B&O Beolab 5000 repair

[DjangoGiles]

Hi Folks,

This is my first ever post on here but I have a query and wonder if anyone can help me with it.

I recently purchased a second hand B&O beolab 5000. It works, and sounds great. All of the front panel is in really good condition, with no faded text and the acrylic sliders are still perfectly clear and have not yellowed. Everything seems to work as it should but I though that it would be worthwhile taking it to get a service and be checked over.

I have heard back from the audio shop (after 4 weeks!) who have advised that for a full service it would cost a minimum of $1700 (NZD). As these are very difficult units to take apart.

I feel like this is a huge sum of money to simply service the unit.
I was advise on the phone that due to its age the unit will likely have many dry solders and that the capacitors will need replacing.
Is this a reasonable cost? What should i do with the unit if i would like to get many years of life from it?

Thanks

Max

 

[RuffzGuts]

Sounds like an awful lot of money, all vintage B & O gear needs to be completely rebuilt though, its the caps that go bad in them and I am surprised its still working unless its already had some changed.
I guess it depends on what the tech is charging which could be up to 150 an hour.. and that is an amplifier that will take some time to do properly, then you have the price of the caps and any other parts which could be up to 300 at a rough guess.. So this is why most people here are all about learning to do it them selves, and this also takes time, money spent on equipment and hard earned knowledge and experience.

 

[DjangoGiles]

I though as much and appreciate that’s it’s probably a fairly arduous procedure. It just did seem high to me.
I think I will just keep using the unit for as long as I can and save up to hopefully get it rebuilt
One day or perhaps learn enough to do some bits myself.
Thanks for your feedback.

 

[RuffzGuts]

I though as much and appreciate that’s it’s probably a fairly arduous procedure. It just did seem high to me.
I think I will just keep using the unit for as long as I can and save up to hopefully get it rebuilt
One day or perhaps learn enough to do some bits myself.
Thanks for your feedback.

From a few pictures I have viewed, I think this may be a later model and may not have the red candy looking caps that were the main problem with vintage B&O, so it may still be ok. But it is still an old piece of gear and would likely benefit from a basic service.
I would head over to Beoworld for more advice, B&O doesn't get that much love around here.. in saying that if you were to start a rebuild thread with pictures I am sure folk here would be happy to help. Its probably not a good candidate for a first rebuild though.