Benefits
- Powerful, precise mid -class
- Good battery life
- Bluetooth and wired connections
- Robust and Waterproof Design
Disadvantages
- Animal
- No Wi-Fi or AirPlay
- Slightly weak at extreme heights and low
- No berry bag
Our judgment
A1 is no bass boombox, but its clear and powerful middle class works well for rock, pop and dance music, while its 60W output really gets things moving at a BBQ or beach party. It is more expensive than most of its portable rivals, but the robust design and the strong battery life of the A1 make it one of the best compact speakers around.
Price when reviewed
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Best prices today
Price when reviewed
£ 299
Best Prices Today: Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (3. Gen)
£ 299
£ 299
Bang & Olufens BeoSound A1 is one of the more expensive portable speakers currently available – especially considering its relatively modest dimensions. However, it packs a lot in the compact design that combines impressive sound quality and good battery life with a sturdy design that is ideal for outdoor use.
Price for $ 399/£ 299 and available in different colors, this is actually the third generation version of A1, where the previous second general model was launched by 2021. The outward appearance of this new model has not changed at all and adheres to B & O’s characteristic circular design with a perforated aluminum grip on top.
However, this other general model is still available from Amazon and other online stores, so be sure to buy the right model when ordering online. Remember, the second general model has also had a price cut for around $ 199/£ 160 ($ 149.99 and £ 147.25 in Amazon Prime Day sales), which is a good price if you are looking for an apartment purchase.
For more Prime Day offers on audio equipment, look at our round of the best Prime Day AirPods offers, which also includes a selection of other earplugs.
The low -profile metallic design of the A1 looks good, and it measures only 46 mm high and 133 mm in diameter and weighs 576g, making it easy to slip it in a backpack or bag when traveling. However, it is robustly built, with the metallic case that boasts an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. This means that it is completely sealed against dust and other small particles, and can survive being completely submerged in water up to a meter deep for 30 minutes.
B&O BeoSound A1 (3. Gen)
Comes with a wrist rap
It makes it ideal for outdoor use, on a beach holiday, or if you just want a bit of a song in the shower in the morning. The base of the speaker has a non -slip rubber coating to help keep it safe, and there is also a leather handle rap, although it is a shame that such an expensive speaker does not include a carrying bag.
New features of this third gene model include a new 3.25-inch woofer designed to provide stronger bass than the previous model. Higher frequencies are handled by a 0.6-inch tweeter where the two drivers provide a healthy 60W output. The life of the battery has also improved and increases from 18 hours to 24 hours when playing music on medium volume.
It’s a bit strange that the A1 is still dependent on the relatively old Bluetooth 5.1, as the recent Bluetooth updates have helped to further improve the effect. Still, 24 hours of music still need to see you through a long weekend, and A1 supports both Apple’s AAC Codec for Bluetooth sound and APTX adaptive for Android users.
There is also a wired option as the A1 has a USB-C interface that can be used to both charge the battery and provide a wired audio input at the same time. This means you can connect it to a laptop when you are away from home to charge the speaker and use it as an external speaker for the laptop.
The only thing that prevents A1 from being the perfect portable speaker for Apple users is that it does not support Wi-Fi or AirPlay-as some cheaper portable speakers do, such as JBL AUTHENTICS 300 or SONOS ROAM 2. See our round of the best AirPlay speakers.
But of course it is sound quality that matters most, and the A1 produces a surprisingly strong and clear sound for such a compact speaker. Muse is always a good effort for the summer festival season, and A1 has plenty of power to handle the prog-rock chaos by Knights of Cydonia. The galloping drum of the track strikes the ground that runs with a firm, precise rhythm, and Matt Bellamy’s Falsetto rings loudly and clearly as the band makes their best queen imitation. Our only complaint here is that some of the higher frequencies may lack influence, and some sounds – such as the Mariachi horns in the opening section – are a little overwhelmed by the headbanging guitars and drums.
Compact speakers like this can also struggle with bass output, but A1 manages to get down to the bouncing electronic bass on the bad guy of Billie Eilish. There is a smooth tone of Billie’s voice when she whispers – “I’m only good at being bad” – and a crispy, sharp sound to the finger flowing over. The really deep bass pulse that finishes the track can be a little firmer, but it asks a lot from such a small speaker and the A1 is as good as you get from a speaker of this size.
Should you buy B & Os Bysound A1 (3. Gen)?
There are definitely cheaper portable speakers available, but BeoSound A1 can earn its stay when you’re out and around this summer. It provides impressive sound quality for such a compact and light speaker, and it’s great that you can charge it and play music from a laptop at the same time. And of course, its robust design makes it ideal for outdoor use, even on a sandy beach or a muddy music festival.