Beograms: tangential or radial?

[matador]

Hi guys,

Let’s have some controversial talks here!

We almost all love Beograms and lot of us certainly have both tangentials and radials.
But if you had to keep only one which would it be? A 5000 or a 5005, a 4000 or a 3000,  and all the others…

I’m lucky enough to have both and I find myself switching them because when I use one I want to see the other: the concord arm is a beauty, but the slim 400x is a legend. And because I’m not that specialist, I can’t hear a difference; to me it’s mostly a matter of look (and available cartridge).

And you? why one or the other, what model, for sound? For look? Tell us!

[AdamS]

I currently own:

• Beogram 3000 (1960s Acoustical version)
• Beogram 2000 (1980s)
• Beogram 5000
• Beogram 4002
• Beogram 8002

For sound, I’d keep the Beogram 8002.

Looks-wise, I know the 4002 is iconic and I do love it but, personally, my favourite looking is the 1980s Beogram 2000 – I prefer its sleeker plinth and conventional full perspex lid compared to the Beogram 5000.

[geoffmartin]

I use my 42VF often – but that’s because it can rotate at 78 RPM…

[chartz]

The tangentials are my favourite decks.

The Beogram 4000 would be my first choice.

Then the 8000, then the classic 1800 (radial).

The later 5005 series I find a bit flimsy, but they are reliable and much easier to service.

 

[sonavor]

Because I caught the Beovirus many, many years ago (okay, decades ago) I have a pretty large collection of Beogram turntables.  I can’t bear to part with any of them as they all perform satisfactorily for me.

As was mentioned earlier, the cartridge and stylus are a big (biggest) factor in the resulting sound.  The platter stability and tonearm do play important parts of course but you have to begin with a good cartridge to start comparing the various turntables with.

Like Jacques (chartz), I prefer the tangential Beogram models.  My first one was a Beogram 4002 back in the 70’s.  I purchased a Beogram 8002 in the 80’s.  Since then I have been lucky to acquire Beogram 4000, various types of 4002, 4004, 8000 and 9500 tangential models (all restored).  I have two restored radial Beogram turntables.  A Beogram 3000 (Thorens + B&O) and a Beogram 5000.

My favorites to listen to are the Beogram 8002 and Beogram 4002.  Specifically the ones I purchased in the 70’s and 80’s.  I still have them and they perform like new, having had a bit of restoration work.

My favorite B&O cartridges are the MMC 20CL and the MMC-2.

I am just as happy listening to the other models however and what I think that means is Bang & Olufsen designed and built really good turntables that hold up over time if taken care of.

It’s too bad B&O didn’t retain their cartridge/stylus business and were still producing them today.

-sonavor

[vikinger]

1203 radial turntable. Mine’s from 1973 ish. Beefier looking arm than later models, but with SP14 it’s somehow very futuristic looking, even 50 years on.

Graham

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