Bang & Olufsen (B&O) has announced the release of the Beogram 4000c Recreated Limited Edition turntable. We had already talked about the project behind this product in September, on the occasion of the first announcements made by the Danish brand. The Beogram is the first device to be part of the Classics line, aimed at restoring and reinventing the classic pieces of the historic Bang & Olufsen catalog.
The limited-edition started with the original turntables designed by Jacob Jensen in the 1970s. 95 specimens have been identified and brought to Struer in Denmark, at the same laboratory where they were created 50 years ago. A team of engineers took apart and inspected all products to clean components and add new parts (ball bearings or drive belts) where needed. The process served to ensure lasting performance and ended with an individual testing phase to fine-tune the performance.
The work done at the design level includes polishing the aluminum which has been anodized to a warmer champagne shade, a trick chosen to give the surface a delicate shine. The wooden frame has been renewed and is now made of hand-crafted solid oak. Finally, a new dust cover has been added.
For the internal components, the engineers relied on the architecture developed at the time to be proof of obsolescence. The designers of the 70s had in fact left room for any future updates. The renewed version can count on a phono preamp with RIIA equalization (established by the Recording Industry Association of America). The turntable can be integrated with the full range of B&O loudspeakers directly or via Beosound Core (other audio systems can of course also be used).
The latest changes have been made to the automated tangential arm. This component works differently than most turntables, where the tonearm rotates inward to rest on the record. In the Beogram it is the whole group of arm components that move uniformly towards the center of the record; in this way, the head is in a position more coincident with the groove of the vinyl. A new head has been installed on the new limited edition which follows and improves upon the specifications of the original product.
Beogram 4000c Recreated Limited Edition will be available in 95 numbered units. The products will be showcased in select Bang & Olufsen stores around the world starting October 12. From 19 October the products will be freely available for purchase at a price of 10,000 euros.
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Mads Kogsgaard Hansen , leading the project, said:
The Classics initiative was born out of Bang & Olufsen’s commitment to preserve the longevity of products, to offer our customers an item of value even many years after purchase. In the world of consumer electronics, most products are considered to be disposable. At Bang & Olufsen, our products are built to stand the test of time. This is what differentiates us as a brand, what Beogram 4000c embodies so beautifully and what we want to invest in in the future. For this restoration we have put the same passion, precision and care that one might expect for any masterpiece. Our goal is to reveal the essence of the original, giving new life to the product and allowing it to be enjoyed for decades to come.