Bang Olufsen Beolab Penta speaker upgrades - 6 simple hacks for better B&O sound [4K]
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- Опубликовано: 9 июл 2024
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Bang & Olufsen fans, your journey starts here! Steve from Sounds Heavenly covers 6 easy upgrades to give better sound from Bang and Olufsen's incredible Beolab Penta active loudspeakers - using only a screwdriver and a credit card! Transform the sound of your B&O Beolab Penta speakers in 6 simple steps:-
0:00 Introduction
2:31 Tip#1 - Better bass from a better base!
3:56 Tip#2 - Get the tweeter to ear height...
6:04 Tip#3 - The dreaded "foam rot"!
7:17 Tip#4 - Turn the speaker panel round!
11:23 Tip#5 - Mind your toes!
13:02 Tip #6 - Eight pins=good, four pins=bad!
14:56 Conclusions
Steve is a brand ambassador for B&O as a member of the Bang and Olufsen Collective and a sponsor of beoworld.org - the World's largest independent Bang and Olufsen enthusiast website. If you have any questions about getting the best from your Bang and Olufsen system, please ask Steve via the contact page at soundsheavenly.com
Steve has not been paid to make this video, so you will always hear Steve's own opinions on this channel.
The full range of cables mentioned in the video can be seen on Steve's website here: soundsheavenly.com
If these videos have helped you to enjoy your Bang and Olufsen products, please consider buying Steve a coffee at www.buymeacoffee.com/soundshe... - many thanks!
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Thanks for watching! Every cable you ever need for your B&O system can be seen on Steve's website here: soundsheavenly.com If these videos have helped you to enjoy your Bang and Olufsen products, please consider buying Steve a coffee at www.buymeacoffee.com/soundsheavenly - many thanks!
I have a custom system so I m putting 2 7.1 on real left and 2 on rear right and 2 7.2 for centre and 2 beolab9 for front left right - I need 3 x 50 cm 8 pin two males to on female and 2 long male male 8 pin 1 shorter one and I have a fac converter to 5.1 from amazon therefore I need 5 rca ( without sub) mono to stereo rca- 8 pin that needs to be triggered by a 5 v usb
So I can either dyi myself the cables either do you have 5 x 2 rca male to 8 pin + usb 5v ? I did it myself in the past but there is noise - however I ll be using magnets and phone charger or tv source for usb to see if any difference …can you offer something better ? I could draw a diagram if it s hard to follow…
Hi, please feel free to get in touch at soundsheavenly.com and I can help with any cables you need.
Thank you for the reply Steve, your suggestion is what I do now. Thank you for all you do
Thank you very much Steve, this is great for me.
No problem, glad it was helpful! Please subscribe for more videos on these great speakers coming very soon!
Fascinating and informative. Top work, Stevie.
Thanks! Glad it was helpful
Another thing learned when it comes to the tweeter position. Thanks Steve.
Thanks Leslie, I always enjoy seeing your B&O restoration photos!
Thanks Steve for another great video. Looking forward to the next Penta instalment.
Thanks, please subscribe to see the next Penta video very soon!
Excellent video as usual Steve 😊👏👏👏
Thank you!
Thank's very much, Steve! I'll go to work on mine right away.
Excellent! Please let me know how you get on
Good video Steve. I cant wait to try the credit card trick to get those frets off. Couple more tips: When you have the frets off, spray them with a textile cleaner, clean them in the shower and let dry. Be gentle, this might be the thinnest material ever seen on a speaker fret. Its amazing how much c..p is in them after 30 years. Seriously consider getting the capacitors replaced in the crossovers and amps. They dry out and their values change after 30 years. Kits are available. These are worth spending a little money on !
Thanks, these are great suggestions! I'm not a repairer, so I didn't look at opening the speaker for the video, but I agree this is a worthy upgrade for those who are able to do it.
Great video! Thanks Steve for sharing with us on this. I Just bought a pair of Beolab Pentas MkIII, just don't have them with me yet. Can't wait to make those little tweets.
Thanks Bo! These are great speakers, enjoy!
I first got introduced to B&O back in 1999 when I started working for a B&O installer in the NYC metro area. My boss used to always recommend a 1 inch thick slate tile underneath the Penta when it was installed on a rug covered floor. And for MK1 Penta he always used this adapter that would give the MK1 Penta a female Powerlink connector. He had a case full of them back then, they are probably worth their weight in gold these days.
That is a good suggestion about the slate tile for weight. Yes, those adapters are out of production now, so well worth buying if you can find any pre-owned adapters.
Hi Steve very interesting video .thanks for posting
Thanks great pearls!! In toeing helped me to improve sound of my beo lab penta.
Thanks, glad the video was helpful!
Love my penta's! Was able to haggle a pair down to 150€. Beovox tho, because i don't need them to be any taller than they already are haha. Currently running them on a Cayin A50-T amp. Replaced the foam surrounds, replaced all the capacitors on the MASSIVE crossovers, and now i'm restoring the tweeters because few people seem to be aware of the fact that these are ferrofluid tweeters. That fluid didn't look so good anymore after 36 years! And taking those suckers apart was no easy feat without any guides on RUclips...
