Sign in   |  Join   |  Help
Untitled Page

ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022
READ ONLY FORUM

This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022

 

Resurrecting an unidentified B&O network

rated by 0 users
This post has 11 Replies | 1 Follower

wfedge
Not Ranked
Posts 4
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
wfedge Posted: Thu, Sep 24 2015 2:01 PM

Hi all,

i've just moved into a new house with B&O speakers in 5 rooms along with a small mute control.

I think i've found in a back of a cupboard the connectors where they all link to. I have put a url to a picture below.

I would really appreciate any help with:

 

  • What is the system? Is it the old speakerlink?
  • Why only 4 connectors for 5 sets of speakers? is it A and B speakers?
  • is there an adapter I can connect them to to bring them back into operation?
  • The connectors are in the same cupboard as my router/ethernet switch. Is it possible to rig something up to i can stream spotify/other over the system controlled via wifi?

by the way in case the picture isn't clear enough, two connectors have one flat pin and one round pin, and two have two round and one flat.

https://drive.google.com/a/willedge.com/file/d/0BzCn2xd-j0pzempLa0hLd1hGQmM/view?usp=sharing:800:0

 

 

https

Millemissen
Top 10 Contributor
Flensborg, Denmark
Posts 14,680
OFFLINE
Gold Member

The link provided brings me to a login screen only 🚫

From your description of the connectors it could be the old, old MLC system.

In that case they must be connected to the speaker outputs of an older BeoMaster.

Having an old BeoMaster, would make it possible to connect an AirPlay device or the Gramofon for Spotify Connect to the A.Aux of the device.

More information needed!!!

MM

There is a tv - and there is a BV

wfedge
Not Ranked
Posts 4
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
wfedge replied on Thu, Sep 24 2015 5:43 PM

Oh sorry everyone, link to the image now public. 

Thanks again

L Spad
Top 500 Contributor
Brighton
Posts 271
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
L Spad replied on Thu, Sep 24 2015 9:03 PM

Hi Millemissen, could the OP also use an mcl/ml converter with a newer system? Of course he'd miss out on the pleasure of an older Beomaster, but it could open up more options for an audio master! Incidentally wfedge these older mclsystems are a very low cost way of getting a multi-room B&O setup going so congratulations on the find!

all the best

Luke

Millemissen
Top 10 Contributor
Flensborg, Denmark
Posts 14,680
OFFLINE
Gold Member

At first we will have to know how the current setup was made!!!

 

Usually the 'normal' plugs fits into the first set of speakers outputs - those, which are connected to the audiomaster.

The pair with the extra pin fits into the second set (of the speakers output from the audiomaster). This output has a mute control, that can be managed through the 'small mute controls' (that you mentioned) sitting with each of the 4 (!) pairs of speakers.

The two 3-pinned connectors are what was called the Master Control Link connections. This connection can be daisychained and the output (the second) feeds the linkrooms (with the ir-eyes/mute controls).

What you are missing is an audiomaster from this generation - could be a BeoMaster 4500 or 6500 etc.

The whole setup is driven by the amp in this master, and the sound in the linkrooms can be muted/unmuted individuallyby touching rhe control on the ir-eye or by using the remote (BeoLink 1000 or Beo4) respectively for the main/master room the ir-eye in the audiomaster.

As I wrote before, the audiomaster has some input possibilities (depending on which you use), that can be used to feed the setup with e.g. an Airplay device. 

What you can't know untill you have tested the setup, is whether the small link boxes (that must be hidden somewhere) and the connections in the different rooms are ok and working.

With the right audiomaster you might get a good (and cheap!) system up and running.

 

This is, what I understand from your descibtion and the photo!

Have a look in the Products section on Beoworld -> Master Control Link 2.

Disclaimer - I might be wrong on something above due to very sparse information on your setup!

 

And by the way - welcome to Beoworld.

