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The Bang & Olufsen Beogram 4004 is the kind of turntable that makes you rethink what a record player is supposed to be. Designed by Jacob Jensen and built in Denmark at the tail end of the 1970s, it dispenses with the pivoted tonearm entirely — a linear-tracking tangential arm glides across the groove in a dead-straight line, just as the cutting lathe did, leaving virtually no tracking error and no skating force. The sonic result is an uncanny ease and precision: bass lines land with authority, stereo imaging opens up wide, and there's a naturalness to sibilants that makes you reach for the next record before the last one finishes. The sculpted aluminum lid, teak or rosewood plinth, and that distinctive floating platter — this thing is as much furniture as it is a piece of hi-fi. Nearly five decades on, it still turns heads and still sounds like a machine that was embarrassingly ahead of its time.S/N: be130183
At US$1,199, this is a strong deal: it sits well below the comparable-listing 25th percentile of US$1,462 and far under the US$1,725 median. For a working example, that is bargain territory rather than merely a fair price.
The 4004 remains a desirable Beogram for its elegant design, unusually accurate tangential tracking, and smooth, low-fuss automatic operation. The catch is the unknown condition: confirm that it reaches speed, tracks and lifts correctly, and includes a usable MMC cartridge and dust cover. Belts, aged electronics, lubrication, and the proprietary cartridge can turn a cheap purchase into a project, so demonstrations or service records materially improve the deal.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Bang & Olufsen was founded on November 17, 1925, in Struer, Denmark, by engineers Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen. The company began in the attic of the Olufsen family manor, Quistrup, where the founders developed The Eliminator—a revolutionary device that allowed radios to operate from mains electricity rather than batteries. This innovation established B&O as a forward-thinking manufacturer and set the tone for nearly a century of technological advancement rooted in Danish design principles.
The brand is primarily known for premium audio and home entertainment systems, including high-fidelity receivers, radiograms, cassette recorders, and contemporary loudspeakers. B&O pioneered several category firsts: the world's first button-operated receiver in the 1930s and Europe's first cassette recorder, the Beocord-84U, in the 1950s. Today, the company manufactures integrated audio systems, wireless speakers, and headphones that blend acoustic engineering with sculptural industrial design.
Bang & Olufsen occupies the luxury segment of the audio market, positioned as a premium lifestyle brand rather than a specialist audiophile manufacturer. The company's reputation rests on its distinctive philosophy of merging form and function—treating audio equipment as crafted objects designed to enhance living spaces aesthetically. Recognized by the Museum of Modern Art in New York and maintained as a visionary enterprise for over a century, B&O appeals to discerning consumers who value Scandinavian design sensibility alongside sonic performance.
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