Beomaster 1400M

The Beomaster 1400M replaced the Beomaster 900M. Though very similar in size, this new model represented a considerable advance over what had come before in all aspects. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

The styling of the Beomaster 1400M was a departure from what was becoming normal B&O practice. Instead of being as slim and low as possible, the Beomaster 1400M assumed more conventional proportions, allowing for a large control panel and easy placement on shelving systems. The overall appearance of the set had been entrusted to a team of designers who usually worked with television sets, so it came as no surprise to find styling cues, such as the silver aluminium framing of the front of the set and the black ventilation grille across the rear, that were already present in the Beovision range. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

The Beomaster 1400M matched its sturdy appearance with a really sturdy build. Much of the chassis and front panel was die-cast instead of pressed, something that one would not find anywhere else but the Beolab 5000 system. Internal layout was similar to that of the Beomaster 900, though advances in technique meant that not as much printed circuit area was necessary. The FM stereo decoder and the magnetic pickup equalising preamplifier were built as separate plug-in modules, though all Beomaster 1400Ms sold in the UK came with both fitted as standard. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

Of all the technical improvements made, the most significant was an increase in the overall level of performance. With better circuitry and nearly three times as much power, the Beomaster 1400M fully meat the DIN 45 500 standard for Hi-Fi, something that was not the case for the 900 range. This better performance was in part due to the use of silicon transistors, as opposed to the germanium types used previously. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.

The Beomaster 1400M was well specified and included features such as four pre-set FM programmes, FM AFC, a tuning meter, a short wave fine tuner, two pairs of switchable loudspeaker sockets and a connection for a stereo tape recorder. It could be used as the main unit in a quality Hi-Fi system, with the Beogram 1000 record player and Beovox 2400 loudspeakers being the recommended first additions. Text copyright © Beocentral. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.