Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) Review: Ready For Adventures

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) is Forbes Vetted’s pick for the best Bluetooth speaker overall within our tested best Bluetooth speaker roundup. Here’s why we recommend it.

While it’s been on the market for a few years now, Bang & Olufsen’s Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) Bluetooth speaker is a huge step up from the original, adding waterproofing and a smooth, elegant design. It is extremely lightweight but boasts a phenomenal performance that surpasses other speakers twice its size. Alexa provides extra convenience, while multiple color options give you the opportunity to express some personality.

This is not only one of the smallest Bluetooth speakers but also one of the most powerful I recently tested. The 2nd-generation Beosound A1 is a standout for its portability, strong audio and more. Read on for thoughts on design and performance to learn why it’s the top Bluetooth speaker you can buy right now.

Best for:

• Enjoying well-rounded performance
• If you forget to charge your devices frequently

Skip if:

• You don’t want to drop a lot on a Bluetooth Speaker
• You use Amazon Alexa as your main smart assistant

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen): Design

A Stylish Hockey Puck

The second-generation Beosound A1 Bluetooth Speaker is a stylish, perforated hockey puck made of brushed anodized aluminum. At just over a pound, it’s also extremely lightweight, and that metal casing is rugged enough to stand up to life’s adventures. In addition to this sturdy build, it comes with a waterproof leather strap for hanging on the wall or carrying on the go.

The on-device controls are easily accessible and larger compared to the original, so they’re easy to locate and press; you don’t have to fumble for them. It’s easy to activate your Bluetooth, microphone or volume controls as well as pause and play my music. LED lights provide further assistance, serving as indicators for your speakerphone, voice assistant and low battery.

The battery has an advertised 18-hour runtime when used at average volume. (That’s much longer than other Bluetooth speakers, which based on my tests, generally get only 10 to 12 hours.) It can last up to 43 hours at lower volumes, making it perfect for the office where you don’t play your music as loud. I tested it myself over the course of several days, keeping the volume moderate to low, and found that it lasted roughly 38 hours. Charging is quick over a USB-C connection, taking less than 3 hours to hit 100%.

However, one of my main complaints about the A1 is that it can’t charge any of your devices, like other Bluetooth speakers I tested can. I would have liked to have seen that so I could charge my Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max while out with the speaker. However, since its battery will last you the whole day, that’s one less device to charge, so I’m not complaining too much.

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen): Features

Take It To The Beach Or Pool With Its Waterproofing

The second-generation Beosound A1 adds waterproofing to its build. It has an IP67 rating, so it can last underwater at a depth of up to 1 meter for as long as 30 minutes, so you don’t have to worry over accidental splashes or drops into the pool. Despite its perforated design, it is dustproof, too.

Robust Connectivity Is A Bonus

The Beosound A1 uses an aptX Adaptive Bluetooth 5.1 technology. Pairing couldn’t be easier or faster. I just turned on the speaker, pressed the Bluetooth pairing button, and once my iPhone recognized the device, it was ready to play music. If you stumble, extra help is available in the form of Apple Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair or Google Fast Pair for an easier connection.

The A1 doesn’t offer built-in Wi-Fi, but does feature Amazon Alexa, powered via your phone’s Wi-Fi connection. Additionally, Bang & Olufsen’s Far Field technology means I could activate Alexa from up to 16 feet away, so it was easy to ask my smart home assistant questions. Based on my testing, the Wake Word assist feature still works up to 3 hours after the speaker has turned off.

Just be prepared to download some apps: Alexa requires both the Amazon Alexa and Bang & Olufsen apps. And for Google Assistant users, while it offers Google Fast Pair, you can’t use Google Assistant. It’s annoying for those fully committed to the Google ecosystem.

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen): Performance

Robust, Strong Audio

The A1 speaker does what it promises, providing room-filling sound for small and medium spaces. (Bang & Olufsen recommends this speaker for rooms ranging from 50 to 300 square feet.)

The speaker sounds as good as it looks, with a premium sound that quickly left me feeling like an audio snob. The audio is well-balanced, allowing each note to shine as the musician intended. I felt upbeat pop songs sounded extra bouncy, with an infectious energy that left me pumped up. More subdued melodies remained moody without any harshness, graininess or muddling, which feels like a common problem in Bluetooth speakers.

While playing Metallica’s, “Enter Sandman,” and, “Could You Be Loved,” by Bob Marley, each song remained clear and clean without any distortion or muddled basses and mids. The music sounded rich, with defined instruments, detailed vocals and pronounced percussion.

Once outside, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) worked well on my boat while we were docked and close by. True360 sound technology uses the speaker’s rounded design to play from all sides, allowing for better audio dispersion. I could hear the music clearly, regardless of where I sat on the boat.

