Beocord 8000 family

(1981-1982) Stereo cassette deck, Dolby B NR, Datalink

Type numbers: 4832, 4834, 4835, 4836, 4837

The Beocord 6000 was the matching cassette deck for the Beomaster 6000, and so was visually distinguishable by its black plastic keys (as opposed to the silver metal ones fitted to the Beocord 8000 range) in order to match the Beomaster exactly. Technically the Beocord 6000 was exactly the same as the Beocord 8000, but was only offered after the 8000 had been replaced by the HX-Pro equipped Beocord 8002, thus preserving the important difference in quality between the 6000 and 8000 ranges. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

(1981) Stereo cassette deck, Dolby B NR, Datalink

Type numbers: 4822, 4823, 4824, 4825, 4826, 4827

When it was launched, this machine was the top of the Beocord range. It replaced Beocord 5000, and was completely new in electronic, mechanical and aesthetic respects. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

In some ways the introduction of Beocord 8000 was sad as the mechanical parts of Beocord 5000, which B&O had designed and produced themselves, were not carried over. Instead, a new Japanese mechanism with one DC motor and three solenoids was employed. The same type was also used in the Beocenter 7000 series music centres and the Beocord 6000, but only those mechanisms which when tested were found to be the very best were used for Beocord 8000. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

Beocord 8000’s most interesting technical feature was the tape counter, which gave a direct reading in minutes and seconds. This had been seen before on professional open reel recorders, but was usually based on a recorded timecode, and so would only work with tapes from that recorder. The system used in Beocord 8000 used a microprocessor to first calculate the thickness of the tape and the size of the cassette hubs, then use this information to work out the elapsed time from the number of take up spool rotations. When a cassette was inserted, it was first necessary to allow the machine to perform the measurement. Pressing the “go” key would first initiate a rewind to the start of the tape, followed by a few seconds in playback mode. As the capstan speed was known and the take up spool was also known to be empty, this part of the process determined the hub size. Next, and fully automatically, the tape would wind forward a fixed number of take up rotations, and again play for a short while. This allowed the tape thickness to be measured. The final part of the process was for the tape to wind back to the position it was in when “go” was pressed, and for playback to resume from that point. During this process the output was muted, so there were no bursts of music during the playback phases. This process was completely automatic and only required one keystroke to start. In addition, it was not necessary to enter the tape length, and even non-standard tape lengths could be accurately measured. Pressing 0, “go” had much the same effect, but in this case the playback would commence from the beginning of the cassette. The measurements were stored in the memory until the cassette was removed from the machine. As a further refinement, the numbered keys on the front panel could be used to enter the desired time of a particular item on the tape, and then the tape would be automatically wound to that point. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

In the following years, other makers offered similar systems, but in most cases accurate time measurement ceased if the tape was wound forward or back at any point, a limitation not present on Beocord 8000. If the adjustment process was not completed, then the counter would first register in “units”, but after sustained recording or playback a time display would appear, but this would be cancelled if the tape was wound in either direction. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

The microprocessor that made the real time counter possible was also used to provide a digital clock for timer recording. In normal use the clock did not show on the display, but it could be programmed to start the tape either playing back or recording any time in the next 24 hours. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

While the novelty of full microprocessor control was certainly the main area of interest, it did not detract from the fact that Beocord 8000 was also an excellent tape recorder with performance well up to the standard set by previous models. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

(1982) Stereo cassette deck, Dolby B HX Pro NR, Datalink

Type numbers: 4841, 4842, 4843, 4844, 4845, 4846, 4847

The second generation of this series of tape recorders, replacing Beocord 8000, introduced a new type of recording system which B&O would later licence to other manufacturers all over the world. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

The HX Pro (Headroom eXpansion) system worked by adjusting the depth of the bias current during recording, so that when a strong signal was recorded, the bias level favoured a wide frequency range, and when a weaker signal was recorded low background noise was the priority. The improvement in performance was certainly worthwhile, and all types of tapes and recordings benefited from the process. In particular it enabled really good recordings to be made of ferric tape, useful for making cassettes for the car players of the day, few of which offered the correct equalisation for chrome. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

Another addition was that Metal particle tapes could be used. Since the standard for the sensing hole had not yet been fully agreed by all the cassette makers, both automatic and manual means of selecting the Metal position were fitted. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

(1982-1986) Stereo cassette deck, Dolby HX Pro/B/C NR, CCC, Datalink

Type numbers: 4811, 4812, 4813, 4814, 4815, 4816, 4817

The Beocord 9000 was initially offered alongside the Beocord 8002 and 6000 as an alternative offering even higher performance for the serious cassette user. Visually very similar to both these models, it could be identified visually by an extra black band (housing the indicator lamps for tape type and “record open”) across the aluminium lid. It could also be observed that half the keys were black and half silver, so that the Beocord 9000 could match both the Beomaster 8000 (silver keys) and the Beomaster 6000 (black keys). This could not be regarded as a complete styling success, as it meant that of course it matched neither model properly!

