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This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
Hi everyone!
I have found a nice 1979 boxed Beocenter 4000.
It doesn't power up at all. When I have the time, I'll open it and post a few pictures because I haven't been able to find any pieces of information here or in the archived forum.
Anything I should know about this Beocenter? Was it a good quality one, or just so-so?
It looks easy enough to dismantle with all its separate modules. Thanks so much Peter for the service manual!
I think I might be able to fix the cassette mechanism too...
Thanks!
Jacques
I love this set - My father bought a gram 4000 when release, and my mum waited until the Beomaster 4000 came out before getting that. It lasted many years, and I remember flipping my Startwars figures off the access plates :D
Really good amps in these, B&O designed tape mechanism and generally a very solid design! Servicing can be a pain due to the way the boards plug in etc... but stripping the thing right down is dead easy!
I bet one of the fuses has gone maybe due to amp trouble? You will see the fuses after removing the central panel... If I remember correctly I think this amp uses a crowbar technique to kill the fuses when faults occur.I have one of these that was very kindly donated by a fellow member and have been meaning to have a look!
Olly
Power switch does not always engage correctly.Replace the capacitors on the power supply regulator PCB.
Based on the Beomaster 2200, the tuner and amplifiers are in fact very good and powerful.You'll be amazed when you hear it play !
Not a lot of them around in good condition anymore.
Martin
I love the switch banks on this player - especially for the tape player :)
Another thing Jacques is the tone / balance pots are those pesky little devils found in the 1900 masters of this age, so any loss of channels etc. look here first!
Jacques,
The Beocenter 4000 was my first piece of 'vintage' B&O, and an early manifestation of my Beovirus.
I had been very happy with my Beosystem 2500 which I had bought new in 1991 and then, after comparing the tuner and cassette deck of the 4000 with the much more modern 2500, I realised the 4000 was a much more serious piece of kit. I ultimately used it with a BG 1700 and a pair of S45.2s for about 6 months - a great amp from the same family as the 4400 and 1500
I wish you luck with working on the cassette deck. It is adapted from the old Beocord 5000 - a beautiful machine but with the most unreliable and complex mechanism. Although a little simpler, it still ate my favourite and irreplaceable tape of a Keith Jarrett live concert recorded off air!
Cleve
Thank you! Your answers are much appreciated!
Your comments are very encouraging. So it is worth the time I will spend on it then. Olly, my ongoing work will perhaps give you the courage to do yours as well
About the cassette deck, repairing my Beocord 5000 tells me that a worn belt caused that disaster of yours... I know this transport inside out!
It's the same tape transport in the BC4000 as 2000/5000,so same belt etc issues apply,but very repairable,and worth the effort too.
I like these Centres,very reliable and great sounding.Rather sneered at by some "experts",as they were made in Japan for B&O by I suspect,Hitachi?
Well made though,and as time has shown,to the usual B&O standards.
Enjoy!
Nick
solderon29: Rather sneered at by some "experts",as they were made in Japan for B&O by I suspect, Hitachi?
Rather sneered at by some "experts",as they were made in Japan for B&O by I suspect, Hitachi?
I can read "made in Denmark" at the back!
Ah!whoops,wrong planet?
Are we talking about the BC4000 based on the Beomaster 2200?
A different beast altogether indeed!
You will need plenty of patience with the tape deck on that one sir!
Sorry for the confusion.
solderon29: It's the same tape transport in the BC4000 as 2000/5000,so same belt etc issues apply,but very repairable,and worth the effort too. I like these Centres,very reliable and great sounding.Rather sneered at by some "experts",as they were made in Japan for B&O by I suspect,Hitachi?
Nick,
I think you may be confusing the Japanese made twin-deck BeoCenter of the eighties with the earlier 4000 from the mid/late seventies. Whilst the later model is probably one of the better Japanese made pieces of B&O that were around then, the earlier, Danish 4000 is a very different animal.
I am not sure I will ever get some of my private stuff working again lol! I have such a long list now e.g. Beomaster 6000Q, beocord reel 2400 and beocord 5000, and that's the stuff that comes to the top of my head! However I will be putting my Beomaster 8000 back on the bench soon to complete that beast (recap and all new LED's in the segments) so I think it will be time then to share my endeavors :) Saying that, the BC 4000 has sentimental value, so seeing your pics might encourage me!
These are wonderful casseivers - the receiver bit is obviously essentially a 2200 and as such has one of the best amplifiers B&O made. The cassette deck is also very interesting as it is a single capstan version of the Beocord 5000 and therefore actually designed by B&O. Unfortunately it is, as Cleve has intimated, not the most reliable of decks and is very prone to chewing tapes. My one chewed one of mine so I donated it to Tim, where it happily chews his tapes as well! When working, it is wonderful - personally, I would just use the radio and amplifier!
Peter
So far my Beocord 5000 hasn't chewed any cassettes, after several dozen hours listening. And it still has both capstans working!