Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
Ah – in that case I won’t do it, as the BL3500 is now an essential part of that setup. If the cheap MCL2AV works when it arrives, I will use it in place of my MCL2A, which is connected to my Beocenter 8500/Beogram 3500/Beoxox CX50 setup in a different room.
Interesting, I’ve bought another MCL2AV, sold as ‘untested’ on eBay but it was only £10 so worth a try. It hasn’t arrived yet though.
Since the MCL2AV doesn’t have a Phono input I assume I would connect my Beogram to the Aux input, so I am not sure if controlling the Beogram via Beo4 remote would work that way. Still, I’ll give it a go.
Just to double check how you had it all connected:
- BC2 to BL1611 connected via ML
- BL1611 to MCL2AV via datalink cable
Is that right? I’m also wondering why it was necessary to have your BC2 on option 6 – would it not work on option 1? Also, on the MC22AV, what the hell is option 2.5!?
I’m not very bothered if I cannot find a way to remote control my Beogram by remote when connected to my BS4, but it would be nice if I could find a way.
Hmm, maybe a Beolink PC2 / Beoport would be the better option after all, and cheaper too. It means having my PC on if I want to listen to digital music but at least I know it would work. There’s a PC2 going on eBay for only £38 so I’ll buy it and give it a try, thanks. If I don’t like it I’ll just stick it back on eBay.
This topic started with me thinking I’d like to link a Beosound 5 to my Beosound 4 as a digital music player that I could control with my Beo4, but it seems that’s not a brilliant option (apart from looking really good). I have found a Beomedia 1 on eBay for only £50, in working condition, but I don’t really know much about the Beomedia 1.
I know Beomedia 1 is really intended for use with a Beovision TV, and while I do have a BV8, I don’t particularly want to have to turn on the TV every time I listen to digital music. If all connected together via ML, would my BS4 be able to show me what is playing on the N.Music source via the Beomedia 1, and would I be able to use my Beo4 to browse digital music on the BS4, without switching on my TV?
Also, am I right in assuming that the N.Radio capability of Beomedia 1 would no longer function, due it’s age? I can only assume it would no longer be supported.
You can also find Beolink PC2/Beoport cheap on eBay sometimes, but I’d like to have access to digital music when my PC is switched off, which is why I’m thinking Beomedia 1 might be better.
Took me a while to get around to this task but I’ve done it! I used 99.9% isopropyl and some very strong kitchen paper towel. I did need to go over it a few times – basically when the paper came up clean, I knew I was done with that area.
I did the front and edges but not the back. I didn’t do the bevelled bits around the screen as I was worried that the isopropyl could damage the screen, so I did not want it coming into contact. Beneath the screen where the plastic above the speaker is flat and goes directly beneath the screen, I put a length of narrow tape along there before I cleaned that bit and removed it when I was done. It means there is a narrow strip of the original rubbery surface directly below the screen, but it’s a neat line so looks okay.
Once the ‘rubber’ was all gone the plastic underneath did look little patchy from all the rubbing, but I read somewhere that plastic can be cleaned with WD-40 oil. I put a tiny amount of WD-40 onto kitchen paper and wiped it over the whole surface, and it really did help to even it out. It looked a bit shiny at first but once it had dried it ended up with more a matt finish, and much more even than it was before.
Since starring this thread I have also bought a Beosound 4 which is in the same room as the BV8 – that suffers from the same problem with the rubbery material, so I did that too. On that however I only cleaned the sides, and the edges of the ridges on the back, top and bottom. The surface beneath the glass door has not gone sticky, and I didn’t want to risk damaging anything.
Thanks for the tips – it looks so much better. It took a good few hours but it was worth it and I would recommend it.
Update – this low-cost phono preamp (link) arrived today, which has the advantage of having both 5 pin DIN and RCA inputs/outputs, so good for me to connect my Beogram 3000 (DIN) to my Beosound 4 (RCA), and it also ensures that the turntable is earthed/grounded via the DIN socket, which has eradicated the speaker hum I was getting when I used my Pro-Ject phono preamp via a DIN to RCA adapter (and unearthed). Considering the low price I’m genuinely surprised at the sound from it. I’m no expert audiophile, but I really can’t tell much difference between this and the more expensive Pro-Ject phono preamp.