The Beocord 9000 offered a number of extra features over the 8002 and 6000, and despite looking similar both inside and out, the 9000 was massively more complicated and very few parts were interchangeable. Principle amongst these features was the CCC (computer controlled calibration) system, which optimised bias, equalisation, sensitivity and VU meter calibration for any cassette automatically. To be able to do this in a reasonable amount of time, 3 heads were fitted, the record and replay heads being mounted in a common housing (unlike the earlier 3 head version of the Beocord 5000). The computer controlled a built in signal generator and attenuator system which recorded a short toneburst on the tape, measured the results and set itself accordingly to make quality recordings. A maximum bandwidth of 22KHz was claimed, the best ever for a cassette Beocord. The winding of the tape, recording and playback that was required for the calibration process took place automatically, and could be combined with the measurements for the real-time tape counter (like that fitted to the rest of the models in this series) if desired. As the playback channel was used in the CCC process, it was required to be particularly accurate. Complex adjustments were required to match the electronics to the head, and the value of one particular capacitor had to be decided upon by measurement. The CCC system could even use Ferrichrome tape, something that no other Beocord was optimised to do. Ferrichome was unusual in Europe, so a Sony tape was recommended for this position. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

Despite the automation of the recording process that CCC was capable of, the adjustment of the recording level was still manual only, with no option of automatic level control. The two sliders were placed under the cassette lid and were identical to those fitted to the other models in the series. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

Another new and unique feature was the Dolby C type noise reduction. This technique was capable of 20dB of noise reduction, as opposed to 10dB with Dolby B. The noise reduction circuit was very complex and used 12 integrated circuits. There were also changes made to the input amplifier, which offered a sensitivity switch (DIN/line) like the 8002, but it was the gain of the amplifier, rather than just its input matching, that was altered in the 9000 version, a far more satisfactory arrangement. The stereo microphone amplifier was left mostly unchanged, but the DIN socket on the front of the machine was supplemented by a ¼" jack socket, though it is not clear exactly why. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

Mechanically there were few alterations to the excellent Japanese cassette transport that was fitted to all these models (and the Beocenter 7000 range). The differences were that of course 3 heads were fitted and that an extra reel sensor was added, monitoring the supply spool. This had two functions: Firstly, it allowed a “tape end” mode to be added to the real-time counter. During recording, once the tape was within 10 minutes of its end, the time display would alternate between “time used” and “time remaining (and remain on “time remaining” for the last minute or so). This system of course required further calibration when the tape was inserted, and this could only be done in “record open” mode. The second function of the additional reel sensor was to allow the spools to be slowed down during winding as the end of the tape became near. A special two-speed motor was needed to do this, and while the system was undoubtedly more gentle with cassettes that the other models that used this deck, there was never really a problem with these snapping tapes anyway!

Uniquely, the Beocord 9000 user was encouraged to adjust the head azimuth of the machine to match whatever tapes were being played. A hole by the cassette tray allowed access to the screw, which had a finer thread than was usual to aid accurate setting. A non-magnetic screwdriver was provided to make the adjustment (the same type that was included with pickups for tightening the fixing screws), as was an alignment tape, recorded on a top quality TDK MA-R cassette, so that the settings could be returned to their original position. Early versions of the alignment tape had a single 12.5KHz tone recorded on them, later ones had “white noise”, as this was found easier to use. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

The Beocord 9000 provided the highest possible quality for those demanding it. It was very expensive (a popular British magazine stated that it was the most expensive single capstan domestic cassette deck on the market) and complicated, but remained available until 1986 when the Beomaster 6000 and Beocord 8004 were withdrawn. It changed only when the Dolby C equipped Beocord 8004 was introduced, when the 9000 was fitted with a new (and far simpler) Dolby circuit comprised of just two specialised integrated circuits from Hitachi. The same printed panel was fitted to the 8004 and the same circuit was used in the new Beocord 5000. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

While the Beocord 9000 was a technical triumph and a highpoint in cassette deck engineering, it did not have any real influence in the design of future Beocords. CCC and the real time counter were quietly dropped when it was deleted from the range, and Dolby C never really caught on either. The standardisation of cassette tapes by the IEC made CCC largely redundant, and as a top quality “no compromise” machine, Beocord 9000 was not replaced by another model. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

(1983-1984) Stereo cassette deck, HX Pro, Dolby B NR, Datalink

Type numbers: 4852, 4854, 4855, 4857

This new model replaced the Beocord 6000 as the companion cassette deck for the Beomaster 6000. Again, the same trick had been played, as the Dolby C equipped Beocord 8004 replaced the 8002, the 8002 became the Beocord 6002, the two machines being technically identical. This would not be done again however. As the “Beolab” range was slimmed down and the Beomaster 8000 deleted, the Beocord 8004 (or 9000) became the cassette deck choices for the “Beosystem 6000” (as it was known at this stage), but there was no fiddling around with the numbers. It was thus possible to have a Beosystem 6000 comprising Beomaster 6000, Beogram 8002 and Beocord 8004!

(1983-1986) Stereo cassette deck, Dolby B/C HX Pro NR, Datalink

Type numbers: 4862, 4864, 4865, 4867

This final development of the Beocord 8000 range offered Dolby C NR in addition to the B type fitted to previous models. Dolby C did not prove very popular, certainly pre-recorded tapes were never encoded this way, and few other recorders offered it. This limited the usefulness of the system then to making good recordings to be played back on the Beocord 8004 itself only, even the lesser models in B&O’s own range did not have Dolby C decoders. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

The end of Beocord 8004 production marked the end of the series, though by this time the Beocord 5000 had appeared, but even though this offered Dolby B and C, and the HX Pro system, this is the last that would be seen of the real time tape counter, direct access to any time on the cassette and the built in programming facility. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.