Bang & Olufsen Beomaster 3000 & P45 Speakers, Straight From Holiday Road

Bang & Olufsen (B&O) is known the world-over for exceptional hifi audio, video, and teleconferencing equipment.  Founded in 1925 in Denmark by two engineers, B&O is one of the oldest audio companies in history.  And from Day 1, B&O started doing things a little "differently" - with an eye toward high-design and styling.  Fast forward to today, and B&O is one of the most exclusive brands around, from being featured on Hollywood movie sets to sponsoring Formula 1 teams, B&O is a major enterprise.

The Beomaster 3000 system we have here might look a little familiar to some Boomers and Gen-Xers. The shape and style of the Beo systems originated in the 1970s, but carried on with the company until the mid-90s.  The same basic design principles that brought Clark and Ellen Griswold's neighbors together for romantic evenings (ew, Todd!) were implemented here in the Beomaster 3000.  

What makes these designs special is that they weren't like anything else from the time.  B&O developed full-featured audio systems which looked like hi-tech gadgets from the future.  While their competitors were deciding how large to make their knobs and FM dials, B&O went the other direction.  No knobs.  No dials.  At least none that were obviously visible.  Only the most essential controls were laid out on the top, front, or side of the machine.  Often using hidden push-buttons, motion sensors, or capacitive switches, the B&O Beomaster and Beocenter systems looked and operated as if from otherworldly magic.

Introduced in 1985, the Beomaster 3000 features 30 watts per channel into 8 ohms.  Paired with the P45 wall-mount speakers, this amount of power was perfectly capable of filling an entire room with clean, accurate music... All cleanly hung from a wall so as to not take up precious dance floor area. The on board FM tuner was able to "store" up to four preset positions, accessible from slick back-lit buttons.  And cassette and turntable options were added to the system using B&Os oh-so-Euro 7-pin DIN connectors.  

It's all very analog, really, but the package looks like it spawned from the digital age.  Right at home with mid-century-modern and contemporary modern decor; it's all the same to the Beomaster 3000. 

This system, paired with the P45 speakers is a real treat for the eyes and ears.  A great entry point for someone looking to get into high-quality vintage audio, without the huge price tag or space commitment. 

Demos are encouraged in Andover, MA.

$399 for the set. (MA sales tax and shipping charges may be applicable)