Advice needed - bought a new house and want to use B&O speakers left behind.

7 replies

DAA

Bronze

6 posts

Posted March 14, 2025 at 22:54 GMT

Hi there - brand new to the community, and thoroughly confused as to how I can make use of wired in B&O speakers and master link setup I inherited following a recent house purchase.

The house has a multi room setup with a beolab 3500 in the kitchen, beolab 4000 speakers in another room and a master link cable connection in the living room. Between the three rooms, in a cupboard under the stairs, is a ML Distributor box, with 3 ML cables branching to each room. Each speaker appears to be powered and each has a red dot on the front / beolab 3500 display shows the time. I have subsequently picked up a beosound 3000 from a family member, but on connecting it to the ML cable in the living room (where a B&O tv was previously plugged in), no sound is produced. I suspect I’m missing something obvious like a beolink passive amp, but being honest this is new to me, but I’d like to know more. Any ideas / suggestions as to how I connect everything up so I can breathe new life into these great speakers? (hopefully this is in the right thread)

My B&O Icons:

Millemis

Bronze

1330 posts

Posted March 15, 2025 at 08:43 GMT ? Edited March 15, 2025 at 08:45 GMT

#714358

Welcome here and congrats! That is a typical late 1990’es B&O setup - the BS 3200 was released in 2001, if I remember correctly. A setup that is still going strong and is used in many homes nowadays. I suppose (?) that you also have a Beo4 remote….you will need that! Have a look at this documentation - all you need to know is in there. Please return with specific questions afterward - we are looking forward to hear about your progress. MM

Location: Flensborg————Danmark

Madskp

Gold

1759 posts

Posted March 15, 2025 at 14:04 GMT

#714362

A couple of hopefully useful hints/clarifying questions from here

A Beolink Passive amp is not needed for the speakers you have mentioned as these are active speakers
You do mention that the Beolab 3500 shows the clock. Is that before or after you connect the Beosound 3000? The reason for asking this is that the clock is supplied from the main system and I wonder if there are any hidden components that you might not be aware of.
The Beolab 3500 is a link speaker and can not be activated directly from the Beosound 3000. You do need a Beolink 1000 or Beo4 remote to active the Beolab 3500. However if you already have a source started locally on the Beosound 3000 you should be able to join that by pressing the mute button on the Beolab 3500
Is there an IR eye in the room with the Beolab 4000's? It is most likely a round silver metal puck with some black plastic buttons on /api/files/b993be228de84fa3890cdb26f6846b54 If there is this is most likely setup as a link room and the same control issues as mentioned for the Beolab 3500 applies here.

So like Millemissen mention, get a B&O remote control if you do not already have that will probably be the best advice for starters. Hope this helps

Location: Denmark

Capt’nGerard, formerly known as Gaea

Gold

154 posts

Posted March 16, 2025 at 18:38 GMT

#714380

Try to find online a manual for your BS3000, wich usually discribes how to configure connected ML speakers with the before mentioned remote. Also it is wise to replace the foam in your Beolab 4000 speakers, the black old foam detoriates to crude oil again and damages the circuit board. They are great speakers, too good to have them damaged.

Location: Netherlands

A.K.A Capt’nGerard on the Discord

DAA

Bronze

6 posts

Posted March 27, 2025 at 20:27 GMT

#714518

Thank you all for your input - very helpful, and I’m pleased to say that having now gone further down the rabbit hole, a Beo4 remote has solved the BL3500 issues and is now working perfectly with the BS3000! Success! the BL4000 is another story though - I had thought they were connected to the BL3500 (is that even possible?!) as a link, but having failed to get them running I assume the issue is not having an IR Eye? Do I need one for the BL4000 assuming they are set up as a link? And does the IR Eye connect direct to the speakers themselves? thanks again!

My B&O Icons:

Stan

Bronze

1810 posts

Posted March 28, 2025 at 03:44 GMT

#714520

You can't plug BL4000s (or any other speaker) into a BL3500. The Bl4000s need to be plugged into the BS3000 or you need a beolink active + IR eye + another masterlink connection.

Millemis

Bronze

1330 posts

Posted March 28, 2025 at 08:59 GMT

#714524

More about the Beolink Active here MM

Location: Flensborg————Danmark

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