Can I connect my MP3 player/iPod to my B&O?
Yes!
The majority of Bang & Olufsen systems have circular ‘DIN’ connections on the rear/connection side of the unit. You can use a ‘Mini-Jack’ (the kind of plug you find on the end of iPod headphones) to a ‘DIN’ cable (see image) and can buy them here from LifeStyle AV.As an alternative, on older iPods, you can bypass the volume control of the iPod - a Russ Andrews GQ-24 lead can do this. On newer iPods, iPhones and iPads, this makes no difference to the sound quality produced.
For some Bang & Olufsen systems, such as the BeoSound 4 or BeoCentre 2, you just need a ‘Male RCA’ to ‘DIN’ connection, as these two models use direct ‘RCA’ connections. Some older Beomasters (eg. Beomaster 8000) have a combination of RCA and DIN inputs, so either type of cable can be used, depending on which sockets are free on your system.
iPod cables with 5 pin DIN plugs will fit and work perfectly in both 5 pin and 7 pin DIN sockets. Newer B&O products since the late 1980's changed to 7 pin sockets, with the extra two pins only being used for data when another B&O device is connected. Hence, these extra pins are spare when a non-B&O device such as an iPod is connected.
You can obtain these cables (and any advice you may need) from LifeStyle AV or Sounds Heavenly Cables, who sponsor the BeoWorld Forums.
Reference: 31
Created: 24th January 2007
Modified: 29th May 2012
