You may be just too used to the sound of the CD50. It's quite different to most other (even B&O) CD players. Some people like it, some don't. Give your ears a bit of time to readjust - the BS4 is probably closer to "truth", if there is such a thing in audio.

I don't believe the speaker cables would make much (or any) difference... but since you have now Powerlink devices at both ends of the cable, I'd convert to PL cables anyway to get proper on/off switching.

Thanks for the comment - which is reassuring.  In the short term I am playing around with the bass / treble / loudness, and also with the position switches on the Beolab 4s.  At present my cables all run under the carpet, so I'll plan to stick with my old cabling until I either move house or change / lift the carpet.

Interesting topic, i have just bought a beosound 4 , and have been used to Beosystem 6500 as a source .  I will update once i have used  it for some time.

sandy

In fairness Beolab4's & Beolab 6000's aren't the greatest speakers in the world as far as bass is concerned, the mellow qualities of the CD50 combined with one of B&O's better amps probably covered this up over the years. Mika is quite right that you have probably become accustomed to this & that your ears need to re-educate themselves to the harsher/clinical realities of modern systems.

Am I right in thinking that you have 2 sets of speakers (BL6000's & BL4's) connected to your Beosond 4 in an audio only set up?

Do you still have the Beomaster 5000, CD50 & RL 60's? Don't bin them, they are all repairable and much better than what you have at present.

Chris.

The BeoMaster 5000 is the most beautiful B&O ever   I still have the 1984 catalogue that i read as a shorty!

I think it may be your speaker choice.

When I graduated from a BS 3200 to our new Beosound 4 one year ago this month, I first connected it to a set of Beolab 4 speakers, using powerlink. It was nice, but I was not impressed with the overall sound, with the speakers on BL3/BL 4 stands, on granite, and ceiling mounted. They then became rear speakers.

Connecting further to Beolab 2000 ML-linked upstairs and in other rooms actually produced a little better sound. And we found we could option to a different program using the BL2000 and Beosound 4 in linked rooms. Very nice.

However connecting to Beolab 4000 produced the best results: Good strong music and radio, and an overall better, more distinct sound. The bass in this speaker is superior to the Beolab 6000, so this is perhaps why. I have since placed both BL 4000 on either side of the Beosound 4 as our prime HTPC speakers.

On another aspect regarding playback sound on the BS 4 is the music source itself.  We listened to the same music (4 different recordings: 2 downloads, and 2 CD albums) on using 5 music sources. BS4 CD, PC CD, N. MUSIC, SD card, and Media Centre.

To our ears, the BS 4 produces the best music using the SD card. Distinct, clear, and well balanced. Recorded CD music or dowloads came in second using Media Centre, which we thought would have been from the actual CD itself.

So the majority of the time we listen to SD card music, recorded from the PC, and controlled throughout the house using a Beo 4 remote. Unlike the BS 3200, the Beosound 4 is rarely touched, except to insert or remove SD cards now and then.

Thank you all for your comments and responses.  These are really most helpful.  I am going to follow up the suggestions made, particularly the low cost ones in the short term, and see how I get on.

This is my first foray into Beoworld even though I have been a B&O owner since 1984, and I am really encouraged by the responses.  One side effect is that I now plan to upgrade to Bronze membership and will sell my old Beo 5000 equipment through the site rather than eBay.

Chris

Yes, I do have two sets of speakers: My old Beolab 6000s in front and my new Beolab 4s at the rear.  All connected by phono screened leads, with adaptors to 5-pin DIN plugs into the two Powerlink sockets.  Beolab 4s via a homemade fader (a variable resistor in series) because of the room layout

I've just read your comment about my old equipment.  I do still have it, plus the related cassette and record decks and manuals.  I decided to upgrade mainly because the amp failed - last year the CD player failed but I spent 4 hours carefully cleaning and lubricating all the obvious bits inside, and got it working again.  I probably will sell it all, because I have now bought the Beosound and Beolab 4s, and these is a limit to the old equipment that my wife tolerates!  She has to put up with a 1973 Triumph GT6 in the garage which I bought in 1976.

jondhm wrote:

It all works, and DAB radio is brilliant.  BUT - I am disappointed in the sound quality particularly on CD (haven't tried the SD card yet - one step at a time).  I have lost the really high frequencies which give the real feeling of presence, and which my old system gave me.  It all sounds a bit muffled and boring

CD fans won't like this, but I struggle to listen to CDs on my BS4. They are, as you say, too mid-range, too boring, too muffled.

Rip the CD to iTunes lossless, then play the tracks with some equalisation and the results are superb. I was listening to the Hurts album (on CD) yesterday and had to switch to my ripped version and the quality appear far higher. So much for poor DAC on the Airport Express. I simply can't listen to most CDs directly from my BS4.

In fact, I could eliminate the BS4 and connect the BL3s directly to the Airport Express. Of course, I wouldn't. I do like the design and build of my BS4.