Using non B&O cartridge in B&O Turntables

26 replies

Would be nice to see it mounted to a deck.

This is how my trial with a radial tonearm looks like:

Alignment is probably off. The sound will be highly distorted as a result.

Surely if you buy a Soundsmith you are still not using an original, so what's the difference. I have one Bang & Olufsen with a Ortofon OM modification and it works fine.

Location: Spain

Idris Amin

I have just sent  off my MMC2 for my Beogram 7000 to be repaired and we will see how it goes. If unsuccesful I will do a modification. I have done a Beogram 1102 Ortofon OM Modification. It was just a prototype on a pretty tatty deck but it worked out fine. Nothing can be sustained forever.

Location: Spain

Idris Amin

I wouldn't bother - you risk damaging the tone arm and this will reduce the value of the turntable. You can get decent second hand retipped cartridge's on ebay - I bought one for my 4002 until I can afford to get a really decent one. That cost me £150 and works really well and I can keep it later as a spare.

The other problem as others have mentioned will be the alignment, the arm mass maybe unsuitable and depending on the Beogram you may not get enough tracking force. There is over hang to consider and all sorts of other techie stuff which is why a Beogram is so appealing - you have none of that to consider just press play and away it goes. No alignment issues or setting up of the cartridge either - just plug it in, set the tracking weight and away you go.

On sound quality my BG4002 sounds just as good as the Linn LP12 I was previously using which has a rega tonearm and £300 rega cartridge - which by the way cannot have its stylus changed either. My Beogram 3000 from the late 60s even sounds fantastic with a second hand SP12 and I'm using them with a decent front end and speakers that are quite revealing.

I think my only other comment would be that it would bug me that the turntable is not as it was intended - I think its fine to change some components internally in old equipment so that it is brought up to date, but with turntables where the cartridge is on display and part of the design I think it should be left alone. But these are only my comments and at the end of the day it is your property and upto what you do with it. 

If it were me I would just wait and put any money you would spend on modifying the turntable towards a B&O Cartridge.

Location: United Kingdom

My B&O Icons:

BeoCenter-9500.png BeoCenter-9500.png
Beoremote-Beo4.png Beoremote-Beo4.png
Beovox.png Beovox.png
Beoplay-A1.png Beoplay-A1.png
Beogram-400x.png Beogram-400x.png

I am at the moment waiting for my MMC4 for my Beogram 7000 to be returned afer repair. It cost me €300 to have it done.

I do think th B & O's are a great design but I am 73 years old and have had many, many turntables in my time. Bang & Olufsen are not in the running for some of the turntables I have had. This 7000 in no way as good sounding as my Revox B790 linear deck or even my Mitsubishi LT20 linear deck, and definatley no where near my Mission 775s belt drive or my Victor QL-10 with UA-7045 tonearm with Ortofon Red fitted.

It all boils down to personal taste and when my cartridge arrives, the whole 7000 system will be complete, all original and working.

I am sure I will be very happy with it,  but having had better systems and still have better sounding gear we will see how long it get's used as my main system.

Location: Spain

Idris Amin
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