Bang & Olufsen Beogram 4000/4002 vs Technics SL-1200M5G
Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: Bang & Olufsen Beogram 4000/4002 · Technics SL-1200M5G.
| Specification | Bang & Olufsen Beogram 4000/4002 |
Technics SL-1200M5G |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,750 (used) | Highlighted difference. $1,150 (used) |
| Category | Vintage | Vintage |
| Status | discontinued | discontinued |
| Years | 1972–1981 | 2002–2010 |
| Drive | belt drive | direct drive |
| Speeds | 33/45 rpm | 33/45 rpm |
| Operation | fully-automatic | manual |
| Cartridge supplied | None | None |
| Phono stage | No | No |
| USB output | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Platter | aluminium | die-cast aluminium with rubber damping |
| Tonearm | electronically controlled tangential (linear-tracking) twin-arm | Technics S-shaped arm with improved wiring |
| Wow & flutter | — | 0.01% WRMS |
Practical differences
Highlighted cells show a lower reference price, support for more listed speeds, or the presence of a convenience feature. They are not an overall score.
There's a real gap here: $600 separates them, with the Bang & Olufsen Beogram 4000/4002 the pricier of the two.
The Bang & Olufsen Beogram 4000/4002 spins its platter via belt drive; the Technics SL-1200M5G uses direct drive instead. Neither is objectively better — a motor that's mechanically isolated from the platter by an elastic belt, which is the usual route to a quieter noise floor — the default choice across most of hi-fi versus instant start-up, rock-steady speed under load, and enough torque to nudge or backspin the record — the reason DJs and scratch decks are built this way.
The Bang & Olufsen Beogram 4000/4002 is fully automatic — press start and the arm cues itself and lifts at the end of the side — where the Technics SL-1200M5G needs you to cue the arm by hand.
Bottom line: the Technics SL-1200M5G has the lower reference price; the table shows which documented features change with the $600 gap.
Retailer searches
4 US retailers handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that retailer’s site.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guitar Center | music retail | Free standard shipping on most orders $25+. | View at Guitar Center ↗ |
| Reverb | used marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | View at Reverb ↗ |
| Upscale Audio | hifi independent | Free USA shipping on orders over $99 (exclusions for oversized items). | View at Upscale Audio ↗ |
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | View at eBay ↗ |
Retailer searches
4 US retailers handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that retailer’s site.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guitar Center | music retail | Free standard shipping on most orders $25+. | View at Guitar Center ↗ |
| Reverb | used marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | View at Reverb ↗ |
| Upscale Audio | hifi independent | Free USA shipping on orders over $99 (exclusions for oversized items). | View at Upscale Audio ↗ |
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | View at eBay ↗ |

