Repair Vintage Bang &Olufsen ?


Or is it better to just buy a new Turntable ? Any old B&O mechanics out there ? LOL ..I have a B&O Beogram TX I bought new in the early 80’s. Played it to death till the late 80’s and the shinny disc revolution came of age. Since then, it has sit, unplayed. My wife and I still have hundreds of albums, and she said something about getting the old girl running again. We have a complete Legacy system, Focus Se’s, Marquis, Phantoms, plus a couple big subs,but hearing the B&O up against that Oppo is discouraging. I don’t have a phono pre-amplifier,so I was thinking the one my Marantz 8805 would be sufficient, but this thing is anemic. So, I have a few question for you analog experts.
1) First, the B&O has a whirling sound when the turntable runs. Kind of sounds like a sewing machine, only real faint. I took the belt off and the motor is the culprit. Did they always do that ? If so, I don’t remember it being so pronounced.
2) Second, I see that it has a MM2 stylus installed, and a MM4 in the holder as a back-up. I’m assuming the anemic’ness is because of this forty year old needle. So it needs a new one. What is the best way to go? Have the original re-manufactured, or buy a retro fit ?
3) If I repair all these items, new belt ( it slips when using the cleaner pad), new stylus, possibly a new drive motor, is what I’m getting up to the new models? Or would it be better to buy something else. It’s kind of neat, kind of heavy, and I have history with it, but I want performance.
4) And lastly, tell me about these phono pre amplifiers. Are they a tuning tool for the needle? Kind of like tone controls?. If I would buy one and set it up on the Marantz 8805, what exactly would be the benefits ?. Remember I been out of vinyl a LONG time ..
nitrobob

Showing 1 response by cleeds

mijostyn1,800 posts02-12-2020 9:31am
Chakster, my understanding is that B+O designed this style of moving iron cartridge and held the patent. Lederman was contracted to repair them and as dbx implied Lederman took over the rights to this design ... In reality it is Joseph Grado who should really get credit for the principle ...
Grado invented the moving coil cartridge, not the moving iron.