The Beocenter 3600 introduced a compact, integrated music center that combined a cassette deck, radio tuner, and turntable. This marked a significant addition to Bang & Olufsen’s product lineup. While all-in-one systems were common among other brands, B&O’s entry added prestige to the format.
B&O based the Beocenter 3600 on the Beocenter 1800, incorporating components from the Beolab 1700, Beomaster 1700, and Beogram 1100. They made the front panel slightly taller to fit the tape deck, and they anodized the deck and platter in black. Despite the high-quality aluminum construction, some angles made it look like black plastic, similar to lower-end brands.
The amplifier, tuner, and turntable delivered solid performance with features like an integrated FM stereo decoder, four pre-set stations, and Automatic Frequency Control (AFC). Although it had limited power, pairing it with recommended Beovox S 22 or S 30 speakers, which had to be purchased separately, provided a strong audio experience. The turntable operated fully automatically and featured the MMC 3000 pickup cartridge, ensuring high-fidelity sound.
B&O significantly improved the cassette deck by drawing inspiration from the Beocord 1100. They created a compact, feature-rich assembly that included Dolby B Noise Reduction, chrome tape support, electronic auto-stop, a mono microphone amplifier, and their first LED level indicator. These enhancements far exceeded those in earlier models like the Beocenter 1400, 1500, and 1600. While it didn’t match the high-end “High Fidelity” range, the Beocenter 3600 offered superior performance compared to typical music centers.
B&O later replaced the Beocenter 3600 with the Beocenter 4600, retaining the successful cassette section with minimal changes.
Model Information
Type Numbers: 2611 (1974 – February 1977)
Designer: Jacob Jensen
Manufactured: 1974 – 1977
Color Options: Black
Amplifier Specifications
Output Power
2 x 22W (RMS) at 4 ohms
2x 19 W (RMS) at 8 ohms
2 x 40 W(music power) at 4 ohms
2 x 25 W (music power) at 8 ohms
Speaker Impedance: 4 ohms
Distortion:
Harmonic distortion at 1000 Hz (50 mW DIN): < 0.1%
DIN 45 500 (40 – 12,500 Hz): < 0.3%
Intermodulation (DIN 45 500): < 1%
Frequency Range: ± 1.5 dB (DIN 45 500): 20 – 30,000 Hz
FM Tuner Specifications
• Tuner Range: 87.5 – 108 MHz
Record Player Specifications
Speeds: 33 – 45 RPM
Pickup Cartridge: MMC 3000
Stylus Type: Spherical diamond
Radius of Curvature: 15 µm
Frequency Range: 16 – 25,000 Hz
Recommended Stylus Pressure: 1.2 g
Automatic Features
• Automatic pickup movement: Yes
• Automatic speed selection: Yes
Performance Metrics
Wow and Flutter
• DIN: < ± 0.12%
• WRMS: < ± 0.06%
Rumble:
• DIN Unweighted: > 37 dB
• DIN Weighted: > 60 dB
Speed Deviation: < 0.1%
Speed Dial Stroboscope, 120 mm
Stylus Pressure Range: 0 – 2.5 g
Anti-Skating Feature: Yes
Motor Type: Asynchronous
Drive System: Idler wheel and belt
Turntable Size: 30 cm
Turntable Weight: 1 kg
Compatible Cassettes: C60 – C90
Tape Head Type: Super Permalloy
Dolby Noise Reduction: Yes
Tape Types Supported: Iron oxide and chromium dioxide
Indicator System: Light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
Automatic Stop at Tape End: Yes
Wow and Flutter (DIN): < +/- 0.3%
Speed Deviation: < +/- 1%
Fast Forward/Rewind Time: 90 seconds
Frequency Range (DIN, Chrome): 20 – 13,000 Hz
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (Chrome): > 53 dB
Microphone Input: 75 µV / 10 kΩ
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (With Dolby, Chrome): > 61 dB
Erasure Capability: > 74 dB
Power Supply Specifications
Voltage: 110 – 130 – 220 – 240 V
Power Consumption: 20 – 170 W
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 66 x 13.6 x 35 cm
• Weight: 16.9 kg
Beocenter 3600 service manual can be downloaded here for free.
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