These are great speakers! I didn't know that about the tweeters, thanks for the info. Every day is a school day, as they say!
@@soundsheavenly No problem! I'll need to restore 4 tweeters in total, if the first pair works out, i'll make a video guide when doing the second pair!
@@soundsheavenly Oh, do you think B&O would be willing to help me figure out which fluid to use and how much?
I've had many negative experiences in the past with trying to contact big companies about repair questions regarding discontinued products.
I know they have a team dedicated to keeping their classic products alive. I suggest asking your local store to contact B&O on your behalf if possible
@@soundsheavenly I mailed them and they just replied! They said that they don't encourage self-repair, but that they will forward my question to their supervisors, and contact me when they get an answer. Sweet!
Hi, Steve. Saw this video about four months ago, and just thought about it yesterday. So just now, I finished modifying my right Beolab Penta MK3 speaker. Turned the speaker panel. Both tweeters are now facing inwards. What a difference that made! Sound is so much better now! Thanks again for the tip 👍🏻
Thanks Bo, glad to hear that the tip was helpful and that you are enjoying these great speakers!
@@soundsheavenly : Owning a set of Penta's myself, turning one panel around so you get a mirrored pair is a good upgrade. But you also have to change the mid range speakers, because they are NOT identical! one unit has an other type number and is mounted on a specific location.
Yes, but the two inner midrange speakers match and the two outer midrange speakers match, so they are still correct when the panel is rotated
@@soundsheavenly , there is one different mid-range unit on each side ( the upper one of the two middle ones). So turning the panel around will put the other midrange on one side lower than on the other. Maybe this is different on certain production runs. My Penta's also do not have T10 torx, but only Philips screws.
Thanks, sounds like there is a variation on some speakers
Never thought switching the panel would make a signifikant difference… now I know better. Thx a lot
Glad to hear this was helpful, these are great speakers and well worth the trouble to get them playing at their best!
@@soundsheavenly our room height is about 5 m, that is the next thing to find a solution for but everytime I „need“ to exagerate they make me smile as well as my neighbours who appreciate fine music
That sounds like a great space for music listening!
@@soundsheavenly a sloping roof situation, the room is about 110 m2, standing waves are actually the problem
@@gepflegtesgequatsche1922 Yes, I can see that could be an issue. Did you see my video about DSP room correction? That could be an easy way to get a real improvement to the sound
Thanks Steve
I’ve just reversed the mid unit in one pair of pentas, what a difference, great hack.
Moving them slightly more toe in also helps.
I should have you around to listen, I’m up the road in market Overton!
Best wishes
Alex
Thanks Alex, glad it has improved the sound! Please feel free to drop me a message at soundsheavenly.com as I would love to hear more about your setup!
I've always dreamed of having these speakers. A dear friend of mine which turned me into the musiclover i am today, introduced me to these speakers while playing Mike Oldfield - Voyager CD . I was utterly blown away and started building my own speakers from that day.
Sadly he passed away in cancer, but his impression still lingers, and i still want these speakers.
Problem is that i have no interest in the Beolab stereo, i have a Yamaha A-S1100 which powers my current speakers,
and connecting Beolab Penta's to regular amps is a bitch , especially if you want the display working.
Yes you can use these great speakers with any amplifier but the displays will not light unless you use a B&O music system. Please ask at soundsheavenly.com if you need any help with connections
In my old beolabs one of the capacitors in the power supply part was broke. I replaced all caps. I understand this video is about relatively simple hacks but a good recap may be essential.
Thanks, that is good advice. I don't get involved with repairs, but I'm always grateful for advice from people who know about these things!
I just acquired a pair of Penta 3s yesterday.... I thought that my Denon, B&W plus subwoofer sounded great.... This is something else
Yes, these really are great speakers! Hopefully the tips in my video will help you to get the best from them.
Hello Steve!
First of all, thank you for the excellent cables that now connect our BV 7 55 (with Beolab 7-6) to a pair of Beolab 6000.
I am thinking of getting a pair of 8000, to use as well. I gather the Penta would be a bit of overkill, and rather missmatched with the 6000!?!
Thank you again, and all the BEST! Magnus in Sweden.
Thanks for your purchase and for your kind words! My view is that Pentas would never be overkill, their sound is so much better than Beolab 6000 even at low volumes that they are absolutely worth adding. You can adjust the output level via the switch on the front panel to reduce their level, then they won't over power the 6000s.
Steve, I remember trying the reversed tweeters trick on clients sets back in the '90s. It made good sense to me. And since I was selling new systems, they always used PowerLink anyways. The 50 kilo blocks make a great acoustical enhancement I'm sure, however a bit difficult to sell the idea to spousal units at the time...
My good lady wife still hasn't spotted the concrete block (I guess I will be in trouble if she watches this video!)
