Beosound A1 Review: Is This the Best Portable Speaker for $200?
I recently found myself in need of another small, portable Bluetooth speaker for my travels. Over the years, I’ve tried various options like the Bose SoundLink, but this time, I stumbled upon the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd generation on sale. Given my previous positive experiences with B&O products, I decided to try it. At around $200 USD, it seemed like a good deal, especially with its compact size, built-in Amazon Alexa, and renowned B&O sound quality, boasting 60 watts of total power.
The design and build of the A1 are exactly what you’d expect from Bang & Olufsen. The speaker is encased in beautiful brushed aluminum, featuring a handy loop for easy carrying. Its unique donut shape allows it to lie flat while delivering 360-degree stereo sound, making it both functional and stylish.
Upon receiving the speaker, I charged it fully and connected it to my iPhone via Bluetooth effortlessly. The B&O app made updating the speaker’s software a breeze, and it also offers customizable EQ settings to tweak the sound to my liking. Setting up Amazon Alexa was straightforward through the Alexa app, and the three built-in microphones ensure clear voice recognition. The audio quality is impressively clear and bright, with a surprisingly wide soundstage for such a small device, and it gets more than loud enough for my needs.
I’d highly recommend the Beosound A1 to anyone looking for a compact Bluetooth speaker from Bang & Olufsen. It’s not only water and dust-proof (IP67 rated) but also fits comfortably into any backpack or travel bag. It feels incredibly durable, almost tank-like in its construction, yet weighs only one pound. So far, I haven’t encountered any Bluetooth connectivity issues, and the battery life is impressive, lasting up to 18 hours on a full charge, with a quick 3-hour recharge time using the included USB-C cable. Overall, I’m very satisfied with this purchase. For fans of B&O, this portable speaker is a fantastic choice at its price point.
