Beolab 5 with Beosound 3200

[SYLVAIN WILTEIL]

Hello everyone,

I will explain my problem to you.

I have had a Besound 3200 at home for a long time connected to a pair of Beolab 5

At the time, it was not me who made the connections, but a company.

Everything works very well.
The AUX input of the Beosound 3200 is used by an Apple Air Port Express terminal, I use it to airplay music from my phone. (Powerlink to Jack AirPort Express)

However, today I would like to connect a vinyl turntable to this Beosound 3200, but there is only one AUX.

How can I do it?

buy a DIN splitter? then a powerlink to RCA cable.

would that work well?

 

 

Thank you for your feedback!

[Millemis]

You will need a normal aux audio signal switcher and the fitting adapter cable/s.

You can get these on Amazon or elsewhere.
You will need one with two inputs and one output.
The output is then connected like you currently do using the 5 pin DIN connector (it is not a Powerlink connector!)

Which adapter cables will depend on which aux switcher you get.

Do remember that the turntable will need a phono preamp for that too.

If you are uncertain – and assumed you are in the UK – you could write to Steve/SoundsHeavenly (there is a link on this site).
He will surely be able to help and can provide what you need.

MM

Location: Flensborg————Danmark

[matador]

Hi,

Find yourself a Playmaker or Beosound Essence MK1, both cheap second hand.

In a nutshell it’s a B&O airport express like device with added Line-In terminals with auto sense switch-on.

It will autodetect the source between Airplay and your deck and will avoid you the manual switcher.

Location: Paris France

[Millemis]

I agree – that would actually be a much better idea!

MM

Location: Flensborg————Danmark

[SYLVAIN WILTEIL]

Thank you very much Matador for your response.

I’m French, and you too?

I haven’t really looked at the connections behind my Beolab 5 but it seems to me that the DIN cable goes directly to my BEOSOUND 3200 without going through an amp or preamp, is this normal?

You advise me to replace my Beosound 3200 with a Playmaker or a Beosound Essence MK1, right??

Or I can actually buy a new network streaming player like a Sonos Amp, a Wiim Pro player… etc… to replace my Beosound 3200 so that we don’t talk about it anymore??

 

 

On the other hand, on my pair of Beolab 5 speakers, they are currently connected with a DIN connector cable on my Beosound 3200.
Do I need to buy a DIN/ADN converter to connect to the new network player, or can I directly put RCA cables between the Beolab 5 and the network player (or playmaker or Beosound Essence Mk1)?

 

 

Excuse me, I may be speaking poorly and I don’t know much about it!!!

 

 

THANK YOU AGAIN!!

[SYLVAIN WILTEIL]

Thank you for your answer !

[matador]

Bonjour Sylvain, Yes I’m French.

I dont know how do works Beolab 5 about digital connexion and so so I’ll talk as if they were like usual Beolabs connected by Powerlink (the DIN cable between the BeoSound 3200 and the speakers.

First, in the the B&O world from this era the BeoSound was just a source (Radio, CD player, Aux-In, sometimes cassette) and the power amp was built in the speakers. Thats why they’re called Beolabs – Active Speakers – instead of Beovox – Classic Passive Speakers – and that’s why you don’t see any box between the BS and the BLs.

For your setup you have three scenarios:

Number One: you dont use the BS at all meaning it’s just a gateway to volume control the speakers and plus your airplay receiver. You dont use CD or Radio. The you can simply get rid of it and use only the Playmaker/Essence. Both have Powerlink connection. In that case the playmaker will be better because it responds to IR commands (Volume, Sound Setup and switching sources when the Auto sense is temparemental.

Number Two: you use the BS CD or Radio mostly and your phone or deck sometimes. Then connect the Playmaker/Essence as a source for the BS A.AUX in. You will be in a configuation close to yours today, except that if you start the deck (given airplay streaming is off) it will be select automatically and go to tha BL throught the BS A.AUX. The little Added Bonus is that you can then press ‘PHONO’ Insted of ‘A.AUX’ on the BS: Absolutely useless but hey, isnt the moto of the brand “Attention to details”?

