Bang & Olufsen Beolab 5000 (1969)

Details

Overview of BeoLab 5000

The BeoLab 5000 is an amplifier renowned for its ability to reproduce sound without hiss or hum, ensuring that all frequencies of the tonal range are delivered exactly as intended. Its enormous power allows for the reproduction of even the loudest passages without distortion.

User-Friendly Operation

Logical Design

The operation of the BeoLab 5000 is logical and straightforward. For varying or poor record quality, efficient filters can compensate by removing specific tonal ranges where flaws may be present.

Multi-Speaker Support

Additionally, it supports the connection of multiple speakers, including a center speaker, and provides channel-wise control of program material. A special test control feature facilitates balance adjustments between channels. The use of silicon transistors ensures a very low noise level, high temperature stability, and an extensive tonal range.

Design Legacy

The First Product Series

The BeoLab 5000, along with the Beomaster 5000 FM tuner and Beovox 2500 Cube loudspeakers, marked the first product series designed by Jacob Jensen in 1967. This series transformed traditional design with an innovative slide rule interface that replaced conventional tuning knobs.

Interface Innovation

This design not only simplified the user interface but also set the foundation for Bang & Olufsen’s future form language.

The Beomaster 5000: The Perfect Companion

The Beomaster 5000, an amplifier with a similar slide rule interface, served as the perfect partner to the BeoLab 5000. The FM tuner eliminated static between stations and included a built-in ‘database’ that automatically tuned in stereo broadcasts.

The Impact of Television on Audio Engineering with Beolab 5000

Effects of the TV Boom

The TV boom of the 1950s negatively affected cinemas, reducing pressure on Bang & Olufsen’s sound engineers. Nevertheless, their passion for high-class sound reproduction remained strong.

Innovations in the 1950s

By the 1950s, the team had developed stereo systems for Cinema-Scope installations and contributed to Denmark’s first stereophonic radio transmissions.

The Hi-Fi Market and Bang & Olufsen’s Vision

Strategic Planning

In the early 1960s, as the development of High Fidelity gained momentum in the US, Bang & Olufsen set its sights on the emerging European Hi-Fi market. Under the leadership of chief engineer Nikolaj Krebs Sørensen, the team began developing the BeoLab 5000 series to create the world’s most perfect hi-fi system.

Exceptional Sound and Design

The BeoLab 5000 featured an ultra-selective tuner and a powerful, distortion-free amplifier offering 2 x 60 watts—qualities never seen before. The design was equally groundbreaking.

Innovative Controls and Aesthetic Appeal

The Slide Rule Interface

Jacob Jensen and his assistant, David Lewis, designed new linear controls resembling a slide rule bar, enhancing precision. This design approach initiated the era of the slide rule bar motif.

Redefining Aesthetics with Beolab 5000

They also redefined the Hi-Fi module handles and transformed standard gold panels into extruded natural anodized aluminum.

A Legacy of Success for Beolab 5000

The Flagship Product

The BeoLab 5000 became not just Bang & Olufsen’s flagship product but also inspired more affordable versions like the Beomaster 1200 and 3000.

Setting Industry Standards

Competitors were compelled to follow suit as the linear slides replaced traditional knobs, continuing the evolution until the mechanical grips were replaced by the electronic ‘easy touch’ controls of the Beomaster 1900.

Product specification

Type Numbers: 5303 (1969 – Dec 1972)

Designer: Jacob Jensen

Manufactured: 1967 – 1972

Colour Options: Rosewood, Teak

Technical Specifications

Signal-to-Noise Ratio

Bass Control

+/- 17 dB at 50 Hz

Treble Contron

+/- 14 dB at 10 kHz

Outputs

Power Supply

110 – 130V, 220 – 240V

Power Consumption

45 – 325W

Dimensions (W x H x D)

47 x 10 x 25 cm

Weight

10.4 kg

Inputs

Service manual

Beolab 5000 (1969) service manual can be downloaded here for free.