Thank you for your time, I will try this and write you again, I'm very happy with this speakers, I used to play music with a pair of klipsch rf62ii and still can't find something bad in this penta (6633 mk 3 I suppose) compared to klipsch, they are beautiful, aspect and sound. Thank you.
Hello Steve, I've enjoyed all your videos. I'm using a pair of Beolab Penta speakers connected to a Yamaha receiver using the RCA phono input on the speakers. Works GREAT! I'd like to make an external circuit that I could manually use the display on the speakers via 8 pin DIN connector. Would this be practical? I would need the pin outs & signal/voltages of the cable.
Thanks glad my videos have been helpful. Unfortunately I don't have any involvement with modifying speakers but I wish you the best with your project, sorry I can't help with this.
Nice video! My Mk I Penta's are kind of a mixed bag. When I bought them, they were very worn out, missing some parts, lots of dust caps pushed in, and the ferrite core materials around the crossovers were shattered into 1,000's of pieces. So I had quite a bit of work ahead of me. I had the rotted foam replaced, bought a used set of Mk III woofers, and crossovers. Had all the capacitors replaced, and bought the amp kit from Martin on Beoworld.
So mine are still Mk I's but with Mk III crossovers. Running off the dreaded speakerlinks to my Beocenter 9000. Eventually I'd really like to get a Beocenter 9500, and Beolab 5's, but I'm pretty happy with it all for now. I know in this video you say to ditch the speaker link, I'm not sure what my best course of action would be there. I could consider trying the Pre Amp output of the Beocenter 9000 to the Phono plug (RCA) input of the Penta.
Thanks! Yes, you should get better sound via the pre-amp outputs of the 9000 to the RCA inputs of the Penta, if you buy the cables in my store then I can help with an option that keeps the Speakerlink cables to use the display, a small change is needed to the wiring for this. Please get in touch at soundsheavenly.comk for more details.
Turning the mid/tweeter unit 180 degrees did nothing for me back then, and considering B&Os deep knowledge of speaker design and testing, it's not likely they made such an obvious mistake if it was degrading the sound. But: I might have been attending too many concerts to notice any possible gain from mirroring the Penta 😜 All other tips are bang on. Penta is by design exactly the opposite of what B&O wanted to achieve with the acoustic lens: Penta is made for a narrow sweet spot, but that spot is indeed sweet. I had them toed a bit further inwards from your position. If you are more about getting the best sound from Penta than keeping it all B&O: get the Beovox Penta (or disconnect the Beolab amp) and have an upper class 2x200w (or upwards) power amp driving them.
Thanks. I wouldn't say B&O made a mistake in setting both speakers the same way around, they made the speakers to give the best sound for most situations, without the user needing to do anything special for the setup. This gives scope for owners to gain some extra improvement by tailoring the speakers to their situation.
Thanks Steve, I enjoyed the video greatly. I've got my own pair of Penta MK3s that I've been refurbishing. I don't know what it is about these speakers, but I'm sure I'll never part with them. I've got mine on a wooden floor (parquet I think). Would the concrete blocks help with sound quality on wooden floor too, or only carpet? And I saw another viewer comment about slate tiles - would they do a similar job as the concrete blocks? Thanks again. I really enjoy your content, and hope you'll make more on the Pentas.
Thanks, glad my video was helpful! The tiles or blocks help to add mass to give a solid base for the speakers. If the floor construction is concrete then you may not need this, but for any kind of suspended floor or where the floor sounds "hollow" when you stamp your foot hard then adding either type of solid base can improve the sound.
I Continue enjoying watching your videos Steve. I need your help and guidance. I have a 5500 system and I would like to connect the external antenna I have on the roof to the receiver. The cable coming from the antenna is a coaxial with a connector type TV. I also can attach to it an adapter that has two prongs. My question is what do I need as connector to attach this to the Brody stem 5500 and where can I get it ? Many thanks Steve
Glad you like my videos! Sorry I don’t know about aerial wiring, I just deal with audio cables. A local aerial install company should be able to help with the antenna connection
I just got my first set of BeoVOX Penta's (literally yesterday), and I did the "flip" of the midrange assembly, and I am happy to report that it most certainly makes a difference! Thank you for posting this. Now I just need to order up a set of new foam surrounds for the midrange (mine have gone all spotted and are tearing). Do you have any opinions on using rubber or foam surrounds here??
Hi, glad the video was helpful! I would always fit the same material in the speaker surrounds as the original design, as changing this will change the characteristics of the speakers. I have used GoodHiFi for B&O speaker surrounds in the past, I think they are based in Netherlands and sell on eBay and via their website.
Hi Steve great tip … reversed my right hand speaker and now have a more balance orchestral string sound … a tip for anyone redoing the foam change all of them at the same time … when I did mine some years ago I did 7 out of 8 when I opened the frets today the remaining one was completely gummy and needs replacing
Thanks, glad that this has helped you to get the speakers improved.
great info thank you .. but isn't it better to place the medium inside and the tweeters outside?