I’ve connected the turntable to my Beocenter 8500 to compare with that too. The level is a bit higher on that so I don’t have to increase the volume as much as I do on the Beosound 4, but again, I wouldn’t say the sound quality is noticeably better.
Currently listening to GMF by John Grant on it. John’s rich voice coming across beautifully.
And you could possibly add the BV8 instead of the BL1611. Just use a suitable lead to connect the WIIM Pro to one of the BV’s SCART inputs, setup the input accordingly in the BV8 menu and the ML system should distribute the audio as a video source. With the correct TV option setting, when accessed from the BL3500 or BS4 it should just turn on with a muted screen when distributing the SCART audio over ML. EDIT: I just checked the BV8 manual – you may be able to use the BV8’s AV3 composite input for the WIIM Pro (just the L&R audio phono socket inputs) in which case you would not need an adaptor. I can’t be 100% sure that this input is distributed over ML, but I see not reason why not.
You were right – it worked! The AV3 input on my BV8 is already in use but I did happen to have an RCA to Scart adapter, so I have connected it, set that input as V-Mem, and added both AV and LINK-AV to the LIST button commands on my Beo4. If I hit AV then V.TAPE, I get my WIIM Pro playing through the BL6000s connected to my Beosound 4. If however I hit LINK-AV then V.TAPE, I get the WIIM Pro playing through the BL3500. The BV8 standby light un-dims (I guess that’s it’s way of telling me it’s doing something), but the screen remains off. If I then hit the red button on the Beo4, the BL3500 switches off, and the BV8 standby light goes dim, indicating it is back in ‘proper’ standby.
This is an excellent solution – I don’t need to us the 1611 or 1614, and it means the A.AUX input of the Beosound 4 is now exclusively available to connect my Beogram. I would not listen to vinyl through the BL3500, so it’s no big deal that I there is no L-A.AUX button available via the Beo4 LIST button (without buying a newer Beo4, anyway).
It’s amazing what can be done with ML. This is brilliant, thank you.
Ah – turns out I already had the right cable for that (I never throw a cable out) and you’re right, it works. It would mean I could not have my BV8 TV as part of the ML network but I’m not really all that bothered about that – I don’t use it much anyway. Also means I can get the WIIM Pro to play on the BL3500 of course, so it’s a good solution, thanks!
Not sure I know how to achieve the above to be honest – how would I get it to recognise my WIIM Pro as a video source? Also would this mean re-wiring the DIN socket?
Bit of an update too – because the Beosound 4 has only one A.Aux input, I planned to connect the WIIM Pro to that, then connect my Beogram (via a phono stage) to the Aux input of the WIIM Pro. This seemed a good idea as the WIIM Pro switches to its own Aux input if it detects a signal from that. However, I found the sound quality is terrible playing vinyl on that setup – I suspect it’s because the WIIM Pro Aux input has a maximum input level of 1 vrms. I think my Pro-Ject Phono Box phono stage has a higher output level (although the manual doesn’t seem to specify). If I connect the phono stage directly to the A.Aux input of the BS4, it sounds fine, so the signal going through the WIIM Pro is definitely the issue.
I’m also getting a noticeable amount of speaker hum when I play vinyl, which I don’t get if I connect that same Beogram to my Beocenter 8500. I expect this is because the DIN socket on the Beocenter earths the Beogram, but connecting it via a standard DIN adapter and then to RCA – there’s no earth. I have borrowed the Pro-Ject phono stage from another room though and it needs to return there, so I’ve ordered a new phono stage which takes 5 pin DIN inputs (link), with earth. It’s only very cheap compared to the Pro-Ject one I already have but it does get good reviews, so worth a try. If it’s no good I’ll return it and get another decent phono stage (Pro-Ject, or NAD) and one of these so I can earth the Beogram.
This BL3500 is currently connected to my BS4, not my BC8500. The BL3500 can work on the BC8500 using Tape2, but of course the BS4 has no Tape2, just that one A.Aux input. I just tried the above anyway just in case, but none of the Link input options on my Beo4 resulted in the BL3500 switching to A.Aux.
The only way I have found to get the BL3500 into A.Aux mode is to switch the BS4 to A.Aux mode, then switch the BL3500 on using the physical Mute button next to the display. I can then mute the BS4 if I only want the sound from the BL3500. It works, but it’s not very practical!
