Beolab 3500 and Beocenter 8500 – possible?

[Madskp]

CharlieWednesday wrote:

As for the hum possibility, I was hoping that since the WIIM Pro gets its power from USB, and is therefore not running on mains voltage, I wouldn’t get the hum.  I guess I’ll find out once I get it all connected!  The Aux Splitter that Steve sells is only £20 so it’s worth a try.

Absolutely worth a try. I also seem to remember a thread where it was mentioned that the quality of the USB power source could affect how much hum was introduced .

Let us know how it works out

[Millemissen]

Actually you can have both (meaning the BV8 and the 3500) connected.

The Masterlink cable can (relatively) easy be splittet with one part going to the BV8 and the other to the BL3500. It is the option programming of the devices that determine how they behave.

MM

[CharlieWednesday]

Yes, I’ve seen Masterlink distribution boxes come up for sale every now and again, and not too expensive.  If I ever decide to do that, I might buy one.  For the moment though, the Beovision 8 and the Beocenter 8500 are in the same room and there is no great need for me to link them together, apart from out of curiosity.

[CharlieWednesday]

Update – the Masterlink cable and the Audio Aux Link cable I ordered both arrived today, so to test it I connected my Beocenter 8500 to my Beovision 8-40 via the 1611 box, and it worked as you explained – if I select TV, then press AV then CD, the CD plays with sound coming from the TV.  So, I know it works!

I have already bought a Beolab 3500 on eBay but not collected it yet – seller was selling two BL3500s plus one BL2000 as a kit and as they were collection only, they went quite cheap.  I’ll keep the best of the two BL3500s and sell the other two.

The seller isn’t available for me to collect until this weekend though so I’ll have to wait – I’ll let you know how I get on!  Thanks to each of you for your help on this.  That BL3500 is going to look so very cool on my wall…

[Madskp]

Great that the equipment is working.

When you are going to choose which  BL3500 to keep you might consider if they are MK1 or MK2, and also which software version they have. All versions should work with your current setup, but judging from your posts you might have caught the Beovirus (like many of us 😉 ) and may want they most future proof version.

Software version on BL3500 can be checked by pressing  Menu + 0 + 0 + GO on a BEO4. If the BL3500 is a MK2 you have to press Menu twice in that sequence

[Guy]

Don’t rule out keeping the BL2000 also – I was quite impressed with the sound quality from mine (which also came with a BL3500).  They don’t look very attractive, but tucked away in the corner of a small room they can be quite useful, especially as you can control them without the remote (some source selections* and volume control possible).

* BL2000 Mk1 version allows you to select TAPE, CD or RADIO from front panel, Mk2 version allows TV, CD or RADIO.

[CharlieWednesday]

Thanks – I’ll make sure I check the software.  I believe they are mark 2 but I am not sure who to tell for sure, until I get a look at them.

I have thought about keeping the BL2000 but I honestly have nowhere for it.  I have wondered however if it would be suitable for bathroom use, if safely wired.  From the photo I will say it looks in great condition, but I do agree, it’s not the most attractive item.

Yes, definitely got the beovirus now!  Realising how cheap you can get hold of some of this stuff, and how easy some of it can be to fix even if it’s broken (and I’m no expert).  The story so far:

• Beogram RX2, I’ve had for several years.  Still have it, my partner uses it.
• Form 2i, also had for years.  No use for them now so think I might put them on eBay.
• Beoplay EQ – bought a couple of years ago on Amazon Prime day.  They stopped working but were replaced under warranty with the later EXs.  I use these every day.
• Beomaster 2000, Beogram CDX, Beovox RL45.2 bought last year and this is where the bug really started.  The speakers needed some work and some new straps.  I’ve sold all of this now (and with no small profit!).
• Beocord 2000 bought to match the above, replaced the belts, also now sold.
• Beomaster 2000, Beocord 2000, Beogram 3000 and Beovox RL60, bought as a kit because I wanted the Beogram 3000.  Beomaster had a dodgy volume control but fixed that, Beocord needed new belts same as my first one, Beovox RL60s needed the ABRs fixing – I managed to do that using 2mm-thick cosplay foam, sandpaper and glue – worked a treat!  All now sold apart from the Beogram 3000 but that’s also up for sale on eBay now.
• Beomaster 3000 because I wanted to add remote control to the Beosystem above. Didn’t keep it long though before I decided on another upgrade.
• MCL30 kit for the Beomaster 3000 which I decided not to keep, so that’s for sale on eBay now.
• Beocenter 8000 with Beovox RL 1000s, a beautiful example.  Needed new tape belts and another fix to the tape deck mechanism, and the glass panels needed fixing back in place.  This is all for sale on eBay now because of a later upgrade.
• Beocom 6000 – who needs a landline?  Me.  I do.
• Form 1 headphones – got them really cheap and managed to clean up the speakers and attach foam pads intended for Form 2i.  They are on display on a nice stand – beautiful things.
• Beovox CX50 – a friend gave me these as they needed new foams, so I refoamed them.  These, I’m keeping – they are a joy.
• Beogram 8500 – bought impulsively and quite expensive, but I don’t regret it.
• Beocenter 8500 – to upgrade from the 8000 because I decided I wanted some Beolabs, I wanted to connect my CX50s via MCL, and because it matched the grey finish of my Beogram 8500.  This was my one and only fail – it was too far gone and I had to break it down for parts, but I’m already in profit on that for selling a couple of the parts!
• Beocenter 8500 – spent a bit more and got a working one.  Tape deck sticks sometimes so I’ve ordered new belts for it.  This one is the keeper, I think.
• Beolab 6000s – wanted active speakers to go with the above.  Real bargain these were too – £160.
• MCL2A kit – used to connect my Beovox cX50s (in the same room, but it’s an odd shape), but I want to upgrade this to a MCL2AV with an MCL2P so I can control the volume of the CX50s independently.  This came with a pair of Beovox MCX35s which I sold straight off, as I had no need for them.
• Beovision 8-40 – got this for £80, local collection.  How could I not buy it?  It even included a Beo4.
• Beovox C40s – these were cheap on eBay because they needed refoaming and I already had the foams, but my CX50s sound better so I have just sold the C40s. Didn’t sell for as much as I hoped but a bit of profit made.
• Beolink Converter 1611 – for my Beolab 3500 plan.
• Beocenter 9000 – bought as a restoration project, it was only £50 and half hour drive away for collection so I thought I might as well.  Needs the mute relay replacing but other than that I’ve got it working.  I have a friend who I think would like this so I think I’ll give it to him for his birthday (the same friend who gave me the CX50s, so only fair!), but if he doesn’t want it I’ll put it on eBay.  I also got a shelving system with this – see my other post about that!
• Beolab 3500 x 2 and Beolab 2000s ready to collect at the weekend, I’ll only be keeping one of the 3500s, which I will wall mount.

