Beocenter 2 sensible in 2021?

I’ve always been enamoured with the ‘angel wings’ Beocenter 2, one of David Lewis’s last few products. I have reverted to listening to CDs and cancelled my streaming subscription. I love playing CDs and if I sample something on the web that I like, I then go on to buy the CD. The kids love DAB and can work physical products better than the Bang Olufsen app.

Are parts still available for BC2?

Is this a sensible thing to buy in 2021 or are there issues (unknown to me) that one needs to consider?

Do you still use and enjoy your BC2?

Hi 

I got the BC2 DVD FM 

DAB version is of no use as DAB+ is used in DK along with FM.

Bang & Olufsen also made a BC2 CD - a less expensive version but I believe it is pretty rare. 

It loads the first track on a CD pretty slow. I guess the reason is that the drive is native DVD. 

Typical issues are related to the disc load mechanism. I had that issue too. Solved it by cleaning the drive belt used by the disc mechanism motor. Do-able... But not a super easy task if you haven't done it before. 

That is the only issue I have had. The BC2 is cheep second hand in DK.... Around 3.000 DKK / 300 £.

Regards 

Ravsted

 

Ravsted:

Hi

I got the BC2 DVD FM

DAB version is of no use as DAB+ is used in DK along with FM.

Bang & Olufsen also made a BC2 CD - a less expensive version but I believe it is pretty rare.

It loads the first track on a CD pretty slow. I guess the reason is that the drive is native DVD.

Typical issues are related to the disc load mechanism. I had that issue too. Solved it by cleaning the drive belt used by the disc mechanism motor. Do-able... But not a super easy task if you haven't done it before.

That is the only issue I have had. The BC2 is cheep second hand in DK.... Around 3.000 DKK / 300 £.

Regards

Ravsted

Thank you. That’s reassuring.

Where in DK can one find a BC2 please?

Dba.dk (i.e. Danish for eBay )

Hi sty,

From your signature I understand you have already had a BC 2 in the past, so I presume you know the “beast” quite well.

I don’t have one but from what I have read around, it is only preferred to skip one of the earlier versions as they don’t have a tactile feedback when pressing the buttons.

I haven’t seen comments about the laser longevity.

I think BC 2 is a MasterLink unit, so you’d need a ML/NL converter in case you’d like to join a more recent multiroom system.

This means that you’d have a 2nd external box as the BC 2 is made of the Master Unit (the beautiful butterfly unit ) and the Socket Unit, the black box to be hidden where all the connections are located.

Socket unit, picture taken from Beoworld.org.

IMHO the iconic Beosound Ouverture or the Beosound 4 are more convenient as they are all in one units.

Again, they both need the ML/NL converter in order to be able to join a more recent multiroom system.

AFAIK there are no NL-ready CD players/systems bit I would be glad to be corrected.

Then it’s just a matter of personal taste for the aesthetics.

Sorry for the long post but maybe you have raised a topic that it could be interesting also for other readers.

Regards.

Olivier

Thank you.

Yes, the loading mechanism is exquisite and a real wow moment. If you can service it yourself perhaps i can do it if it breaks down.

Concern is the laser longevity and if one can get a replacement laser. Presumably as it is a DVD laser, they are still in production and will be around much longer than say a BS9000 laser which are getting harder to find.

My BC2 has been in use for many years. The DAB aerial is very sensitive to room positioning. We use ours for DVDs, CDs, and internet radio using a chromecast audio puck as an auxiliary input.

Always a worry that the laser unit might fail, or the elastic bands working the 'wings'. Very occasionally a disc will fail to load properly due to not centering precisely on the drive. From recollection there is a shop or demo mode you can use to lock the unit if you are concerned that children might find it to be the best toy they have ever jabbed with their fingers!

Graham

OlivierC:

From your signature I understand you have already had a BC 2 in the past, so I presume you know the “beast” quite well.

 

 

I don’t have one but from what I have read around, it is only preferred to skip one of the earlier versions as they don’t have a tactile feedback when pressing the buttons.

What..? There is no buttons on the BC2...

Excerpt from an external website (not sure if I can post the link).

“There were two versions of BeoCenter 2 (Mark I and Mark II) together with the audio-only version (not fitted with SCART connector. There is the aluminium and steel versions, which looked very similar unless compared side-by-side. The DAB+ was introduced June 2010 (Mark II and audio-only versions).

‘Tactile feedback’ (a slight ‘clicking’ sound when any of the buttons on the BeoCenter 2 facia was pressed) was introduced on the Mark II version.”

Regards.

Olivier

seethroughyou:

 

 

 

I’ve always been enamoured with the ‘angel wings’ Beocenter 2, one of David Lewis’s last few products. I have reverted to listening to CDs and cancelled my streaming subscription. I love playing CDs and if I sample something on the web that I like, I then go on to buy the CD. The kids love DAB and can work physical products better than the Bang Olufsen app.

 

 

Are parts still available for BC2?

 

 

Is this a sensible thing to buy in 2021 or are there issues (unknown to me) that one needs to consider?

 

Have had dozens of these for service.
When you find one, look at the transparant cover above the CD/DVD. These becomes often scratched when the belt fails, which drives the wings and lift mechanism. Sometimes even the tray can be bend. It happens when the owner tries to load a CD or DVD and the BC2 doesn't stay open and shuts again. Be manipulating owners get their CD/DVD out of BC2, but it can result in damage.
Lasers doesn't happen to fail. I haven't had one in years for it.

The only downside is that the drive is enormous slow. After loading it takes ages to get the CD playing. It probably thinks that there is a DVD loaded and if not, then it has to adjust itself for reading CD's.

 If you find a CD version (mk2), you can swap the socket for a DVD (with scart) version. The only thing is that it has to have also the mk2 software.

Newer BC2's has a different software for playing and controlling DVD's. Somewhere on this site you can find that.

The last thing to mention is that the black soft touch paint becomes sticky at some moment in time.

 

Beobuddy:

Have had dozens of these for service.

I think that that opening remark might tell us a lot about the BC2!

Graham 

That’s very encouraging.

Now I just need to find a well looked after and fine unit in the UK.

Thanks to you all.

All BC2's need a new (original) belt at some moment. 

I actually have 2. A CD only or a DVD one - I would be happy to keep the CD only version - the DVD unit I bought from new and is in good condition.