Spinning up vinyl on a Beogram is always a memorable experience. The precision of tangential tracking together with a sleek concord style moving coil cartridge signalling ’33’ rpm from red seven segment LED display at the end of the control arm completes the theatre.

Jacob Jensen’s design echoes through the seventies and eighties with strong aluminium lines and angled geometry giving an unmistakable style. And it all still works. The Beogram 3300 here is paired to a later Beomaster 9000 twin Beovox S45s and sounds excellent. A moving coil cartridge –MMC4 – is amplified by the RIAA equalised pre-amp in the BM9000 as was in the Beomaster 3300 from which it was intended. This cartridge tracks at just over 1g so it’s kind to vinyl along with the parallel tracking.

Electronic control of the tone arm allows remote operation via the integrated data link connection included in the DIN plug which also feeds the analogue audio signals. So it’s possible to move to the next track or go back and play a previous favourite without lifting the lid and moving the arm manually. Of course the tone arm is sneered at by audiophile loving SME’s but it does produce remarkably good sound and makes playing vinyl very easy. And there’s no distortion from tracking error with the tangential movement echoing the lathe master.

Beograms, like this 3300 or technically identical 3000 predecessor, are worth hunting down while you can still find them. If money is no object you can even buy a recreated limited edition Beogram 4000c from B&O. Used 4000s have been acquired by Bang & Olufsen and undergone extensive refurbishment for a second life. So if you have one that is no longer working — don’t throw it away!

Beogram 3300 spec:

Tonearm: Tangential Optimum Pivot Point
Motor: DC Servo-controlled
Tracking weight: < 1.2g

Wow and flutter: < 0.06 %
Rumble DIN weighted: >80 dB

Rumble DIN unweighted: >55 dB
Speeds: 33-45 rpm
Speed deviation: <+/- 0.2 %

Power supply: 190 – 265 V
Power consumption: ~ 10 W

Dimensions W: 42 x H: 7.5 x D: 32.5cm
Weight: 5.3 kg

Manufactured: 1987 – June 1990