This Beogram 4002 restoration project was paused until a new batch of Beolover replacement parts for the Beogram 400x tonearm cartridge mounts became available. With the parts in hand, the installation process could begin.
One of the cartridge connector contacts on this particular Beogram 4002 was defective. Whether this was a factory issue or a result of wear and tear is unclear, but the owner’s prior problems with cartridge mounting made replacing the connector a necessary step.
Cartridge mount replacements are more common in the Beogram 4000, which frequently suffers from broken or damaged mounts. Using a working mount from another Beogram isn’t ideal, as it leaves another turntable without a functioning tonearm. The Beolover connector offers an excellent solution.
The procedure began on the right side of the Beogram by loosening the two tonearm mounting screws.
A small board within the tonearm transfers the phono signal from the delicate wire in the base to the color-coded wire leading to the cartridge connector. This design allows for desoldering the tonearm at the board, simplifying removal and ensuring accurate reassembly using the color coding.
The red and white wires were desoldered from the top of the board while the tonearm was in its usual position. Flipping the tangential arm assembly provided access to the underside of the board for the blue, green, and gray wires. This required removing the assembly rails and drive screw, but guaranteed precision during this crucial step.
After removing the tonearm, the end with the connector was submerged in boiling water for a minute, followed by immediate immersion in ice water. Applying pressure to the connector through the back of the tonearm usually loosens it for removal. In this instance, the connector came out on the first try.
Reusing existing tonearm wires requires careful handling during this process. In this case, new, slightly smaller 36-gauge wires were used.
The original cartridge connector, consisting of upper and lower halves, was examined. This repair involved retaining the lower half and replacing the upper portion. The images highlight a broken or worn contact area on the original connector, specifically impacting the left channel’s low signal.
The Beolover replacement part for the connector’s upper section was prepped by tinning the four contacts for the new phono wires.
All five original tonearm wires were replaced with matching 36-gauge wires, except for the ground wire, which was changed from gray to black.
Aleene’s Tacky Glue, a removable adhesive, was used to secure the wires in the channel before joining the connector halves. This avoided using permanent epoxy.
After the glue dried, the connector-end wires were bundled for easier future removal. Aleene’s glue was used again to rejoin the connector halves, with a cartridge temporarily attached to guarantee correct alignment.
While reinserting the connector and wires into the tonearm tube, a small amount of Aleene’s glue was applied to the inside of the tube to prevent any glue from reaching the connector or cartridge.
Although the photo shows the cartridge detached, it’s important to note that a cartridge was attached during the actual insertion to ensure proper connector installation.
Attaching the wires to the transfer board, including cutting, stripping, tinning, and soldering, required meticulous care. The red and white wires on top were connected first, followed by flipping the transport to access the remaining three.
The transport was then returned to its proper position, and the tonearm was carefully reattached. Extra care was taken to guide the phono wires back into the tube while securing the tonearm to the mounting hardware.
Reassembling the tangential arm assembly necessitated rechecking several alignment settings: stylus tracking path, tracking force weight, and the tangential arm tracking sensor’s functionality.
Finally, the Beogram 4002 was connected to an audio system for a record playback test. Both channels delivered flawless audio through the new cartridge connector.
