Bang & Olufsen BeoCom 505 (1997)
The Bang & Olufsen BeoCom 505 was introduced in 1997. Most cordless phones then were plain plastic devices built only to work. The BeoCom 505 treated the telephone as a sculptural object for the living space.
David Lewis designed the BeoCom 505. The compact body is made from high-quality plastics with a soft-touch finish, and it follows the design language of other B&O products of the era, such as the BeoVision and BeoSound systems. The handset has a gently curved body that reportedly fits comfortably in the hand, with a recessed keypad and a small analog display window with soft illumination. The base station has a low-profile design meant to fit into high-end interiors.
The BeoCom 505 uses DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications), which was still relatively new in consumer telephones when it came out. Compared to earlier analog cordless systems, DECT gave clearer voice transmission, more range (approximately 100 meters indoors and 300 meters outdoors), and better security. So the phone was a luxury item, but it also offered real performance gains.
Audio quality was a central focus in the development of the BeoCom 505. Bang & Olufsen applied its expertise in acoustics to get rich, natural-sounding voice reproduction from the handset. The speaker and microphone were engineered to minimize background noise and improve speech clarity, so conversations felt more lifelike and less fatiguing over long calls. This set the 505 apart from mass-market competitors.
The user interface of the BeoCom 505 is both intuitive and elegant. The keypad uses recessed rubber buttons with a soft tactile response, designed to minimize accidental presses while maintaining ease of use. The analog display—unusual for a digital device—shows time, caller ID (when supported by the telephone service), and call status using a series of illuminated segments. This analog aesthetic was a deliberate design choice, aligning with B&O’s philosophy of creating timeless objects that avoid the rapid obsolescence associated with digital screens.
The BeoCom 505 was reportedly available in a range of color finishes, including black, white, and metallic silver, so buyers could match the phone to their interior decor. Each unit came with a dedicated charging cradle that doubled as a hands-free speakerphone base. With the handset docked, an incoming call could be answered with a single button press, and the speakerphone worked without lifting the handset. This was particularly innovative for its time.
Despite the premium positioning, the BeoCom 505 was built for practical use. It offered standard telephony features such as redial, mute, and volume control, and possibly a built-in answering machine (on certain variants). Later models in the 500 series may have added support for multiple handsets and expanded memory for contacts, but the 505 remained the flagship of the line because of its design purity and build quality.
Collectors of vintage audio and design gear have given the BeoCom 505 cult status. It is scarce, and its status in design history makes it sought after. Original units in good condition, especially those with the base station and original packaging, can command high prices on the secondary market. The phone is often displayed as a design object rather than used for daily calls.
Bang & Olufsen's move into the telephony market in the 1990s was part of a broader strategy to extend its brand beyond audio and video equipment into home electronics. The BeoCom 505 was one of the first products to show that a telephone could be both a high-fidelity communication device and a piece of industrial art. It paved the way for later models such as the BeoCom 6000 and BeoCom 2.
The BeoCom 505 operated on the 1.88-1.90 GHz DECT frequency band, which kept interference with other household electronics like Wi-Fi routers or microwave ovens to a minimum. Battery life was typical for the era. A NiMH (Nickel-Metal Hydride) rechargeable battery gave up to 10 hours of talk time and 100 hours of standby. Charging took approximately 12 hours. The base station typically required a 220-240V AC power supply, common in European markets where the device was primarily sold.
The BeoCom 505 was not marketed as a "smart" device, and it came long before smartphones and VoIP. It was an analog-digital hybrid design, sitting between traditional telephony and the emerging world of digital communication.
The BeoCom 505 is remembered as a phone built around a design philosophy of longevity, craftsmanship, and sensory experience. It is a piece of late-20th-century Scandinavian modernism that collectors of vintage audio and design still look for.
Similar items on eBay
No exact Bang & Olufsen BeoCom 505 listings are live right now — these searches show current Bang & Olufsen and similar vintage audio gear on eBay:
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.
Related Models
- Bang & Olufsen 1702 (1976)
- Bang & Olufsen Beolab 6000
- Bang & Olufsen Beolab 7.4
- Bang & Olufsen BeoLufsen Penta Mk3 (1983)
- Bang & Olufsen Beosound 1
- Braun AUDIO-1 (1965)
- Braun AUDIO-250 (1965)
- Magnavox Component Systems (1972)
- Acoustic Research AR (1967-1976)
- Acoustic Research 11