Scored using Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0
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Products in this category are scored under Frontum Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0: technical specifications plus authentic consumer ratings, with 0% commercial bias.
Explore Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen Review | 130 Data compared

Avg. price:~£190Audio output power:60.00 WBattery life:18 hoursIP rating:IP67Bluetooth version:5.1Weight:558 g

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen Review: Compare 130 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Portable Speakers category and whether it is worth buying.

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen
8.1/10

Overall score

Score
8.1/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of products in the Portable Speakers category, based on technical analysis and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference for identifying the best products in the Portable Speakers category.
Score distribution
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<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

80%

7.9

Technical score

20%

9.0

User score

★Better than 99% of portable speakers
8.5

Value for money

Value for money
8.5/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the overall score of products in the Portable Speakers category with their prices.
When it matters
When you are comparing products in the Portable Speakers category and want a good balance between quality and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

8.1

Overall score

30%

9.5

Price

★Better than 97%
7.9

Technical score

Technical score
7.9/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Portable Speakers category across these key areas: Audio, Connectivity, Battery, Durability, Controls, Design, Smart features.
When it matters
When you want to compare products in the Portable Speakers category by technical performance, specifications, and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

32%

7.8

Audio

20%

7.8

Battery

18%

8.5

Durability

16%

7.2

Connectivity

8%

8.7

Controls

3%

9.2

Design

3%

6.0

Smart features

★Better than 98%
9.0

User score

User score
9.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

8.6

User ratings

30%

10

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
â–²Better than 88%
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Where to buy
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Best rankings
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Technical Specifications of portable speaker Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen

Technical score
Technical score
7.9/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Portable Speakers category across these key areas: Audio, Connectivity, Battery, Durability, Controls, Design, Smart features.
When it matters
When you want to compare products in the Portable Speakers category by technical performance, specifications, and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components:

32%

7.8

Audio

20%

7.8

Battery

18%

8.5

Durability

16%

7.2

Connectivity

8%

8.7

Controls

3%

9.2

Design

3%

6.0

Smart features

7.9
User score
User score
9.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

8.6

User ratings

30%

10

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
9.0
Popularity
Popularity
10/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you prefer products in the Portable Speakers category that have been chosen and reviewed by many other buyers.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Popularity:
Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen has a popularity score of 10 points, which is higher than 92% of products in this category.
10
Value for money
Value for money
8.5/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the overall score of products in the Portable Speakers category with their prices.
When it matters
When you are comparing products in the Portable Speakers category and want a good balance between quality and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components:

