View Full Version : What to do with an old B&O?
Hi everybody! I have an old B&O 3000 turntable from the 70's. Dumpster-find. The cartridge is gone. No hope for the auto-functions. I am thinking on making it a project. I would like to fit a standard pickup on the arm, but is it possible? Do i need to change the whole arm? If so, which arms do fit on this tt?
Is it for the trash?
Hello Johan,
Is it possible for you to post a photo of the turntable you have, because the description B&O 3000 from the 70's is ambiguous.
I suspect what you have might be the 5228, which has a pivoted arm, and can only take B&O plug in cartridges. These will be very hard to find; new ones virtually impossible, used ones needing a retip are more likely (the latter can, I believe, be retipped by: the Expert Stylus Company here in the UK; by Soundsmith in the USA, and by FJS-Tonabneherservice in Germany).
It would make a nice little project, if you are willing to spend time and patience on it. For what it's worth I love the elegant styling of those B&O 70's turntables.
B&O SP6 cartridges that will plug into your arm are still available on eBay. For example:
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ozsAAeSwralqKop9/s-l1600.webp
Thank you for answering, Barry!
I want to swap the tonearm, to make use of standard cartridges. I don`t which arms that fits.
Looks like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/286391626352
Since the arm pillar of the new arm will have to use the same aperture of the original B&O arm, you will need to carefully measure the distance between the centre of the platter (the spigot) to the centre of the horizontal bearing of the tonearm.
Given that distance, we can calculate the effective arm length, which will narrow down the options for a replacement arm
The next thing to say is that depending on the choice of the replacement arm, and the diameter of its arm pillar, you may need to open out the existing aperture if too small, or have a suitable sleeve made if the aperture is too large.
(I have just checked, and the effective length of the arm on your 5231 turntable is 205mm, suggesting the spigot to arm bearing distance is 190mm. It wouldn't do any harm to check this.)
The effective arm length of the SME 3009/II arm is 231.2mm. This is much longer than the 205mm effective arm length of the existing B&O arm. So if the replacement SME arm were to use the same mounting hole the overhang would be far too large. Furthermore, it is unlikely the SME arm would fit when the lid was closed.
Looking at other options; ideally it would help if you could give me some idea of the distance between the platter and the underside of the lid.
I had a similar B&O.
I reckon there's no chance, really. Any tonearm taking standard cartridges will never allow the lid to close.
Best bet is Soundsmith B&O cartridges and a B&O arm.
It's certainly looking that way. I was surprised to find out that B&O plug in cartridges are still available. The cartridge for Johan's 5231 deck is the SP12, although an SP10 or an SP14 can be used as well. All three cartridges are listed on eBay.
I can't remember the model number, but I had a B&O cartridge with a solid sapphire cantilever.
I think it was an MMC 20CL looking it up. Late 70s early 80s.
It was decent. The Soundsmith ones are B&O sanctioned. Bet they're good.
With the deck I owned, there'd be no easy way to fit a trad arm into the chassis.
Hello Johan,
Finding a suitable replacement arm for your B&O turntable is proving to be much harder than I thought it would be. It seems B&O use a particularly short arm on their deck. Having been mislead by Google AI regarding the effective length of your arm, it has been frustrating not to find an alternative by doing a search on the Vinylengine forum; despite being a member I can no longer log in.
So as long as the existing arm is undamaged and working, I suggest you follow Justin advice and fit a new, or refurbished, SP12 cartridge. They are still available on eBay, and all B&O cartridges are IMO all very good.
Sorry to have to disappoint, but that is the best we can do.
I can't remember the model number, but I had a B&O cartridge with a solid sapphire cantilever.
Ah no - I think it was an MMC 20CL looking it up. Late 70s early 80s.
It was decent. The Soundsmith ones are B&O sanctioned. Bet they're good.
With the deck I owned, there'd be no easy way to fit a trad arm into the chassis.
I still have a few MMC 20 cartridges (20E, 20CL and 20CN) which I can fit into the B&O universal socket, having 1/2" fixings on an SME arm. IMO the B&O range of cartridges are all very good.
I paid £67 for that cart. I distinctly remember it. An SMMC 20CL is now $999!!!
They do refurbs at half that price, so a refurbished eBay cheapie would maybe be the best way.
I paid £67 for that cart. I distinctly remember it. An SMMC 20CL is now $999!!!
They do refurbs at half that price, so a refurbished eBay cheapie would maybe be the best way.
I remember when spending £100 on a cartridge was considered to be pushing the boat out. Although I suppose that was 35 years ago.
I remember when spending £100 on a cartridge was considered to be pushing the boat out. Although I suppose that was 35 years ago.Inflation adjusted £67 is considerably less than $999. It was around 1980 I paid that.
I asked an AI and it reckoned hi-fi has gotten more expensive in real terms over the years.
Seems pretty plausible.
Inflation adjusted £67 is considerably less than $999. It was around 1980 I paid that.
I asked an AI and it reckoned hi-fi has gotten more expensive in real terms over the years.
Seems pretty plausible.
