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
Hello everybody,
what do you think is a good pair of Beolab Pentas worth these days? Do you guys think that the Penta speakers will increase or decrease in value?
Thanks!
Kai
I guess they will decrease - I think if selling you will get around £500 for a pair.
Peter
Why do you think they will decrease? After all they are already pretty inexpensive considering their design. Where can you get active speakers for that amount of money these days? And: they are still quite numerous, but as numbers decline values may also as well go up. Just a couple of thoughts...
The electronics are quite poor quality components compared to the classic equipment and degrades. Don't get me wrong, I have Penta3s and think they are brilliant. But they are powered rather than active and look old fashioned compared to 8000s. Just my opinion though! I agree that they won't get much cheaper - I just don't think they will increase.
Poor quality components? I'm no technician but am surprised that this prejudice against much of the B&O equipment seems to be so prevalent - even among us fans. The midrange drivers and the tweeter at least for the later models are Scan-Speak as far as I know and the amplifier is arguably one of the best pre ICE amplifiers that B&O has produced. Also, the cross-over is quite a complex quality part as I've been told on numerous occasions. Don't know about the woofers though. Still, not quite what I would call poor quality components - at least the ones that I am aware of. More like the opposite. Not to forget about the casings made of stainless steel which I would also not consider to be easily manufactured or even cheap. All this adds to my surprise that Pentas go for that little money nowadays...
But others on here will be much better able to eloborate on that.
Thanks very much für your opinion and sorry for me begging to differ a little based on my rather poor knowledge...
Greetings,
I love Penta's too. Currently got 2 pairs (mk.II & III) and now seriously thinking about selling a pair of 6000's and buying a 3rd pair of Penta's :-D
So, so superior to a pair of 6000's but worth roughly the same these days circa £400-500
i got a pair of 8000's too, way better than the 6000's but still prefer Penta's
Long live all Penta's!!
Michael
I've just accidentally tapped 'verify' on my own post, and now i'm not sure what i've done, or what day of the week it is..
apologies anyway, not meant to be 'verified'
I have all three... Pentas, 8000s, and 6000s. I love the Pentas, but they are kind of dated looking, and I am thinking about replacing them with BeoLab 5s. I've never had any issues with my 8000s and Pentas since I bought them near 20 years ago. My 6000s have the dried out foam around the drivers and are in need of repair, but I love their look. Ultimately, I'd be happy with 8000s and BL-5s only.
BeoLab 5, BeoVision 7-55 MK2, BeoSound 5 Encore, BeoSound 9000, BeoLab Penta III, BeoLab 8000, BeoLab 6000, BeoLab 2, BeoLab 7-6, BeoSound 8, BeoTime (analog clock), Beo 4 remote.
we tend to forget there is more to design than designing.
The amplifiers are what I am on about. The circuit boards and components are not as good as I would expect and repairing them can be a pain (I have been told!) I have no issues with the circuit design or the drive units, though I don't like foam surrounds. As I said, I have Pentas from new and paid new price for them so I do have a very high opinion of them. I do not however have blinkered vision and recognise that there are faults, as with many of my best loved pieces. I could easily have just said that they were the best speakers B&O have made up to the Beolab 5s - which as far as Powerlink speakers are concerned I think they are. I don't however think they will make me any money, more is the pity!!
Ok, I see your point. I still wouldn't speak of low quality components. Foam surrounds were pretty common at the time (nowadays not so much) and sonically there is good reason for that. Ok, one has to refoam them every twenty years or so but that pretty much is in the nature of things.
I do not know enough detail about the amplifiers but have been told that they are quite complex and very difficult to overhaul. Still, I don't think they are in any way ill designed. It's just a matter of age...
And there's one remark I'd like to add. I've had four pairs of Pentas. All sounded audibly different probably due to differences in treatment and usage of the previous owner(s) and therefore different condition of internals.
Manbearpig:Poor quality components? I'm no technician but am surprised that this prejudice against much of the B&O equipment seems to be so prevalent - even among us fans. The midrange drivers and the tweeter at least for the later models are Scan-Speak as far as I know and the amplifier is arguably one of the best pre ICE amplifiers that B&O has produced.
Hi Cleve,
thanks for this information. I'm no technician and therefore my opionios are based on research and what other more knowledgable people tell me. But the Beomaster 8000 is the only amplifier that is really considered better then the Beolab 200 isn't it? At least that was my understanding from what I've read on the forum here.But maybe I got that wrong and you can replace better with more powerful. So probably the Beolab 200 is only the second most powerful amplifier after the Beomaster 8000?
Of course these considerations do not consider servicability, which really seems to be a pain in case of the Beolab 150/200. But on the other hand, servcing a Beomaster 8000 doesn't seem to be a walk in the park either. I've never dared buying one of those since they are already pretty old and my B&O repair shop has adviced me against doing so if you are not able to do the electronic repairs yourself or have somebody knowledgeable as well as the required parts at hand.
I wonder how the Penta's would sound with today's ICEPower-amps + DSP-technology built in?
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
Well, I asked myself the same question 3 years ago, and what did I do? I bought BeoVox Pentas, a Rotel power amplifier with IcePower, and a DSP with a microphone that calibrates the bass like BeoLab 5.
And guess what? My Pentas go down to 30 Hz at -6 dB now..I still think it's the ideal way to get the best out of the speakers, the amplifiers are 20 years old now, technology has evolved, power consumption is far inferior, there's no audible tweeter flutter when you ear is on the fret, a much better stereo perspective, linearity, and the "cold" amplifier sound balances the warm sound of the Pentas to perfection. Yes, the speakers are 15 cm lower, and there is nothing displayed, but still..I also replaced all caps , silver-soldered all the speaker connections, reconed the mids, and according to the B&O local technician, only Lab 5s can outperform them.
Besides, they found the most perfect place in my new home..
Christophe has just demonstrated why the Pentas will never look dated - in the right surroundings. Superb!