Review: Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Speaker

Back in 2016, the original A1 Bluetooth speaker (8/10, WIRED Recommends) was one of the first from Bang & Olufsen under its more affordable Beosound sub-brand. The stylish puck of brushed aluminum was a welcome antidote to all the rubberized Bluetooth boxes, and as a testament to good design, aesthetically it has changed little through three generations.

The third-generation Beosound A1 has just been launched, and while the design remains instantly recognizable and effortlessly cool, internally it has gone through a complete makeover and now sounds better and is more sustainable than ever. It is one of the finest portable speakers I’ve ever listened to, and remains as covetable as ever.

Same Skin, New Innards

Photograph: Chris Haslam

So what’s new? First, there are two new finishes to go along with the classic aluminium—Honey Tone (my review sample), and Eucalyptus Green. The speaker is seriously well made and flawlessly finished. It looks and feels as premium as it should for $399.

There’s a tweak on the design of the leather strap, but the important changes come from within. According to B&O, the A1 3rd Gen has the largest woofer in its class (3¼ inch), with a claimed bass SPL of 64 dB, which is 2 dB higher than the 2nd Gen model. Battery life has increased too, from 18 to 24 hours. Interestingly, Alexa voice assistant has been dropped, as—according to B&O directly—customers did not want it. It still has a microphone and thus still works as a speakerphone.

The A1 Gen 3 is also the first Cradle to Cradle Certified (Bronze level) Bluetooth speaker in the world. In layman's terms, the speaker has a modular design that can be both upgraded and repaired, helping to extend its lifespan. Batteries can be replaced, for instance, if you take your speaker into a Bang & Olufsen store. The brand’s commitment to longevity and sustainability is to be commended, and helps to justify the premium pricing.

Bluetooth 5.1 seems a little dated here, and means there’s no Auracast compatibility, but you do still get multipoint connectivity, stereo pairing, and aptX Adaptive compatibility. The IP67 rating ensures dust and waterproofing, plus the USB-C socket can be used for data transfer (future upgrades) as well as charging.

Weighing 1.2 pounds and measuring 5.24 in diameter x 1.81 inches high, the A1 is not pocketable, but it’s also not big enough to cause issues in a bag or backpack. There’s no protective case, but the aluminum is tough and showed no ill effects after a few weeks being deliberately bumped and jostled about. Reviewer Parker Hall has dropped the first and second generation speakers many times and hasn't noticed any horrific wear, beyond a few small dents. The leather carry strap is elegant, with subtle but classy branding, and if you want you can use the IP67 speaker like an old-school shower radio.

Generation Game

Photograph: Chris Haslam

Two 30-watt Class D amplifiers (60 watts total power) run the new, super-sized 3¼ inch woofer and one 0.6 inch tweeter, and together they pump out impressive 360-degree audio.

Played side by side with the previous generation Beosound A1 (Gen 2), the improvements are evident. There’s a greater sense of warmth and richness, with lows and highs presented evenly in the mix. Kathryn Crutchfield’s high notes on “365” by Waxahatchee will really test a smaller speaker, but here her voice soars, and without losing the bottom-end bass lines.

Switch between the two speakers—multipoint Bluetooth makes that nice and easy—and it’s clear the 3rd Gen offers more power without the need for excessive volume. Both sound great, with bags of detail and presence, but at similar volumes, the older model sounds like a good portable speaker, while the latest design has considerably more in the way of fidelity.

James Jamerson’s bass on Gladys Knight & the Pips’ “Midnight Train to Georgia” is beautifully realized, rolling and rumbling along with real presence and tone. Portable speakers don’t need to sound like this. They generally need to just get a song across somewhere without a hi-fi, but here, the speaker is good enough to pull the listener in and keep them engaged.

Fierce Competition

Photograph: Chris Haslam

Whether you’ve got a meagre budget or stacks of cash to splash, there’s a huge number of great Bluetooth speakers available. The Beosound A1 Gen 3 will not suit someone looking for big brash beats in the garden. It’s more nuanced than that, and I loved having it on my desk and playing it in various hotel rooms during recent work trips.

But there’s no escaping the fact it is twice the price of WIRED’s current favorite Bluetooth speaker, the $150 JBL Flip 7 (9/10 WIRED Recommends). But remember, they are very different beasts. Both sound great and come loaded with features, but one is plastic and can be found in a youthful camouflage colorway, while the other has been designed by renowned Danish designer Cecilie Manz and made sustainably using premium materials. If aesthetics are important to you, then it's Beosound all day.

The second-generation Beosound model is still available for $299, but given the improvement in sound quality, if you’re spending big already, try and stretch to the latest model. Interestingly, however, if you’re reading this in the UK, you can currently get a Gen 2 model on Amazon for just £158, which is extremely tempting, because the older design, while not quite as good as the newbie, still sounds superb.