Bang & Olufsen Beolit 1000 Portable Radio – Rosewood

Bang & Olufsen Beolit 1000 Portable Radio

Manufactured: 1968 – 1972
Designer: Jacob Jensen
Colours: Rosewood, Teak, Black Leather

This portable radio not only outperforms most mains-powered table models in terms of specifications but also boasts an elegant design with all controls conveniently placed on the top panel.

The Beolit 1000 delivers exceptional reception across its five bands, allowing you to tune into distant stations without noise or interference, even when they are close together on the frequency spectrum. The FM section features a separate dial drive and the ability to preset up to three FM stations using push-button controls. The extended Long Wave band includes navigation bands, and the SWII band (the ‘Europe’ band) covers all popular European entertainment stations. Additionally, the built-in Short Wave expander makes tuning easier by spreading out stations. The radio also includes sockets for an external aerial, extension speaker, and external power supply.

The Beolit 1000 offers impressive sound quality. It delivers 2.5 watts of audio output using internal dry cells, and with a suitable mains converter, it can produce up to 7.5 watts, making it perfect for use as a home radio. The radio is equipped with individual bass and treble controls, along with jacks for a gramophone and tape recorder.

For use in a car, the Beolit 1000 can be mounted with a specially designed, lockable bracket. This bracket, which operates on 6 or 12 volts with either negative or positive earthing, includes filters to suppress ignition interference. When mounted in the car, the bracket automatically switches the radio to run on the car battery, car aerial, and an extension speaker, enabling it to deliver 7.5 watts of audio output.

The Beolit 1000 is available in teak, Brazilian rosewood, and black goatskin finishes. Its dimensions are 201 mm high, 359 mm wide, and 70 mm deep.

In 1972, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York selected the Beolit 1000 as one of seven Bang & Olufsen products designed by Jacob Jensen for inclusion in their Design Collection, recognizing it as an excellent example of design that influenced the twentieth century. The Beolit 1000 also won the prestigious iF Design award in 1968.