B and O Turntables

I've just acquired Beogram 8000 with MMC 20CL cartridge for under $500. It was in a very good condition, probably as good as it could be considering the age. Beogram 4000 or 4002 would cost just as much, perhaps more due to the rarity. I think Clearaudio Emotion + Aurum would cost considerably more than Beogram, and it is not a fair comparison.

As far as the sound go, it's probably hit or miss as most B&O tables are very old and the condition will vary from one end of the spectrum to the other. MMC 20CL cartridges are superb, and they are probably as good as any $500 TT + cartridge combo. However I don't think the detail retrieval is as good as good MC cartridges.

I love my Beogram 8000. It is magnetic drive, and there is no motor or belt to worry about. The build quality is great, and the design is timeless after nearly 30 years. 4000 series is another timeless classic and I don't think you'll regret getting one.

I had a Rega table loaned from my friend before I purchased my B&O table, and I did a A/B test today. It's a Rega 25 with Benz Micro MC cartridge. Unfortunately the difference was not subtle. There was more air, more detail, and more clarity using Rega.

However, Rega 25 + Benz Micro combo is probably 4x the price of B&O table.

Also the original cartridge MMC 25CL on my Beogram is 20+ years old. It looks like it's in an excellent condition, the cantilever suspension might have been hardened after long storage.

I'm somewhat disappointed at the result. :( I might try a new cartridge from soundsmith and/or get my MMC 25CL rebuilt.

I've replaced the stock MMC 20CL with Sound Smith SMMC 20CL, and the difference is staggering. The original cartridge sounds very warm at the expense of detail. Sound Smith cartridge sounds more open and lively.