Good suggestion, this can vary from one room to another. Personally, I prefer having the tweeters facing inwards, as this tames the slightly ‘shouty’ effect the Pentas can have in some spaces if you get too much of the midrange driver sound. If you get a chance to try both options on your speakers, please let me know what works best for your ears and room!
I had my crossovers rebuilt and replaced the mids and tweeters. The tweeters were blown and the crossovers had popped caps. They sound amazing now. But I don't believe for a second that turning the mids 180 degrees will make any difference whatsoever.
I would love to get icepower amps
They are great speakers, especially when restored. If you aren't convinced about turning the tweeter panels, play sound music and walk from side to side while listening - you should hear more midrange on the side with the four mid cones and more high treble on the side with the tweeter. You can get better control of the sound by matching the panels as a mirror image of each other and turning the speakers inwards or outwards until the sound is to your liking.
I'm literally in the process of buying a BeoSystem 6500 and a pair of Beovox Penta's so this is perfectly timed, and a great video too! I'm assuming your gripe towards soundlink sound quality don't apply to the Beovox Penta's as they don't have the amp and so you won't experience the amplified stream being reduced and then re-amplified again? Thanks, and look forward to your upcoming content on Pentas
Yes, the issue only affects the powered "Beolab" Pentas, as long as you use the Beovox Pentas with a powerful amp like the 6500 on good thick cables then you will be fine
I love my Pentas. I also own a pair of Beolab 5's. The 5's blow them away of course, but the Pentas do sound sweeter and have fantastic stereo imaging. There are other upgrades you can do - e.g. replace the on board op-amps with Burr-Brown ones, for a smoother sound; replace the capacitors in the crossovers with high end ones, but these are for the technically minded. Also, I've had a number of the amplifier/power supplies fail - I got a bit fed up replacing/repairing them, as the faults were different every time! In the end I used a generic Class D amplifier from eBay and wired it directly to the speakers. They sound better than ever before. I also recommend a separate subwoofer if you need deep, powerful bass.
Thanks, that is great advice! I wanted to just cover the easier upgrades in the video, but I’m seriously considering some of the improvements that you suggested
@@soundsheavenly absolutely! Great video, and some nice hacks. I also refoamed my mid-range drivers as they were past their best! Wasn't too tricky. I also keep a spare woofer in stock as they can fail sometimes. Great work on the channel, from a committed B&O fan. We should chat!
Hey Steve, great video. When you had the middle panels off for flipping, did you notice if they can be easily unplugged as a unit? Thinking if my midranges need refoaming, perhaps I could pull these out instead of taking the whole speakers in. Thoughts? (they've been sitting in storage a couple years but have been in otherwise regular use since around 1991).
And you're so right about proper Powerlink cables. I want a few years with the 4-pin speaker cables from my BeoCenter 9500 before switching over, and was amazed how much better they sounded.
Thanks. Sorry I can't recall if the midrange panel can be unplugged or not. Yes, good Powerlink cables are certainly the best way to connect the speakers, the sound is far better than via the old Speakerlink wires!
I watched your suggestions again since I just picked up a beosound 9000 and another pair of penta 3 speakers. Heres my problem. I have a beogram tx I want ot play through the bs9000, and I have an aftermarket lcd tv I run its output volume into the aux input on the bs9000. so is there a way to have my beocenter switch from the tv to turntable with the remote? I'm guessing the bs9000 will need something to do this? I just don't have a clue. see at the moment i use a preamp with switching capabilities to switch the two, but being disabled it would be great to be able to use a remote instead. Thank you for any advice you may have. Ps I love your videos I've learned tons from them over the years.
Thanks, glad you like my videos. There isn't an easy way to have remote control switching between two sources, best to link them via an input switch box or splitter and control them manually.
Instead of concrete blocks I put subwoofer isolation pads under my Pentas (on a hollow wooden floor). Would that have (about) the same effect? A big pro is that it is a bit easier to move the speakers around in order to find my preferred listening position(s)! I also just flipped the midrange speaker section, curious to find out if I can spot the difference!
That is an interesting idea - I haven't tried these isolation pads but they should help to reduce bass vibrations from the speakers reaching the floor. The concrete blocks work by adding mass to stop the floor moving, so a slightly different approach.
I initially did intoeing which improved the sound and now I also changed the twiter side with further improvement.
My speakers are placed on stone (marble )floor but u think elevating them by anywhere between 4-8 inches might further improve sound as u mentioned that this will bring twiter and mid range at listening level.Your thoughts!
Very helpful tips by the way.
Thanks, glad the video was helpful! These are great speakers
Really interesting video - I have a pair of Penta 1s so was very useful info for me! I re-foamed mine a couple of years ago so have that sorted, but was interested to hear about Speakerlink being not great - I knew it attenuated the signal and then amplified it again, but hadn't really given that much thought. Would it be best to use the line level inputs to them then? I have a BeoSystem 5500 so I'm not sure of what the best way to connect them would be. And it would also be a shame to not have the displays working - I've always thought they were fantastic!