However, once we jumped into the water and ventured out a bit, the music was lost over the distance and vocals floated away. Even with The Weeknd’s heavy bassline on, “Starboy,” the sharp bass was barely audible. While the soundstage is magnificent in smaller spaces, it can get lost over larger areas, especially outdoors.

While the A1 may not be best to cover long distances, it worked well with my phone calls. It has a built-in speakerphone with a trio of omnidirectional microphones for improved clarity during phone calls. When I was out on my golf cart, my mother called, and this conversation and subsequent phone calls were clear and free of distortion. It certainly makes a noticeable difference compared to other speakers I tested, which can often sound muffled and distant.

If you have two speakers, you can enjoy stereo sound when you pair them together. The Bang & Olufsen app activates this feature. The app also helped me customize my music with adjustable EQ presets (or I could choose from the five existing ones). Bang & Olufsen skips the typical sliders and instead uses its signature Beosonic Tuning dial. With this feature, I could adjust the tuning dial to create a personalized sound profile based on my preferences. Simply move the circle or make it bigger to apply a certain sound profile, then save for future use. It’s a fast, easy way to ensure that your content always sounds the way you want it to.

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen): Verdict

Amazing Sound In A Compact Package

Without a doubt, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) Bluetooth Speaker is worth the purchase. It blends style and performance in a portable, sturdy design. Sure, it’s pricey at $300, though you can often find it on sale for $200, and it’s still more portable compared to other Bluetooth speakers I tested, like the Brane X and the Monoprice Soundstage 3.

The A1 is perfect for your bedroom, office, bathroom or medium-sized living room. It is not meant for large, open spaces–audio gets lost–but for your everyday tag-along, this speaker is a high-performing companion that will keep your favorite tunes front and center.

Whether you play rock or classical, there is room for each genre to shine with refreshingly clear audio, rich vocals and plucky instrumentals. It does not sound muddled in lower registers, instead giving added depth to bass and drums. It’s hard to beat for its price, size and extra features like portability and waterproofing.

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How I Tested The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen)

To test the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen), I used my iPhone 14 Pro Max while streaming music via Pandora and Spotify. I listened to a number of music genres, including rock, pop, classical, hip-hop and electronic dance music (EDM).

The songs used for testing include:

• Rock: “Enter Sandman” by Metallica, “Subscription to a Plague” by Stay Dead!
• Pop: “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish, “Alive” by Sia
• EDM: “How You Love Me” by 3lau
• Hip-hop: “Ready or Not” by the Fugees
• Classical: “Clair De Lune” by Claude Debussy

I tested in a variety of environments to see how the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) works in different spaces. It was tested in a 360-degree format in both indoor and outdoor areas to better judge performance. From my living room to my bedroom, I tested how it reacted to a room with closed doors versus an open floor plan, moving around the room to see how sound traveled throughout the space. I listened to music from two feet away; then I moved out to the patio and listened to the music playing from inside at a distance of about 25 feet. Volume was played at medium and then top volume to identify any issues with distortion, fuzziness or range.

I conducted backyard testing, then listened to the speaker on a floating dock with the speaker placed approximately 5 feet away to see how the sound traveled over water for those upcoming vacations.

Not all speakers are used for music, so I tested sound quality with podcasts to ensure clarity. I also made multiple phone calls to judge voice clarity and speaker volume.

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My Expertise

I first worked for a web marketing company which jumpstarted my passion for consumer tech. It quickly expanded into testing and writing about the subject, which I’ve been doing for nearly seven years.

• In addition to spearheading my own marketing company, LilyMarie Creative, for over six years, I’ve also been writing and testing consumer tech products.
• I’ve tested studio headphones, PC speakers during my tenure. My bylines include ZDNET, Dotdash Meredith, Newsweek, Digital Trends and many more consumer tech publications.
• During my testing of the best Bluetooth speakers, I went hands-on with over a dozen devices over the course of two months, taking into account insights from including Monolord drummer and Studio Bersek producer Esben Willems, and Avi Greengart, President of Techsponential.

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Is the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) Bluetooth Speaker Worth It?

Without a doubt, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) is worth the purchase. It blends style and performance in a portable design, and based on testing, audio sounds robust.

It’s also hard to beat for its size and price. It combines value without neglecting must-have features like waterproofing and extra conveniences like Alexa. Plus, its many shades are gorgeous, too, with a pearl-blasted aluminum build for extra durability.

How Much Does A Bluetooth Speaker Cost?

The best Bluetooth speakers range in cost from $50 (for the Tribit StormBox Micro 2, my pick for the best budget Bluetooth speaker) to $600 (for the Brane X). As the best Bluetooth speaker overall, the second-generation Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) costs just under $200 at the time of this writing, making it one of the more affordable Bluetooth speakers you can buy.

What Is The Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker?

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) is one of the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers, but if you’re not sure about this device, another one of my favorites is the Sony Ult Field 1. Launched earlier this year by Sony, it has IP67 waterproofing so you can take it with you, rain or shine.