ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
Does anyone know of shops in the Central Florida area with the service capabilities on vintage B&O equipment. I have a BM 2400 stereo receiver/amplifier that has a power supply hum. I took it to a local shop and frankly they have screwed around for 2 months. I received replacement capacitors from Martin through Dillen at BeoWorld but they say that didn't work. The unit apparently powers up but immediately shuts down and they claim the new capacitors don't work. Their Tech is a non communicative nincompoop and I give up. I may just give up and try and find another one if I can be sure it will work but would prefer to repair this one if possible.
Space Age Electronics in Pompano is B&O-authorized and they're knowledgeable about vintage equipment.
There was some place in Merritt Island that I used to service my BS9000 that did good work. I can't recall their name right now though. I may no longer have their info after my last PC HD crash but will look.
Jeff
I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus.
I made my BM 2400, BM 4000 and BM 4400 with the kits from Martin, you may have to change the big caps (hum from transformer), rectifier(s) and some of the trimmers.you will also have to check for cracked solder points, resolder the output transistors.Also the fuse holders and fuses has to be checked. The 15 V supply and idle current will have to be adjusted after cap and trimmer changes.
Collecting Vintage B&O is not a hobby, its a lifestyle.
Jeff: There was some place in Merritt Island that I used to service my BS9000 that did good work. I can't recall their name right now though. I may no longer have their info after my last PC HD crash but will look.
Closed. The owner died. There's also an authorized repair center in Miami (AAA Electronics) but I'd recommend Space Age over them.
Welcome to Beoworld! I live in Orlando, and send all my stuff up to Roswell, Georgia, to Benny Amina of Modular Electronics.
Thanks Jeff- He was highly recommended by another shop unfortunately you are correct-apparently he died in a Motorcycle accident.
I will most certainly check him out -thank you!
Thank you-unfortunately I have totally lost faith in the tech and the shop it has been in for 8 weeks. However when I find and decide on a shop I'll pass along your experience and suggestions.
That sounds promising indeed! Thank you.
nsbeach: Thanks Jeff- He was highly recommended by another shop unfortunately you are correct-apparently he died in a Motorcycle accident.
That's very sad. I was very impressed with the service and how sharp he seemed on B&O. I hadn't heard about his death, very sad.
Christopher,
I am an authorized warranty station for B&O and do many repairs and restorations. You can contact me at:
Beotampabay
Tom Greggo
10871 75th Street North
Largo, Fl 33777
727-743-2032
Thank you Tom,
The problem I have is with a Beogram 4004 turntable. It is in great condition and works well except it develops a WOW/Flutter at approximately the 2nd track on several different record but after it moves further in to the end of that track the WOW goes away. I have lubricated the threaded drive shaft and guide rods and replaced the platter belt and adjusted the tracking weight but it still does it-do you think you can find the problem and repair it? If so I'll arrange to get it to you.
Cheers Chris
Chris,
A wow/flutter problem usually is caused by variations in platter rotation. Pull your platter off and remove the sub-platter. Is there lubrication on the bearing. Check for scoring on the bearing shaft. Also check for play in the bearing. I have seen a number of 4000 series tables with dry/damaged bearings.
Let me know what you find.
Tom
Thanks Tom - I checked The bronze bushing looks fine- the platter shaft looks fine- I put a spot of sewing machine oil but unfortunately I still have the problem when the arm is in that area.
Chris
Strange problem. WOW is a low frequency variation in table rotation and of course flutter is high frequency variation. Does it sound more like one than the other?
I'll be glad to look at it for you.
Sorry Tom- it is definitely low frequency variation. Martin said something about the Relay or Relay Contacts but I don't understand why it seems Tone Arm position dependent. I will have to create something safe to ship it in- Please send me a shipping address.
tcg1122: Christopher, I am an authorized warranty station for B&O and do many repairs and restorations. You can contact me at: Beotampabay Tom Greggo 10871 75th Street North Largo, Fl 33777 727-743-2032
Thanks for chiming in. Definitely going to take down your info before a mod deletes it.