Thanks! There is nothing to stop you using both the Speakerlink and Line inputs of the speakers in tandem - the Speakerlink sockets will light the displays and the Line inputs will give better sound. Please feel free to get in touch via the contact page at soundsheavenly.com if you need any help getting the right connections!
@@soundsheavenly Thanks Steve, I hadn't considered using both at once. For connecting the line level inputs to the Beomaster 5500, would I be tapping off the Line In/Out sockets (the ones that were supposed to be used with an equaliser)?
You can use the RCA pre out sockets for the audio, these are volume controlled so they are the only ones that can be used to connect to speakers
Hi Steve
I have 2 sets of Penta , both beeing modified and renovated.
The cabinets - sadly - has dents and scratches.
What product can i use for polishing the cabinets ?
Can the cabinets handle beeing taking Care of the dents or will the surface treatment take damage ?
Thak you for a very nice channel.
Best regards
Jan
From Denmark
Sorry I don't know about restoring the cabinets. Please let me know what you can find out, I will be interested to hear what you decide to do.
I just acquired a pair of Mark 2s, am very pleased with them. The surrounds look like new and I switched their positions to put the tweeters on the inside. I use standard phono cables to drive them because I don't have a B&O system. Do you have any criticism of driving them this way? Thanks for the tips!
A good set of RCA cables should be fine, these are great speakers and they can sound superb via their line input
@@soundsheavenly yes, they do sound superb. Do you by any chance have a source for the little mechanical device that keeps the "door" on the base closed? I am working on fixing it but would prefer a good replacement part. It is B&O part number 3034066, but no longer available through my local dealer. Thanks in advance, have a great Christmas!
@tniedermeyer sorry I don’t know where to get that part, I just make cables. Wishing you a happy Christmas!
Hi Steve;
Thanks very much for the tips, very useful.
I was wondering; which non B&O amplifier you would advise, to be used with the penta?
Thanks in advance!
No problem! There are many thousands of amplifier models to choose from, so probably best if I don't try to recommend a specific model. However, the good news is that you can use just about any amplifier with these speakers. Please feel free to get in touch via the contact page at soundsheavenly.com to let me know which model of amp you choose and which version of Pentas you have (the 4 digit type number on a sticker under the speakers will confirm this), I can then help you to get everything connected!
@@soundsheavenly this is great Steve! I will seek your advice once everything is finalized; at the moment my penta are getting serviced.
All i can say now is that they are a passive model; as for the ampli i am going for a class A type.
Thanks again and keep in touch!
Thanks, please let me know when you are ready and I can help further!
I've got me a pair of Penta (6601) for my Beocenter 8300. I was not aware of the different connections. I've already have changes the foam on the midrange speakers (foam-rot) and of course turned the section around (that one was obvious to a HiFi man :) ). I've been searching for the mentioned speaker-link cables, but couldn't find any. Now you are saying its not the best way, and I'm totally in on that, but how do I connect my speakers? DIN to phono cables an an extra with the two extra pins from the DIN-speaker socket?
Please can you email me via the contact page at soundsheavenly.com and I will be happy to help you with the best option
I was looking for twee displays for beolabpenta
Sorry I don't sell B&O spare parts, I just make cables!
Hi Steve, I found a gorgeous set of M1's that had the midranges refoamed. I've had them for about 10 years and they have recently developed a buzz in the right speaker and it doesn't switch to standby when the receiver is turned off. I'm using line level RCA subwoofer cables on a Denon receiver. I have replace the cables, thinking that was the cause but the hum remains, even when the RCA cable has been unplugged. Could this be bad caps? Any insight would be appreciated.
Sorry I don’t know about repairs, best to ask your local B&O store if they can suggest a repair agent in your area
Great idea to turn the speakers symmetrical. BUT - I remember from my tech. class (back in the 70'ties) that the tweeters should be right most at the right speaker and left on the left speaker, in orders to get the widest stereo perspective. But what do I know - physics might have changed since then...
Thanks, that is an interesting point...my view is that either can work, it varies depending on the room acoustics and whether the speakers are "toe out" for the widest sound stage, or "toe in" for the most accurate stereo image - but that is getting a bit beyond the ability of my ears to hear the differences!
Would you recommend lifting the speakers from an oak wooden floor resting on about 40 cm of massive reinforced concrete, or would it be overkill? I'm reasoning that just an isolating rubber mat under the speakers will be enough for me. My floor is more than enough for a heavy gun safe...
Also, does these tweaks apply to the passive Beovox Penta's as well?
Hi, the simple answer is try it and see if it helps with the sound in your room. Both passive and active speakers produce the same sound, so the same issues apply to both.
Great video.
In future videos, it would be interesting to hear about connection options for these speakers.
Obviously you can connect them to a stereo, like a BeoMaster 7000, and use a remote control through that system.
But can you eg. connect directly via jack/phono via a Crome Cast/Apple Airport Express? How about display and control of volume/base/balance etc. What about auto on/off (I believe they do that).
Them having their own amplifier and with today’s streaming, what’s the most simple way to connect these, while still retaining ease of operating them and keeping the good sound quality.
