LE
Lencl
Bronze
0 posts
Posted September 2, 2026 at 21:03 GMT
#1541646

Hi all,

I recently picked up a Bang & Olufsen Beogram 8000. Hoping someone here recognizes the symptom or can point me toward the likely culprit.

Symptom: On Play, the tangential arm carriage travels across to the correct position over the record, but the tonearm itself does not lower.

Access so far: I've opened the top lid into service position, and separately opened the service hatch underneath the tonearm area, so I've had a look at the mechanism from both above and below.

What I've checked / ruled out so far, roughly in the order I did them:

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  • Manual test with the unit unplugged: gently pressing the arm down at the pivot gives slight resistance, and it springs back up on its own. So the main spring??? holding the arm raised seems intact.
  • With the unit powered and Play/ Pause pressed: I hear a loud click/clack (the lowering solenoid firing), but the arm still doesn't lower properly.
  • Cleaned the mechanism with isopropyl alcohol – no change, so old hardened grease doesn't seem to be the cause, or i missed an important spot.
  • Tried increasing tracking force to ~2g, based on a documented Beogram 8000 "sticky lowering" fix involving the height-adjustment screw contacting the counterweight, no improvement.
  • The small spring near that linkage/solenoid area feels completely loose in every position, not just at one end of travel. No tension anywhere.

    • Photos of the mechanism (arm raised, pivot block, area near the solenoid, and the underside service hatch view) attached below.

    My best guess at this point is a detached or broken tonearm lowering-raising spring rather than an electronic fault. Does that match what others have seen? If so, is a used donor part a realistic fix, or is professional repair the more sensible route at this point? Is it even possible to fix because of the nearby phono wires?

    Thanks in advance – happy to provide more photos or details on request.