Number Three: you use Airplay mostly and BS CD, Radio or deck sometimes. Then connect the Beosound as a source for the Playmaker/Essence A.AUX in.
Now you can keep the BS off when streaming and just need to turn it on for Radio/CD or phono with your deck connected to the A.AUX of the BS.
If Airplay is not streaming, selecting any source on the BS3200 will trigger the PM and send the sound to the Beolabs.

If any of that make sens, think of what would suit you and we will advise you of cables, options and remotes subtelties to have it working flawlessly.

By the way I use a similar configuration with Playmaker, a Beosound 9000 instead of 3200, Beolabs 8000 instead of 5 and a record player.

Good luck.

Location: Paris France

[SYLVAIN WILTEIL]

Good morning Matador!

Thank you for your response, I didn’t see it, sorry!

And thank you for all these options. The only thing that bothers me is going back to second-hand equipment with the Playmaker.

Can you tell me if this configuration could be suitable for my installation? I don’t necessarily have a set budget limit but I still wouldn’t like to spend too much!

 

 

I’m deleting my Beosound 3200 (currently hanging on the wall by the way!)

I delete my Airport Express from Apple

I replace all of that with this Wiim network player (or another model if you can advise me): https://amzn.eu/d/fE7HBPh
From what I understand it will also allow me to stream music via Airplay

I connect my vinyl turntable to it with classic RCA cables

I also connect my Beolabs 5 speakers. So I have to buy a DIN/RCA adapter (also maybe with you you can recommend products that I will buy)

I’m simply wondering how the switch between the Airplay part and the Vinyl turntable function will work.

 

 

Thank you again for your answers, that’s nice!

[Madskp]

You could look into something like the Almando Multiplay Stereo that can automatically switch between sources and also has built in Bluetooth connection https://almando.com/Multiplay-Stereo-III-Type-1-DIN-DIN-DIN-black

It also has extra inputs so you could still connect your BS3200 if you want

I have not tried this product myself, but I have a ~10 year old Powerlink switch from them that works without issues in daily use

Location: Denmark

[Millemis]

You will not be able to turn on the 5’s this way!

A quote from Steve in another related post (there are several, if you search here):

“Unfortunately with Beolab 5 it is not possible to activate the speakers via a voltage trigger – a coded Datalink signal is needed (either via the Powerlink socket or IR remote control) in order to wake the speakers before use.”

MM

Location: Flensborg————Danmark

[Madskp]

Millemissen wrote:

You will not be able to turn on the 5’s this way! A quote from Steve in another related post (there are several, if you search here): “Unfortunately with Beolab 5 it is not possible to activate the speakers via a voltage trigger – a coded Datalink signal is needed (either via the Powerlink socket or IR remote control) in order to wake the speakers before use.” MM

Ok I did not know that. Then the Almando Multiplay is less interesting as the Beolab 5’s then has to  be activated with a remote for it to work

Location: Denmark

[SYLVAIN WILTEIL]

Ah yes indeed thank you for this clarification which calls into question my entire future installation.

If I understand correctly, currently it is my Beosound 3200 which wakes up my Beolabs 5.

So what device could replace my Beosound 3200 so that I can connect a vinyl turntable to it, and at the same time use music (Spotify, Qobuz, Deezer etc…) in Airplay.

[matador]

Bonjour Sylvain,

In the international part of the forum, the rule is to keep messages in English for everyone to understand and be able to help.

The message from MM made me realize than I dont know the BL5 that I use to consider as Classic Beolab but seems to no be.
Then you should take all I say with caution and maybe seek for a second advice.

Yes today, as in the Usual B&O world, speakers are turned on by the source: there is specific trigger signal in the Powerlink connection that clics-in the Beolabs.
Some Beolabs have a line-in connection with auto sense that detects sound, turn on the speaker and turn it off after some minutes of silence.

Also, Beolab 5 being a tremedous pieces, I would really take care to what I’m sending it to. Of course, the Playmaker is not an Hi-quality device but it is at least B&O.

Maybe you can also have a look at the Beosound Core, I think it has Line in.

Location: Paris France

[Millemis]

Why not simply keep the 3200 and connect the WiiM there.

If you dislike the presence of the 3200, go for an Essence MK2, a Beosound Core – they can be hidden away.
Just connect the WiiM to the Line-in there, if you are not pleased with the options, that the Essence/Core offers.

These two B&O devices would give you the option of having a (B&O) remote control, by the way.

MM

Location: Flensborg————Danmark

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