Maybe a “control unit” stereo system is best?
Thanks! Yes, I will cover the connections in detail in a future video. In the meantime, please feel free to get in touch at soundsheavenly.com with any connection questions. You can easily use the speakers with a device like a Chromecast Audio or Airport Express, the speakers will turn o n automatically when the music plays but the display won't work, you just need this cable: soundsheavenly.com/line-in-connection/77-241-minijack-to-beolab-line-in-using-phono-rca-sockets-one-cable-for-two-speakers.html#/2-length-1m
@@soundsheavenly
Thanks so much. As you might remember I have a set of these with a beosystem 7000 in Copenhagen. But my Scottish partner and I have a home in Scotland too. Looking at getting a set of Pentas there too. And would like the simplest setup. So very keen to hear about functionality and control. Can’t you e.g. use a remote to control the volume?
Thank you for the link :-)
@@SuperJuul81 The speakers won't respond to a remote control, only a B&O music system will do this. If you wish to use a remote, please add a B&O music system and connect the speakers to this.
@@soundsheavenly
Okay, sure :-)
But then I don’t understand how you control the volume. The audio out on a streaming device like Airport express gives a signal “volume” which can be adjusted like when plugging in headphones. But how does the amplifiers in the speakers know how much to amplify?
I’m normally really in to this, but this I don’t understand.
I have a Beloit 12 in my kitchen. It’s hooked up to an Airplay 2 unit for Apple airplay multi room.
It’s normally set on full volume on the output from the airport unit, and then the volume is adjusted on the Beloit for minimum distortion. Same thing on my Beosystem 7000.
But how does that work if connected directly to the Pentas. Does the amplifier automatically read the input level of the jack-phono? This puzzles me.
I’m so sorry for asking this many questions.
Great great RUclips channel you have. I’ll make sure to order from you when needed and link to you channel.
@@SuperJuul81 Thanks, glad you like my channel! The speakers have a fixed volume gain, the phone will set the volume level when you play through a wireless device to the speakers (just as if would if you had headphone connected to the phone).
Awesome video! Man, I'd love to get some Penta's again! I was wondering if you maybe know the answer to following: If the foam is rot, I often see people replacing the old foam with new foam that will eventually rot again. Why don't people use rubber to replace the foam? That should hold way longer! Is there a difference in sound?
The rubber has a different compliance which would/should effect the sound.
@@leeshepherd6512 Interesting, thanks for your reply! :)
@@Jondedy Thanks Lee, you beat me to it! Foam is the best option for sound, if you keep the speakers in a dry, smoke-free environment then you should get several decades between each re-foam.
@@soundsheavenly Awesome, thank you very much! Foam it is than! Though if I buy a pair now, i'd go for a pair that's already refoamed. That saves a lot of time :)
@@Jondedy Good plan!
I did all that you said with my Penta's in the video, but when I have people over and I crank it up to about 50 playing Led Zeppelin, everyone in the room goes into convulsions and they fall on the floor bleeding from the ears. Is it the speakers, or is it the choice in music. Should I change speaker brands or change music taste?
I can't fault your speakers or your choice of music, maybe you need better house guests? ;-)
Hi Steve, do you know if we can turn these Penta speakers to work with bluetooth somehow?
Hi, yes you can connect a pair of Beolab Penta speakers to the headphone socket of a Bluetooth receiver using this cable:-
soundsheavenly.com/line-in-connection/77-241-minijack-to-beolab-line-in-using-phono-rca-sockets-one-cable-for-two-speakers.html#/2-length-1m
How do I tell the difference between a mk2 and a mk3?
Mk.3 Beolab Pentas have a green display, while mk.2 have a yellow display. Also the 3rd digit of the type number is different. In all other ways including sound quality, they are identical.
Hi Steve, I don’t know if you want to make any recommendations on this but I have a pair of Beolab Pentas mk2. From a sound quality point of view do you think it is it better to use or bypass the Beolab amp? I am using a Denon AVC-X3700 amp in pre-amp mode (and your cables) at present. One of the speakers goes into Autolimit mode when turning on and needs to warm up for 10 minutes or so before working. Bypassing the amp would fix that problem as well I expect.
Hi, for best results, please always connect to the receiver pre-out sockets and use the amp in the base of the Pentas. If the speaker has a fault I recommend asking your local B&O dealer to recommend a repair agent (sorry I don't know about repairs) as you won't get the best sound quality until this is resolved.
@@soundsheavenly thanks for the quick response!
hello steves, I just got my father's pentas but one doesn't work anymore (the sound doesn't come out anymore) do you have any idea, the red light is ok they are connected to the Beomaster 6500 with Beocord 6500, Beogram 6500, Beogram CD 6500 controlled by the Master Control Panel 6500 in advance thanks for the advice.
Sorry I don’t know about repairs but I suggest swapping the cables over to see if one is faulty. I can help with cables if required!
