BeoCenter 7000

By the late seventies and early eighties, Bang & Olufsen had turned the tide and through its designer Jacob Jensen and its excellent R&D group had released a number of important and high-quality music systems, all grabbing for attention. Beocenter 7000 was just one of these all-singing, all-dancing compact music systems offerering a hefty 2×40 watts of power. Not only that, it gave users the opportunity of using it remotely by way of its dedicated remote control.

Five FM stations could be preset on the radio, with a further free-tuning control, giving six preset radio stations in total. There were also LW and MW wavebands included.

The cassette deck was fully programmable and included Dolby B NR as standard. Chrom Dioxid tapes could be played when the centre sensed them automatically.

The record deck was a mixture of both the Beogram 1700 and Beogram 1902 (the latter from which it borrowed its arm) with an MMC 20E cartridge fitted.

There was an onboard clock and a timer facility allowing programming of one programme within a 24-hour period.

Electronics within the Beocentre 7000 permitted compatibility with the multi-room audio-only Master Control Link 82 system allowing for music around the house. This very first link system was based upon the newly-developed MCL concept. Four years’ later Beosystem 5500 (developed from the two-way Beosystem 5000) took this concept further and was the very first range of MCL-enabled products to feature Beo4 codes and which was operated via a Beolink 1000 remote control. That same year MCL2 was introduced using the same 8mm passive cable but which could incorporate video signals as well.

A System Cabinet: SC50 was available to display Beocentre 7000 to its full effect. In 1979 the Beocenter was chosen by New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) to be included within their Design Collection.

The music centre was subsequently updated and released as the Beocenter 7700.

BeoCenter 7000 technical specifications

Types:
1801 (1979 - Dec 1980)
US 1803 (1979 - Jan 1983)

Continuous power output per channel 30 W at 4 ohms
30 W at 8 ohms
Rated band width 20 - 20,000 Hz
Total harmonic distortion < 0.15%
IHF intermodulation < 0.15%
FM tuner range 87.5 - 108 MHz

Record player:
Pickup MMC 20 EN Stylus elliptical naked diamond
Recommended stylus pressure 12 mN / 1.2 g
Frequency range 20 - 20,000 Hz +/- 2 dB
Wow and flutter DIN < +/- 0.09 %
Rumble weighted > 65 dB
Rumble unweighted > 45 dB

Tape recorder:
Wow and flutter < +/- 0.09 %
Speed deviation < +/- 1.5 %
Frequency range chrom-metal 30 - 16,000 Hz
Signal-to-nosie ratio Metal Dolby NR > 66 dB
Metal > 59 dB
Chrome Dolby NR > 64 dB
Chrome > 57 dB
Power supply 1801: 220V
1803: 120V

Power consumption: 20 - 250 W
Dimensions W x H x D: 72 x 9.5 x 38cm
Weight 16.5 kg