Looks like a newer remote is the answer then (and yes, I did mean the modern Beoremote One.
I really would like to put my Beolab 3500 into A.Aux easily, and I can’t do that with either of my Beo4 remotes, as they are earlier models (mk2 I think, with software version 4.4) and therefore don’t have L-A.Aux as an option, and can’t be sent to exclusive Link mode. My Beolab 3500 is almost exclusively used to listen to my WIIM Pro streamer, which is connected to A.Aux.
I can use my Beolink 1000 for that (Link>Shift>Radio) but my Beolink 1000 does not belong in that room, and it has other limitations when using it with a Beolab 3500.
So, would a Beoremote 1 work for this? I’ve found the manual online and it does say it can act like a Beo4, but the manual does not go into the greater details, and I cannot find a lexicon for it.
Also would a Beo5 or Beo6 work for this?
I know that a later Beo4 with the Nav button would work, but they demand a high price on eBay – you can actually bet a Beoremote for about the same price, and a Beo5 much cheaper if you’re lucky on eBay.
Ah, there’s a couple of bits I need from Beoparts shop (now: Danish Sound Parts) anyway so I may as well add those to the order – thanks.
I know a transformer will hum of course, it was just that it was loud enough to hear in a quiet room. Only just, but you can hear it if your near it.
Edit by Dillen
-
This reply was modified 1 week, 3 days ago by
Dillen.
You do like a good experiment don’t you @Madskp! I have both a 1611 and a 1614, but my MCL2AV did break a little while ago. I am looking out for another one.
I was able to try it again when the kitchen fitters downstairs had stopped for a brew and it was quiet! I would not say the sound disappears completely when I lift it up, but it does definitely lessen. While the rubber feet are still there on the underside, they are quite flat and have probably lost a lot of their original softness. I do have some 3M adhesive rubber feet so I’ll put some of those on tonight when it’s properly quiet in the house, and try it again. Thanks for the advice.
Yes I tried that suggestion you made, but it’s the same, the Beogram does not respond. I don’t think there is a way to do this then. It’s no big deal, I just enjoy trying to figure out what’s possible!
Actually it is back left sorry, I was looking at it from the back at the time! It still has it’s rubber feet. Right now I can’t hear the noise at all (I’m hoping it’s just magically gone away!), but I’ll listen again closely tonight when the house is quieter. We’re having some work done at the moment in the kitchen so it’s quite noisy right now.
Ypou’re rifght – it doenslt work. I donlt yet have the adadter to connect my BG3000, but I didn connect the BG3000 to the 1614 via A.Aux link plug, then to my BS4 via Masterlink, just to test if there was any Datalink compatibility. There was not – if I pressed Phono on the Beo4 the BS4 came on (but in N.Radio, of course), but the turntable did not activate.
As for th alternarive possible MCL2AV solution you give – I did have an MCL2AV only recently but had to return it to the seller as it failed after a short while. Madskp’s diagram does have a note bottom-right though saying this solution would not work if a Beosound was used as the audio master, soi I assume Madskp means that my Beosound 4 is not an alternative to a Beoport in this case.
That only goes to prove I spend too much time here! Thanks.
The most recently posts from this thread seems to have disappeared? Anyway, in one of those missing posts one of you (can’t remember who sorry) mentioned the datalink-compatible phono stage available from Oneremote (https://shop.oneremote.dk/shop/69068-riaa-amplifier/). I have also found this one on Iconic AV (https://www.iconic-av.co.uk/item/1321/RIAA+Pre-Amplifier+with+Datalink+for+BeoGrams/) that has the advantage of having phono input/output as well as 7 pin DIN. It’s cheaper than the Oneremote device, but strangely there only seems to be an option to ‘Enquire’ on the page rather than ‘Buy’. I’ve sent them an enquiry to see if it is still available.
That Oneremote preamp has given me an idea but I’d be surprised if it works. The Beosound 4 has one disappointing feature – it only has standard RCA aux input, so no Beolink/Audio Aux Link.
I do have a 1614 converter going spare though. Do you think if connected my BG3000 to the Oneremote device, then to the 1614 converter via A.Aux link cable, then to the BS4 via Masterlink, then I would be able to control my BG3000 via remote control?
Probably too much to hope for!
-
AuthorPosts
