The New BG4000C

[steve1977]

Mr10Percent wrote:

Probably to protect the asset value of those 50 people who paid £10k for the first/only batch of BC4000C’s

I think the 95 original buyers are well “protected”. The kit is nowhere as “good” as the original 10k offer. The original offer had a different color / polish and also carries the 4000C name/logo on it.

The 95 people basically received a “new” product, while the kit “only” provide a more professional refurbishment.

[matador]

steve1977 wrote:

The 95 people basically received a “new” product, while the kit “only” provide a more professional refurbishment.

One can wonder if this is not only a way of speaking.
With the lack of details on what is done to the Beograms I wouldn’t consider this expensive refurbishment as “more professional” as the work of some fellow Beoworlders that go very deep into the guts of the deck (bearings, full recap, light replacement with less, …)

For exemple, appart the one on the marketing photos I’ve not seen a BG4000c with the plates and the platter perfectly aligned and adjusted (you can skip perfectly if you want).

[matador]

matador wrote:

With the lack of details on what is done to the Beograms…

I was wrong! But still…

[Dillen]

They also restore the electronics, including introduction of a minor modification to the servo motor control circuit.
And they fit a new platter belt. – A quality one.

Martin

[NQVHNWI]

I don’t think it matters what was done, mule deck (of any kind) or original. Some people paid £10k for a product called the BC4000c.

Someone offering up a poor quality eBay BC4000 for refurb, spending £5k to have B&O sort it won’t ever happen. B&O will lose credibility.

However, it may be they can accept someone sending a wreaked eBay BC4002 for refurb and it leaving the factory as a well sorted, modernised BC4002.

that was my original point and it has little to do with deck variations and original design quality. It’s all about releasing a limited run product with a name (bc4000c)

[steve1977]

Does anyone have a photo of a 4000x after the “kit”? It also gets “painted” if I read above correctly. Any idea what this “painting” looks like?

[matador]

Maybe there?

[Dillen]

matador wrote:

Maybe there?

– Which actually mentions Beogram 4000 as well.

Martin

[matador]

Dillen wrote:

Which actually mentions Beogram 4000 as well.

Yes, I’m with you on this but i think we’ll never have another answer that the one Steve gave us earlier in this thread.

[Peter]

The Beogram 4000 is very different to the Beogram 4002, 4004 and 6000. It uses an expensive Swiss AC motor, a completely different control system, has a much more substantial sub chassis and sub platter with a strobe speed display and the arm control was simplified for the 4002. There is a good description of the two at Beocentral. However, as Tim points out, the performance of the 4002 was much the same as the 4000 and was a lot cheaper to produce. As the electronics and structure of the 4000 is very different to the 4002, I can fully understand why B&O have limited the offer to the later simpler models.

B&O do have a history of the engineers making products that are technologically fantastic but in real life could be troublesome or very expensive to produce  – the Beocord 5000 type 4705 comes to mind – three heads, dual capstan and all electronic control. As anyone who has owned one of these will testify, these are heavy and staggeringly well made and also temperamental and liable to destroy tapes. I remember these were the only devices that my old service departments refused to touch as they said simply taking them apart and putting them back together cost more in time than the machine was worth. The Beomaster 6000 quad, which it matched, was similar though I did get them to service this – I was a good customer!!

I suspect the parts needed to fully restore a BG4000 would be very expensive now and would probably need remanufacturing which would clearly be uneconomic for a very small number of decks. Luckily mine still seems to be working fine!

[hcraig244]

All of the above are the reasons I hold the vintage equipment in high regard, the BM6000 quad is a master class in over engineering, the lengths the B&O engineers went to just to make the indicator ribbons move up and down is staggering…and the logic gated control panel of the BG4000, given it’s primary role in life is to drop a stylus onto a rotating disc is also the work of someone with far too much time on his hands……

craig

[Peter]

Agree – I love the massively over engineered 4000 – I have three of the 400x decks – the 4000, 4004 (bought this new when a medical student!) and my 6000 (now rebadged as the 4001! The 4000 exudes quality , the control panel simpler and I think better looking and has the strobe, and the lid is not so heavily smoked with a light brown smoked finish as opposed to the grey of the 4004. And considerably heavier!

[Author]

Posts