Bang & Olufsen Beogram 1602 (1975)

The Beogram 1602 weighs 13.2 pounds. That heft says this isn't mass-market gear. It's Danish engineering, and it's well balanced.

Overview

The Bang & Olufsen Beogram 1602 came out in 1975. It's a manual turntable from B&O's best years of analog design. It belongs to the respected Beogram series and was positioned as a premium model for audiophiles who wanted precision, minimalist looks and mechanical integrity over automation. It never reached the status of the Beogram 4000 or 1200, but the 1602 earned a quiet reputation among purists for its solid build, low-resonance chassis, and compatibility with high-output moving magnet cartridges. Unlike its tangential-arm siblings, it uses a conventional 9-inch straight aluminum tonearm. Adjustable azimuth, anti-skate, and vertical tracking force (VTF) give users fine control over setup. Operation is all by hand: no auto-start, no cueing assist.

Key Features

High-Inertia Die-Cast Aluminum Platter (1.8 kg)

The 1.8 kg die-cast aluminum platter gives stable rotation and excellent speed consistency, which matters for keeping wow and flutter down. Its mass helps hold momentum during speed changes and resists outside vibration. A high-torque AC synchronous motor drives it through a rubber belt. Speeds are 33⅓ and 45 RPM, selected with a mechanical switch on the motor housing.

9-Inch Straight Aluminum Tonearm with Full Adjustability

The tonearm is a low-mass, rigid aluminum tube with precision bearings and a counterweight system for setting tracking force. Effective mass is around 12 grams. It pairs with cartridges in the 4 to 11 gram range (or 11 to 20.5 grams with sub-weight), so it works with a variety of moving magnet designs. Azimuth, anti-skate, and VTF are all user-adjustable. Owner reports conflict on the correct tracking force, though. One listing specifies 15 mN (1.5 grams), while others, including user discussions, say it should be set to 2 grams. Calibrate carefully when restoring a unit.

Suspended Sub-Chassis with Silicone-Damped Springs

The 1602 uses a suspended sub-chassis supported by four silicone-damped springs. This decouples the platter and tonearm assembly from outside vibration, which reduces feedback and improves detail retrieval. Over time the springs can lose elasticity and the sub-chassis becomes unstable. Owners note they can be replaced with modern equivalents, but the durometer has to be right for the suspension to work properly.

MMC Cartridge Compatibility and Phono Output

The Beogram 1602 was typically sold with the MM40 or MM50 cartridge, both high-output moving magnet designs developed by Bang & Olufsen. These MMC cartridges deliver approximately 5 mV at 1 kHz with a 5 cm/s input and an output impedance of 50 kΩ, a good match for standard MM phono inputs. Replacement styli are still available, though many users move to modern cartridges like the Ortofon 2M Red or Shure M97xE for improved fidelity. The turntable has no built-in preamp, so it needs an external phono stage or a receiver with a dedicated phono input. It uses standard RCA phono cables with a grounded connection to prevent hum.

Manual Operation and Hinged Acrylic Dust Cover

The 1602 has no automatic functions. Users place and lift the tonearm by hand. The transparent acrylic dust cover lifts on a hinge, keeping the design's clean sightlines when open and protecting the platter when closed. Replacement covers and side trim panels turn up now and then on eBay and specialty markets. One acrylic cover was listed at CA$45 on Canuck Audio Mart in 2026.

Historical Context

While those brands emphasized technical innovation or modularity, B&O set the 1602 apart with its Scandinavian design language: clean lines, functional elegance, and material integrity. It has an aluminum and wood-veneer chassis, with a plinth typically made of laminated wood and an aluminum top plate, and it reflects mid-century modernist principles. It was never meant to be flashy. Though not as widely recognized as other Beogram models, it remains respected within the B&O ecosystem, especially among collectors who appreciate understated engineering.

Collectibility & Value

The Beogram 1602 has a cult following, and original units in good condition often command $400 to $800 on the secondhand market. Prices vary a lot with condition and included accessories. Listings range from $55 for non-working units to $395 for fully functional models with original cartridges like the MMC 20E. Units described as "powers on, sold as is" appear regularly, so buyers need to be careful. The rubber drive belt is a common failure point and should be replaced if degraded. A compatible 8.5 mm O-ring does the job. Clean the platter, tonearm, and stylus with a carbon fiber brush and record cleaning fluid. No original retail price has been documented. Current value reflects steady demand for well-built, design-forward turntables from B&O's 1970s era, praised even in its time for combining Danish electronics and woodcraft mastery Amateur-Tape-Recorder (July 1966, p.36).