70%

8.1

Overall score

30%

9.5

Price

8.5
Audio output power
60 W
This portable speaker has an audio output power of 60 W which is higher than that of 79.9% of portable speakers and equal to that of 4.5% of portable speakers.
Driver unit size
88 mm
This portable speaker has a driver unit size of 88 mm which is larger than that of 85.2% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.7% of portable speakers.
Number of drivers
2
This portable speaker has 2 drivers, which is more than 24.5% of portable speakers and equal to the number in 45.5% of portable speakers.
Frequency response tolerance
?
Lowest frequency
55 Hz
This portable speaker has a lowest frequency of 55 Hz which is lower than that of 55.2% of portable speakers and equal to that of 3.2% of portable speakers.
Show more
Bluetooth connectivity
yes
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth audio. 5.4% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Bluetooth version
5.1
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth version 5.1 which is newer than that of 70.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 4.8% of portable speakers.
Maximum Bluetooth range
?
Bluetooth profiles supported
A2DP; AVRCP; HFP; HSP
Bluetooth LE Audio
no
This portable speaker does not support Bluetooth LE Audio. 2.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
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Battery life
18 hours
This portable speaker has a battery life of 18 hours which is longer than that of 77.6% of portable speakers and equal to that of 2.5% of portable speakers.
Battery capacity
3,000 mAh
This portable speaker has a battery capacity of 3,000 mAh which is larger than that of 58.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 3.8% of portable speakers.
Charging time
2 hours
This portable speaker has a charging time of 2 hours which is shorter than that of 72.9% of portable speakers and equal to that of 22.6% of portable speakers.
Maximum charging input power
15 W
This portable speaker has a maximum charging input power of 15 W which is higher than that of 73.6% of portable speakers and equal to that of 9.5% of portable speakers.
Built-in rechargeable battery
yes
This portable speaker has a built-in rechargeable battery. 18.7% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
IP rating
IP67
This portable speaker has an IP rating of IP67 which provides better ingress protection than 80% of portable speakers and the same ingress protection as 19.1% of portable speakers.
Water resistance
yes
This portable speaker is water resistant. 38.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Dust resistance
yes
This portable speaker is dust resistant. 48.6% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Waterproof depth rating
1 m
This portable speaker has a waterproof depth rating of 1 m which is deeper than that of 52.6% of portable speakers and equal to that of 47.4% of portable speakers.
Drop resistance
no
This portable speaker lacks an impact-resistance rating. 32.8% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
On-device controls placement
side
Touchscreen
no
This portable speaker does not have a touchscreen. 0.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Smartphone app control
yes
This portable speaker supports smartphone app control. 46.1% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Compatible mobile app provides speaker control or settings.
Remote control
no
This portable speaker does not include a remote control. 15% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Fast pairing
yes
This portable speaker supports fast pairing. 77.6% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
Weight
558 g
This portable speaker weighs 558 g which is lighter than that of 62.3% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.1% of portable speakers.
Height
4.6 cm
This portable speaker has a height of 4.6 cm which is shorter than that of 94% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.8% of portable speakers.
Width
13.3 cm
This portable speaker has a width of 13.3 cm which is narrower than that of 65.3% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.3% of portable speakers.
Depth
4.6 cm
This portable speaker has a depth of 4.6 cm which is shallower than that of 86.1% of portable speakers and equal to that of 1.3% of portable speakers.
Carry options
strap
Show more
Companion app name
Bang & Olufsen
Firmware updates
yes
This portable speaker supports firmware updates. 52.9% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Supports user-accessible firmware updates.
Firmware update method
App; USB
Voice assistant support
yes
This portable speaker supports voice assistants. 73.6% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Supports direct voice-assistant control.
Spotify Connect
no
This portable speaker does not support Spotify Connect. 10.8% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen vs the average portable speaker