@@soundsheavenly I'll come back to you if you need a cable, mine are eight pins so ok, hey, I'm watching your videos, thank you
@@overblood6813 Thanks!
Hi Steve. I have the Beolab Penta Active loudspeakers paired with the old Beomaster 5500 system. The sound system has not been used for a couple of years and when I tried to turn it on for the first there was "no contact". I've just had the amplifier fixed by a
repair technician and they discovered that there was a broken fuse in the amplifier. However, when I came home to try the sound system, it did not work. It seems that the amplifier Beomaster system works, but there is no contact with the speakers (no red light at the bottom of the speakers like yours).
My question is; Is it possible that there is a broken fuse inside the speakers or is it simply a setting I need to try? //Kristian
Hi Kristian, if the speakers don’t show a red light when connected to the mains power, then the speakers are faulty. Sorry I don’t know about repairs (I just make cables), but your local B&O store should be able to recommend a repair agent in your area.
hi i bought 4 pentas 6632 and they sound bad compared to beolab 9 or any new speakers---they have no bass
Yes, they both give a different sound, but I do prefer the Pentas myself.
I've had one pair of Penta 2's for many years, and was wondering about adding a pair of Penta 3's to run off of my Beosound 9000. Due to how my living room was built, and the amount of space I have place the speakers have you ever had anyone setup two penta's set next to each otherwhere the base plates touch each other, or would it be better to put two of them at the front of the room, and the other two back where I sit to listen to them? In either case would I need different 8 pin B&O cables or add on to my system to get the best sound?
Hi, this will sound great with 2 speakers at the front corners of the room and 2 at the back corners, I previously had the same setup with 4 Pentas at home! You need fully wired Powerlink mk.2 cables like these to light the speaker displays: soundsheavenly.com/powerlink-8-pin-din-connection/23-319-powerlink-mk-2-compatible-black-8-pin-din-cable-with-fully-wired-8-cores.html#/9-length-18m
@@soundsheavenly Thank you again. One other question, which direction would you recommend to face the two speakers at the back end of the room, like facing where I sit to listen to music, or?
@@keeper1959fem Yes, that is the ideal way to position the speakers, pointing towards your listening position
@@soundsheavenly Perfect as I have the longer 8 pin cables for the Penta's. Again thank you so much.
Hi Steve, can I ask you something about teh penta speakers? About the midrages, only sound 2 speaker of the 4 that have each tower, in both towers are the same. I have connected with line in only, never connected to other system o B&o. Very grateful. Bye.
Hi Nicolas, all 4 of the midrange speaker drivers should always give sound, otherwise you have a fault in the speaker somewhere. You can test these using a cardboard (paper kitchen roll) tube to let you put your ear to just one speaker driver at once while the music is playing
Thank you, I take out the entire panel and realise that if you disconnect 1 of 2 center midrange the sound of all 4 midrange goes off, then check the sound in the 2 midrange (the uppest and downest) and sounds like surround can be? The sound and power is not the same than the 2 midrange of the middle, excuse my poor English, I'm from Uruguay.
Please don’t worry, the outer and inner midrange speakers are meant to give different sounds, this is how the speakers are designed.
Hi Steve. I found some MK3 models online and was quite interested to get them. My setup is currently two Rega players and a regular stereo/cinema amp (to be changed eventually)
Do you think they would still be a good fit for the main channels?
And as for foam rot, is it the entire woofer that needs to be changed?
Thank you!
These are great speakers, they should work well with any amp - please get in touch at soundsheavenly.com with the model number of your amp if you need help connecting them. Only the foam surround of the midrange speakers is affected by foam rot, whilst I can't advise on this, if you search for "Good Hifi" online, they have the parts and advice for replacing these items.
@@soundsheavenly Thank you so much for the advice. I just got them, can’t wait to install them properly. I noticed also that you have rj45/powerlink cables. Does that mean if for example I own a Beosound Moment that the display may work with it? I will definitely order some accessories from you!
@@NiGHTSaturn Thanks! Newer products like Beosound Moment can't provide the data to operate speaker displays unfortunately, even with the best cables.
That’s too bad. Still a great solution. I’d rather have a Beosound 9000 one day to enjoy the full experience and maybe having a streaming solution connected in the aux powerlink? Your answers are incredibly appreciated by the way. I’m quite excited to finally get into B&O world.
I just pulled out a pair of those out of recycling. Bad case of foam rot - should not be a problem. My came with no amps, I have a small Denon UPO-250, should be good enough for me Would you have any extra tip for someone like me?
Hi, a good powerful amp of around 150 Watts per channel is best to drive these superb speakers to their full potential. Please ask at soundsheavenly.com if you need any help with cables once you have got them working!
@@soundsheavenly Today I plugged them in to my Denon (it is 140W...power consumption) and they sound absolutely amazing, even without the foam surrounds. Not hard to imagine how they will perform after refurbished and with a proper amplifier, can't wait. As to cables...well they are fully passive and without the displays, so in my case two copper lines will do. Thank you.
