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Could anyone help me with a question I have about Beolab 4 speakers? I want to buy a pair to usd as PC speakers, but I’m not sure if that means I need the specific ‘Beolab 4 PC’ version, or will just ‘Beolab 4’ do the trick?
I want to connect them to my PC via 3.5mm, and I’m hoping to be able to set them so they go into standby automatically when not in use. Do all Beolab 4’s do that, or only the PC version?
Location: LiverpoolMy B&O Icons:
I think that the only difference is that the BeoLab 4 PC do not have powerlink sockets, hence either will work with a PC.
I bought the ‘standard’ BeoLab 4 for use with my PC, and connected via 3.5mm (line-in socket) using this cable from Steve: https://soundsheavenly.com/beolab-4-and-4pc/79-336-beolab-4-4pc-input-cable-minijack-connection.html#/4-length-3m
I tried using them with the Line In switched to ‘PC’, where they go to stand-by if there is no signal (both versions do this). However, I found that the ‘switch on’ delay was annoying – i.e if the PC made a chime noise as an email arrived, then the speakers would only catch the last bit! I eventually moved the switch pack to ‘Line’, and made a new double power cord with a switch on the cable; resorting to simply powering the Beolabs up when the PC was in use.
You could always use your Beoport if you want them to switch on automatically whenever the PC is booted up.
Location: Warwickshire, UKMy B&O Icons:
Thanks Guy, that’s really helpful. I don’t have the Beoport anymore (I gave it to a friend when I got an Essence), but mine is really a gaming PC, so for gaming audio, they should stay on while I’m playing.
I saw a pair in great condition including stands for just over £200 on eBay, which was a bargain, and when I asked him a question about them, he doubled the price! I’m sure I’ll find a cheaper pair though, as I don’t really want the stands. I’ll keep my eye out for a pair on eBay, and thanks for the letting me know which cable I need.
Location: LiverpoolMy B&O Icons:
I got a pair of Beolab 4 from eBay, in great condition – they look like new. I got the version which do have Powerlink sockets just in case I want to use them with any of my B&O HiFi equipment in future, but I bought them to use with my PC.
As it turned out, I already had a cable with stereo 3.5mm to 2x mono 3.5mm (I don’t remember where it came from; I rarely throw a cable out). I connected them to my PC that way and they work fine. The volume is very loud, so for normal listening, my PC volume is set to only 4 out of 100!
The do go into standby if there is no audio from the PC for about a minute, and that’s exactly what I want them to do – in fact the switch on the underside needs to be set to Line In for this, not PC. If you set the switch to PC they remain powered on all of the time.
It’s difficult for me to tell if they are on standby or not as I am colourblind and can’t tell what colour the LED is, but I have found a problem. Last night when I stopped using my PC, they did go into standby (while I cannot see the colour of the LED, I did at least see that the colour did change). I switched off my PC, but when I came back into my office this morning, there was an obvious buzzing/feedback from the speakers. This is the exact same noise as I get if I unplug the 3.5mm plug from the back of the PC, so must be some kind of earth/cable feedback? I don’t have much understanding of these things though.
I’m wondering them if it could just be the quality of the cable. I think I’ll buy Steve’s cable that you recommended @Guy and see how I get on with that. Steve’s cable is advertised for this specific use, so Steve may have overcome that feedback issue with the shielding.
Location: LiverpoolMy B&O Icons:
I have had a similar humming/feedback problem with PC speakers – I can’t remember 100% but this may well have been with my BL4s. As far as I remember there were problems when a speaker was either too close to the PC screen (all sorts of high frequency signals inside there!) or too close to a B&O phone PSTN (potential interference from the DECT phone signal). Does re-positioning your speakers away from other components make any difference?
Either way, I would think that a good quality cable should help resolve.
Location: Warwickshire, UKMy B&O Icons:
I’ve come home from work today and they are not humming, and I asked my partner (who has full colour vision!) to check the LED for me, and they were on standby/red. I’ll keep checking, but I will get Steve’s cable, as a better-quality shielded cable is likely to be an improvement on the basic one I have already.
Using my PC right now, they are coming out of standby as expected if I do something that causes a sound, and going back into standby about a minute after the sound stops, which is all as I would expect.
They are quite close to my PC monitor but that’s unavoidable as I am using them as PC speakers. One of them is also right next to my Beocom 2 phone, but the PSTN (Mk1) that I have that linked to is a good few feet away from the speakers.
Location: LiverpoolMy B&O Icons:
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