Beomaster 1000 = Surprisingly Musical Amplifier

13 replies

Got a black-key 1000 the other day for the collection, and was really planning on just using it to listen to the Today Programme and PM in the office on FM. Hooked it up to my Airport Express though and I have to say it performs really well. Was always a bit underwhelmed by my old BM 900 when I tried to use it to listen to music seriously before I packed it off to my girlfriend's office, but this little thing really suprised me!

Anyone else use one regularly to listen to sources like CD or through some kind of computer? What speakers are you using? (I've got CX50s)

 

I would strongly suggest using vintage speakers. They really suit this amplifier. I have had both a white and black key model and both sounded very good through speakers of the correct era. Beovox 1000s are the obvious choice but any of this range.

My B&O Icons:

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Mine seems to have stuck on a shelf as a display piece as I never though it to sound anything special. I'm sure it needs a recap... It will become a system with my Beogram 1000 and Beovox 2200's (these I love!) once I find a decent place for them.

Found it cheap from the same flea market as my first BM900K, all it needed was new dial bulbs 🙂 Actually pretty useful because of the three external inputs!

I have some BV1000s but they are used with the BM900M in my girlfriend's office....one day I might have to snatch them back to try them out :)

Actually Mika's post made me remember to point out that mine has the optional stereo decoder fitted. Wonder if it has two RIAA pre-amps??

Thinking about the BV1000s too, I probably won't bother as I really like CX50s!

Mine are both in regular use - almost daily. I have a black key version refurbished inside by Tim Jarman just over 3 years ago and a white key version that was okay inside but needed some tlc externally.

The black key's speakers are 1200's and 2400's, the white key's speakers are 1000's and 1500's. I recapped the 1200's and they sound much better for it, the others I've left alone so far.

If you have the space I'd recommend the big fellas - 2400's or 1500's. The 1500's are rather directional on the treble though. The 2400's are only a tiny bit larger than the 1000's but sound a whole lot better - if you settled on them you would not regret the choice.

For a CD I use a

j0hnbarker wrote:
Anyone else use one regularly to listen to sources like CD or through some kind of computer? What speakers are you using? (I've got CX50s)

I wouldn't say regularly, but I have had a CDX hooked to one. I had a pair of 1000's w/ matching 2200 speakers in rosewood and teak. The rosewood set recently departed and is being redone in another thread by the new owner.

They are real gems!

Thanks Steve/Jeff

Sounds like I'm not the only one who's a fan then! Really pleased with mine. Maybe I need a white key version as well!!

We seem to have similar tastes. I am on the look out for a BM1000 as part of my collection. Glad to hear that they sound nice too.

The white key and black key are completely different - the white key use the early germanium transistors. Martin is the world expert on the Beomaster 1000 - there are a ridiculous number of variants and Martin has almost if not all of them. The black 1000 was Jacob Jensen's first project for B&O - he had to redesign the white key model.

My B&O Icons:

BeoCenter-9500.png BeoCenter-9500.png
Beoremote-Beo4.png Beoremote-Beo4.png
Beovox.png Beovox.png
Beovision-11.png Beovision-11.png
Beotime.png Beotime.png
Beosound-Stage.png Beosound-Stage.png
Beosound-Moment.png Beosound-Moment.png
Beosound-5.png Beosound-5.png
Beosound-2.png Beosound-2.png
Beoremote-One.png Beoremote-One.png
Beoplay-Portal.png Beoplay-Portal.png
Beoplay-Earset.png Beoplay-Earset.png
Beomaster.png Beomaster.png
Beolit.png Beolit.png
Beogram-400x.png Beogram-400x.png
Beocenter-2.png Beocenter-2.png
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