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This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
Hi i've just got one of these untested when i press start the platter turns and stops and the tone arm does not move at all do you know what the fix could be?
I tried all the other buttons still tone arm not moving but it does light up.
Jacques
I have posted a video on youtube here -
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l9Ly-bCZxsE
I can hear something spin not sure if its the belt under the platter or a motor.
The items you mentioned will they be visible if i take of the platter and show photos? The platter is easy to take off just turm the deck upside down it falls out!
Is the sound the carriage motor?
I'll get some photos later today.
G7Trader:Is the sound the carriage motor?
I will get the photos uploaded soon give me a few days I got about 4 projects going on at same time.
BBC LS3/5A
Technics reference VU meter bulbs
Beovox m75 refoam
Beogram
And i sell vintage audio on ebay need to test and list about 50 items.
Below is Beovox M75 repair photos the woofers are 97% similar Seas as the ones in Beovox S75 that I had lying around:
Oops I can only upload files under 1MB....
I've put photos on my Instagram here:
https://www.instagram.com/vintage_audio_g7trader/
Try this URL:
https://www.instagram.com/g7_vintage_audio/
I was showing you photos of the Beovox M75 woofer repair.
But now I have uploaded photos of the inside of the beogram you can see here - https://www.instagram.com/g7_vintage_audio/
I have found a small belt that has been snapped on a small motor below the tone arm this sounds exact like your prediction.
Is this the fix? Is this it or is there more to do?
I have plugged it on with it open and pressed start now the small motor stays on and the motor for the platter also stays on when i press start they do not stop. I am assuming tje tone arm has to reach the platter for next process.
Shall I order this belt I see a few on ebay.
Thanks very much for your help you are an absolute Genius!
Someone once told me they had a beogram that sounded dis torted the B&O shop charged them £400 to replace the needle parts and labour but the deck sounded exactly the same!! They contacted the B&O shop again who said he would need to pay more money to find the fault!!
You saved me £100's.
On my instagram (social media site) you can also see photos of my self build BBC LS3/5A I made it for around £250, used prices on ebay are £1,000 - £2,500 based on condition. let me know if you want to make one I will show you where to get all the parts.
Ok will ask martin.
Both lamps work.
LS3/5A parts are not from Falcon they are from ebay £100 for cabinet perfect 100% spot on incl delivery, PCB cross over board around £15. Bass driver and tweeters from Kef Concerto mine was £66 untested they all worked.
The metal guard for the front of tweeter and foam around tweeter is from Falcon around £30 until I can find an alternative....
Crossover parts inductors, resistors, capacitors cricklewood and ebay.
When are you starting your project?
I'll give you a warning the LS3/5A sound rubbish just over rated with BBC brand name and history. They sound like walky talkies all background sounds missing like bass and treble the midrange is zoned in excessively. I've checked with other people who have owned the originals and reviews online the sound is nothing like £1,000 - £2,000 worth, the Beovox S45 sound better.
But for some reason old chinese guys love them.....
If you brought all the Falcon diy bits it would cost above £700 and they are not 100% to specification of the 1970's ones they are modern alternatives with some other crossover and slight difference in cabinet.
I have no intention to build LS3/5a’s at all.
Having owned 2 pairs of LS3/5as, a pair from 1977 (still own them) and one of the last pairs left in the factory when Rogers finally ceased trading, I beg to disagree with your conclusions.
With the right source and adequate amplification (which certainly include Beomaster 6000, 5000 or 8000 in my experience) they can be remarkable beguiling - realistic even - particularly on 'live' broadcasts.
True, no real bass, but their reputation, while overblown, is for good reasons.
Copies rarely come close, however, not least because the builder lacks the anechoic chamber and test equipment used at the factory to ensure that each individual loudspeaker met the BBC specification, so that they were interchangeable in service.
Good luck trying.
However, we are 'off topic', so I'll stop my defence of BBC design.
Firstly look at photos of mine on my instagram URL above 100% exact. 8mm plywood with fillets. All values of inductors, capacitors and resistors are exact 1% tolerence. The tweeter metal guard and tweeter foam surround and inductors are from Falcon Acoustics who created the LS3/5A.
You can not get more on specification than mine even the original 1970's are not as up to specification as mine.