Big name stuff yes, no doubt, but if you want Topping or SMSL or Fosi it's a lot cheaper than the budget kit of yesteryear.
Thank you all! Guess the tt goes back in the dumpster some day.
Lawrence001
26-06-2026, 17:41
Thank you all! Guess the tt goes back in the dumpster some day.Maybe the previous owner went through the same conversation on a HiFi forum before he dumped it. In fact it may have been in and out of the dumpster several times over the years [emoji23]
Wakefield Turntables
27-06-2026, 12:52
Send all your stuff to BEOBLOKE, I'm sure he could find in his collection!!!!
I still think the best solution would be to clean up the deck, make sure the arm moves freely with no 'stickiness' in the bearings, and fit an SP12 cartridge. B&O cartridges are still available; both new and refurbished.
As a sort of coda to this thread on B&O turntables, pickup arms and cartridges, and because Justin mentioned the MMC range of cartridges, I would like to refer Members to the following adaptors which allow these cartridges to be used in other tone arms.
The first is an adaptor which allow the cartridges to be fitted in a headshell with standard 1/2" fixings:
https://tse3.mm.bing.net/th/id/OIP.IxOn2gQOZMVqxbSlyo2sQgHaFj?pid=Api&P=0&h=180 https://tse4.mm.bing.net/th/id/OIP._54otxp_FYAr-Bmmss7PIgHaFj?pid=Api&P=0&h=180
and the second is an adaptor allowing the MMC cartridges to be directly fitted to an arm having an EIA coupling, and which also has a sliding keyway at the bearing end of the arm for the adjustment of stylus overhang (for example all of the SME 3000 series arms, as well as the M2R-9 and M2R-12 arms):
https://i.postimg.cc/dVwK10PL/20260625-174506-1.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
Beobloke
03-08-2026, 21:24
As a sort of coda to this thread on B&O turntables, pickup arms and cartridges, and because Justin mentioned the MMC range of cartridges, I would like to refer Members to the following adaptors which allow these cartridges to be used in other tone arms.
The first is an adaptor which allow the cartridges to be fitted in a headshell with standard 1/2" fixings:
https://tse3.mm.bing.net/th/id/OIP.IxOn2gQOZMVqxbSlyo2sQgHaFj?pid=Api&P=0&h=180 https://tse4.mm.bing.net/th/id/OIP._54otxp_FYAr-Bmmss7PIgHaFj?pid=Api&P=0&h=180
and the second is an adaptor allowing the MMC cartridges to be directly fitted to an arm having an EIA coupling, and which also has a sliding keyway at the bearing end of the arm for the adjustment of stylus overhang (for example all of the SME 3000 series arms, as well as the M2R-9 and M2R-12 arms):
https://i.postimg.cc/dVwK10PL/20260625-174506-1.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
If you'd delete that, Barry, that would be much appreciated.
There aren't enough B&O cartridges to go round for B&O turntables, so using them on no-B&O decks should be punishable by a hefty fine at least! :D
Lawrence001
04-08-2026, 17:30
If you'd delete that, Barry, that would be much appreciated.
There aren't enough B&O cartridges to go round for B&O turntables, so using them on no-B&O decks should be punishable by a hefty fine at least! :DI think I'm with you on this one (although why anyone would want to do it that way round I'm not sure). What we need is an adaptor to use a non-B&O cartridge on a B&O arm, that way their vintage TTs wouldn't be sold at scrap prices when the cart fails.
I think I'm with you on this one (although why anyone would want to do it that way round I'm not sure). What we need is an adaptor to use a non-B&O cartridge on a B&O arm, that way their vintage TTs wouldn't be sold at scrap prices when the cart fails.
For the simple reason that B&O cartridges were always better than their arms. Way back in 1969 I wanted to use an SP10 cartridge with an SME arm. And it's the same reason why Ortofon SPUs were also used with SME arms.
It would be of more help to suggest what Kvaal should do to his 5231 B&O deck to make it playable. Suitable B&O cartridges for it are still available: both new and refurbished.
Lawrence001
05-08-2026, 17:45
I didn't realise B&O cartridges were that good, is it really better to buy one plus the adaptor than to use a well regarded "normal" fitting cart like say the V15 or equivalent AT, Ortofon etc of appropriate compliance?
Like most things it's a matter of taste. For years (1969 to about 1975) I worked my way up the Shure range: from the M55E through to the V15/III, when I then started to take an interest in the Ortofon moving coil cartridges and didn't look back. I also knew about B&O cartridges back in 1969, but had great difficulty in buying one, which is what started me with Shure cartridges.
Again, around 1975 I became aware of AKG cartridges, bought one: the AKG P8ES which is very good, and much later bought a B&O SP8 cartridge which could be fitted in an SME headshell. It too was very good, so when I saw some of the B&O MMC cartridges for sale on eBay I bought them. However they were intended to be mated only with a B&O arm; hence the need for adaptors.
I wouldn't say they are better than, say, some Audio Technica cartridges, but they are very, very good fixed-coil designs.
I have about 30 cartridges (a mixture of fixed and moving coil designs), so I guess you could call me a bit of a cartridge fanatic!
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