Connecting Beolab Penta III to a Beosystem 5500

6 replies

For the short question skip to the bold part below. 

I have an almost new Beosystem 5500 en I have a set of mint Beovox Penta connected to them. I also bought a set of Beolab Penta III just because I needed to have them (The brochures I had under my pillow as a youngster). They were in a less that perfect condition (optically 100%, technically 70%). I stored them upstairs until the guy at B&O told me these speakers were superior to the passive Penta's. So I repaired them to be like new and connected them to my Beosystem 9300 upstairs. Think the guy at B&O was correct. The amps make the speakers superior. 

BLong story short: can i connect my active Penta;s to my 5500 amp? I cannot connect them through Powerlink (5500 amp hasn't got the connections) and i fear that the Speakerlink connection won't fully use the built in active amp's of the Penta's. Would a Neosound core solve the problems? Or do I need to look for a fully functioning Beosystem 7000?

If Beomaster 5500 has speakerlink output and Beolab Pentas have speakerlink input why shouldn't it work?

Powerlink carries the same signal (plus a little more Information (trigger on off/two audio channels and data Information). 

Get some cables from soundsheavenly.com - one of the site's sponsors - and give it a try.

Ralf

My B&O Icons:

BeoCenter-9500.png BeoCenter-9500.png
Beoremote-Beo4.png Beoremote-Beo4.png
Beovision-11.png Beovision-11.png
Beosound.png Beosound.png
Beoplay-V1.png Beoplay-V1.png
Beoplay-H95.png Beoplay-H95.png
Beoplay-E8.png Beoplay-E8.png
Beoplay-A1.png Beoplay-A1.png
Living Room: Beosystem 4, Beolab 7-2 (Center), Beolab 9 (Fronts), Beolab 8000 (Rears), Screen: Sony KD-85XH9096
Home Cinema: Beosystem 4, Beolab 7-4 (Center), Beolab 9 (Fronts), Beolab 4000 (Rears). Projector: Sony VPL-HW55
Home Office: BeoVision 11-46, 4 x Beolab 3, BeoCenter 9300 (BLC 1611/ML/NL)
Bedroom: Sony KD-65XH9077, Beosound Essence MK II with Beolab 6002 and Beolab 11 (all white, wall-mounted)
Dart Room: BeoPlay V1-40 on floor stand
Guest Room: BeoVision 7-40 MK IV, Beolab 7-2, BeoSound Ouverture

That is what the dealer told me. The 5500 amp won't be shut off completely. But from your answer I get that the displays in the speakers won't work with Speakerlink?

Sorry, but I am not sure. I think they will work...

My B&O Icons:

BeoCenter-9500.png BeoCenter-9500.png
Beoremote-Beo4.png Beoremote-Beo4.png
Beovision-11.png Beovision-11.png
Beosound.png Beosound.png
Beoplay-V1.png Beoplay-V1.png
Beoplay-H95.png Beoplay-H95.png
Beoplay-E8.png Beoplay-E8.png
Beoplay-A1.png Beoplay-A1.png
Living Room: Beosystem 4, Beolab 7-2 (Center), Beolab 9 (Fronts), Beolab 8000 (Rears), Screen: Sony KD-85XH9096
Home Cinema: Beosystem 4, Beolab 7-4 (Center), Beolab 9 (Fronts), Beolab 4000 (Rears). Projector: Sony VPL-HW55
Home Office: BeoVision 11-46, 4 x Beolab 3, BeoCenter 9300 (BLC 1611/ML/NL)
Bedroom: Sony KD-65XH9077, Beosound Essence MK II with Beolab 6002 and Beolab 11 (all white, wall-mounted)
Dart Room: BeoPlay V1-40 on floor stand
Guest Room: BeoVision 7-40 MK IV, Beolab 7-2, BeoSound Ouverture

They will work - the extra contacts carry the display info.

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

Hi Ralf,

Thanks for the mention!  Yes, you can use Speakerlink cables and the speakers will work fully (using their own amps) and the displays will operate correctly.  I can build these cables in any length required:-

Location: The cable workshop, England

My B&O Icons:

Beoremote-Beo4.png Beoremote-Beo4.png
Beovox.png Beovox.png
Beotime.png Beotime.png
Beosound.png Beosound.png
Beosound-Moment.png Beosound-Moment.png
Beosound-Level.png Beosound-Level.png
Beosound-Emerge.png Beosound-Emerge.png
Beosound-A5.png Beosound-A5.png
Beosound-9000.png Beosound-9000.png
Beoplay-V1.png Beoplay-V1.png
Beoplay-H100.png Beoplay-H100.png
Beoplay-H95.png Beoplay-H95.png
Beoplay-H9i.png Beoplay-H9i.png
Beoplay-H4.png Beoplay-H4.png
Beoplay-H3.png Beoplay-H3.png
Beoplay-Form-2i.png Beoplay-Form-2i.png
Beoplay-E8.png Beoplay-E8.png
Beoplay-E4.png Beoplay-E4.png
Beoplay-Beolit17.png Beoplay-Beolit17.png
Beoplay-A1.png Beoplay-A1.png
Beomaster.png Beomaster.png
Beolab-18.png Beolab-18.png
Beogram-400x.png Beogram-400x.png
Cables, friendly advice and great ideas for connecting Bang & Olufsen! Ask any questions at https://soundsheavenly.com to get the best from your B&O! Please visit my B&O YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/soundsheavenlycables
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