Bang & Olufsen has reissued one of its most iconic product designs, the Beogram 4000 series turntable, as a limited collector’s edition.
The Beogram 4000c Recreated Limited Edition is the first product to be released in the company’s new Classics line: restoring and reimagining classic products, as a demonstration of ‘the timelessness of Bang & Olufsen’s capabilities within sound, design, and craftsmanship.’
“The Classics initiative was born out of Bang & Olufsen’s commitment to longevity, which ensures relevance for our customers many years after buying our products”, says Mads Kogsgaard Hansen who leads the project at Bang & Olufsen. “In a world of consumer electronics, most products are regarded as disposable commodities. At Bang & Olufsen, our products are built to stand the test of time. That is what differentiates us as a brand, what the Beogram 4000c so beautifully embodies and what we want to build on in the future.”
The Beogram 4000c Recreated Limited Edition is the first product to be released in the company’s new Classics initiative…
The 4000c celebrates a design classic
Originally issued in the early 1970s, Bang & Olufsen has taken 95 units of the Beogram 4000 series turntable and brought them back home to Struer, Denmark (the same facility where they were first created nearly five decades ago).
Here they have been disassembled and cleaned, with new parts added as necessary, from the smallest ball bearings all the way up to the drive belt, effectively giving them a whole new lease of life.
The aim of the exercise is to ensure this Beogram 4000c Recreated Limited Edition looks and feels like the original. The aluminium has been polished and anodised in a warmer champagne tone, giving the surface a subtle glow. A new hand-crafted solid oak frame is used to enhance the visual warmth of the product. Finally, a new dust lid offers protection when not in use. The result is very much an iconic addition to home decor.
“We wanted to create new design elements to enhance the original beauty of the Beogram 4000 Series. From the champagne-coloured aluminium tone to the hand-crafted wooden frame to the updated finish on the touch-sensitive control panel, we have given the product a modern facelift while maintaining the integrity of the original.”
Once this painstaking restoration is complete, every Beogram is individually tested and fine-tuned to meet Bang & Olufsen’s exacting specifications.
“We have applied the same passion, precision, and care to this restoration as you would to any masterpiece,” says Mads Kogsgaard Hansen. “Our goal is to reveal the essence of the original, while breathing new life into the product, allowing it to be enjoyed for decades to come”, says Mads Kogsgaard Hansen.
The Tangential tonearm tracks vinyl records uniformly to their centre
The Beogram 4000 was distinguished by its Tangential tonearm. On most record players, the tonearm pivots inward, causing the stylus to apply unwanted pressure on the record, which can result in sound distortion. On Beogram 4000, the entire tonearm assembly moves uniformly toward the center of the record, keeping the stylus in a consistent position relative to the groove in the vinyl.
So-called tangential tracking allows the record to be played back in the same manner that the master disc was cut, providing a more faithful acoustic experience. Building on the pattern of future-proof design, Bang & Olufsen has added a modern stylus to the tonearm, albeit one based on the product’s original specifications.
When Beogram 4000 was first created in the early 1970s, the original design team sought to make an obsolescence-proof product by leaving space in the internal architecture for additional technology upgrades. In the restoration process, Bang & Olufsen’s engineers have taken advantage of this foresight and added an RIAA phono pre-amplifier, so that the turntable can be connected to modern speakers using a phono or 3.5mm line-level connection. This provides customers with seamless integration between Beogram 4000c and Bang & Olufsen’s entire range of home speakers.
The Beogram 4000c Recreated Limited Edition sells for £9,000, and as befits Bang & Olufsen’s 95th year, will be available in only 95 numbered units. The turntables will be showcased at selected Bang & Olufsen stores worldwide from this week, and will be available to buy from October 19.
The Luxe Review 
Bang & Olufsen has reissued one of its most iconic product designs, the Beogram 4000 series turntable, as a limited collector’s edition.
The Beogram 4000c Recreated Limited Edition is the first product to be released in the company’s new Classics line: restoring and reimagining classic products, as a demonstration of ‘the timelessness of Bang & Olufsen’s capabilities within sound, design, and craftsmanship.’
“The Classics initiative was born out of Bang & Olufsen’s commitment to longevity, which ensures relevance for our customers many years after buying our products”, says Mads Kogsgaard Hansen who leads the project at Bang & Olufsen. “In a world of consumer electronics, most products are regarded as disposable commodities. At Bang & Olufsen, our products are built to stand the test of time. That is what differentiates us as a brand, what the Beogram 4000c so beautifully embodies and what we want to build on in the future.”
Originally issued in the early 1970s, Bang & Olufsen has taken 95 units of the Beogram 4000 series turntable and brought them back home to Struer, Denmark (the same facility where they were first created nearly five decades ago).
Here they have been disassembled and cleaned, with new parts added as necessary, from the smallest ball bearings all the way up to the drive belt, effectively giving them a whole new lease of life.
The aim of the exercise is to ensure this Beogram 4000c Recreated Limited Edition looks and feels like the original. The aluminium has been polished and anodised in a warmer champagne tone, giving the surface a subtle glow. A new hand-crafted solid oak frame is used to enhance the visual warmth of the product. Finally, a new dust lid offers protection when not in use. The result is very much an iconic addition to home decor.
“We wanted to create new design elements to enhance the original beauty of the Beogram 4000 Series. From the champagne-coloured aluminium tone to the hand-crafted wooden frame to the updated finish on the touch-sensitive control panel, we have given the product a modern facelift while maintaining the integrity of the original.”
Once this painstaking restoration is complete, every Beogram is individually tested and fine-tuned to meet Bang & Olufsen’s exacting specifications.
“We have applied the same passion, precision, and care to this restoration as you would to any masterpiece,” says Mads Kogsgaard Hansen. “Our goal is to reveal the essence of the original, while breathing new life into the product, allowing it to be enjoyed for decades to come”, says Mads Kogsgaard Hansen.
The Beogram 4000 was distinguished by its Tangential tonearm. On most record players, the tonearm pivots inward, causing the stylus to apply unwanted pressure on the record, which can result in sound distortion. On Beogram 4000, the entire tonearm assembly moves uniformly toward the center of the record, keeping the stylus in a consistent position relative to the groove in the vinyl.
So-called tangential tracking allows the record to be played back in the same manner that the master disc was cut, providing a more faithful acoustic experience. Building on the pattern of future-proof design, Bang & Olufsen has added a modern stylus to the tonearm, albeit one based on the product’s original specifications.
When Beogram 4000 was first created in the early 1970s, the original design team sought to make an obsolescence-proof product by leaving space in the internal architecture for additional technology upgrades. In the restoration process, Bang & Olufsen’s engineers have taken advantage of this foresight and added an RIAA phono pre-amplifier, so that the turntable can be connected to modern speakers using a phono or 3.5mm line-level connection. This provides customers with seamless integration between Beogram 4000c and Bang & Olufsen’s entire range of home speakers.
The Beogram 4000c Recreated Limited Edition sells for £9,000, and as befits Bang & Olufsen’s 95th year, will be available in only 95 numbered units. The turntables will be showcased at selected Bang & Olufsen stores worldwide from this week, and will be available to buy from October 19.
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