Bang & Olufsen RL45 speakers - any use?

[RobinBanks]

My dad has just told me that he has a pair of these speakers in his garage and he's doing a clearout and asked if I want them.

Are they any use? What can I connect them to? Is there any chance of a 3.5mm jack to plug into my laptop/MP3?

Specs and info is here:

http://www.beoworld.org/prod_details.asp?pid=656

[RobinBanks]

I remember him using them when I was a kid and I've always thought they were really cool so I'll give it a go to get them up running!
I have this which I never use but can take a 3.5mm connection from my laptop:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-CMT-BX70DBi-Micro-Sys...

would that be able to drive the speakers? I've already worked out a spot for them in my house. Of course, if it turns out the sound is awful then I will probably bin them.

[RobinBanks]

Thanks for the replies, very helpful!

I know absolutely nothing about this stuff.

I'll dig the Sony out and see if there is sound and if it's any good

[RobinBanks]

I'll get the speakers tested with the Sony and then if that all goes ok, I will probably get that amp which I will bolt to the inside of the drawer in my desk.

Hopefully this weekend or next I can give them a go.

[RobinBanks]

Right....

He has just called me to say that after all he has decided to get a new system entirely, so what I can have instead is a pair of Bang & Olufsen Beovox CX100 speakers:
http://beophile.com/?page_id=1472


They're just like the tall black ones but in aluminium plain finish instead.

These are the ones he bought to replace the Redline 45s about 15 years ago.

I can see that these are supposed to be 100 watt speakers. Can anyone recommend a cheap amp?
I know that these ones work fine because he was using them a few weeks ago when I was there - he's still using them until he gets his new set.

I just need a reasonably cheap (but not awful) amp to sit out of the way that I can plug into my laptop.
I'd choose something myself but I'd probably blow them up

[RobinBanks]

GoodDoc said:

What amp is your Dad using the CX100s at the moment?

The CX100s are rated at 100W peak, so the nominal rating will be less. I use that cheap Lepy linked above with Mission 731 speakers. The amp is rated at 20 watt continuous (so it can "peak" higher) and the speakers are rated at 25-75 watts and it works fine (but I don't crank it up to fill the room), so for minimal investments I'd start there and see how well it works.

Edited by GoodDoc on Wednesday 5th August 02:30

Thanks, that's what I was checking. I don't know how to match them at all. I'm not a big music person but I would like it to sound nice enough. It won't be loud drum and bass - I listen to pretty relaxed stuff and the odd film.

At the moment I think he's just using a Panasonic AM/FM/cassette/LP/CD enormous box thing that he's had since about 1984. He bought the first set of speakers because when I was about 2 I kicked a hole through one of the original Panasonic ones

In the same incident I also broke one of the equalizer sliders by pushing a 2p coin in. You can still see the coin.

[RobinBanks]

GoodDoc said:

A model number would be great but I suspect that cheap Lepy amp will be a good starting point for driving the CX100s.

I would've thought the Panasonic is below, but this'll probably be the first time they've played digital media. He really only uses cassettes, LPs, AM and FM.

And I'm not a hard user, they're unlikely to even be used more than once a week for a bit of online radio and the occasional MP3 or film. The amp you suggested should be fine, I just wanted to make sure it would drive them (I saw 25w on the amp and 100w on the speakers and I wasn't sure if they'd be suitable together)

[RobinBanks]

That does look pretty good.

For the time being I will probably stick with the Sony thing I have and see how it sounds and how I get on with it for the time being

[RobinBanks]

Thanks guys, that's great food for thought.

I'm going to have a read into it myself. My main goal at the moment is something that won't sound like cheap laptop speakers

After I've educated myself though the risk is that I'll end up getting too into it and blowing savings on something I never wanted

I've done that before....