I’ve had to promise my partner that I’ve finished now.  I haven’t finished.

I’m a data and systems analyst with autism so of course I’ve kept a careful report of everything I’ve bought and sold (even the various cables and plugs).  If I sell everything I’ve still got for sale at a decent price, everything I’ve kept will essentially have been free.  That’s not why I did it all, but it’s a bloody bonus, that is.

[Madskp]

Wauw some collection you have/had there.

I also tend to buy thing that sounds like a bargin although sometime they may require more work than other 😀

[CharlieWednesday]

Picked up the Beolabs today – turned out a better deal than I thought; it’s two BL3500s as expected but also TWO BL2000s – the eBay listing indicated that it was only ONE BL2000.  That’s made my mind up then – I’m keeping a BL2000 too, I’ll find somewhere for it…

Both of the BL3500s are Version 1 (serial begins 14…), with software version 2.0.  I’ve tested all four, and they sound fine, but I’ll have a look inside and check the drivers. They are in great cosmetic condition – one small mark on the centre grille on one of the BL3500s but apart from that, no marks.  Both BL3500s have the rear cowls, and one of them even included the wall mount, which I wasn’t expecting as the seller said none were included (that’ll save me £30).

I’m having some work done in the room before I mount the best of the two on the wall, but I have checked the setup – I have my BL6000s connected directly to my BC8500 as the main speakers, my BV CX50s connected via an MCL2A (soon to be upgraded to an MCL2AV and an MCL2P,), and now the BL3500 connected via the A.Aux and the 1611 converter.  I like that I can decide any combination of which speakers are playing.

The only thing I was a little disappointed in was the clock on the BL3500 – I hadn’t realised it will only display the time if connected to a system that has a timer, which my BC8500 doesn’t have.  Not a major issue by any means but a bit of a shame it’s clock could not be independently set.  I’ve just ordered a Beolink converter 1614 off eBay because it was going cheap for less than£20 and included both the power cable and a Masterlink cable, so I’ll use that to connect my BV8-40 TV to the system, and maybe then, the BL3500 can get the time from the TV?  No big deal if it can’t, but it’d be nice if it did.

I paid £90 for the lot, plus a 2 hour round trip to pick them up.  Proper bargain, that.  In the English countryside too so I even got a nice drive out of it.

[Madskp]

Great deal 😀

I don’t know if the BV8 has the timer, but if not it is possible to not show the missing clock on the BL3500. There are three display setting where one is not showing the clock. You can switch between them by holding the timer button and touching the mute button on the BL3500

Regarding the connection to the BV8 you can not use the 1614 when you already have the 1611.
You have to divide the masterlink connection with a junction box

[Madskp]

Or did you just mean that you will use the masterlink cable from the 1614? I might have missread

[CharlieWednesday]

No you didn’t mis-read – I thought I would be able to use the 1611 and the 1614, but it doesn’t really matter – that’s not why I bought the 1614 – I bought it because it came with a Masterlink cable that was worth more than they were asking for the 1614!

Yes I’ve turned the clock off as you suggested.  The clock is no big deal really, so I don’t think I’ll bother with the Masterlink junction box, unless one comes up cheap.

One weird thing I’ve found though.  I have the BL3500 in the same room as my system, so I have set it to option 4.

I can use by Beo4 to control it, but there is one problem with using the Tape 2 input, which I use a lot, because my streamer is connected to Tape2.