Do you sell gear you've restored?
tcg1122: Chris, Strange problem. WOW is a low frequency variation in table rotation and of course flutter is high frequency variation. Does it sound more like one than the other? I'll be glad to look at it for you. Tom
Naaaah....Wow and Flutter are two different things;
Wow is related to the frequency reproduction.Most often discussed with relation to tapedecks and record players where wow occurs as a resultof uneven tape transport - or record rotational speed.Wow affects the whole frequency range.
Flutter is related to the amplitude reproduction. It can be seen as a light form of signal dropouts, which isa temporary or intermittent lack of amplitude (volume) of the reproduced programme signal.Most often discussed with relation to tapedecks where flutter can occur as a result of bad tape/tapehead contact,dirt on the tapeheads, areas with thinner layers of magnetic media (or holes) on the tape surface etc.In tapedecks flutter usually affects the treble reproduction first since lower frequencies are easier to reproducedue to them "taking up more width" on the magnetic media.
Flutter is not often seen in record decks but it can happen.If you are experiencing flutter it's usually because of dirt on the stylus, a wrongly set tracking force or a badly pressed record.
Wow, on the other hand, is often found in record players.Uneven platter rotation is by far the most common cause and potential culprits are plentyful; Lose, slipping or unevenbelt, dry motor and/or platter hub bearings and in models with servo controlled motors the electronics can also be at fault.Put a finger gently on the outer edge of the record while playing, touch gently to let it act as a small brake and let go againrepeatedly and you will hear wow.
Martin
Hi Martin,
I have changed the platter belt-lubricated the threaded drive shaft and guide shafts and checked the platter bronze bushing and lubricated it and still get that "speed variation" at a short particular position of the tone arm.
Can you tell if something is touching the platter or subplatter from below at that particular point ?Is it the same point with any record ?Try tapping the motor lightly with a pencil or similar while running. If the speed changes themotor bearings will be in need of clean/oil. A strobodisc is very good for this but the speed change isoften immediately audible, particularly if you play a piece of violin- or pianomusic.
Subject:Beogram4004
Rich I usually have things to sell. I have a pair of very nice Lab5s, a Beosound3200, a BeoLab2000 and a BeoSound9000.If your coming over to Largo, call first. I'm in and out doing service calls.We had a B&O store in tampa for 5 years, the economy did us in but there is plenty of service work around here.Feel free to call me with any questions.Tom727-743-2032
Someone suggested that I change the Tone Arm Servo Motor belt but I don't know how to remove the panels to get to it-the service manual has no instructions for accessing the motor for belt changes?
If it really IS wow, you are experiencing, the fault will not be related to the carriage transport but rather the speedand continuity of the record (platter) rotation.
Has the transport safety screws been losened ?Does the record scrape on the aluminium surround while playing due to a wrong platter height ?Did you try tapping the platter motor with a pencil or similar while playing ?
Pull the wooden trim forward (towards yourself) about 1 cm or so.Lift up the right side aluminum panel (the one that sits under the tonearm when parked). It lifts upat its right edge and pulls out from the large aluminium surround, towards the right side.Then lift out the large aluminium surround and you will have access to most of the innards.
Ah ha- you nailed it Martin. I checked everything you outlined and it turned out that the Transport Safety Screws although rotated to the "Play" position needed to actually turned more and 'voila' No more WOW.
Also your instructions for accessing the mechanical/electronics was perfect- I had searched high and low for directions and yours were the only ones I found. Thank you, seeing the internal workings of the 400 series turntable gave me a whole new appreciation of the design and inner workings- I now understand how the servo motor is intended to operate.
Thank You once again and sorry for being a bit 'thick" .
Merry Christmas
Carly Simon and Joen Baez are sounding much better.
Good job !And you're welcome. This is what forums are for.