Beogram 8000: Installation of a Grounding Switch, Repair of a Broken Off PCB Post and, Finally!, Test Drive with Gabor Szabo!

I gave the Beogram 8000 that I am restoring right now a couple final touches:

1) As usual, I installed a switch that makes a connection between system and signal grounds. Such a connection usually extinguishes any hum that may arise from incompatible connections between turntable and amplifier. In my view there are no adverse effects resulting from connecting the two grounds, but the original B&O set-up is to keep them separately until they meet in the amplifier, so I put in a switch to make the connection easily reversible, if desired down the road.

This shows the installed switch on the output relay board:

2) I needed to reattach a broken off PCB mounting post. The post that holds the rubber bumper that presses the main PCB into its mounting brackets broke off when I removed the PCB...this old plastic can sometimes be a bit brittle. Luckily, there was enough 'meat' that allowed me to drill a small hole through the post and the underlying plastic with my Dremel tool. Then I bolted it down with a 2-56 screw and this worked very nicely:

All good now under the hood!

I closed it up and then performed a calibration of the tracking weight:

And then it was finally time for a test drive! I had just received a new vinyl from Sweden: Gabor Szabo's "Small World" from 1972. This is one of those he recorded in Sweden. I got the original Bellaphon release (Made in West Germany...;-)

What a great record (especially after ultrasonically cleaning it with my CleanerVinyl Pro..;-)! And his awesome 1970's purple outfit! Those were the days! The album contains another version of 'people', which is one of my favorite tunes ever. And Szabo brings it to life like no other. Too sad that his life was short and things did not end that well for him. Very unfortunate! I am very grateful, though, he left us a bunch of wonderful albums to enjoy! More achievement than most of us will ever be able to claim when we go meet our Maker for that final exit interview...;-)! This is Beolove!