Beogram 4004 (5526): Final Adjustments and a Test Drive with Herbie Mann!

The restoration of this Beogram 4004 (5526) is finally coming to a close. After fixing the bent alignment pin for the aluminum panel around the platter it was time to adjust the floating sub-chassis and then the platter height. Once this is done, the arm lowering limit can be adjusted so that the needle misses the ribs on the platter should the record detection circuit malfunction at some point:

Once the limit is established, the arm counterweight can be adjusted and then the tracking weight. I usually install a M3 nut at the counterweight screw that one can fix it in place once the adjustment is done. This is a prerequisite when the turntable needs to be shipped and the weight calibration is to survive the trip. This shows the counterweight assembly in its original condition with the retaining washer that holds the adjustment screw in place:

And this shows the nut installed and tightened after calibrating the weight scale:

After this was done, I put on a cartridge and adjusted it to the prescribed 1.2g tracking weight with a digital gauge:

These low-priced gauges are very accurate these days and I highly recommend to get one for the occasional check of the tracking weight.

And then it was finally time to play this Beogram! I selected a recently acquired record by Herbie Mann, which is a pretty unusual and highly interesting album: Stone Flute, which he recorded for his own Embryo Records label in 1970. One can easily say that this is probably Herbie Mann's least commercial album. It is a highly addictive lush soundscape and quite different from his other outputs. In my opinion a seminal 70's jazz album that belongs in any serious jazz collection. Anyway, here is an impression of the Beogram and Herbie after cleaning the record with a CleanerVinyl ultrasonic record cleaner:

A Beolovely combination! Wouldn't you agree??