246810TotalAudioConnectivityBatteryDurabilityControlsDesignSmart features
  • Better ingress protection
    This portable speaker has better ingress protection than the average portable speaker (IP67 vs IPX5).
    IP67 vs IPX5
  • 38 mm larger main driver
    This portable speaker has a larger main driver than the average portable speaker (88 mm vs 50 mm).
    88 mm vs 50 mm
  • 40 W more audio output power
    This portable speaker has more audio output power than the average portable speaker (60 W vs 20 W).
    60 W vs 20 W
  • 1 m deeper waterproof rating
    This portable speaker has a deeper waterproof depth rating than the average portable speaker (1 m vs 0 m).
    1 m vs 0 m
  • Provides 360-degree sound
    This portable speaker provides 360-degree sound, while the average portable speaker does not provide 360-degree sound.
    Provides omnidirectional 360° sound radiation.
  • 12 dB higher signal-to-noise ratio
    This portable speaker has a higher signal-to-noise ratio than the average portable speaker (92 dB vs 80 dB).
    92 dB vs 80 dB
  • 1 more multipoint connections
    This portable speaker has more multipoint connections than the average portable speaker (2 vs 1).
    2 vs 1
  • 6 hours longer battery life
    This portable speaker has a longer battery life than the average portable speaker (18 hours vs 12 hours).
    18 hours vs 12 hours
  • 13.2% better value for money
    Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen offers better value for money than the average portable speaker (8.54 vs 7.5).
    8.54 vs 7.55
  • 12.9% higher user score
    User score
    9.0/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
    When it matters
    When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen
    the average portable speaker
    Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen has a higher user score than the average portable speaker (9.04 vs 8).
    9.04 vs 8
  • 2.38x more popular
    Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen is more popular than the average portable speaker (10 vs 4.21).
    10 vs 4.21
  • 38 mm larger main driver
    This portable speaker has a larger main driver than the average portable speaker (88 mm vs 50 mm).
    88 mm vs 50 mm
  • 40 W more audio output power
    This portable speaker has more audio output power than the average portable speaker (60 W vs 20 W).
    60 W vs 20 W
  • Provides 360-degree sound
    This portable speaker provides 360-degree sound, while the average portable speaker does not provide 360-degree sound.
    Provides omnidirectional 360° sound radiation.
  • 12 dB higher signal-to-noise ratio
    This portable speaker has a higher signal-to-noise ratio than the average portable speaker (92 dB vs 80 dB).
    92 dB vs 80 dB
  • Has a noise-canceling microphone
    This portable speaker has a noise-canceling microphone, while the average portable speaker does not have a noise-canceling microphone.
    Uses microphone noise/echo cancellation for calls or voice.
  • 2 more microphones
    This portable speaker has more microphones than the average portable speaker (3 vs 1).
    3 vs 1
  • Has beamforming microphones
    This portable speaker has beamforming microphones, while the average portable speaker does not have beamforming microphones.
    Uses beamforming microphone technology.
  • 5 Hz deeper bass extension
    This portable speaker has deeper bass extension than the average portable speaker (55 Hz vs 60 Hz).
    55 Hz vs 60 Hz
  • 1 more multipoint connections
    This portable speaker has more multipoint connections than the average portable speaker (2 vs 1).
    2 vs 1
  • Supports aptX Adaptive
    This portable speaker supports aptX Adaptive, while the average portable speaker does not support aptX Adaptive.
  • Supports aptX
    This portable speaker supports aptX, while the average portable speaker does not support aptX.
  • Supports aptX Low Latency
    This portable speaker supports aptX Low Latency, while the average portable speaker does not support aptX Low Latency.
  • Has a USB Type-C port
    This portable speaker has a USB Type-C port, while the average portable speaker does not have a USB Type-C port.
    Has a physical USB-C port.
  • Supports AAC Bluetooth audio
    This portable speaker supports AAC Bluetooth audio, while the average portable speaker does not support AAC Bluetooth audio.
  • 0.1 Bluetooth levels newer
    This portable speaker has a newer Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (5.1 vs 5).
    5.1 vs 5
  • 6 hours longer battery life
    This portable speaker has a longer battery life than the average portable speaker (18 hours vs 12 hours).
    18 hours vs 12 hours
  • 1 hours shorter charging time
    This portable speaker has a shorter charging time than the average portable speaker (2 hours vs 3 hours).
    2 hours vs 3 hours
  • 5 W higher charging input power
    This portable speaker has higher charging input power than the average portable speaker (15 W vs 10 W).
    15 W vs 10 W
  • 400 mAh more battery capacity
    This portable speaker has a larger battery capacity than the average portable speaker (3,000 mAh vs 2,600 mAh).
    3,000 mAh vs 2,600 mAh
  • Better ingress protection
    This portable speaker has better ingress protection than the average portable speaker (IP67 vs IPX5).
    IP67 vs IPX5
  • 1 m deeper waterproof rating
    This portable speaker has a deeper waterproof depth rating than the average portable speaker (1 m vs 0 m).
    1 m vs 0 m
  • 5 more EQ presets
    This portable speaker has more EQ presets than the average portable speaker (5 vs 0).
    5 vs 0
  • Has an equalizer
    This portable speaker has an equalizer, while the average portable speaker does not have an equalizer.
    Offers user-selectable EQ, tone adjustment, or sound presets.
  • Supports fast pairing
    This portable speaker supports fast pairing, while the average portable speaker does not support fast pairing.
  • Supports party mode
    This portable speaker supports party mode, while the average portable speaker does not support party mode.
    Supports synchronized multi-speaker party/group playback.
  • Has a hardware microphone mute switch
    This portable speaker has a hardware microphone mute switch, while the average portable speaker does not have a hardware microphone mute switch.
    Has a physical microphone mute control.
  • Supports playback mute
    This portable speaker supports playback mute, while the average portable speaker does not support playback mute.
    Speaker playback audio can be directly muted.
  • Has a sleep timer
    This portable speaker has a sleep timer, while the average portable speaker does not have a sleep timer.
    A selectable timer can stop playback or power the speaker down.
  • 7.8 cm shorter
    This portable speaker is shorter than the average portable speaker (4.6 cm vs 12.4 cm).
    4.6 cm vs 12.4 cm
  • 3.7 cm shallower
    This portable speaker is shallower than the average portable speaker (4.6 cm vs 8.3 cm).
    4.6 cm vs 8.3 cm
  • 242 g lighter
    This portable speaker is lighter than the average portable speaker (558 g vs 800 g).
    558 g vs 800 g
  • Supports voice assistants
    This portable speaker supports voice assistants, while the average portable speaker does not support voice assistants.
    Supports direct voice-assistant control.
  • Supports firmware updates
    This portable speaker supports firmware updates, while the average portable speaker does not support firmware updates.
    Supports user-accessible firmware updates.
  • Does not have a 3.5 mm AUX input
    This portable speaker does not have a 3.5 mm AUX input, while the average portable speaker has a 3.5 mm AUX input.
    No built-in 3.5 mm AUX input.
  • 10 °C higher minimum operating temperature
    This portable speaker has a higher minimum operating temperature than the average portable speaker (10 °C vs 0 °C).
    10 °C vs 0 °C
  • 66 ms higher audio latency
    This portable speaker has higher audio latency than the average portable speaker (151 ms vs 85 ms).
    151 ms vs 85 ms
  • 2.11x more expensive
    Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen is more expensive than the average portable speaker (£190 vs £90).
    £190 vs £90
  • 2.11x more expensive
    Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen is more expensive than the average portable speaker (£190 vs £90).
    £190 vs £90
  • 66 ms higher audio latency
    This portable speaker has higher audio latency than the average portable speaker (151 ms vs 85 ms).
    151 ms vs 85 ms
  • Does not have a 3.5 mm AUX input
    This portable speaker does not have a 3.5 mm AUX input, while the average portable speaker has a 3.5 mm AUX input.
    No built-in 3.5 mm AUX input.
  • 10 °C higher minimum operating temperature
    This portable speaker has a higher minimum operating temperature than the average portable speaker (10 °C vs 0 °C).
    10 °C vs 0 °C

