93

Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore Review

Kenn Muguna Avatar
Updated Jan 25, 2024 6:27 PM

True Score

75
75
9

Experts

86
0

Consumers

Product Awards

GR Certified

Expert Rankings

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore had reviewers pleased with its excellent build quality and compact size. They liked that it had a long-lasting battery and produced a wide soundstage, but they didn’t appreciate its mediocre bass levels and its lack of support for voice assistants or WiFi connectivity.

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Table of Contents

Product Snapshot

Overview

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore is a top-tier wireless Bluetooth speaker that was first announced mid-2021. Similar to the top speakers designed for outdoor use, the Beosound Explore has great build quality and is both waterproof and dust resistant. Its battery also lasts long since it offers up to nine hours of playtime. Its Bluetooth capabilities are not that far off from what some of the best Bluetooth speakers have to offer since it can be paired with up to two devices at once, and it has a Bluetooth range of up to 334.6 ft. The speaker will take only 3.9 hours to charge, and its charging port is connected via a USB-C port. For a speaker that doesn’t need to be connected to a port to charge. Weighing only 1.3 pounds, the speaker is also very portable, but if you’d also like to consider other portable options, check out our Bose SoundLink Flex review.

Consensus

our Verdict

Product testers lauded the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore for its sturdy build quality and impressive portability. Specialists from Expert Reviews liked that the speaker was small enough to hold with one hand and was dust-tight and waterproof. During their tests, its battery lasted 27 hours after playing audio at moderate volumes, while testers from Tech Radar also liked that they could adjust its EQ settings through its app. Other experts were also impressed with its soundstage performance, and found it alright for watching movies and playing music. They also lauded its multi-device Bluetooth connectivity and were pleased with its long 334.6 ft range.

However, testers weren’t entirely satisfied with its bass levels. If this is a deal breaker, you might like our Bose Portable Smart speaker review and our Bang & Olufsen Beolit 20 review since they both have a good bass response. The Beosound Explore also doesn’t support WiFi connectivity, or voice assistants like the Bose 300 does (which we’ve covered in our Bose Home Speaker 300 review).

ReasonS to Buy

  • Great build quality and durability
  • Long-lasting battery
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Long Bluetooth range
  • Multi-device Bluetooth connectivity

Reason to Avoid

  • Mediocre bass response
  • No support for WiFi or voice assistants
  • No speakerphone functionality

Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore Specs

Battery LifeBattery Life27 hrs
Built In MicrophoneBuilt In MicrophoneYes
Charge TimeCharge Time2 hrs
SizeSize8.1 cm (d) x 12.4 cm (h)
Smart AppSmart AppYes
Speaker PairingSpeaker PairingYes
Water ResistantWater ResistantYes
WattageWattage2 × 30W
Wireless RangeWireless Rangen/a

All Specs

Test Results

Battery Life (Hours)9
Volume Output (dB)84.8
Low End Roll Off (Hz)142.544
High End Roll Off (Hz)1,784.241

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Product Comparison

Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore Review

True Score

75
84
83
80

Ranking

#

93

/

109

#

9

/

109

#

18

/

109

#

52

/

109

Market Context

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore is a top-tier wireless Bluetooth speaker that was first announced mid-2021. Similar to the top speakers designed for outdoor…

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore is a top-tier wireless Bluetooth speaker that was first announced mid-2021. Similar to the top speakers designed for outdoor use, the Beosound Explore has great build quality and is both waterproof and dust resistant. Its battery also lasts long since it offers up to nine hours of playtime. Its Bluetooth capabilities are not that far off from what some of the best Bluetooth speakers have to offer since it can be paired with up to two devices at once, and it has a Bluetooth range of up to 334.6 ft. The speaker will take only 3.9 hours to charge, and its charging port is connected via a USB-C port. For a speaker that doesn’t need to be connected to a port to charge. Weighing only 1.3 pounds, the speaker is also very portable, but if you’d also like to consider other portable options, check out our Bose SoundLink Flex review.

The difference in size is not the only thing that sets the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore apart from the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1…

The difference in size is not the only thing that sets the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore apart from the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2. Upon further inspection, keen buyers might notice that the Beosound Explore has a stereo output while the Beosound A1 does not. The former also has a longer 9-hour battery life than the latter’s 4.6 hours. Take a look at our Bang & Olufsen A1 Gen 2 review for more highlights on what else it can do.

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore has an equalizer while the Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II does not, but the Beosound Explore is capable of a…

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore has an equalizer while the Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II does not, but the Beosound Explore is capable of a stereo output while the Revolve+ II is not.

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore has a longer 9-hour battery life compared to the Sonos Roam, whose battery only lasts up to 5.1 hours….

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore has a longer 9-hour battery life compared to the Sonos Roam, whose battery only lasts up to 5.1 hours. Still, the Sonos Roam supports WiFi connectivity and voice assistant functionality, while the Beosound Explore does not.

Battery Life

27 hrs

18 hrs

17 hrs

10 hrs

Built In Microphone

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Charge Time

2 hrs

2 hrs

4 hrs

2 hrs

Size

8.1 cm (d) x 12.4 cm (h)

13.3 cm (w) x 4.5 cm (h) x 13.3 cm (d) (Weight: 558 g)

Smart App

Yes

Yes

Amazon Alexa app, Bose Connect, Google Assistant, Yes

Amazon Alexa app, Google Assistant, Sonos app

Speaker Pairing

Yes

n/a

Yes

Yes

Water Resistant

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Wattage

2 × 30W

105W

8W

10W

Dig Deeper

Bang Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2 Review →

Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II Review →

Sonos Roam Review →

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  • Save $101
    $249.00
    $147.95

    Availability

    In Stock

    Free Shipping

    Yes

Score Card

E

Expert Score

75

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

86

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

75

Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews

Expert Scores

  • Rtings
    100.6

    Category Trust Rating

    69
    “No bottom line found for this product” Read More

    By:

    Andy White
  • PC Mag
    43.6

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore looks great, is rugged and waterproof but doesn’t deliver… Read More

    By:

    Mike Lowe
  • Which?
    55.2

    Category Trust Rating

    NR
    B&O Beosound Explore Looking for a portable Bluetooth speaker that can withstand the a bit… Read More

    By:

    Unknown
  • Pocket Lint
    52.7

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    The Beosound Explore is a stylish and durable speaker for accompanying you wherever you go,… Read More

    By:

    Matthew Bolton
  • Expert Reviews UK
    19.7

    Category Trust Rating

    80
    The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore is part of the Wireless & Bluetooth Speakers test… Read More

    By:

    Nick Rego
  • Consumer Reports
    15.6

    Category Trust Rating

    NR
    Bang & Olufsen Explore is a cool-looking, compact, great-sounding portable speaker—and is dazzling in the… Read More

    By:

    Unknown

Customer Scores