If you were to acquire a vintage beocord (tape), which one would you go for?

All in the title !

Either a 1970s Beocord 5000 – assuming it operated reliably, which most seem not to – or a Beocord 9000.

Cassettedeck: Beocord 3300, Beocord 5000 (1980s drawer version) or Beocord 8004 depending on design.
Beocord 3300 and 8004 both have HX-PRO. Beocord 5000 is just plain solid and well-built.
All are excellent performers and will easily outperform anything with autoreverse, and Beocord 8004 can easily put any ever so slightly misadjusted Beocord 9000 to shame.

Open reel: Beocord 2400 for performance, Beocord 1200/1600 for design.

Martin

Many thanks ! I’ll have a look at these recommendations and the marketplace.

FYI: I missed to specify cassette deck but your answers covered my omission

Agree with Martin. The 5000 is a great and fuss-free machine. I also like the BC1900 a lot. It replays pre-recordeds perfectly and is a fine recorder. It’s got the superb Swiss motor too.

I for one have a passion for the BC5000 (the old one) with its superb mechanics that put any Nakamichi to shame, but it is not one for the beginner. It was horribly expensive back then!

By the way Martin, are there any drawer tyres available for the 5000?

Sorry for my ignorance, but to start with, can i connect such devices to something else than a B&O amp or to a recent amp that does not have a tape input, assuming you want to read cassettes only and not record anything ? In other words, would it be possible to connect such BC to a device line-in?

I’m thinking about connecting a BC to my Moment line-in

mbolo01, yes, all Beocords play back at line level.
Jacques, yes (to the 80s version). https://beoparts.com/2018/09/08/beocord-5000-5500-6500-7000-rubber-tires-for-tapedeck-drawer/

Martin

Dillen:

mbolo01, yes, all Beocords play back at line level.

Many thanks Martin, Steve should be able to provide me with a cable when time comes then!

I have the BC1900, BC2400, BC3300, BC4500, and BC8004. Of these, the BC4500 is my favorite. All play back prerecorded tapes well.

Thanks all again.

I now have the 3300 and the 4500 on my short list. 

They have a lot in common but I think i prefer the vintage look of the 3300, specially that it would be placed on a shelf in a low cabinet while the 4500 would be better placed on top of a cabinet, and, not having the auto reverse is reducing the risk of component failures ... and I can still walk to the device.

It is very subjective I know but your experience counts too, what do you think?

This thread has inspired me to find my rosewood, datalink, BeoCord 8000 from storage and dust it off to see if it still works. I remember buying it in 2001 to listen to Harry Potter books on tape that my boyfriend's mother loaned me. I was blown away by the amazing sound quality and how it could be controlled by my first B&O system that I had at that time: the BeoSound 2300. It is a large, heavy beast of a machine, though.

I went for the 4500 ! Waiting for delivery, I'll post pictures.

Thanks to all for your support, well appreciated.

mbolo01:

I now have the 3300 and the 4500 on my short list.

It is very subjective I know but your experience counts too, what do you think?

Congrats on the 4500. You pulled the trigger before I could weigh in.

This is probably all you need to know about my opinion: the 4500 is hooked up to my BM4000 in the dining room, but the 3300 is in a box in the garage.

(Double post)