Because the Beo4 does not have a dedicated A>TAPE2 or LINK button and both have to be selected via the LIST button, I don’t seem to be able to select Tape2 directly for the BL3500.  I’ve tried LIST>LINK then LIST>A.TAPE2, but using the LIST twice in a row doesn’t seem to work – it just turns my Beocenter onto Tape 2, playing on the main speakers instead of the Beolab 3500.

The only way around it I have found is to use LIST>LINK then select any other input which has a dedicated button (such as CD), then switch to A.TAPE2, then mute the Beocenter, in order to get sound only from the BL3500.  This means I can’t adjust the volume on the BL3500 while on Tape2 without switching to another input like CD, adjusting the volume, then switching the source back to Tape 2 and then muting the Beocenter again.  quite long winded!  If anyone shas come across a way around this then do let me know.

I do have a Beolink 1000 too, and that does work – LINK>SHIFT>A TAPE selects the Tape2 input on the Beolab 3500, and then also allows me to control the volume on it.  Shame the Beo4 can’t seem to do the same.

[Madskp]

You might be able to add the command L.A-TAPE2 to the list ( I can’t remember if is availAble. If so that should do the trick

[CharlieWednesday]

You’re a genius – I didn’t realise all those LIST items beginning with an L meant ‘Link’.  I tried a few until I found one that worked – L.N.MUSIC is interpreted as Tape2 on my system.  Thanks!

[Madskp]

Great. Your BEO4 is  one where A.TAPE2 is replaced with N.MUSIC and PHONO with N.RADIO then. The IR commands are the same just renamed for newer functions

[Guy]

Here’s a useful ‘Lexicon’ of the extra Beo4 buttons – for example you may want to make use of A-N.MUS when you connect you TV (i.e to listen to A.TAPE2 through your TV speakers).

https://bangolufsenassistentgohe.blob.core.windows.net/manuals/APPS_AND_ACCESSORIES/BEO4_(W.O_NAVIGATION_BUTTON)/beo4_lexicon_english.pdf

[CharlieWednesday]

Oh that is useful, thanks @Guy.

If I do want to bring my TV into the Masterlink network, I think I can then, like this:

• Get a Masterlink junction box, like this one
• Get 3 Masterlink cables with a Masterlink plug on one end, bare wires on the other (there’s a couple of places I could get these from, made to order)
• Wire those three cables into the Masterlink junction box
• I’ll then have 3 Masterlink connections – one for the 1611, one for the BV8 TV, one for the BL3500 (I could also add a 4th Masterlink cable and add one of the BL2000s to the network)
• Connect the 1611 to my BC8500 with the aux link cable that I already have

Or, a variation that is a bit more expensive but may be more flexible:

• Get a Masterlink distribution box, like this one
• Use the 2 Masterlink cables I already have with plugs at both ends, and buy another long one, with plugs at both ends
• Connect them all the same was as above, but to the distribution box instead

I’m also wondering (and judging from your previous posts you might know this @Madskp!), if I bring my BV8 TV into the Masterlink network, then the TV becomes the ‘controller’, so to speak, and powers the network, so I could use either  the 1611 or the 1614, but not both?

[Madskp]

CharlieWednesday wrote:

I’m also wondering (and judging from your previous posts you might know this @Madskp!), if I bring my BV8 TV into the Masterlink network, then the TV becomes the ‘controller’, so to speak, and powers the network, so I could use either  the 1611 or the 1614, but not both?

Probably the 1614 should work in this scenario*, however since you have the 1611 this is more flexible if you decide to get a different TV that does not have Masterlink.

*My experience is based on use with a Beocenter 6-26, so actually a little unsure if there is any difference to using it with a Beovision with Masterlink in that regard.

[Guy]

My vote would be for an ML distribution box – so much easier to use especially if you like experimenting with different configurations and testing new equipment.  There’s a couple on UK eBay at £50 , but you can probably get for less if you are prepared to wait for a bargain.  Those ML junction boxes look a bit fiddly to use for my liking, but could be worthwhile if you intend to leave the connections alone.  You could also make your own junction box with a suitable strip of terminal block and an enclosure – if you do so be aware that apparently the blue/white and pink cables have to be shorted somewhere in the ML network.  EDIT:  DIY was discussed briefly here: https://archivedforum2.beoworld.org/forums/t/15785.aspx

I just ran your proposed setup through the B&O Product Configuration Guide and it stated that either BL1611 or 1614 is suitable.  There was a note to say that the TV ‘must be equipped with software Build 109b or higher, in order to be compatible with the Beolink converter’, but you’ve already tested it with the BL1611 so I doubt that you will have any problems.

 

[Madskp]

Guy wrote:

I just ran your proposed setup through the B&O Product Configuration Guide and it stated that either BL1611 or 1614 is suitable.  There was a note to say that the TV ‘must be equipped with software Build 109b or higher, in order to be compatible with the Beolink converter’, but you’ve already tested it with the BL1611 so I doubt that you will have any problems.

I wonder what that comptability issue is about, or if it is just about the 1614 Beolink Converters missing voltage for the Masterlink network. New rabbit hole to dive into 😉

[Author]

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