First released in mid-2020, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2 is a top-end Bluetooth speaker available in five color streams. The speaker has an IP67 rating, so it is waterproof and dust-tight. It comes with a carrying strap that allows users to attach it to a bag and listen to music when outdoors, and weighing just 1.1 pounds, it is much more portable than some of the best speakers on the market. The speaker’s battery lasts about 4.6 hours, and since it also has its companion app, users will be able to customize its EQ presets or even pair two A1 Gen 2 speakers for a stereo output. This is a feature that is also quite common among the highest-rated Bluetooth speakers in the industry. It can also take up voice commands after being integrated with the Alexa app, but it doesn’t work with Siri. If this sounds like a deal breaker that you wouldn’t want to deal with, then check out our Apple HomePod review.
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Bang Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2 Review
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Critics were pleased with the compact design of the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2 speaker. They liked that this made it portable and that it could withstand harsh handling. However, they didn’t appreciate its low battery life and missing WiFi connectivity.
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Product Snapshot
Overview
First released in mid-2020, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2 is a top-end Bluetooth speaker available in five color streams. The speaker has an IP67 rating, so it is waterproof and dust-tight. It comes with a carrying strap that allows users to attach it to a bag and listen to music when outdoors, and weighing just 1.1 pounds, it is much more portable than some of the best speakers on the market. The speaker’s battery lasts about 4.6 hours, and since it also has its companion app, users will be able to customize its EQ presets or even pair two A1 Gen 2 speakers for a stereo output. This is a feature that is also quite common among the highest-rated Bluetooth speakers in the industry. It can also take up voice commands after being integrated with the Alexa app, but it doesn’t work with Siri. If this sounds like a deal breaker that you wouldn’t want to deal with, then check out our Apple HomePod review.
Consensus
our Verdict
Product specialists lauded the Bang & Olufsen A1 Gen 2 Bluetooth speaker for its small design, sturdy build quality, and durability. Experts from Rtings were delighted with how well-suited the A1 Gen 2 speaker was for outdoor use. They liked that it was compact and that it was both water and dust-resistant. They could also tweak its sound during their tests through the speaker’s companion app. They commended it for its accurate vocal reproduction when playing music and wide soundstage when playing movies. Reviewers from T3 also liked that they could pair the speaker to two devices at once and that it could act as a speakerphone.
Still, testers didn’t appreciate its bass response and low battery life of 4.6 hours. In contrast, the Bose Portable Smart Speaker lasts longer. (check it out in our Bose Portable Smart Speaker review). Testers also didn’t like its lack of WiFi compatibility, which is a discredit it shares with the Bang & Olufsen Beolit 20 – more on that in our Bang & Olufsen Beolit 20 review.
Reason to Buy
- Compact and lightweight
- Sturdy build quality
- Works with voice assistants
- Allows for EQ presets
- Supports multi-device pairing
Reason to Avoid
- Short battery life
- No WiFi connectivity
- Low bass response
Bang Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2 Specs
 | Battery Life | 18 hrs |
 | Built In Microphone | Yes |
 | Charge Time | 2 hrs |
 | Size | 13.3 cm (w) x 4.5 cm (h) x 13.3 cm (d) (Weight: 558 g) |
 | Smart App | Yes |
 | Speaker Pairing | n/a |
 | Water Resistant | Yes |
 | Wattage | 105W |
 | Wireless Range | n/a |
All Specs
Test Results
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| Battery Life (Hours) | 11.3 |
| Volume Output (dB) | 88.1 |
| Low End Roll Off (Hz) | 119.865 |
| High End Roll Off (Hz) | 6,639.818 |
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Product Comparison
 Bang Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2 Review | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
True Score | 88 | 73 | 58 | 82 |
Ranking | # 3 / 109 | # 65 / 109 | # 100 / 109 | # 38 / 109 |
Market Context |
First released in mid-2020, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2 is a top-end Bluetooth speaker available in five color streams. The speaker has… |
There are many differences between the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2 and the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore that may make customers swing… There are many differences between the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2 and the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore that may make customers swing either way. The former has a longer 9-hour battery life compared to the latter’s 4.6-hour playback time, but the latter has support for both voice assistant and speakerphone functionality, while the former does not. Go ahead and learn more about the latter in our Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore review. |
The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2’s sound output can be customized through EQ presets while that of the Bose SoundLink Revolve II cannot,… The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2’s sound output can be customized through EQ presets while that of the Bose SoundLink Revolve II cannot, but the Revolve II has a longer 9.5-hour battery life than the Gen 2’s 4.6-hour playback time. The Revolve II also supports Google Assistant and Siri, while the Gen 2 only works with Alexa. |
The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2 supports speakerphone functionality while the Sonos Roam does not, but the Sonos Roam supports WiFi connectivity while… The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2 supports speakerphone functionality while the Sonos Roam does not, but the Sonos Roam supports WiFi connectivity while the Beosound Gen 2 does not. The Gen 2 also supports multi-device pairing, while the Sonos Roam does not. |
Battery Life | 18 hrs | 27 hrs | 13 hrs | 10 hrs |
Built In Microphone | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Charge Time | 2 hrs | 2 hrs | 4 hrs | 2 hrs |
Size | 13.3 cm (w) x 4.5 cm (h) x 13.3 cm (d) (Weight: 558 g) | 8.1 cm (d) x 12.4 cm (h) | – | – |
Smart App | Yes | Yes | Bose Connect | Amazon Alexa app, Google Assistant, Sonos app |
Speaker Pairing | n/a | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Water Resistant | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Wattage | 105W | 2 × 30W | 8W | 10W |
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Score Card
E
Expert Score
*.75
We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores
C
Customer Score
*.25
We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores
True Score
Any product with a True Score above 80 is a Absolutely Fresh
Expert Score Breakdown
Publications with higher Trust Scores are given more weight.
102.6Category Trust Score
70The outdoor-friendly Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) speaker offers a strong mix of… read moreBy:
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54.9Category Trust Score
80Visually near imperceptible from the original A1, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen)… read moreBy:
James Holland
48.27Category Trust Score
100If you’re looking for a portable Bluetooth speaker – and can forgive the lack of… read moreBy:
Tim Gideon
46.31Category Trust Score
80The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen has incredible voice assistant support. It comes… read moreBy:
Kob Monney- 46.86
Category Trust Score
NRBy:
Unknown - 51.48
Category Trust Score
100If you can afford it, yes. Is the A1 the most economical way to spend… read moreBy:
Jennifer Allen
Customer Score Breakdown
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