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bang olufsen beosound a1 gen 2 review

Bang Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2 Review

True Score

85
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Absolutely Fresh
89
10

Experts

82
2.88k

Consumers

Expert Rankings

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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.

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Generation) Wireless Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker with Microphone, Anthracite
SAVE $41
$279.00
$237.98

What Is Not on the Box

What the brand doesn’t always tell you…

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…

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.

True Score

85

Reasons to Buy

  • Compact and lightweight
  • Sturdy build quality
  • Works with voice assistants
  • Allows for EQ presets
  • Supports multi-device pairing

Reasons to Avoid

  • Short battery life
  • No WiFi connectivity
  • Low bass response

Specifications

  • Battery Life
    18 hours
  • Built In Microphone
    Yes
  • Charge Time
    2 hours
  • Size
    13.3 cm (w) x 4.5 cm (h) x 13.3 cm (d) (Weight: 558 g)
  • Smart App
    Yes
  • Speaker Pairing
    na
  • Water Resistant
    Yes
  • Wattage
    105 watts
  • Wireless Range
    na

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.

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Product Comparison

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  • Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Generation) Wireless Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker with Microphone, Anthracite
    Save $41
    $279.00
    $237.98

    Availability

    In Stock

    Free Shipping

    Yes

Score Card

E

Expert Score

89

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

82

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

85

Any product with a True Score above 80 is a Absolutely Fresh

Expert Score Breakdown

  • Rtings
    A

    Trust Score

    70
    The outdoor-friendly Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) speaker offers a strong mix of… read more
  • Trusted Reviews
    D

    Trust Score

    100
    If you’re looking for a portable Bluetooth speaker – and can forgive the lack of… read more
  • PC Mag
    D

    Trust Score

    80
    Visually near imperceptible from the original A1, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen)… read more
  • Techradar
    D

    Trust Score

    80
    The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen has incredible voice assistant support. It comes… read more
  • Consumer Reports
    F

    Trust Score

  • Pocket Lint
    F

    Trust Score

    100
    If you can afford it, yes. Is the A1 the most economical way to spend… read more

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