MM

There is a tv - and there is a BV

Millemissen
Top 10 Contributor
Flensborg, Denmark
Posts 14,680
OFFLINE
Gold Member

Luke Spadavecchia :

Hi Millemissen, could the OP also use an mcl/ml converter with a newer system? Of course he'd miss out on the pleasure of an older Beomaster, but it could open up more options for an audio master! Incidentally wfedge these older mclsystems are a very low cost way of getting a multi-room B&O setup going so congratulations on the find!

all the best

Luke

Of course (if my asumptions on the setup are right) he could use an ML/MCL Converter or an MCL2p to drive/amplity the MCL-setup, if he uses one of the (no so old) audiosystems like the BS3000...

The important thing is, that he will need amplification for the MCL-chain and for the speakers, that (again probably) were driven from the old, old audiomaster.

Easiest thing would be to stay with an audiomaster from the same generation - especially since he is only interested in feeding some streaming to the rooms.

But - as with most of the B&O-stuff - there are several ways to achive, what you want.

MM

There is a tv - and there is a BV

wfedge
Not Ranked
Posts 4
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
wfedge replied on Fri, Sep 25 2015 1:29 PM

 

Millemissen, Luke, thank you so much. total newbie here!

I will do some research around your suggestions and see if i can source a cheap ML/MCL converter if the risk that the system is defunct isn't too low. I've looked at some pictures on the web of the connectors on the back of the beomaster 4500 and 6500 and the connectors look more like newer 8 pin (?) ones then the ones described below. That said i need to do more research to confirm...

 

some additional pics if it clarifies things any more:

here are the controls in the rooms with speakers:

open?id=0BzCn2xd j0pzdE5rTkFXZ0I1YUU

here is one of the link boxes (?) i've found in one room:

open?id=0BzCn2xd j0pzMkdfb0tiTjA0dWc

where the connectors come out into a cupboard, there are four connectors, two are attached to what looks like speaker wire and have one flat pin and one round one:

open?id=0BzCn2xd j0pzWkg1Nlg2cUxVUTg

the other two have two round pins and one flat one, they also seem to have been split from a flat cable:

open?id=0BzCn2xd j0pzWkg1Nlg2cUxVUTg

open?id=0BzCn2xd j0pzWkg1Nlg2cUxVUTg

L Spad
Top 500 Contributor
Brighton
Posts 271
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
L Spad replied on Fri, Sep 25 2015 2:21 PM

Hi wfedge, these are definitely MCL boxes, the connectors are indeed old speaker-link ones. Try and find a copy of the Master Control Link and Master Link handbooks - you should be able to pick it up by googling it. All the info you will need to resurrect the network will be in there.

L Spad
Top 500 Contributor
Brighton
Posts 271
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
L Spad replied on Fri, Sep 25 2015 2:24 PM

Here they are:

Master Control Link. http://www.iconic-av.co.uk/manuals/master_control_link-handbook.pdf

Masterlink http://www.iconic-av.co.uk/manuals/MasterLink_Handbook.pdf

 

 

Millemissen
Top 10 Contributor
Flensborg, Denmark
Posts 14,680
OFFLINE
Gold Member

Hi wfedge,

your setup is definitely as I assumed it would be!

Sorry to say it - but the ML/MCL Converter won't help you in the first place, if you want to get all 5 speaker sets up and running.

I must repeat my suggestion for an audiomaster from the same generation as the MCL2-setup!

The BM4500/6500 (amongst others) have both the newer PL connections (the 8-pinned) for active (BeoLab)speakers and the ones, that you must use (the 2- respectively the 3-pinned) for passive speaker connected to the relai-boxes in the linkrooms.

Like Luke wrote - look for/google for the MCL Handbook.

MM

There is a tv - and there is a BV

wfedge
Not Ranked
Posts 4
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
wfedge replied on Mon, Sep 28 2015 2:29 PM

Thanks so much. Okay now to find a lovely old B&O on ebay!

Millemissen
Top 10 Contributor
Flensborg, Denmark
Posts 14,680
OFFLINE
Gold Member

Do remember to report back how things work out - please!

MM

There is a tv - and there is a BV

Page 1 of 1 (12 items) | RSS