Video reviews

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Expert reviews

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31/08/2020
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16/02/2024
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18/08/2020
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11/03/2021
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26/03/2021
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19/02/2024
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27/05/2020
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31/08/2020
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27/04/2021
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10/08/2023
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Third-party reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
Reviews last updated: August 2026 · How we calculate this

What customers like about Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen

  • Excellent, well-balanced sound quality with clear mid-range vocal clarity for its compact size
  • Sleek, premium, and durable aluminum design with an integrated leather carrying strap
  • Full IP67 dustproof and waterproof rating, making it highly resilient for outdoor use and pool areas
  • Impressive 360-degree soundstage directivity that evenly disperses audio across a room
  • Substantially improved battery life compared to the 1st generation, offering up to 18 hours at typical volume levels
  • Built-in Amazon Alexa integration and useful sound customization features within the companion app

What customers don't like about Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen

  • High premium price point compared to other similarly performing portable speakers
  • Struggles to reproduce sub-bass frequencies due to the physical constraints of its small enclosure
  • Battery life drains significantly faster (dropping to 3-4 hours) when pushed to maximum volume
  • Does not get loud enough to easily fill larger outdoor spaces or handle chaotic parties
  • Lacks a traditional 3.5mm auxiliary audio input jack
  • Mixed feedback on microphone performance for speakerphone calls, with some users reporting a distant or muffled voice quality
  • Stereo pairing capability is restricted exclusively to matching 2nd Gen models, excluding older 1st Gen variants

Verdict

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen is a premium, ultra-portable Bluetooth 5.1 speaker built with a pearl-blasted aluminum dome, polymer base, and a waterproof leather strap. Internally, it features a 3.5-inch woofer and a 0.6-inch tweeter driven by dual 30-watt Class D amplifiers to deliver omnidirectional 360-degree True360 sound with a frequency range of 55 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Main characteristics and pros include its resilient IP67 dust and waterproof certification, a robust 3,000 mAh battery offering up to 18 hours of typical playtime, built-in Amazon Alexa voice control, a three-microphone array for crisp speakerphone calls, and support for aptX Adaptive and AAC codecs. However, its primary downsides are a premium price tag, a lack of standalone Wi-Fi connectivity, the absence of a physical 3.5mm auxiliary port, and an inability to reproduce deep sub-bass frequencies.

Compare Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen with other products in the Portable Speakers category

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