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Beogram history

Record players, still playing beautifully

Gramophone, turntable or record player, all words for one and the same thing: a device that continues to inspire after decades.

Image of Beogram 4000c in Champagne

1929, the year of our first turntable 

A unique radio device, a powerful speaker and a gramophone with an electric pickup all in one system. The first turntable was designed in 1929 for people who were adopting a new medium, to listen and dance to recorded music in their own home. And it became so iconic that it ended up replacing the fireplace as the centre piece of the living room.  

Playing pre-recorded tunes

For the first time, music and voice could be recorded and played at home again and again. More gramophone designs were launched the years after integrated in B&O sound systems. The advancements in technology meant that a record stores 3 to 4 minutes of music on each side, which set the precedents for the music industry.

Later, the LP appeared, storing more and higher quality music, with several tracks on each side. Bang & Olufsen engineers then presented new developments: first, a stereo pickup for the two signals in a record. And later, the belt drive. These allowed for the creation of more lightweight and sophisticated turntables.

All these innovations came together in the launch of Beogram 1000 in the 1950s, designed by Ib Fabianses. Beogram 1000 is still one of our most popular and best-selling turntables on records.

Close up detail image of Beogram 4000c tonearm

The Beogram Tone arm, user-centric innovation

The turntable Beogram 4000 included innovative features. The newly designed core, suspended on leaf springs, allowed people to dance around it without disruptions. A smart and fully automated operation registered the size of the record, so the tone arm could adjust to it. And the tangential arm, reproduced the same quality as in the making of the master record. All for perfect sound reproduction, with minimum record wear. 

Beogram 4000c design

The timeless design of Beogram 4000

Our timeless journey started long ago - it was already in Beogram 4000’s DNA. In 1972 Jacob Jensen designed this iconic record player using aluminium and wooden surfaces. Timeless, durable materials were one key aspect of this turntable’s success, and it became one of the world’s most awarded industrial designs.

Image of Beogram 4000c in Champagne/Light Oak from the top with white background

A new life: Recreated Classics

In celebration of Bang & Olufsen's 95th birthday on November 17, 2020, we launched a limited series known as the Beogram 4000c Recreated Classic Edition. This special edition pays homage to the original model's outstanding longevity, user-centric design, and high performance.

We successfully revitalized a 50-year-old product, and turned it into a new, vibrant, record player fit for today’s use. This has sparked a new interest in restoring and repairing classic products, especially among our customers.

 Beogram 4000c testing

Restoring pre-loved sound

From the creation of the Beolink system in the 1980s, an innovative concept that promoted linking or combining classic and new products in one sound system, there is a sparked interest in updating and repairing, rather than discarding, much loved Bang & Olufsen products.

Today, many enthusiasts are looking out for products from the 60s, 70s and beyond, which are still present in some households. Even Bang & Olufsen retailers sell pre-loved, repaired products with a guarantee beside their regular business, and fix old record players and other favourites. Components, product build and materials of high quality that have been our hallmark, stand the test of time. You can contact our stores to learn more about their product range.

Focus on sustainability

Caring for the environment has been in our DNA. We use aluminium and other materials that can be recycled, helping to reduce the environmental impact of our products.

This has been characteristic of the approach to developing new products at Bang & Olufsen, with the Cradle-to-Cradle Certification as the most recent initiative. It is a commitment to a more sustainable design, where we explore how we can avoid waste by introducing a replaceable, customizable and upgradeable approach to electronic products.

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