That is good news. Please feel free to get in touch at soundsheavenly.com and I will be happy to help with any cables you need!
good morning steve I'm writing to you from Italy I follow your channels a lot could you send me the wiring diagram of the beolab penta mk3
.I thank you in advance
Hello, sorry I don't have any wiring diagrams. Please join Beoworld.org as a gold member to get access to a wide range of B&O wiring diagrams for a very reasonable price. I just make cables, please ask if you need any help with cables for your speakers when they are working!
Hi, how good are Penta's? I have a Beosound 4 running into a Roksan Kandy Mk111 amp. currently using Mordaunt Short speakers but have seen a set of Beovox Penta's on a specialist website. They must be an upgrade over the MS speakers don't you think?
In a word: SUPERB! These speakers are unmatched by anything else I have heard, short of Beolab 5, 50 or 90. Way above the performance of any passive speaker that B&O ever made.
@@soundsheavenly thank you.
What model morduant short??
@@henriksrensen3220 MS35ti series 2
These speakers can be connected to an amplifier... since I only have the speakers and not the console
Yes, you can use the powered Beolab Penta speakers with any amplifier. Please email me via the contact form at soundsheavenly.com with the full model number of your amplifier and I can help further
@@soundsheavenly Done, I just sent you an email... thanks
Can I use 3 pin MCL cable/speakerlink from my beomaster 3300 to my beolab penta mkI and still get the information on the display?
Good question! Unfortunately, Beomaster 3300 only has 3 pin speaker sockets for operating remote speaker link kits via MCL, so it can't light the Penta displays (this needs the later 4 pin sockets as fitted to the Beomaster 3500)
@@soundsheavenly i do have 4 pin speaker socket on the 2 in the top
That is unusual for the 3300, but systems with the 4 pin sockets can light the Penta displays. Please get in touch at soundsheavenly.com and I can help with the cables you need.
I'm considering buying a pair of these for 500$ . Would you recommend doing this ?
Prices can vary greatly depending on your location and the age/condition of the items. Best to check on eBay for comparative prices in your area
Hello, I have a pair of Penta model 6603 speakers. How can I connect a player, cell phone, TV or amplifier? in the lower part it only has inputs for red and black cables and only one RCA type input
Hi, you can easily connect both speakers to any device with a headphone socket using this cable to the RCA Line input of the speakers: soundsheavenly.com/line-in-connection/77-241-minijack-to-beolab-line-in-using-phono-rca-sockets-one-cable-for-two-speakers.html#/2-length-1m
@@soundsheavenly good evening, excuse me, in the lower part there are two holes to insert a pair of cables, red and black..
@@soundsheavenly I was thinking of connecting through two red and black cables to an amplifier but he told me that it could damage the speakers... what are those holes for?
This is a bit too detailed for RUclips comments but I will be happy to help via the contact page at soundsheavenly.com
connect a speaker to an amplified speaker with a player and it sounds good but I don't know how to lower the volume of the penta
hi steve it's still me, only you can help me because you know the mk3s like the back of your hand, basically I sent the midrange panels to a specialized center to renew the suspensions, unfortunately when I removed them I didn't catalog the wires with the various colors, I was wondering if you could give me a hand. Greetings from Italy
Hi, sorry I don't know about repairs, best to contact a B&O store or repair agent for their advice. I can help with cables once you have got the speakers working.
Thanks for your reply Steve. My Penta 3s are awesome. is it possible to bypass the amps to use them as passive speakers, driven from a non -B&O power amp? is the Line -In the same spec as traditional preamplifiers?
The simple answer is "DON'T DO IT!" Everything that makes the Beolab Pentas great starts in the power amps. You can remove the amps from the base of the speakers if one day they fail, then you are left with passive Beovox Pentas that won't sound as good. Until then, keep the amp in place as it is a superb power amplifier, designed to drive these speakers to their full potential. They won't sound as good without it.
@@soundsheavenly Thanks Steve. What I meant is, is the speaker there for that purpose? Can it be connected to a none- B&O power amp via this input? The naming convention is something that I need to become familiar with. Regarding the Line- In input; is that the same spec, as the universal amplifiers. or is it proprietary?
I owned beolab panta many years ago, i never liked the sound. They are lacking precise stereo image, and no deep soundstage, sound is 2 d. I changed to audiovector speakers
Hi, interesting to hear your thoughts. Did you ever swap over the tweeters as I mentioned in this video? This can greatly improve the stereo imaging and soundstage
@@soundsheavenly Sorry, no i did not try any of the upgrades, it's many years ago now.
Now i changed to Gryphon amplifier and audiovector speakers.
Well worth trying another pair if you get a chance, although those are also great speakers that you have got there!
Are secondhand mk1 Penta's (6602) worth buying. They are to go with my beocenter 9300. I have noticed they aren't powerlink like mk2 or mk3 penta's. Are they still a good speaker?
Yes, of course! I will shortly be making another production run of the special 4 pin Speakerlink cables to let you use these amazing speakers with your 9300 system - please drop me a line at soundsheavenly.com if you need any help getting them connected to your system!