Secondly yours are from 1977 thats 41 years old, capacitors do not last that long, 20 years max and then they go off specification and negatively affect the speaker sound quality.
There are 9 capacitors in each speaker 18 capacitors in a pair of LS3/5A that means you have 18 capacitors of specification and performing badly.
Before you talk about anechoic chamber and test equipment get your speakers fixed first.
As for amplifier I have had nearly every Beomaster and Beocenter, none come close to my Pioneer SA-9500 mark 2.
The LS3/5A's value is based on hype, branding and history nothing to do with sound quality. They were made for BBC vans to monitor broadcasts of people speaking eg news / tv presenters etc and thats what they sound like walkie talkies.
Just like an Armani Jean cost £300 whilst a resonable jean cost £40 they are both made in the same factory in Bangledesh using the same dye same materials and same manufacturing process but Armani has a reputation as world class fashion leader.
The Kef Concerto has both the B110 & T27 as in the LS3/5A and also a B139 subwoofer it sounds 10 times better a lot more detail but cost £150 - £300 where as the LS3/5A cost £1,000 - £2,000 where is the logic.....!
LS3/5A is not made to listen to music that was not its purpose to begin with.
I recieved my belt from Martin now the Beogram is working but it does not sound as good as my Dual CS 505-4.
Also the start button doesn't work quiet right it starts tone arm moves to the record but it does not stop at the start of the record it just keeps going to the end then back off again.
However I can use the left or right button to make it stop at a certain place on record then needle up/down button to make it play at that point. Is this normal with the start button or do you know what the fault could be?
Clean the contacts, check the optics, do adjustments according to manual, manuals onsite for silver and gold members
Collecting Vintage B&O is not a hobby, its a lifestyle.
The sound quality issue must be related to a worn stylus. Does it sound dull?
As Søren says, check the settings. Does the arm lift and returns when the LP is over?
Don't forget to clean the worm screw and oil it.
I also seem to recall that there was a mod of the ruler markings (thicker); can't find the thread back but it was here. Does the IR LED work?
Yes it sounds dull lacking in treble but these stylus are 100 GBP for used or more than the Beogram for a new one.
Yes arm returns at the end of LP but when i press start it goes to LP all the way to end then back again to its start position it never lowers the needle at any point its as though it does not know a record is there.
Which is the worm screw is that the one connected to tone arm motor?
All lights work red B&O sign, yellow bulb and red on switch on left bottom of Beogram.
Which is the optics and which is the contacts?
G7Trader: Yes it sounds dull lacking in treble but these stylus are 100 GBP for used or more than the Beogram for a new one.
No offense but...
While it is important to use a good turntable if you are a serious vinyl record collector (and the Beogram 400x turntables certainly fall into that category), most of the burden in producing good sound from a vinyl record falls on the cartridge and stylus. So the cost on the cartridge and stylus replacements will exceed the cost of the actual turntable over time (as they should). The turntable is useless if it isn't fitted properly with a good stylus. The cost of the Beogram is also misinterpreted these days. They are often found for sale around the $100 USD to $200 USD range with statements by the sellers that it just needs new belts and sounds great. The reality is these are complex turntables that require proper restoration for them to return to their original capability. They are tough turntables so it is not surprising that many of them still operate. However, +30 years later they are not going to be (or should be expected to be) operating at their proper performance level if they haven't been restored. So if you factor in the cost to have a Beogram 400x turntable restored and compare that cost to a new cartridge/stylus the cost ratio comes out similar to what they originally were. Now a person can still spend huge amounts of money for cartridge/stylus components. Just look at some for sale nowadays that are several thousand dollars. For a Beogram you should be able to get a good, new cartridge/stylus in the $300 USD to $800 USD range.
For people that just like the novelty of playing a vinyl record now and then there are plenty of low cost USB turntables out there that use an inexpensive stylus. But the Beogram 400x turntables were originally (and still are) for a more serious record owner and there is a higher cost associated with that.
-sonavor
G7Trader:Which is the optics and which is the contacts?
If you read the repair manual you would know
This Beoworld post shows a bunch of different Beogram 400x repairs. They are various models including the Beogram 4000 but it can give you an idea of what you can encounter. The Beolover Blog has more recent repair photos and information including some videos.