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B&O, overpriced artistic piece of audio?

I have always had some sort of fascination to all things nifty and modern looking. Since 1982, before coming to this country, I was able to look into a B&O advertisement page in the NYTimes. Are B&Os a compromise sonically compared to my current system (Preamp SFL-2, Amp, Sonic Frontiers Power 2, speakers Gershman X-1 and Sw-1 subwoofers, Japanese DVD+Bel Canto DAC-1, Tuner MCintosh Mr-78)? Can I be enamoured just for the looks and this sense of nostalgia or should I simply say that B&O does conquer sonically? PAUL
bemopti123
jeffloistarca
1,004 posts
 
B&O, in my experience, are extremely overpriced and have questionable reliability. Yeah, the stuff looks cool alright, but in my mind are simply European-styled Bose. IMHO, you'd take quite a step down changing your current gear for B&0. If you're itching to throw some bucks at your hobby (which I understand completely), I'd suggest a quality turntable and phono step up. ATB, Jeff
mattman
61 posts
 
Paul, it sounds like you have a nice system. I agree with Jeffloistarca that you would be stepping down. B&O is kind of like Bose in that it will impress non-audiophiles with it's looks. I would guess that your system would kill a B&O system.
rgd
656 posts
 
While impressive in looks and moderately OK in sonics B&O gear has always impressed those who are looking to impress. You have a very nice system that is heads & shoulders above B&O (IMHO).
dekay's avatar
dekay
5,602 posts
 
Your system if set up properly should be sonically superior to B&O. If you really like the looks of B&O (I will admit that I have liked some of their turntables of which I have owned a few as well as a pair of Beovox 5700 loudspeakers in the 70's) you may want to consider having a "token" piece in your system. Since you do not have a turntable I would suggest a 4002 linear tracking turntable, their finest visual classic design IMO and also present in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection. Cartridges are a little rare but findable as are repairs if needed, and it is a decent sounding turntable. They generally sell for 400.00 or more used plus add the expense of having it checked out and restored/cleaned if necessary. I believe that the cartridge was the MMC4 (not certain) and that they may go for $125.00 - $200.00 (again not certain, but I seem to remember these price ranges from Ebay.
sedond
1,387 posts
 
your present system will absolutely *CRUSH* any b&o system. kinda like wondering if a ferrari is more fun to drive than a ford taurus: yup, just a *little*... ;~) also, i disagree w/spending $400 on a b&o turntable - get something befitting your current system. lotsa nice used 'tables in that price-range like systemdek, ar, cj walker, rega, sumiko, etc. again, these will crush the b&o table in sound-quality. doug
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