled - it might however have something to do with the room or maybe both needed servicing I don't know, I don't think anyone else has had the same problems though. I did buy a 9300 new once and that sounded superb so there is something in the fact that the components degrade with age.
leosgonewild: Does your line-out still adjust with the volume control after this modification?
If the question was for me, yes of course!
Do a Beomaster 6500 benefit from service??
From my experience the answer is yes indeed.
I am currently on my 3rd Beomaster 6500 and Martin had to go through all of them.
Why my 3rd?
I got my first one from Lauritz.com in 2009. Some former owner had done some work and the right channel was bad. Timer out it said in the display. That was a simple solution as the manual says how to cure that. In the end it went to Martin. I got it home. I had a mcl link box to the kitchen and something went wrong. I got quickly to the Beomaster and smelled something burned so back to Martin. What happend we never found out.
My number 2 was in deal with a Beocord 6500 and both needed service to function. Martin got them and they one by one got into the main Beosystem 6500 when number 1 broke down the second time.
Then they got sold.
Then it got to a color change for the 3rd one and the natural things needed Martin to work fully again and it it sounds wonderful.
Thanks for the feedback.
Indeed the amplifier would benefit from a full service, but I was not quite sure if this would be necessary for the pre-amp itself.
Well I assume it is worth a full service, even if it is only outputting to PowerLink, isn't it?
Thanks